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
favorable 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 cosey 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 shipwrecked 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 awhile 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 cocoa-nuts, 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 collecting stones began
to throw them at the lively creatures, which seemed to me quite
harmless. But very soon I saw the reason of it and joined them heartily,
for the monkeys, annoyed and wishing to pay us back in our own coin,
began to tear the nuts from the trees and cast them at us with angry and
spiteful gestures, so that after very little labor our sacks were filled
with the fruit which we could not otherwise have obtained.
As soon as we had as many as we could carry we went back to the town,
where my friend bought my share and advised me to continue the same
occupation until I had earned money enough to carry me to my own
country. This I did, and before long had amassed a considerable sum.
Just then I heard that there was a trading ship ready to sail, and
taking leave of my friend I went on board, carrying with me a goodly
store of cocoanuts; and we sailed first to the islands where pepper
grows, then to Comari where the best aloes-wood is found, and where men
drink no wine by an unalterable law. Here I exchanged my nuts for pepper
and good aloes-wood, and went a-fishing for pearls with some of the
other merchants, and my divers were so lucky that very soon I had an
immense number, and those very large and perfect. With all these
treasures I came joyfully back to Bagdad, where I disposed of them for
large sums of money, of which I did not fail as before to give the tenth
part to the poor, and after that I rested from my labors and comforted
myself with all the pleasures that my riches could give me.
Having thus ended his story, Sindbad ordered that one hundred sequins
should be given to Hindbad, and the guests then withdrew; but after the
next day's feast he began the account of his sixth voyage as follows.