by Phil Masters
‘But anyway,’ he went on, ‘when this business is done, I will take you to my master, and show you the country. It is lucky for you that we met, for otherwise you would doubtless have perished alone here.’
Then, as we talked, a great stallion did indeed emerge from the sea, and mounted the mare near to us. Everything happened as I had been told, and when the stallion began to batter the mare, my new friend took up a sword and shield, and ran out to drive it off. The other grooms too emerged, waving spears and shouting, and the sea-horse fled.
This picture shows the ship on which Sinbad has been travelling making its narrow escape when the giant fish awakens and dives, leaving Sinbad struggling unnoticed in the water among assorted flotsam, including the wash-tub which he will use to stay afloat. The ‘fish’ is described in some versions of the story as a whale, and some accounts of ‘island monsters’ actually talk about giant turtles, but this depiction is based partly on medieval depictions of sea monsters, and partly on large fish such as the barracuda.
The ship in the picture is based on attempted modern reconstructions of Arab trading dhows from the Abbasid period, although there is some debate about the date of introduction of features such as the triangular sails now considered characteristic of the type.
A map of the Indian Ocean and its environs, as mythologized to become the scene of Sinbad’s adventures, with identifiable locations from the stories marked.
Then the other grooms gathered round me, and I told my story again. Afterwards, they untethered and saddled all the mares, so that we could ride one each. They showed me the way across the island to the city of King Mihrajan. There, they led me before the king, and I saluted him respectfully and told my tale once more.
‘Fate has indeed favoured you,’ said the king. ‘Allah be praised for your survival!’ And from then on, he treated me with courtesy, making me a part of his court. Soon, because of my experience of trade, he made me his agent in the port. He gave me robes of honour, and I was able to intercede with him on behalf of his subjects, and so become popular.
When I spoke with merchants in the port, I made a point of asking about Baghdad and Basrah, but none ever seemed to know of my homeland. However, I heard and saw more wonders in that region than I could ever tell.
Then, one day, a ship like many others, but somehow familiar to me, sailed in, and the merchants on board came ashore. I recorded the goods they were carrying, then asked if they had anything else.
‘Yes,’ said the captain, ‘we have property in the hold that belonged to another merchant who was travelling with us, but who was drowned. We intend to sell it and reserve the money, to give to his family when we return to our home city.’
‘What was his name?’ I asked.
‘He was called Sinbad,’ said the captain.
At that, I looked at him closely, and realized that this was indeed the captain I knew, though he had been burned by the sun and weathered by hardship. ‘By Allah!’ I cried, ‘This is a wonder, for I am that Sinbad!’
The captain scowled. ‘There is no strength save in Allah,’ he declared, ‘and no trust among men. You are trying to take our companion’s property for yourself! We saw him drown, along with others, none of whom were saved, and now you dare to pretend to be him!’
I realized that I had been even more changed by time and circumstance than him. And so I drew breath, and told him the tale of how I had survived the giant fish. I reminded him of all that had passed between us after we left Baghdad, and listed what was among my goods.
‘By Allah, this is a wonder indeed!’ the captain declared, and called to the other travellers. I repeated my tale yet again, and they embraced me as one returned from the dead. Then I went into the hold of the ship, and found all my goods, safe and intact. Drawing some fine items from my stock, I took my old friends up to the palace, and told King Mihrajan what had happened, then presented him with the goods as a gift. He was pleased at all this, and gave me gifts of great value in return.
A modern Arab dhow. The basic design of these sailing vessels may not have changed much since Abbasid times. (© Marion Kaplan / Alamy)
Sinbad and the Giant Serpents. During his journey through the Diamond Mountains, Sinbad has to hide in terror from the local wildlife.
‘And now,’ I said to him, ‘I ask your permission to depart, for I yearn to see my home again.’
The king was sorry at this, for he had a great affection for me, but he honoured my wishes and gave me permission to depart. So I sold my trade stock in his city for a great profit, bought more goods, and boarded the ship. We set sail back to Basrah, where I rested a while, rejoicing to have survived the ocean. Then I travelled up to Baghdad, and returned to my family home. I sold all the goods I had acquired on my voyage, regaining a great fortune, and acquired servants and concubines and more fine houses. For a time, then, I lived once again for comfort and pleasure, eating and carousing with my friends and forgetting the hardships of my first voyage.
Thus it was that I was tempted to take once more to the seas ... But that is a tale for the morrow, if you wish to hear it.
At that, Sinbad the Porter gave thanks to his host, saying that he would indeed return, Allah willing. Sinbad the Sailor gave him a gift of a hundred gold dinars to take away, and he returned to his humble home and spent the night meditating upon the wondrous story which he had heard.
The Second Voyage: The Flight of the Roc
The next morning, Sinbad the Porter rose early and went to the house of Sinbad the Sailor, who greeted him warmly and sat him down with food and drink. More guests arrived, and when all were seated, Sinbad the Sailor began his next tale.
As I have told you, after my first voyage, I was living in comfort here in Baghdad, he said. Thus it was that I forgot the hardships of travel, and remembered only the strange and wonderful sights and the profits I had made. I was drawn once more to the sea.
And so I took some of my fortune and spent it on a stock of trade-goods. Then I sailed down to Basrah, where I found a fine, newly-built ship at the docks, with a stout crew. I joined the party of merchants aboard, and we set sail the same day.
We travelled from land to land, trading profitably everywhere. Then, one day, we came to an island that we saw was lush and hospitable, with fresh springs and birds singing sweetly in the branches of fruit trees, but no inhabitants. The captain ordered the anchor dropped, and many of us went ashore to rest and refresh ourselves and to give thanks to Allah for creating this place.
A roc returns to its nest as night falls, watched cautiously by Sinbad.
I myself set out to explore, carrying a little food with me. Eventually, I came to a sweet spring of clear water, where I sat down to eat. A soft breeze was blowing, and soon I lay back and went to sleep.
When I awoke, the island was quieter than ever; looking around, I could not see or hear a soul. I hurried back to the beach, and saw nothing there but the distant whiteness of the ship’s sail on the horizon. It had departed without anyone giving me a thought.
At once, I berated myself for my folly. I had been living in comfort and ease, but now, thanks to my restlessness, I was once again alone on a deserted island. ‘The jug does not always remain unbroken,’ I told myself. ‘Last time, I was lucky, but now I will surely die alone!’
But even when I was done weeping, I could not remain still. I searched the island once again, and decided to climb a tree for a better view. At first I saw nothing but the green leaves of other trees and the blue sea, but then I caught a glimpse of something white in the distance that might have been a building.
And so I descended and hastened that way, coming in time to what seemed to be a vast white dome made of some hard material. I found no signs of windows or doors, and discovered that it was a full 50 paces in circumference.
As I puzzled over this, darkness suddenly fell upon me. I looked up and was astonished, for what I had taken for a cloud was nothing but a gigantic bird, descending towards me!
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sp; Then I remembered travellers’ tales of the roc, a bird so huge that it preys upon elephants, carrying them off to feed to its young. I realized that what I had thought to be a dome could only be an egg, half-buried in the soft ground. I huddled down in fear, but I was too small for the roc to notice; it settled down on its nest, stretched its legs out behind it, and went to sleep as night fell.
Now I saw a chance of escape from this island. Removing my turban, I stretched and twisted the fabric to make a rope, and used that to lash myself to the roc’s leg. Then I spent a restless night.
In the morning, the roc awoke and, giving a great cry, sprang into the air, with me still tied to its leg. It soared higher and higher, until it almost reached the heavens beyond the sky. Then it began to descend, rushing down to land on a high ridge. I quickly untied myself, giving thanks that the bird had never noticed me, and hid behind a boulder. Meanwhile, the roc picked up something from the ground in its talons, and once more took flight. Staring after it, I saw that it was carrying off a gigantic serpent, large enough to provide it with a meal.
When it was gone, I looked around and saw that the ridge was at the head of a deep, barren, rugged valley, which was surrounded on all sides by mountains so tall that I could not see their peaks. Now I realized that my situation might be even worse than before. On the island, at least there had been fresh water and fruit!
But I resolved that I should at least explore further, and set out down the valley. The ground felt strange beneath my feet, and I was startled to realize that it was made entirely of diamond, the stone so hard that it can be used to drill into other gemstones and porcelain. Then, looking round further, I discovered that the valley was in fact infested with more of the gigantic serpents, larger than palm trees, big enough to devour elephants. As night began to fall, I realized that they had to remain hidden during the day for fear of the rocs, but came out at night to feed. Hence, I needed shelter for the night.
Looking round, I found a cave, with a boulder nearby that I could roll over the entrance. I stepped inside and moved the boulder. However, just as I began to relax, my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, and I saw at the far end of the cave one of the giant serpents – a mother, wrapped around a clutch of eggs!
But I had no option now but to stay quietly where I was. I spent a sleepless night thus, terrified lest the monster notice me. I was relieved beyond measure when morning came, and the other serpents returned to their lairs. Carefully, I rolled the boulder back and ventured out once more.
As I made my way along, I was startled when suddenly I saw something tumbling down the slopes nearby. I was even more surprised to see that it was the carcass of a whole sheep, slaughtered and skinned, though there were no people or creatures around.
On his second voyage, Sinbad escapes after being marooned on a remote island by tying himself to the leg of a roc, a gigantic bird, using his turban-cloth to improvise a rope for the purpose. Although the bird eventually lands in an uninhabited and monster-infested mountain valley, it is shown here flying over a region with a few buildings – possibly old ruins. One of the giant serpents which infest the region can also be seen down on the mountain slopes.
Some descriptions of the roc, though not this story, claim that it is all white in colour, which would fit a bird that, like a gull or an albatross, frequently flies over open ocean. However, this depiction is based on the African fish eagle (also known as the African sea eagle), which can be encountered flying over the Indian Ocean, where Sinbad sailed. This, like the roc, is a capable large predator, and does have a white head, neck, and tail.
Then I remembered a story I had heard from other travellers, of the lands of the Diamond Mountains. The valley where diamonds were found was, I had been told, completely inaccessible, and so the traders of those lands had invented a way to retrieve the stones. They took sheep and slaughtered and skinned them, and threw the carcasses down into the valley from the heights of a nearby mountain. Because they were fresh, soft, and bloody, some of the diamonds would stick to them. The great vultures and eagles of the region would be drawn to the meat, descend into the valley, take up the carcasses, and fly up to their nests in the heights to feed. Then, the diamond-traders would drive off the birds, recover the carcasses, and gather the diamonds that were stuck to them.
Obviously, this was that very valley. As soon as I realized this, I formed a plan. I looked around and gathered up as many large diamonds as I could, filling my pockets and the folds of my garments. Then I removed my turban and once again twisted it into a rope. As I was doing so, another carcass came tumbling down, and I used my turban to lash myself to that, lying flat on the ground underneath it.
After just a moment, I felt something grasp the carcass. One of the eagles had indeed picked it up, and I was carried up to the heights. There, the bird was about to begin feasting when I heard a loud shout and the banging of a stick against rocks. The bird took flight, and I unfastened myself and stood beside the carcass, covered in its gore.
The man who had made the noise came running up, stick in hand, but stopped with fear on his face when he saw me. However, although he knew not what to make of me, he still examined the carcass. But he found no diamonds, because I had moved it before any could become stuck to it. So the man set up a lamentation, complaining that evil fate had deprived him of his fortune.
THE LEGENDARY ROC
The roc, or rukh, is a giant bird which features in a number of Arabian tales and accounts, but is best known for its appearance in the Sinbad stories. Some scholars identify it with the Simurgh of Persian mythology, or even with Garuda in Indian legends; both were also big enough to carry off elephants. But Garuda was more or less a god, and the Simurgh was the king (or maybe queen) of the birds, with intelligence, speech, and mystical powers. The roc, although vengeful and clever, is basically just a very big bird.
The legend may simply have originated with travellers’ tales of large eagles or vultures which grew in the telling. Another theory is that seafarers saw flightless ostriches in Africa and decided that they must be the chicks of a really big species, but the snag with that is that the ostrich used to be found in Arabia, and Arabians would have been familiar with it. Stories of the now-extinct flightless ‘elephant bird’ of Madagascar, or of its eggs, may also have been involved; that was even bigger than the ostrich. Although Sinbad doesn’t mention the fact, some accounts say that the roc was white in colour, which is something perhaps associated most with sea-birds.
As well as mentioning stories that the roc came from Madagascar, the great Italian traveller Marco Polo said that envoys from China presented the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan with a roc feather. This, and the roc quills occasionally mentioned in other accounts, may actually have been raffia palm fronds, which do look quite like feathers from a really big bird.
One of the most popular incidents in the stories, among readers and illustrators, is when Sinbad ties himself to the roc’s leg and is carried through the sky.
Then I approached him, and he remembered me and looked at me again with trepidation, maybe taking me for a demon. ‘What are you?’ he demanded.
‘Have no fear,’ I replied. ‘I am a civilized man like yourself. I have a strange tale to tell, of how I passed through that valley. I have brought diamonds from among the serpents, and I can give you more than enough to make your fortune.’
Hearing that, the trader called down blessings upon me, and we began to talk. As we did so, others of his party came up, each of whom had thrown a sheep down into the valley. So I told them all my story, and they congratulated me. ‘Allah has granted you a second life,’ they said, ‘no man before has escaped from among the serpents.’
Then I gave the first man some of the diamonds that I was carrying, and he and his friends took me back to their camp, where we spent the night. The next day, I travelled on with them, down to a seashore where a boat was waiting which carried us to a great and verdant island. This was covered in giant camphor trees, and herds of
a strange sort of buffalo roamed the land, along with a giant animal named the rhinoceros, which has a single great horn 20 feet long. I was told that this beast sometimes slays elephants, and can then continue to walk about unconcerned with the victim skewered on that horn – until the sun makes grease from the corpse melt and run down the horn, blinding the rhinoceros. Then it too dies, and the roc comes along and carries both bodies off.
In a town on that island, I sold more of my diamonds, and then took ship once again with my new friends. We sailed from land to land to Basrah, from where I travelled back home to Baghdad, where I sold the last of my diamonds and trade-goods for a great profit.
Then I settled down once again, wearing fine clothes, eating good food, and drinking fine wine, until again a foolish wanderlust overcame me ... But I will tell the story of my third voyage tomorrow.
At that, Sinbad the Porter thanked his host for the wonderful tale, and Sinbad the Sailor gave him another gift of a hundred dinars before he returned home.
The Third Voyage: Evil Apes and Man-Eating Giants
The next day, after a night dreaming of giant birds and serpents, Sinbad the Porter arose, said his prayers, and went to the house of Sinbad the Sailor. His host greeted him and gave him food and drink, and, when more friends had arrived, began to talk.