The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe

 

After the savage had slumbered about half an hour he awoke and came out of the cave to me, for I had been milking my goats, which I had in the enclosure just by. When he espied me he came running to me, laying himself down again upon the ground with all the possible signs of an humble thankful disposition. At last, he laid his head flat upon the ground close to my foot and set my other foot upon his head as he had done before. After this, he made all the signs to me of subjection, servitude, and submission imaginable. I understood him in many things, and let him know I was very well pleased with him.

 

In a little time I began to speak to him, and teach him to speak to me. First, I let him know his name should be FRIDAY, which was the day I saved his life. I likewise taught him to say "Master," and then let him know that was to be my name. I likewise taught him to say "Yes" and "No" and to know the meaning of them. I gave him some milk in an earthen pot and let him see me drink it before him and sop my bread in it. I gave him a cake of bread to do the like, which he complied with and made signs it was very good for him.

 

I kept there with him all night. As soon as it was day, I beckoned to him to come with me and let him know I would give him some cloathes, at which he seemed very glad, for he was stark naked. As we went by the place where he had buried the two men, he showed me the marks he had made to find them again, making signs to me we should dig them up and eat them. At this I appeared very angry, expressed my abhorrence of it, made as if I would vomit at the thoughts of it, and beckoned with my hand to him to come away. He did, with great submission. I then led him up to the top of the hill to see if his enemies were gone. Pulling out my perspective glass, I looked and saw plainly the place where they had been, but no appearance of them or their canoes. It was plain they were gone and had left their two comrades behind without any search after them.

 

But I was not content with this discovery. Having now more courage, and consequently more curiosity, I took my man Friday with me. Away we marched to the place where these creatures had been. I had a mind now to get some fuller intelligence of them. When I came to the place, my very blood ran chill in my veins at the horror of the spectacle. Indeed, it was a dreadful sight, at least it was so to me. Friday made nothing of it. The place was covered with human bones, the ground dyed with their blood, and great pieces of flesh were left here and there, half-eaten, mangled, and scorched. I saw three skulls, five hands, and the bones of three or four legs and feet, and abundance of other parts of bodies. The trees and stones had been marked again as well.

 

Friday, by his signs, made me understand they brought over four prisoners to feast upon. Three of them were eaten up, and he, pointing to himself, was the fourth. There had been a great battle between them and their next king, whose subject he had been one of, and they had taken a great number of prisoners in order to feast upon them.

 

Whilst I took the hatchet again to the trees, I caus'd Friday to gather all the skulls, bones, flesh, and whatever remained and lay them together in a heap, and make a great fire upon it, and burn them all to ashes. I found him unnerved by my destruction of the marks, and that he had still a hankering after some of the flesh and was still a cannibal in his nature. I discovered so much abhorrence at the very thoughts of it, I had, by some means, let him know I would kill him if he offered it.

 

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