Talus , the brazen giant , on his never-ceasing sentinel 's march , happened to be approaching that part of the coast ; and they saw him , by the glimmering of the moonbeams on his polished surface , while he was yet a great way off . As the figure moved like clockwork , however , and could neither hasten his enormous strides nor retard them , he arrived at the port when they were just beyond the reach of his club . Nevertheless , straddling from headland to headland , as his custom was , Talus attempted to strike a blow at the vessel , and , overreaching himself , tumbled at full length into the sea , which splashed high over his gigantic shape , as when an iceberg turns a somerset . There he lies yet ; and whoever desires to enrich himself by means of brass had better go thither with a diving bell , and fish up Talus . On the homeward voyage , the fourteen youths and damsels were in excellent spirits , as you will easily suppose . They spent most of their time in dancing , unless when the sidelong breeze made the deck slope too much . In due season , they came within sight of the coast of Attica , which was their native country . But here , I am grieved to tell you , happened a sad misfortune . You will remember -LRB- what Theseus unfortunately forgot -RRB- that his father , King Aegeus , had enjoined it upon him to hoist sunshiny sails , instead of black ones , in case he should overcome the Minotaur , and return victorious . In the joy of their success , however , and amidst the sports , dancing , and other merriment , with which these young folks wore away the time , they never once thought whether their sails were black , white , or rainbow colored , and , indeed , left it entirely to the mariners whether they had any sails at all . Thus the vessel returned , like a raven , with the same sable wings that had wafted her away . But poor King Aegeus , day after day , infirm as he was , had clambered to the summit of a cliff that overhung the sea , and there sat watching for Prince Theseus , homeward bound ; and no sooner did he behold the fatal blackness of the sails , than he concluded that his dear son , whom he loved so much , and felt so proud of , had been eaten by the Minotaur . He could not bear the thought of living any longer ; so , first flinging his crown and sceptre into the sea -LRB- useless baubles that they were to him now -RRB- , King Aegeus merely stooped forward , and fell headlong over the cliff , and was drowned , poor soul , in the waves that foamed at its base ! This was melancholy news for Prince Theseus , who , when he stepped ashore , found himself king of all the country , whether he would or no ; and such a turn of fortune was enough to make any young man feel very much out of spirits . However , he sent for his dear mother to Athens , and , by taking her advice in matters of state , became a very excellent monarch , and was greatly beloved by his people . THE PYGMIES . A great while ago , when the world was full of wonders , there lived an earth-born Giant , named Antaeus , and a million or more of curious little earth-born people , who were called Pygmies . This Giant and these Pygmies being children of the same mother -LRB- that is to say , our good old Grandmother Earth -RRB- , were all brethren , and dwelt together in a very friendly and affectionate manner , far , far off , in the middle of hot Africa . The Pygmies were so small , and there were so many sandy deserts and such high mountains between them and the rest of mankind , that nobody could get a peep at them oftener than once in a hundred years . As for the Giant , being of a very lofty stature , it was easy enough to see him , but safest to keep out of his sight .
Among the Pygmies , I suppose , if one XXXXX them grew to the height of six or eight inches , he was reckoned a prodigiously tall man .
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