"The next morning we set sail, and came, after a while, to the
island where dwelleth AEolus. A floating island it is, and it hath
about it an unbroken wall of bronze. For a whole month did the
King entertain me in friendly fashion, and I told him the whole
story of the things that had been done at Troy.

"Afterwards I told him of my journey, and asked help of him. And
he gave me the skin of an ox nine years old, in which he had bound
all the winds that were contrary to me, for Zeus hath made him
keeper of the winds, that he may rouse them or put them to rest as
he will. This pouch of ox-hide he bound fast to the deck of the
ship with a thong of silver, that not a wind might escape from it.
But he let a gentle west wind blow, that it might carry me and my
comrades to our home. For nine days it blew, and now we were near
to Ithaca, our country, so that we saw the men that tended the
beacon-lights, for it was now near to the dawn on the tenth day.

"But now, by an ill chance, I fell asleep, being wholly wearied
out, for I had held the helm for nine days, nor trusted it to any
of my comrades. And while I slept my comrades, who had cast eyes
of envy on the great ox-hide, said one to another:--

"`Strange it is how men love and honour this Ulysses whithersoever
he goes. And now he comes back from Troy with much spoil, but we
with empty hands. Let us see what it is that AEolus hath given
him, for doubtless in this ox-hide is much silver and gold.'

"So they loosed the great bag of ox-hide, and lo! all the winds
rushed out, and carried us far away from our country. And I,