My father was a merchant, one of the notables of my native place,
a monied man and ample of means, who died whilst I was yet a
child, leaving me much wealth in money and lands and farmhouses.
When I grew up, I laid hands on the whole and ate of the best and
drank freely and wore rich clothes and lived lavishly,
companioning and consorting with youths of my own age, and
considering that this course of life would continue for ever and
ken no change. Thus did I for a long time, but at last I awoke
from my heedlessness and, returning to my senses, I found my
wealth had become unwealth and my condition ill-conditioned and
all I once hent had left my hand. And recovering my reason I was
stricken with dismay and confusion and bethought me of a saying
of our lord Solomon, son of David (on whom be peace!), which I
had heard aforetime from my father, "Three things are better than
other three; the day of death is better than the day of birth, a
live dog is better than a dead lion and the grave is better than
want."
[FN#6] Then I got together my remains of estates and
property and sold all, even my clothes, for three thousand
dirhams, with which I resolved to travel to foreign parts,
remembering the saying of the poet,
"By means of toil man shall scale the height;
Who to fame
aspires mustn't sleep o' night:
Who seeketh pearl in the deep must dive,
Winning weal and
wealth by his main and might:
And who seeketh Fame without toil and strife
Th' impossible
seeketh and wasteth life."
So taking heart I bought me goods, merchandise and all needed for
a voyage and, impatient to be at sea, I embarked, with a company
of merchants, on board a ship bound for Bassorah. There we again
embarked and sailed many days and nights, and we passed from isle
to isle and sea to sea and shore to shore, buying and selling and
bartering everywhere the ship touched, and continued our course
till we came to an island as it were a garth of the gardens of
Paradise. Here the captain cast anchor and making fast to the
shore, put out the landing planks. So all on board landed and
made furnaces
[FN#7] and lighting fires therein, busied themselves
in various ways, some cooking and some washing, whilst other some
walked about the island for solace, and the crew fell to eating
and drinking and playing and sporting. I was one of the walkers
but, as we were thus engaged, behold the master who was standing
on the gunwale cried out to us at the top of his voice, saying,
"Ho there! passengers, run for your lives and hasten back to the
ship and leave your gear and save yourselves from destruction,
Allah preserve you! For this island whereon ye stand is no true
island, but a great fish stationary a-middlemost of the sea,
whereon the sand hath settled and trees have sprung up of old
time, so that it is become like unto an island;
[FN#8] but, when
ye lighted fires on it, it felt the heat and moved; and in a
moment it will sink with you into the sea and ye will all be
drowned. So leave your gear and seek your safety ere ye die!"--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
ship-master cried to the passengers, "Leave your gear and seek
safety, ere ye die;" all who heard him left gear and goods,
clothes washed and unwashed, fire pots and brass cooking-pots,
and fled back to the ship for their lives, and some reached it
while others (amongst whom was I) did not, for suddenly the
island shook and sank into the abysses of the deep, with all that
were thereon, and the dashing sea surged over it with clashing
waves. I sank with the others down, down into the deep, but
Almighty Allah preserved me from drowning and threw in my way a
great wooden tub of those that had served the ship's company for
tubbing. I gripped it for the sweetness of life and, bestriding
it like one riding, paddled with my feet like oars, whilst the
waves tossed me as in sport right and left. Meanwhile the captain
made sail and departed with those who had reached the ship,
regardless of the drowning and the drowned; and I ceased not
following the vessel with my eyes, till she was hid from sight
and I made sure of death. Darkness closed in upon me while in
this plight and the winds and waves bore me on all that night and
the next day, till the tub brought to with me under the lee of a
lofty island, with trees overhanging the tide. I caught hold of a
branch and by its aid clambered up on to the land, after coming
nigh upon death; but when I reached the shore, I found my legs
cramped and numbed and my feet bore traces of the nibbling of
fish upon their soles; withal I had felt nothing for excess of
anguish and fatigue. I threw myself down on the island ground,
like a dead man, and drowned in desolation swooned away, nor did
I return to my senses till next morning, when the sun rose and
revived me. But I found my feet swollen, so made shift to move by
shuffling on my breech and crawling on my knees, for in that
island were found store of fruits and springs of sweet water. I
ate of the fruits which strengthened me; and thus I abode days
and nights, till my life seemed to return and my spirits began to
revive and I was better able to move about. So, after due
consideration, I fell to exploring the island and diverting
myself with gazing upon all things that Allah Almighty had
created there; and rested under the trees from one of which I cut
me a staff to lean upon. One day as I walked along the marge, I
caught sight of some object in the distance and thought it a wild
beast or one of the monster-creatures of the sea; but, as I drew
near it, looking hard the while, I saw that it was a noble mare,
tethered on the beach. Presently I went up to her, but she cried
out against me with a great cry, so that I trembled for fear and
turned to go away, when there came forth a man from under the
earth and followed me, crying out and saying, "Who and whence art
thou, and what caused thee to come hither?" "O my lord," answered
I, "I am in very sooth, a waif, a stranger, and was left to drown
with sundry others by the ship we voyaged in;
[FN#9] but Allah
graciously sent me a wooden tub; so I saved myself thereon and it
floated with me, till the waves cast me up on this island." When
he heard this, he took my hand and saying, "Come with me,"
carried me into a great Sardab, or underground chamber, which was
spacious as a saloon. He made me sit down at its upper end; then
he brought me somewhat of food and, being anhungered, I ate till
I was satisfied and refreshed; and when he had put me at mine
ease he questioned me of myself, and I told him all that had
befallen me from first to last; and, as he wondered at my
adventure, I said, "By Allah, O my lord, excuse me; I have told
thee the truth of my case and the accident which betided me; and
now I desire that thou tell me who thou art and why thou abidest
here under the earth and why thou hast tethered yonder mare on
the brink of the sea." Answered he, "Know, that I am one of the
several who are stationed in different parts of this island, and
we are of the grooms of King Mihrjan
[FN#10] and under our hand
are all his horses. Every month, about new-moon tide we bring
hither our best mares which have never been covered, and picket
them on the sea-shore and hide ourselves in this place under the
ground, so that none may espy us. Presently, the stallions of the
sea scent the mares and come up out of the water and seeing no
one, leap the mares and do their will of them. When they have
covered them, they try to drag them away with them, but cannot,
by reason of the leg-ropes; so they cry out at them and butt at
them and kick them, which we hearing, know that the stallions
have dismounted; so we run out and shout at them, whereupon they
are startled and return in fear to the sea. Then the mares
conceive by them and bear colts and fillies worth a mint of
money, nor is their like to be found on earth's face. This is the
time of the coming forth of the sea-stallions; and Inshallah! I
will bear thee to King Mihrjan"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Fortieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Syce
[FN#11] said to Sindbad the Seaman, "I will bear thee to King
Mihrjan and show thee our country. And know that hadst thou not
happened on us thou hadst perished miserably and none had known
of thee: but I will be the means of the saving of thy life and of
thy return to thine own land." I called down blessings on him and
thanked him for his kindness and courtesy; and, while we were yet
talking, behold, the stallion came up out of the sea; and, giving
a great cry, sprang upon the mare and covered her. When he had
done his will of her, he dismounted and would have carried her
away with him, but could not by reason of the tether. She kicked
and cried out at him, whereupon the groom took a sword and
target
[FN#12] and ran out of the underground saloon, smiting the
buckler with the blade and calling to his company, who came up
shouting and brandishing spears; and the stallion took fright at
them and plunging into the sea, like a buffalo, disappeared under
the waves.
[FN#13] After this we sat awhile, till the rest of the
grooms came up, each leading a mare, and seeing me with their
fellow-Syce, questioned me of my case and I repeated my story to
them. Thereupon they drew near me and spreading the table, ate
and invited me to eat; so I ate with them, after which they took
horse and mounting me on one of the mares, set out with me and
fared on without ceasing, till we came to the capital city of
King Mihrjan, and going in to him acquainted him with my story.
Then he sent for me, and when they set me before him and salams
had been exchanged, he gave me a cordial welcome and wishing me
long life bade me tell him my tale. So I related to him all that
I had seen and all that had befallen me from first to last,
whereat he marvelled and said to me, "By Allah, O my son, thou
hast indeed been miraculously preserved! Were not the term of thy
life a long one, thou hadst not escaped from these straits; but
praised by Allah for safety!" Then he spoke cheerily to me and
entreated me with kindness and consideration: moreover, he made
me his agent for the port and registrar of all ships that entered
the harbour. I attended him regularly, to receive his
commandments, and he favoured me and did me all manner of
kindness and invested me with costly and splendid robes. Indeed,
I was high in credit with him, as an intercessor for the folk and
an intermediary between them and him, when they wanted aught of
him. I abode thus a great while and, as often as I passed through
the city to the port, I questioned the merchants and travellers
and sailors of the city of Baghdad; so haply I might hear of an
occasion to return to my native land, but could find none who
knew it or knew any who resorted thither. At this I was
chagrined, for I was weary of long strangerhood; and my
disappointment endured for a time till one day, going in to King
Mihrjan, I found him with a company of Indians. I saluted them
and they returned my salam; and politely welcomed me and asked me
of my country.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Forty-first Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
Sindbad the Seaman said:--When they asked me of my country I
questioned them of theirs and they told me that they were of
various castes, some being called Shakiriyah
[FN#14] who are the
noblest of their castes and neither oppress nor offer violence to
any, and others Brahmans, a folk who abstain from wine, but live
in delight and solace and merriment and own camels and horses and
cattle. Moreover, they told me that the people of India are
divided into two-and-seventy castes, and I marvelled at this with
exceeding marvel. Amongst other things that I saw in King
Mihrjan's dominions was an island called Kásil,
[FN#15] wherin all
night is heard the beating of drums and tabrets; but we were told
by the neighbouring islanders and by travellers that the
inhabitants are people of diligence and judgment.
[FN#16] In this
sea I saw also a fish two hundred cubits long and the fishermen
fear it; so they strike together pieces of wood and put it to
flight.
[FN#17] I also saw another fish, with a head like that of
an owl, besides many other wonders and rarities, which it would
be tedious to recount. I occupied myself thus in visiting the
islands till, one day, as I stood in the port, with a staff in my
hand, according to my custom, behold, a great ship, wherein were
many merchants, came sailing for the harbour. When it reached the
small inner port where ships anchor under the city, the master
furled his sails and making fast to the shore, put out the
landing-planks, whereupon the crew fell to breaking bulk and
landing cargo whilst I stood by, taking written note of them.
They were long in bringing the goods ashore so I asked the
master, "Is there aught left in thy ship?"; and he answered, "O
my lord, there are divers bales of merchandise in the hold, whose
owner was drowned from amongst us at one of the islands on our
course; so his goods remained in our charge by way of trust and
we purpose to sell them and note their price, that we may convey
it to his people in the city of Baghdad, the Home of Peace."
"What was the merchant's name?" quoth I, and quoth he, "Sindbad
the Seaman;" whereupon I straitly considered him and knowing him,
cried out to him with a great cry, saying, "O captain, I am that
Sindbad the Seaman who travelled with other merchants; and when
the fish heaved and thou calledst to us some saved themselves and
others sank, I being one of them. But Allah Almighty threw in my
way a great tub of wood, of those the crew had used to wash
withal, and the winds and waves carried me to this island, where
by Allah's grace, I fell in with King Mihrjan's grooms and they
brought me hither to the King their master. When I told him my
story, he entreated me with favour and made me his harbour-
master, and I have prospered in his service and found acceptance
with him. These bales, therefore are mine, the goods which God
hath given me."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Forty-second Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Sindbad the Seaman said to the captain, "These bales are mine,
the goods which Allah hath given me," the other exclaimed, "There
is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious,
the Great! Verily, there is neither conscience nor good faith
left among men!" said I, "O Rais,
[FN#18] what mean these words,
seeing that I have told thee my case?" And he answered, "Because
thou heardest me say that I had with me goods whose owner was
drowned, thou thinkest to take them without right; but this is
forbidden by law to thee, for we saw him drown before our eyes,
together with many other passengers, nor was one of them saved.
So how canst thou pretend that thou art the owner of the goods?"
"O captain," said I, "listen to my story and give heed to my
words, and my truth will be manifest to thee; for lying and
leasing are the letter-marks of the hypocrites." Then I recounted
to him all that had befallen me since I sailed from Baghdad with
him to the time when we came to the fish-island where we were
nearly drowned; and I reminded him of certain matters which had
passed between us; whereupon both he and the merchants were
certified at the truth of my story and recognized me and gave me
joy of my deliverance, saying, "By Allah, we thought not that
thou hadst escaped drowning! But the Lord hath granted thee new
life." Then they delivered my bales to me, and I found my name
written thereon, nor was aught thereof lacking. So I opened them
and making up a present for King Mihrjan of the finest and
costliest of the contents, caused the sailors carry it up to the
palace, where I went in to the King and laid my present at his
feet, acquainting him with what had happened, especially
concerning the ship and my goods; whereat he wondered with
exceeding wonder and the truth of all that I had told him was
made manifest to him. His affection for me redoubled after that
and he showed me exceeding honour and bestowed on me a great
present in return for mine. Then I sold my bales and what other
matters I owned making a great profit on them, and bought me
other goods and gear of the growth and fashion of the island-
city. When the merchants were about to start on their homeward
voyage, I embarked on board the ship all that I possessed, and
going in to the King, thanked him for all his favours and
friendship and craved his leave to return to my own land and
friends. He farewelled me and bestowed on me great store of the
country-stuffs and produce; and I took leave of him and embarked.
Then we set sail and fared on nights and days, by the permission
of Allah Almighty; and Fortune served us and Fate favoured us, so
that we arrived in safety at Bassorah-city where I landed
rejoiced at my safe return to my natal soil. After a short stay,
I set out for Baghdad, the House of Peace, with store of goods
and commodities of great price. Reaching the city in due time, I
went straight to my own quarter and entered my house where all my
friends and kinsfolk came to greet me. Then I bought me eunuchs
and concubines, servants and negro slaves till I had a large
establishment, and I bought me houses, and lands and gardens,
till I was richer and in better case than before, and returned to
enjoy the society of my friends and familiars more assiduously
than ever, forgetting all I had suffered of fatigue and hardship
and strangerhood and every peril of travel; and I applied myself
to all manner joys and solaces and delights, eating the dantiest
viands and drinking the deliciousest wines; and my wealth allowed
this state of things to endure. "This, then, is the story of my
first voyage, and to-morrow, Inshallah! I will tell you the tale
of the second of my seven voyages." (Saith he who telleth the
tale), Then Sindbad the Seaman made Sindbad the Landsman sup with
him and bade give him an hundred gold pieces, saying, "Thou hast
cheered us with thy company this day."
[FN#19] The Porter thanked
him and, taking the gift, went his way, pondering that which he
had heard and marvelling mightily at what things betide mankind.
He passed the night in his own place and with early morning
repaired to the abode of Sindbad the Seaman, who received him
with honour and seated him by his side. As soon as the rest of
the company was assembled, he set meat and drink before them and,
when they had well eaten and drunken and were merry and in
cheerful case, he took up his discourse and recounted to them in
these words the narrative of
The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Seaman.
