The Adventures of Ulysses Read Online Free PDF Page A

Trojan War; of the abduction of Helen, and the chase, and the great battles; the attacks, the retreats, the separate duels. He spoke of Achilles fighting Hector and killing him with a spear thrust, of Paris ambushing Achilles; and, finally, how he himself had made a great hollow wooden horse and had the Greek armies pretend to leave, only to sneak back and hide in the belly of the horse. He told how the Trojans had dragged the horse within their gates, and how the Greek warriors had crept out at night and taken the city and slaughtered their enemies.
    Aeolus shouted with laughter. His face blazed and his belly shook. “Ah, that’s a trick after my own heart!” he cried. “You’re a sharp one, you are … I knew you had a foxy look about you. Wooden horse—ho ho! Tell more! Tell more!”
    Then Ulysses told of his wanderings after the fall of Troy, of his adventure in Lotusland, and what had happened in the Cyclops’ cave. And when Aeolus heard how he had outwitted Polyphemus and blinded his single eye, he struck the table with a mighty blow of his fist and snouted, “Marvelous! A master stroke! By the gods, you are the bravest, craftiest warrior that has ever drunk my wine.” He was especially pleased because he had always hated Polyphemus. He had no way of knowing, of course, that the blinded Cyclops had prayed to his father and had laid a curse on Ulysses, and that he, Aeolus, was being made the instrument of that curse. He did not know this, for the gods move in mysterious ways. And so he roared with laughter and shouted, “You have pleased me, Ulysses. You have told me a brave tale, a tale full of blood and tricks. And now I shall grant you any favor within my power. Speak out, Ulysses. Ask what you will.”
    “But one thing I seek, generous Aeolus,” said Ulysses, “your help. I need your help in getting home. For it has been a long, weary time since we saw our homes and our families. Our hearts thirst for the sight of Ithaca.”
    “No one can help you better than I,” said Aeolus. “You sail on ships, and I am Keeper of the Winds. Come with me.”
    He led Ulysses out into the night. A hot orange moon rode low in the sky, and they could see without torches. Aeolus led him to the mountain, carrying his sword in one hand and a great leather bag in the other. He stabbed the side of the mountain. There was a rushing, sobbing sound; he clapped his leather bag over the hole, and Ulysses, amazed, saw the great bag flutter and fill. Aeolus held its neck closed, strode to the east face of the mountain, and stabbed again. As the east wind rushed out, he caught it in his sack. Then he stomped to the south slope and stabbed again, and caught the south wind in the sack. Now, very carefully, he wound a silver wire about the neck of the sack. It was full now, swollen, tugging at his arm like a huge leather balloon, trying to fly away.
    He said, “In this bag are the north wind, the south wind, and the east wind. You must keep them prisoner. But if you wish to change course—if a pirate should chase you, say, or a sea monster, or if an adventure beckons, then you open the bag very carefully—you and you alone, Captain—and whistle up the wind you wish, let just a breath of it out, close the bag quickly again, and tie it tight. For winds grow swiftly—that is their secret—and so they must be carefully guarded.”
    “I shall not change course,” said Ulysses. “No matter what enemy threatens or what adventure beckons, I sail straight for Ithaca. I shall not open your bag of winds.”
    “Good,” said Aeolus. Then bind it to your mast, and guard it yourself, sword in hand; let none of your men approach, lest they open it unwittingly. In the meantime, I will send the gentle west wind to follow your ship and fill your sails and take you home.”
    “Thank you, great Aeolus, thank you, kindly keeper of the winds. I know now that the gods have answered my prayers, and I shall be able to cease this weary, heartbreaking