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looked through the open doorway into the interior of the palace。 The first
thing that they saw was a spacious hall； and a fountain in the middle of it；
gushing up towards the ceiling out of a marble basin； and falling back into
it with a continual plash。 The water of this fountain； as it spouted upward；
was constantly taking new shapes； not very distinctly； but plainly enough
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for a nimble fancy to recognize what they were。 Now it was the shape of a
man in a long robe； the fleecy whiteness of which was made out of the
fountain's spray； now it was a lion； or a tiger； or a wolf； or an ass； or； as
often as anything else； a hog； wallowing in the marble basin as if it were
his sty。 It was either magic or some very curious machinery that caused the
gushing waterspout to assume all these forms。 But； before the strangers
had time to look closely at this wonderful sight； their attention was drawn
off by a very sweet and agreeable sound。 A woman's voice was singing
melodiously in another room of the palace； and with her voice was
mingled the noise of a loom； at which she was probably seated； weaving a
rich texture of cloth； and intertwining the high and low sweetness of her
voice into a rich tissue of harmony。
By and by； the song came to an end； and then； all at once； there were
several feminine voices； talking airily and cheerfully； with now and then a
merry burst of laughter； such as you may always hear when three or four
young women sit at work together。
〃What a sweet song that was！〃 exclaimed one of the voyagers。
〃Too sweet； indeed；〃 answered Eurylochus； shaking his head。 〃Yet it
was not so sweet as the song of the Sirens； those bird…like damsels who
wanted to tempt us on the rocks； so that our vessel might be wrecked； and
our bones left whitening along the shore。〃
〃But just listen to the pleasant voices of those maidens； and that buzz
of the loom； as the shuttle passes to and fro；〃 said another comrade。 〃What
a domestic； household； home…like sound it is！ Ah； before that weary siege
of Troy； I used to hear the buzzing loom and the women's voices under my
own roof。 Shall I never hear them again？ nor taste those nice little savory
dishes which my dearest wife knew how to serve up？〃
〃Tush！ we shall fare better here；〃 said another。 〃But how innocently
those women are babbling together； without guessing that we overhear
them！ And mark that richest voice of all； so pleasant and so familiar； but
which yet seems to have the authority of a mistress among them。 Let us
show ourselves at once。 What harm can the lady of the palace and her
maidens do to mariners and warriors like us？〃
〃Remember；〃 said Eurylochus； 〃that it was a young maiden who
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beguiled three of our friends into the palace of the king of the Laestrygons；
who ate up one of them in the twinkling of an eye。〃
No warning or persuasion； however； had any effect on his companions。
They went up to a pair of folding doors at the farther end of the hall； and
throwing them wide open； passed into the next room。 Eurylochus；
meanwhile； had stepped behind a pillar。 In the short moment while the
folding doors opened and closed again； he caught a glimpse of a very
beautiful woman rising from the loom； and coming to meet the poor
weather…beaten wanderers； with a hospitable smile； and her hand stretched
out in welcome。 There were four other young women； who joined their
hands and danced merrily forward； making gestures of obeisance to the
strangers。 They were only less beautiful than the lady who seemed to be
their mistress。 Yet Eurylochus fancied that one of them had sea…green hair；
and that the close…fitting bodice of a second looked like the bark of a tree；
and that both the others had something odd in their aspect； although he
could not quite determine what it was； in the little while that he had to
examine them。
The folding doors swung quickly back； and left him standing behind
the pillar； in the solitude of the outer hall。 There Eurylochus waited until
he was quite weary； and listened eagerly to every sound； but without
hearing anything that could help him to guess what had become of his
friends。 Footsteps； it is true； seemed to be passing and repassing； in other
parts of the palace。 Then there was a clatter of silver dishes； or golden
ones； which made him imagine a rich feast in a splendid banqueting hall。
But by and by he heard a tremendous grunting and squealing； and then a
sudden scampering； like that of small； hard hoofs over a marble floor；
while the voices of the mistress and her four handmaidens were screaming
all together； in tones of anger and derision。 Eurylochus could not conceive
what had happened； unless a drove of swine had broken into the palace；
attracted by the smell of the feast。 Chancing to cast his eyes at the fountain；
he saw that it did not shift its shape； as formerly； nor looked either like a
long…robed man； or a lion； a tiger； a wolf； or an ass。 It looked like nothing
but a hog； which lay wallowing in the marble basin； and filled it from brim
to brim。
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But we must leave the prudent Eurylochus waiting in the outer hall；
and follow his friends into the inner secrecy of the palace。 As soon as the
beautiful woman saw them； she arose from the loom； as I have told you；
and came forward； smiling； and stretching out her hand。 She took the hand
of the foremost among them； and bade him and the whole party welcome。
〃You have been long expected； my good friends；〃 said she。 〃I and my
maidens are well acquainted with you； although you do not appear to
recognize us。 Look at this piece of tapestry； and judge if your faces must
not have been familiar to us。〃
So the voyagers examined the web of cloth which the beautiful woman
had been weaving in her loom； and； to their vast astonishment； they saw
their own figures perfectly represented in different colored threads。 It was
a life…like picture of their recent adventures； showing them in the cave of
Polyphemus； and how they had put out his one great moony eye； while in
another part of the tapestry they were untying the leathern bags； puffed out
with contrary winds； and farther on； they beheld themselves scampering
away from the gigantic king of the Laestrygons； who had caught one of
them by the leg。 Lastly； there they were； sitting on the desolate shore of
this very island； hungry and downcast； and looking ruefully at the bare
bones of the stag which they devoured yesterday。 This was as far as the
work had yet proceeded； but when the beautiful woman should again sit
down at her loom； she would probably make a picture of what had since
happened to the strangers； and of what was now going to happen。
〃You see；〃 she said； 〃that I know all about your troubles； and you
cannot doubt that I desire to make you happy for as long a time as you
may remain with me。 For this purpose； my honored guests； I have ordered
a banquet to be prepared。 Fish； fowl； and flesh； roasted； and in luscious
stews； and seasoned； I trust； to all your tastes； are ready to be served up。 If
your appetites tell you it is dinner time； then come with me to the festal
saloon。〃
At this kind invitation； the hungry mariners were quite overjoyed； and
one of them； taking upon himself to be spokesman； assured their
hospitable hostess that any hour of the day was dinner time with them；
whenever they could get flesh to put in the pot； and fire to boil it with。 So
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the beautiful woman led the way； and the four maidens （one of them had
sea…green hair； another a bodice of oak bark； a third sprinkled a shower of
water drops from her fingers' ends； and the fourth had some other oddity；
which I have forgotten）； all these followed behind； and hur