" And immediately I became an ape, a
hundred years old. Then he went away and left me; and when I saw
myself in this ugly shape, I wept, but resigned myself to the
tyranny of fate, knowing that fortune is constant to no one, and
descended to the foot of the mountain, where found a wide plain.
I fared on for the space of a month till my course brought me to
the shore of the salt sea: where I stood awhile and presently
caught sight of a ship in the midst of the sea, making for the
land with a fair wind. I hid myself behind a rock on the beach
and waited till the ship drew near, when I sprang on board. Quoth
one of the passengers, "Turn this unlucky brute out from amongst
us!" And the captain said, "Let us kill him." And a third, "I
will kill him with this sword." But I laid hold of the captain's
skirts and wept, and the tears ran down my face. The captain took
pity on me and said, "O merchants, this ape appeals to me for
protection, and I will protect him: henceforth he is under my
safeguard, and none shall molest or annoy him." Then he entreated
me kindly and whatever he said I understood and ministered to all
his wants and waited on him, so that he loved me. The ship sailed
on with a fair wind for the space of fifty days, at the end of
which time we cast anchor over against a great city, wherein were
much people, none could tell their number save God.
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