Arabian Nights (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

THE agreeable life I led in my prosperity soon obliterated the remembrance of the dangers I had encountered in my two voyages; but as I was in the prime of life, I grew tired of passing my days in slothful repose; and banishing all thoughts of the perils I might have to face, I set off from Baghdad with some rich merchandise of the country, which I carried with me to Balsora. There I again embarked with other merchants. We made a long voyage, and touched at several ports, and by these means carried on a very profitable commerce.

“One day, as we were sailing in the open sea, we were overtaken by a violent tempest, which made us lose our reckoning. The storm continued for several days, and drove us near an island, which the captain would gladly have avoided approaching, but we were under the necessity of casting anchor there. When the sails were furled, the captain told us that this region and some of the neighbouring isles were inhabited by hairy savages, who would come to attack us. He further declared that although they were only dwarfs, we must not attempt to make any resistance; for as their number was inconceivable, if we should happen to kill one they would pour upon us like locusts, and destroy us. This account put the whole crew in a terrible consternation, and we were too soon convinced that the captain had spoken the truth. We saw coming towards us an innumerable multitude of hideous savages, entirely covered with red hair, and about two feet high. They threw themselves into the sea, and swam to the ship, which they soon completely surrounded. They spoke to us as they approached, but we could not understand their language. They began to climb the sides and ropes of the vessel with so much swiftness and agility that their feet scarcely seemed to touch them, and soon came swarming upon the deck.

“You may imagine the situation we were in, not daring to defend ourselves, nor even to speak to these intruders, to endeavour to avert the impending danger. They unfurled the sails, cut the cable from the anchor, and after dragging the ship ashore, obliged us to disembark; then they conveyed us to another island, from whence they had come. All voyagers carefully avoided this island, for the dismal reason you are going to hear; but our misfortune had led us there, and we were obliged to submit to our fate.

“We left the shore, and penetrating farther into the island, we found some fruits and herbs, which we ate to prolong our lives as much as possible; for we all expected to be sacrificed. As we walked, we perceived at some distance a large building, towards which we bent our steps. It was a large and lofty palace, with folding gates of ebony, which opened as we pushed them. We entered the court-yard, and saw facing us a vast apartment, with a vestibule, on one side of which was a large heap of human bones, while on the opposite side appeared a number of spits for roasting. We trembled at this spectacle; and as we were fatigued with walking, our legs failed us, and we fell on the earth, where we remained a considerable time, paralysed by fear and unable to move.

“The sun was setting; and while we were in the piteous state I have described, the door of the apartment suddenly opened with a loud noise, and there entered a black man of frightful aspect, and as tall as a large palm-tree. In the middle of his forehead gleamed a single eye, red and fiery as a burning coal; his front teeth were long and sharp, and projected from his mouth, which was as wide as that of a horse, with the under lip hanging on his breast; his ears resembled those of an elephant, and covered his shoulders, and his long and curved nails were like the talons of an immense bird. At the sight of this hideous giant we all fainted, and remained a long time like dead men.

“At last our senses returned, and we saw him seated under the vestibule, glaring at us with his piercing eye. When he had scanned us well, he advanced towards us, and stretching forth his hand to seize me, took me up by the poll, and turned me round every way, as a butcher would handle the head of a sheep. After having well examined me, finding me meagre, and little more than skin and bone, he released me. He took up each of my companions in their turn, and examined them in the same manner, and as the captain was the fattest of the party, he held him in one hand as I should hold a sparrow, and with the other ran a spit through his body; then kindling a large fire he roasted him, and ate him for his supper in the inner apartment to which he retired. When he had finished his repast, he returned to the vestibule, where he lay down to sleep, and snored louder than thunder. He did not wake till the next morning; but we passed the night in the most agonising suspense. When daylight returned the giant awoke, and went abroad, leaving us in the palace.

“When we supposed him at some distance, we began to give vent to our lamentations; for the fear of disturbing the giant had kept us silent during the night. The palace resounded with our groans. Although there were many of us, and we had but one common enemy, the idea of delivering ourselves by his death never occurred to any one of us. But however difficult of accomplishment such an enterprise might have been, we ought to have made the attempt at once.

“We deliberated on various methods of action, but could not determine on any; and submitting ourselves to the will of Allah, we passed the day in walking over the island, and eating what plants and fruit we could meet with, as we had done the preceding day. Towards evening we sought for some shelter in which to pass the night, but finding none we were obliged to return to the palace.

“The giant duly returned to sup on one of our companions. After his hideous meal he fell asleep and snored till day-break, when he arose and went out as before. Our situation appeared to be so hopeless that some of my comrades were on the point of throwing themselves into the sea, rather than be sacrificed by the horrible monster; and they advised the rest to follow their example; but one of the company thus addressed them: ‘We are forbidden to kill ourselves; and even were such an act permitted, would it not be more rational to endeavour to destroy the barbarous giant, who has destined us to such a cruel death?’

“As I had already formed a project of that nature, I now communicated it to my fellow-sufferers, who approved of my design. ‘My friends,’ said I then, ‘you know that there is a great deal of wood on the sea shore. If you will take my advice, we can make some rafts, and when they are finished we will leave them in a proper place till we can find an opportunity to make use of them. In the meantime we can put in execution the design I propose to you to rid ourselves of the giant. If my stratagem succeeds, we may wait here with patience till some vessel passes, by means of which we may quit this fatal isle; if, on the contrary, we fail, we shall have recourse to our rafts, and put to sea. I own that, in exposing ourselves to the fury of the waves on such fragile barks, we run a great hazard of losing our lives; but if we are destined to perish, is it not preferable to be swallowed up by the sea than to be buried in the entrails of that monster, who has already devoured two of our companions?’ My advice was approved by all; and we immediately built some rafts, each large enough to support three persons.

“We returned to the palace towards evening, and the giant arrived a short time after us. Again one of our party was sacrificed to his inhuman appetite. But we were soon revenged on him for his cruelty. After he had finished his horrible meal, he laid himself down as usual to sleep. As soon as we heard him snore, nine of the most courageous amongst us, and myself, took each a spit, and heating the points red hot, thrust them into his eye, and blinded him.

“The pain which the giant suffered made him groan hideously. He suddenly raised himself, and threw his arms about on all sides, to seize some one, and sacrifice him to his rage; but fortunately we had time to get at some distance from him, and to throw ourselves on the ground in places where he could not set his feet on us. After having sought us in vain, he at last found the door, and went out, bellowing with pain.

“We quitted the palace immediately after the giant, and repaired to that part of the shore where our rafts lay. We set them afloat, and waited till daybreak before embarking on them, in case we should see the giant approach, with some guide to lead him to us; but we hoped that if he did not make his appearance by that time, and if his cries and groans, which now resounded through the air, ceased, we might suppose him dead; and in that case we proposed remaining in the island till we could obtain some safer mode of transport. But the sun had scarcely risen above the horizon, when we perceived our cruel enemy, accompanied by two giants nearly as huge as himself, who led him, and a great number of others, who walked very rapidly before him.

“At this sight we immediately ran to our rafts and rowed away as fast as possible. The giants seeing this, provided themselves with large stones, hastened to the shore, and even ventured to their waists into the sea, to hurl the stones at us, which they did so adroitly that they sunk all the rafts excepting that I was upon. Thus I and two companions were the only men who escaped, the others being all drowned.

“When we had gained the open sea, we were tossed about at the mercy of the winds and waves, and we passed that day and night in the most cruel suspense; but on the morrow we had the good fortune to be thrown on an island, where we landed with great joy. We found some excellent fruit, which soon recruited our exhausted strength.

“When night came on we went to sleep on the sea shore; but were soon awakened by the noise made on the ground by the scales of an immense serpent, long as a palm tree. It was so near to us that it devoured one of my companions, notwithstanding the efforts he made to extricate himself from its deadly grasp; for the serpent shook him several times, and then crushing him on the earth, quickly swallowed him.

“My other comrade and myself immediately took to flight; and although we had fled some distance, we heard a noise which made us suppose that the serpent was crushing the bones of the unhappy man it had destroyed. On the following day we perceived our suspicions had been well founded. ‘O Allah!’ I then exclaimed, ‘what a horrible fate will be ours! Yesterday we were rejoicing at our escape from the cruelty of a giant and the fury of the waves, and to-day we are again terrified by a peril not less dreadful.’

“As we walked along, we remarked a large and high tree, on which we proposed to pass the following night, hoping we might there be in safety. We ate some fruit as we had done on the preceding day, and at the approach of night we climbed the tree. We soon heard the serpent which came hissing to the foot of the tree; it raised itself against the trunk, and meeting with my companion, who had not climbed so high as I, it swallowed him and retired.

“I remained on the tree till daybreak, when I came down, more dead than alive: indeed I could only anticipate the same fate. This idea chilled me with horror, and I advanced some paces to throw myself into the sea; but as life is sweet as long as it will last, I resisted this impulse of despair, and submitted myself to the will of Allah, who disposes of our lives as is best for us.

“I collected a great quantity of small wood and furze; and tying it in faggots, put it round the tree in a large circle, and tied some across to cover my head. I enclosed myself within this circle when the evening came on, and sat down with the dismal consolation that I had done all in my power to preserve my life. The serpent returned with the intention of devouring me, but he could not succeed, being prevented by the rampart I had formed. The whole night he was watching me as a cat watches a mouse; at last day returned, and the serpent retired; but I did not venture out of my fortress, till the sun shone.

“I was so fatigued with watching, as well as with the exertion of forming my retreat, and had suffered so much from the enemey’s pestilential breath, that death appeared preferable to a repetition of such horror. I again ran towards the sea with the intention of putting an end to my existence: but Allah pitied my condition; and at the moment that I was going to throw myself into the sea, I descried a vessel at a great distance. I cried out with all my strength, and unfolded and waved my linen turban, to attract the attention of those on board. This had the desired effect: all the crew saw me, and the captain sent a boat to bring me off.

“As soon as I was on board, the merchants and seamen were eager to learn by what chance I had reached that desert island; and after I had related to them all that had happened, the oldest of them told me that they had often heard of the giants who lived in that island; that they were cannibals, and that they devoured men raw as well as roasted. With regard to the serpents, they added that there were many in the island, which hid themselves in the day, and roamed forth for prey at night.

“We remained a considerable time at sea, and touched at several islands; at length we landed on the Isle of Salahat, where the sandal wood is cultivated which is much used in medicine. We entered the port, and cast anchor, and the merchants began to unload their goods to sell or exchange them. One day, the captain called me to him, and said, ‘Brother, I have in my possession some goods which belonged to a merchant who was for some time on board my ship. As this merchant is dead, I am going to have them valued, that I may render an account of them to his heirs, should I ever meet them.’ The bales of which he spoke were already upon deck. He showed them to me, saying, ‘These are the goods; I wish you to take charge of them, and traffic with them, and you shall receive for your trouble what is usually given in such cases.’ I consented, and thanked him for the opportunity he afforded me of employing myself.

“The clerk of the ship registered all the bales with the names of the merchants to whom they belonged; when he asked the captain in what name he should register those destined for my charge, the captain replied, ‘In the name of Sindbad the sailor.’ I could not hear my own name without emotion; and looking at the captain, I recognised in him the very same person who in my second voyage had left me on the island where I had fallen asleep by the side of a brook, and who had put to sea without waiting for me. I did not at first recollect him, so much was he changed in appearance since the time when I last saw him. As he thought me dead, it is not to be wondered at that he did not recognise me. ‘Captain,’ said I to him, ‘was the merchant to whom these things belonged called Sindbad? ’ ‘Yes,’ returned he, ‘that was his name; he was from Baghdad, and embarked on board my vessel at Balsora. One day, when he went ashore on an island for fresh water, he was left behind; I know not through what mistake. None of the crew noticed his absence till four hours after, when the wind blew so fresh against us that it was impossible to return.’ ‘You believe him to be dead?’ said I. ‘Most assuredly,’ replied the captain. ‘Then open your eyes,’ cried I, ‘and convince yourself that the same Sindbad whom you left in the desert island is now before you. I fell asleep on the banks of a little stream, and when I awoke I found that the ship was gone.’

“At these words the captain fixed his eyes on me, and after scrutinis ing me very attentively, at last recollected me. ‘God be praised!’ cried he, embracing me; ‘I am delighted that fortune has given me an opportunity of repairing my fault. Here are your goods, which I have preserved with care, and always had valued at every port I stopped at. I return them to you with the profit I have made on them.’ I received them with the gratitude due to such honesty.

“From the Island of Salahat we went to another, where I provided myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices. When we had sailed some distance, we perceived an immense tortoise, twenty cubits in length and the same in breadth. We also saw a fish that had milk like a cow; its skin is so hard that bucklers are frequently made of it. I saw another fish that was of the shape and colour of a camel. At length, after a long voyage, we arrived at Balsora, from whence I came to Baghdad with so much wealth that I did not know the amount of it. I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought a considerable quantity of land.”

Sindbad thus finished the history of his third voyage. Again he gave Hindbad a hundred sequins, inviting him to the usual repast on the morrow, and promising he should hear the account of the fourth voyage. Hindbad and the other guests retired, and on the following day returned at the same hour. When dinner was over, Sindbad continued the relation of his adventures.