The Arabian Nights Entertainments
Here I lived in darkness and misery until my provisions were exhausted,
but just as I was nearly dead from starvation the rock was rolled away
overhead and I saw that a bier was being lowered into the cavern, and
that the corpse upon it was a man. In a moment my mind was made up,
the woman who followed had nothing to expect but a lingering death; I
should be doing her a service if I shortened her misery. Therefore
when she descended, already insensible from terror, I was ready armed
with a huge bone, one blow from which left her dead, and I secured the
bread and water which gave me a hope of life. Several times did I have
recourse to this desperate expedient, and I know not how long I had
been a prisoner when one day I fancied that I heard something near me,
which breathed loudly. Turning to the place from which the sound came
I dimly saw a shadowy form which fled at my movement, squeezing itself
through a cranny in the wall. I pursued it as fast as I could, and
found myself in a narrow crack among the rocks, along which I was just
able to force my way. I followed it for what seemed to me many miles,
and at last saw before me a glimmer of light which grew clearer every
moment until I emerged upon the sea shore with a joy which I cannot
describe. When I was sure that I was not dreaming, I realised that it
was doubtless some little animal which had found its way into the
cavern from the sea, and when disturbed had fled, showing me a means of
escape which I could never have discovered for myself. I hastily
surveyed my surroundings, and saw that I was safe from all pursuit from
the town.
The mountains sloped sheer down to the sea, and there was no road
across them. Being assured of this I returned to the cavern, and
amassed a rich treasure of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and jewels of
all kinds which strewed the ground. These I made up into bales, and
stored them into a safe place upon the beach, and then waited hopefully
for the passing of a ship. I had looked out for two days, however,
before a single sail appeared, so it was with much delight that I at
last saw a vessel not very far from the shore, and by waving my arms
and uttering loud cries succeeded in attracting the attention of her
crew. A boat was sent off to me, and in answer to the questions of the
sailors as to how I came to be in such a plight, I replied that I had
been shipwrecked two days before, but had managed to scramble ashore
with the bales which I pointed out to them. Luckily for me they
believed my story, and without even looking at the place where they
found me, took up my bundles, and rowed me back to the ship. Once on
board, I soon saw that the captain was too much occupied with the
difficulties of navigation to pay much heed to me, though he generously
made me welcome, and would not even accept the jewels with which I
offered to pay my passage. Our voyage was prosperous, and after
visiting many lands, and collecting in each place great store of goodly
merchandise, I found myself at last in Bagdad once more with unheard of
riches of every description. Again I gave large sums of money to the
poor, and enriched all the mosques in the city, after which I gave
myself up to my friends and relations, with whom I passed my time in
feasting and merriment.
Here Sindbad paused, and all his hearers declared that the adventures
of his fourth voyage had pleased them better than anything they had
heard before. They then took their leave, followed by Hindbad, who had
once more received a hundred sequins, and with the rest had been bidden
to return next day for the story of the fifth voyage.
When the time came all were in their places, and when they had eaten
and drunk of all that was set before them Sindbad began his tale.
Fifth Voyage
Not even all that I had gone through could make me contented with a
quiet life. I soon wearied of its pleasures, and longed for change and
adventure. Therefore I set out once more, but this time in a ship of
my own, which I built and fitted out at the nearest seaport. I wished
to be able to call at whatever port I chose, taking my own time; but as
I did not intend carrying enough goods for a full cargo, I invited
several merchants of different nations to join me. We set sail with
the first favourable wind, and after a long voyage upon the open seas
we landed upon an unknown island which proved to be uninhabited. We
determined, however, to explore it, but had not gone far when we found
a roc's egg, as large as the one I had seen before and evidently very
nearly hatched, for the beak of the young bird had already pierced the
shell. In spite of all I could say to deter them, the merchants who
were with me fell upon it with their hatchets, breaking the shell, and
killing the young roc. Then lighting a fire upon the ground they
hacked morsels from the bird, and proceeded to roast them while I stood
by aghast.
Scarcely had they finished their ill-omened repast, when the air above
us was darkened by two mighty shadows. The captain of my ship, knowing
by experience what this meant, cried out to us that the parent birds
were coming, and urged us to get on board with all speed. This we did,
and the sails were hoisted, but before we had made any way the rocs
reached their despoiled nest and hovered about it, uttering frightful
cries when they discovered the mangled remains of their young one. For
a moment we lost sight of them, and were flattering ourselves that we
had escaped, when they reappeared and soared into the air directly over
our vessel, and we saw that each held in its claws an immense rock
ready to crush us. There was a moment of breathless suspense, then one
bird loosed its hold and the huge block of stone hurtled through the
air, but thanks to the presence of mind of the helmsman, who turned our
ship violently in another direction, it fell into the sea close beside
us, cleaving it asunder till we could nearly see the bottom. We had
hardly time to draw a breath of relief before the other rock fell with
a mighty crash right in the midst of our luckless vessel, smashing it
into a thousand fragments, and crushing, or hurling into the sea,
passengers and crew. I myself went down with the rest, but had the
good fortune to rise unhurt, and by holding on to a piece of driftwood
with one hand and swimming with the other I kept myself afloat and was
presently washed up by the tide on to an island. Its shores were steep
and rocky, but I scrambled up safely and threw myself down to rest upon
the green turf.
When I had somewhat recovered I began to examine the spot in which I
found myself, and truly it seemed to me that I had reached a garden of
delights. There were trees everywhere, and they were laden with
flowers and fruit, while a crystal stream wandered in and out under
their shadow. When night came I slept sweetly in a cosy nook, though
the remembrance that I was alone in a strange land made me sometimes
start up and look around me in alarm, and then I wished heartily that I
had stayed at home at ease. However, the morning sunlight restored my
courage, and I once more wandered among the trees, but always with some
anxiety as to what I might see next. I had penetrated some distance
into the island when I saw an old man bent and feeble sitting upon the
river bank, and at first I took him to be some ship-wrecked mariner
like myself. Going up to him I greeted him in a friendly way, but he
only nodded his head at me in reply. I then asked what he did there,
and he made signs to me that he wished to get across the river to
gather some fruit, and seemed to beg me to carry him on my back.
Pitying his age and feebleness, I took him up, and wading across the
stream I bent down that he might more easily reach the bank, and bade
him get down. But instead of allowing himself to be set upon his feet
(even now it makes me laugh to think of it!), this creature who had
seemed to me so decrepit leaped nimbly upon my shoulders, and hooking
his legs round my neck gripped me so tightly that I was well-nigh
choked, and so overcome with terror that I fell insensible to the
ground. When I recovered my enemy was still in his place, though he
had released his hold enough to allow me breathing space, and seeing me
revive he prodded me adroitly first with one foot and then with the
other, until I was forced to get up and stagger about with him under
the trees while he gathered and ate the choicest fruits. This went on
all day, and even at night, when I threw myself down half dead with
weariness, the terrible old man held on tight to my neck, nor did he
fail to greet the first glimmer of morning light by drumming upon me
with his heels, until I perforce awoke and resumed my dreary march with
rage and bitterness in my heart.
It happened one day that I passed a tree under which lay several dry
gourds, and catching one up I amused myself with scooping out its
contents and pressing into it the juice of several bunches of grapes
which hung from every bush. When it was full I left it propped in the
fork of a tree, and a few days later, carrying the hateful old man that
way, I snatched at my gourd as I passed it and had the satisfaction of
a draught of excellent wine so good and refreshing that I even forgot
my detestable burden, and began to sing and caper.
The old monster was not slow to perceive the effect which my draught
had produced and that I carried him more lightly than usual, so he
stretched out his skinny hand and seizing the gourd first tasted its
contents cautiously, then drained them to the very last drop. The wine
was strong and the gourd capacious, so he also began to sing after a
fashion, and soon I had the delight of feeling the iron grip of his
goblin legs unclasp, and with one vigorous effort I threw him to the
ground, from which he never moved again. I was so rejoiced to have at
last got rid of this uncanny old man that I ran leaping and bounding
down to the sea shore, where, by the greatest good luck, I met with
some mariners who had anchored off the island to enjoy the delicious
fruits, and to renew their supply of water.
They heard the story of my escape with amazement, saying, "You fell
into the hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and it is a mercy that he did
not strangle you as he has everyone else upon whose shoulders he has
managed to perch himself. This island is well known as the scene of
his evil deeds, and no merchant or sailor who lands upon it cares to
stray far away from his comrades." After we had talked for a while
they took me back with them on board their ship, where the captain
received me kindly, and we soon set sail, and after several days
reached a large and prosperous-looking town where all the houses were
built of stone. Here we anchored, and one of the merchants, who had
been very friendly to me on the way, took me ashore with him and showed
me a lodging set apart for strange merchants. He then provided me with
a large sack, and pointed out to me a party of others equipped in like
manner.
"Go with them," said he, "and do as they do, but beware of losing sight
of them, for if you strayed your life would be in danger."
With that he supplied me with provisions, and bade me farewell, and I
set out with my new companions. I soon learnt that the object of our
expedition was to fill our sacks with cocoanuts, but when at length I
saw the trees and noted their immense height and the slippery
smoothness of their slender trunks, I did not at all understand how we
were to do it. The crowns of the cocoa-palms were all alive with
monkeys, big and little, which skipped from one to the other with
surprising agility, seeming to be curious about us and disturbed at our
appearance, and I was at first surprised when my companions after