n 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 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 hurried the guests along； until they entered a magnificent saloon。 It was built in a perfect oval； and lighted from a crystal dome above。 Around the walls were ranged two and twenty thrones； overhung by canopies of crimson and gold； and provided with the softest of cushions； which were tasselled and fringed with gold cord。 Each of the strangers was invited to sit down； and there they were； two and twenty storm… beaten mariners； in worn and tattered garb； sitting on two and twenty cushioned and canopied thrones； so rich and gorgeous that the proudest monarch had nothing more splendid in his stateliest hall。
Then you might have seen the guests nodding； winking with one eye； and leaning from one throne to another； to communicate their satisfaction in hoarse whispers。
〃Our good hostess has made kings of us all；〃 said one。 〃Ha！ do you smell the feast？ I'll engage it will be fit to set before two and twenty kings。〃
〃I hope；〃 said another； 〃it will be； mainly； good substantial joints； sirloins； spareribs； and hinder quarters； without too many kickshaws。 If I thought the good lady would not take it amiss； I should call for a fat slice of fried bacon to begin with。〃
Ah； the gluttons and gormandizers！ You see how it was with them。 In the loftiest seats of dignity； on royal thrones； they could think of nothing but their greedy appetite； which was the portion of their nature that they shared with wolves and swine； so that they resembled those vilest of animals far more than they did kingsif； indeed； kings were what they ought to be。
But the beautiful woman now clapped her hands； and immediately there entered a train of two and twenty serving man； bringing dishes of the richest food； all hot from the kitchen fire； and sending up such a steam that it hung like a cloud below the crystal dome of the saloon。 An equal number of attendants brought great flagons of wine； of various kinds； some of which sparkled as it was poured out； and went bubbling down the throat； while； of other sorts； the purple liquor was so clear that you could see the wrought figures at the bottom of the goblet。 While the servants supplied the two and twenty guests with food and drink； the hostess and her four maidens went from one throne to another； exhorting them to eat their fill； and to quaff wine abundantly； and thus to recompense them… selves； at this one banquet； for the many days when they had gone without a dinner。 But whenever the mariners were not looking at them （which was pretty often； as they looked chiefly into the basins and platters）； the beautiful woman and her damsels turned aside； and laughed。 Even the servants； as they knelt down to present the dishes； might be seen to grin and sneer； while the guests were helping themselves to the offered dainties。
And； once in a while； the strangers seemed to taste something that they did not like。
〃Here is an odd kind of spice in this dish；〃 said one。 〃I can't say it quite suits my palate。 Down it goes； however。〃
〃Send a good draught of wine down your throat；〃 said his comrade on the next throne。 〃That is the stuff to make this sort of cookery relish well。 Though I must needs say； the wine has a queer taste too。 But the more I drink of it； the better I like the flavor。〃
Whatever little fault they might find with the dishes； they sat at dinner a prodigiously long while； and it would really have made you ashamed to see how they swilled down the liquor and gobbled up the food。 They sat on golden thrones； to be sure； but they behaved like pigs in a sty； and； if they had had their wits about them； they might have guessed that this was the opinion of their beautiful hostess and her maidens。 It brings a blush into my face to reckon up； in my own mind； what mountains of meat and pudding； and what gallons of wine； these two and twenty guzzlers and gormandizers ate and drank。 They forgot all about their homes； and their wives and children； and all about Ulysses； and everything else； except this banquet； at which they wanted to keep feasting forever。 But at length they began to give over； from mere incapacity to hold any more。
〃That last bit of fat is too much for me；〃 said one。
〃And I have not room for another morsel；〃 said his next neighbor； heaving a sigh。 〃What a pity！ My appetite is as sharp as ever。〃
In short； they all left off eating； and leaned back on their thrones； with such a stupid and helpless aspect as made them ridiculous to behold。 When their hostess saw this； she laughed aloud； so did her four damsels； so did the two and twenty serving men that bore the dishes； and their two and twenty fellows that poured out the wine。 And the louder they all laughed； the more stupid and helpless did the two and twenty gormandizers look。 Then the beautiful woman took her stand in the middle of the saloon； and stretching out a slender rod （it had been all the while in her hand； although they never noticed it till this moment）； she turned it from one guest to another； until each had felt it pointed at himself。 Beautiful as her face was； and though there was a smile on it； it looked just as wicked and mischievous as the ugliest serpent that ever was seen； and fat…witted as the voyagers had made themselves； they began to suspect that they had fallen into the power of an evil…minded enchantress。
〃Wretches；〃 cried she； 〃you have abused a lady's hospitality； and in this princely saloon your behavior has been suited to a hog…pen。 You are already swine in everything but the human form； which you disgrace； and which I myself should be ashamed to keep a moment longer； were you to share it with me。 But it will require only the slightest exercise of magic to make the exterior conform to the hoggish disposition。 Assume your proper shapes； gormandizers； and begone to the sty！〃
Uttering these last words； she waved her wand； and stamping her foot imperiously； each of the guests was struck aghast at beholding； instead of his comrades in human shape； one and twenty hogs sitting on the same number of golden thrones。 Each man （as he still supposed himself to be） essayed to give a cry of surprise； but found that he could merely grunt； and that； in a word； he was just such another beast as his companions。 It looked so intolerably absurd to see hogs on cushioned thrones； that they made haste to wallow down upon all fours； like other swine。 They tried to groan and beg for mercy； but forthwith emitted the most awful grunting and squealing that ever came out of swinish throats。 They would have wrung their hands in despair； but； attempting to do so； grew all the more desperate for seeing themselves squatted on their hams； and pawing the air with their fore trotters。 Dear me！ what pendulous ears they had！ what little red eyes； half buried in fat！ and what long snouts； instead of Grecian noses！
But brutes as they certainly were； they yet had enough of human nature in them to be shocked at their own hideousness； and still intending to groan； they uttered a viler grunt and squeal than before。 So harsh and ear…piercing it was； that you would have fancied a butcher was sticking his knife into each of their throats； or； at the very least； that somebody was pulling every hog by his funny little twist of a tail。
〃Begone to your sty！〃 cried the enchantress； giving them some smart strokes with her wand； and then she turned to the serving men〃Drive out these swine； and throw down some acorns for them to eat。〃
The door of the saloon being flung open； the drove of hogs ran in all directions save the right one； in accordance with their hoggish perversity； but were finally driven into the back yard of the palace。 It was a sight to bring tears into one's eyes （and I hope none of you will be cruel enough to laugh at it）； to see the poor creatures go snuffing along； picking up here a cabbage leaf and there a turnip top； and rooting their noses in the earth for whatever they could find。 In their sty； moreover； they behaved more piggishly than the pigs that had been born so； for they bit and snorted at one another； put their feet in the trough； and gobbled up their victuals in a ridiculous hurry； and； when there was nothing more to be had； they made a great pile of themselves among some unclean straw； and fell fast asleep。 If they had any human reason left； it was just enough to keep them wondering when they should be slaughtered； and what quality of bacon they should make。
Meantime； as I told you before； Eurylochus had waited； and waited； and waited； in the entrance hall of the palace； without being able to comprehend what had befallen his friends。 At last； when the swinish uproar resounded through the palace； and when he saw the image of a hog in the marble basin； he thought it best to hasten back to the vessel； and inform the wise Ulysses of these marvelous occurrences。 So he ran as fast as he could down the steps； and never stopped to draw breath till he reached the shore。
〃Why do you come alone？〃 asked King Ulysses； as soon as he saw him。 〃Where are your two and twenty comrades？〃
At these questions； Eurylochus burst into tears。
〃Alas！〃 he cried； 〃I greatly fear that we shall never see one of their faces again。〃
Then he told Ulysses all that had happened； as far as he knew it； and added that he suspected the beautiful woman to be a vile enchantress； and the marble palace； magnificent as it looked； to be only a dismal cavern in reality。 As for his companions； he could not i