Arabian Nights

by abc

  I told him my adventures, and heard in return that he was one

  of the grooms of Mihrage, the king of the island, and that each

  year they came to feed their master's horses in this plain.

  He took me to a cave where his companions were assembled, and when I

  had eaten of the food they set before me, they bade me think myself

  fortunate to have come upon them when I did, since they were going

  back to their master on the morrow, and without their aid I could

  certainly never have found my way to the inhabited part of the island.

  Early the next morning we accordingly set out, and when we reached

  the capital I was graciously received by the king, to whom I related

  my adventures, upon which he ordered that I should be well cared

  for and provided with such things as I needed. Being a merchant

  I sought out men of my own profession, and particularly those

  who came from foreign countries, as I hoped in this way to hear

  news from Bagdad, and find out some means of returning thither,

  for the capital was situated upon the sea-shore, and visited

  by vessels from all parts of the world. In the meantime I heard

  many curious things, and answered many questions concerning my

  own country, for I talked willingly with all who came to me.

  Also to while away the time of waiting I explored a little island

  named Cassel, which belonged to King Mihrage, and which was supposed

  to be inhabited by a spirit named Deggial. Indeed, the sailors

  assured me that often at night the playing of timbals could be

  heard upon it. However, I saw nothing strange upon my voyage,

  saving some fish that were full two hundred cubits long, but were

  fortunately more in dread of us than even we were of them, and fled

  from us if we did but strike upon a board to frighten them.

  Other fishes there were only a cubit long which had heads like owls.

  One day after my return, as I went down to the quay, I saw a ship

  which had just cast anchor, and was discharging her cargo,

  while the merchants to whom it belonged were busily directing

  the removal of it to their warehouses. Drawing nearer I presently

  noticed that my own name was marked upon some of the packages,

  and after having carefully examined them, I felt sure that they

  were indeed those which I had put on board our ship at Balsora.

  I then recognised the captain of the vessel, but as I was certain

  that he believed me to be dead, I went up to him and asked who owned

  the packages that I was looking at.

  "There was on board my ship," he replied, "a merchant of Bagdad

  named Sindbad. One day he and several of my other passengers

  landed upon what we supposed to be an island, but which was

  really an enormous whale floating asleep upon the waves.

  No sooner did it feel upon its back the heat of the fire which

  had been kindled, than it plunged into the depths of the sea.

  Several of the people who were upon it perished in the waters,

  and among others this unlucky Sindbad. This merchandise is his,

  but I have resolved to dispose of it for the benefit of his family

  if I should ever chance to meet with them."

  "Captain," said I, "I am that Sindbad whom you believe to be dead,

  and these are my possessions!"

  When the captain heard these words he cried out in amazement,

  "Lackaday! and what is the world coming to? In these days there

  is not an honest man to be met with. Did I not with my own

  eyes see Sindbad drown, and now you have the audacity to tell

  me that you are he! I should have taken you to be a just man,

  and yet for the sake of obtaining that which does not belong to you,

  you are ready to invent this horrible falsehood."

  "Have patience, and do me the favour to hear my story," said I.

  "Speak then," replied the captain, "I'm all attention."

  So I told him of my escape and of my fortunate meeting with the

  king's grooms, and how kindly I had been received at the palace.

  Very soon I began to see that I had made some impression upon him,

  and after the arrival of some of the other merchants, who showed

  great joy at once more seeing me alive, he declared that he also

  recognised me.

  Throwing himself upon my neck he exclaimed, "Heaven be praised

  that you have escaped from so great a danger. As to your goods,

  I pray you take them, and dispose of them as you please."

  I thanked him, and praised his honesty, begging him to accept

  several bales of merchandise in token of my gratitude, but he

  would take nothing. Of the choicest of my goods I prepared

  a present for King Mihrage, who was at first amazed, having known

  that I had lost my all. However, when I had explained to him

  how my bales had been miraculously restored to me, he graciously

  accepted my gifts, and in return gave me many valuable things.

  I then took leave of him, and exchanging my merchandise for sandal

  and aloes wood, camphor, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger,

  I embarked upon the same vessel and traded so successfully upon

  our homeward voyage that I arrived in Balsora with about one

  hundred thousand sequins. My family received me with as much joy

  as I felt upon seeing them once more. I bought land and slaves,

  and built a great house in which I resolved to live happily, and in

  the enjoyment of all the pleasures of life to forget my past sufferings.

  Here Sindbad paused, and commanded the musicians to play again,

  while the feasting continued until evening. When the time came

  for the porter to depart, Sindbad gave him a purse containing

  one hundred sequins, saying, "Take this, Hindbad, and go home,

  but to-morrow come again and you shall hear more of my adventures."

  The porter retired quite overcome by so much generosity, and you

  may imagine that he was well received at home, where his wife and

  children thanked their lucky stars that he had found such a benefactor.

  The next day Hindbad, dressed in his best, returned to the

  voyager's house, and was received with open arms. As soon

  as all the guests had arrived the banquet began as before,

  and when they had feasted long and merrily, Sindbad addressed them thus:

  "My friends, I beg that you will give me your attention while I

  relate the adventures of my second voyage, which you will find

  even more astonishing than the first."

  Second Voyage

  I had resolved, as you know, on my return from my first voyage,

  to spend the rest of my days quietly in Bagdad, but very soon I grew

  tired of such an idle life and longed once more to find myself upon

  the sea.

  I procured, therefore, such goods as were suitable for the places I

  intended to visit, and embarked for the second time in a good ship

  with other merchants whom I knew to be honourable men. We went from

  island to island, often making excellent bargains, until one day we

  landed at a spot which, though covered with fruit trees and abounding

  in springs of excellent water, appeared to possess neither houses

  nor people. While my companions wandered here and there gathering

  flowers and fruit I sat down in a shady place, and, having heartily

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p; enjoyed the provisions and the wine I had brought with me, I

  fell asleep, lulled by the murmur of a clear brook which flowed close by.

  How long I slept I know not, but when I opened my eyes and started

  to my feet I perceived with horror that I was alone and that

  the ship was gone. I rushed to and fro like one distracted,

  uttering cries of despair, and when from the shore I saw the vessel

  under full sail just disappearing upon the horizon, I wished

  bitterly enough that I had been content to stay at home in safety.

  But since wishes could do me no good, I presently took courage

  and looked about me for a means of escape. When I had climbed

  a tall tree I first of all directed my anxious glances towards

  the sea; but, finding nothing hopeful there, I turned landward,

  and my curiosity was excited by a huge dazzling white object,

  so far off that I could not make out what it might be.

  Descending from the tree I hastily collected what remained of my

  provisions and set off as fast as I could go towards it. As I drew

  near it seemed to me to be a white ball of immense size and height,

  and when I could touch it, I found it marvellously smooth and soft.

  As it was impossible to climb it--for it presented no foot-hold--

  I walked round about it seeking some opening, but there was none.

  I counted, however, that it was at least fifty paces round.

  By this time the sun was near setting, but quite suddenly it

  fell dark, something like a huge black cloud came swiftly over me,

  and I saw with amazement that it was a bird of extraordinary size

  which was hovering near. Then I remembered that I had often

  heard the sailors speak of a wonderful bird called a roc, and it

  occurred to me that the white object which had so puzzled me must be

  its egg.

  Sure enough the bird settled slowly down upon it, covering it

  with its wings to keep it warm, and I cowered close beside the egg

  in such a position that one of the bird's feet, which was as large

  as the trunk of a tree, was just in front of me. Taking off my turban

  I bound myself securely to it with the linen in the hope that the roc,

  when it took flight next morning, would bear me away with it from

  the desolate island. And this was precisely what did happen.

  As soon as the dawn appeared the bird rose into the air carrying

  me up and up till I could no longer see the earth, and then

  suddenly it descended so swiftly that I almost lost consciousness.

  When I became aware that the roc had settled and that I was once

  again upon solid ground, I hastily unbound my turban from its foot

  and freed myself, and that not a moment too soon; for the bird,

  pouncing upon a huge snake, killed it with a few blows from its

  powerful beak, and seizing it up rose into the air once more and

  soon disappeared from my view. When I had looked about me I began

  to doubt if I had gained anything by quitting the desolate island.

  The valley in which I found myself was deep and narrow, and surrounded

  by mountains which towered into the clouds, and were so steep

  and rocky that there was no way of climbing up their sides.

  As I wandered about, seeking anxiously for some means of escaping

  from this trap, I observed that the ground was strewed with diamonds,

  some of them of an astonishing size. This sight gave me great pleasure,

  but my delight was speedily damped when I saw also numbers of horrible

  snakes so long and so large that the smallest of them could have

  swallowed an elephant with ease. Fortunately for me they seemed

  to hide in caverns of the rocks by day, and only came out by night,

  probably because of their enemy the roc.

  All day long I wandered up and down the valley, and when it grew dusk

  I crept into a little cave, and having blocked up the entrance to it

  with a stone, I ate part of my little store of food and lay down

  to sleep, but all through the night the serpents crawled to and fro,

  hissing horribly, so that I could scarcely close my eyes for terror.

  I was thankful when the morning light appeared, and when I judged

  by the silence that the serpents had retreated to their dens I came

  tremblingly out of my cave and wandered up and down the valley

  once more, kicking the diamonds contemptuously out of my path, for I

  felt that they were indeed vain things to a man in my situation.

  At last, overcome with weariness, I sat down upon a rock, but I had

  hardly closed my eyes when I was startled by something which fell

  to the ground with a thud close beside me.

  It was a huge piece of fresh meat, and as I stared at it several

  more pieces rolled over the cliffs in different places. I had

  always thought that the stories the sailors told of the famous

  valley of diamonds, and of the cunning way which some merchants had

  devised for getting at the precious stones, were mere travellers'

  tales invented to give pleasure to the hearers, but now I perceived

  that they were surely true. These merchants came to the valley

  at the time when the eagles, which keep their eyries in the rocks,

  had hatched their young. The merchants then threw great lumps

  of meat into the valley. These, falling with so much force upon

  the diamonds, were sure to take up some of the precious stones

  with them, when the eagles pounced upon the meat and carried it off

  to their nests to feed their hungry broods. Then the merchants,

  scaring away the parent birds with shouts and outcries, would secure

  their treasures. Until this moment I had looked upon the valley

  as my grave, for I had seen no possibility of getting out of it alive,

  but now I took courage and began to devise a means of escape.

  I began by picking up all the largest diamonds I could find and storing

  them carefully in the leathern wallet which had held my provisions;

  this I tied securely to my belt. I then chose the piece of meat

  which seemed most suited to my purpose, and with the aid of my turban

  bound it firmly to my back; this done I laid down upon my face

  and awaited the coming of the eagles. I soon heard the flapping

  of their mighty wings above me, and had the satisfaction of feeling

  one of them seize upon my piece of meat, and me with it, and rise

  slowly towards his nest, into which he presently dropped me.

  Luckily for me the merchants were on the watch, and setting up their

  usual outcries they rushed to the nest scaring away the eagle.

  Their amazement was great when they discovered me, and also

  their disappointment, and with one accord they fell to abusing me

  for having robbed them of their usual profit. Addressing myself

  to the one who seemed most aggrieved, I said: "I am sure, if you knew

  all that I have suffered, you would show more kindness towards me,

  and as for diamonds, I have enough here of the very best for you

  and me and all your company." So saying I showed them to him.

  The others all crowded round me, wondering at my adventures

  and admiring the device by which I had escaped from the valley,

  and when they had led me to their camp and examined my diamonds,

  they assured me that in all the years that they had carried on th
eir

  trade they had seen no stones to be compared with them for size

  and beauty.

  I found that each merchant chose a particular nest, and took his

  chance of what he might find in it. So I begged the one who owned

  the nest to which I had been carried to take as much as he would

  of my treasure, but he contented himself with one stone, and that by

  no means the largest, assuring me that with such a gem his fortune

  was made, and he need toil no more. I stayed with the merchants

  several days, and then as they were journeying homewards I gladly

  accompanied them. Our way lay across high mountains infested

  with frightful serpents, but we had the good luck to escape them

  and came at last to the seashore. Thence we sailed to the isle

  of Rohat where the camphor trees grow to such a size that a hundred

  men could shelter under one of them with ease. The sap flows

  from an incision made high up in the tree into a vessel hung there

  to receive it, and soon hardens into the substance called camphor,

  but the tree itself withers up and dies when it has been so treated.

  In this same island we saw the rhinoceros, an animal which is smaller

  than the elephant and larger than the buffalo. It has one horn

  about a cubit long which is solid, but has a furrow from the base

  to the tip. Upon it is traced in white lines the figure of a man.

  The rhinoceros fights with the elephant, and transfixing him

  with his horn carries him off upon his head, but becoming blinded

  with the blood of his enemy, he falls helpless to the ground,

  and then comes the roc, and clutches them both up in his talons

  and takes them to feed his young. This doubtless astonishes you,

  but if you do not believe my tale go to Rohat and see for yourself.

  For fear of wearying you I pass over in silence many other wonderful

  things which we saw in this island. Before we left I exchanged

  one of my diamonds for much goodly merchandise by which I profited

  greatly on our homeward way. At last we reached Balsora, whence I