seeking to slay thee by craft or force?' And the giant answered,
`No Man slays me by craft.'

"`Nay, but,' they said, `if no man does thee wrong, we cannot help
thee. The sickness which great Zeus may send, who can avoid? Pray
to our father, Poseidon, for help.'

"So they spake, and I laughed in my heart when I saw how I had
deceived them by the name that I had given.

"But the Cyclops rolled away the great stone from the door of the
cave, and sat in the midst, stretching out his hands, to feel
whether perchance the men within the cave would seek to go out
among the sheep.

"Long did I think how I and my comrades should best escape. At
last I lighted upon a plan that seemed better than all the rest,
and much I thanked Zeus because this once the giant had driven the
rams with the other sheep into the cave. For, these being great
and strong, I fastened my comrades under the bellies of the
beasts, tying them with willow twigs, of which the giant made his
bed. One ram I took, and fastened a man beneath it, and two others
I set, one on either side. So I did with the six, for but six were
left out of the twelve who had ventured with me from the ship. And
there was one mighty ram, far larger than alt the others, and to
this I clung, grasping the fleece tight with both my hands. So we
all waited for the morning. And when the morning came, the rams
rushed forth to the pasture; but the giant sat in the door and
felt the back of each as it went by, nor thought to try what might
be underneath. Last of all went the great ram. And the Cyclops