The Children's Hour Volume V Part 24

With some of the people of this town I went to gather cocoanuts after their own method. When we reached a thick forest of cocoanut trees, we saw a great number of apes of several sizes, which fled as soon as they saw us, and climbed to the tops of the trees with amazing swiftness.

The merchants with whom I was gathered stones, and threw them at the apes on the trees. I did the same; and the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoanuts at us so fast and with such gestures as to show their anger clearly. We gathered up the cocoanuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke the apes. In this way we filled our bags with cocoanuts, and by degrees I got enough to produce me no small sum of money.

We set sail, and traded in various islands, at one of which I hired divers and with other merchants went a-pearl-fishing. Some of the pearls they brought me up were very large and pure. Then I returned to Bagdad, and gave a tenth of my gains in alms, and rested from my fatigues.

THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

I know, my friends, that you will wish to hear how, after having been shipwrecked and having escaped so many dangers, I could resolve again to tempt fortune, and expose myself to new hardships. When I reflect upon it now it seems that I must have been led by destiny, from which none can escape. Be this as it may, after a year's rest, I prepared for a sixth voyage, though my kindred and friends did all in their power to dissuade me.

Once more I traveled through several provinces of Persia and the Indies, and arrived at a seaport, where I embarked on a ship bound on a long voyage, in which the captain and the pilot lost their course.

Suddenly we saw the captain quit his rudder, lamenting loudly, pulling his beard and beating his head like a madman. In reply to our questions, he answered,--

"A rapid current carries the ship along with it, and we shall all perish in less than a quarter of an hour. Pray G.o.d to deliver us from this peril. We cannot escape, if He does not take pity on us."

At these words he ordered the sails to be lowered, but all the ropes broke, and the current carried the ship to the foot of a mountain, where she struck and went to pieces, but in such a way that we saved our lives, our provisions, and the best of our goods.

The foot of the mountain was covered with wrecks, with a vast number of human bones, and goods and riches of all kinds beyond belief. In all other places it is usual for rivers to run into the sea; but here a river of fresh water runs from the sea into a dark cavern, with a very high and s.p.a.cious entrance. What is most strange in this place is that the stones of the mountain are of crystal, rubies, and other precious stones. Here also are ambergris and wood of aloes.

It is not possible for ships to get off from this place when once they approach within a certain distance. If the wind is from the sea, this and the current drive them on. If it is a land wind, it is stopped by the height of the mountain, which causes a calm, so that the force of the current carries them ash.o.r.e. What is worse, it is no more possible to ascend the mountain than to escape by sea. Here we remained in a state of despair, expecting death every day.

When we landed, we divided the food equally, and thus each one lived a longer or shorter time, according to the use he made of his share. I outlived my comrades, and, when I buried the last of them, had so little food left that I dug a grave for myself. But G.o.d once more took pity on me, and put it in my mind to go to the bank of the river which ran into the cavern. I said to myself,--

"This underground river must somewhere have an outlet. If I make a raft, and leave myself to the current, it will convey me to some inhabited country, or I shall perish. If I be drowned, I only change one kind of death for another."

Out of pieces of timber and cables from the wrecks, I soon made myself a solid raft. Then I loaded it carefully with some chests of rubies, emeralds, ambergris, rock crystal, and bales of rich stuffs, and went on board with two oars that I had made, leaving the raft to the course of the river, and resigning myself to the will of G.o.d.

As soon as I entered the cavern, I lost all light, and the stream carried me I knew not whither. Thus I floated on, eating only enough to keep myself alive. But the food was soon spent, and I lost my senses. When I revived, I found myself on the brink of a river, where my raft was tied, amidst a great number of negroes. When I saluted them, they spoke to me, but I did not understand their tongue. In my joy I recited aloud the following words in Arabic,--

"Call upon the Almighty. He will help thee; shut thine eyes, and while thou art asleep, G.o.d will change thy bad fortune into good."

One of the negroes, who understood Arabic, came forward and told me that they had seen my raft, and fastened it until I should awake.

Through him I told the others, at their request, of all that had befallen me. The story was so strange that they said I must tell it to their king myself. Then they mounted me on a horse, and some led the way, and some followed with my raft and cargo.

The king received me kindly, and bade me sit by his side while I told him what I have told you. When my bales were opened in his presence, he marveled at what they contained, above all at the rubies and emeralds, which surpa.s.sed any in his treasury.

When I saw with what pleasure he viewed them, I fell at his feet and said,--

"Sire, not only is my person at your majesty's service, but the cargo of the raft, and I beg of you to dispose of it as your own."

But he would take none of my goods, and promised that I should leave his realm richer than I came. His officers were charged to serve me at his expense, and every day I paid the king my court, and saw what was most worthy of notice in the city. By way of devotion I made a pilgrimage to the place where Adam was confined after his banishment from Paradise.

Then I prayed the king to allow me to return to my own country, and his permission was most kindly given. He would force a rich present upon me; and at the same time charged me with a letter for the Commander of the Faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, "I pray you give this present for me, and this letter, to the Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid, and a.s.sure him of my friendship."

The letter from the king of Serendib was written on the skin of a certain animal of great value, very scarce, and of a yellowish color.

The characters of the letter were of azure, and the contents as follows:--

"The king of the Indies, before whom march one hundred elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with one hundred thousand rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty thousand crowns enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid.

"Though the present we send you be slight, receive it as a brother and friend, in token of the hearty friendship we bear for you, and of which we are willing to give you proof. We desire the same part in your friendship, since we believe it to be our merit, for we are both kings. We send you this letter as from one brother to another.

Farewell."

The present consisted of one ruby made into a cup, about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round pearls of half a drachm each; and the skin of a serpent, whose scales were as bright as a piece of gold, and preserved from sickness those who lay upon it; besides a vast quant.i.ty of the best quality of wood of aloes and camphor, and a female slave of great beauty, whose robe was covered over with jewels.

As soon as I reached Bagdad I presented myself before the Caliph with the letter and gift. When he had read the letter he asked if the king of Serendib were indeed so rich and potent, and, bowing to his feet, I a.s.sured him that it was all true, and told him in what state the prince appeared in public, with a throne on the back of an elephant, surrounded by officers and a guard of a thousand men.

"The officer who is before on his elephant," I said, "cries from time to time with a loud voice, 'Behold the great monarch, the mighty Sultan of the Indies, greater than Solomon.' Then the officer behind the throne cries in his turn, 'This monarch, so great and powerful, must die, must die, must die.' And the officer before him replies, 'Praise alone be to Him who liveth for ever and ever.'"

The Caliph was much pleased with my account, and sent me home with a rich present.

THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

After my sixth voyage I had given up all thoughts of going to sea again, for my age required rest, and I wished to expose myself to no more risks, but to pa.s.s the rest of my days in peace. One day, however, an officer from the palace came and said the Caliph must speak to me.

"Sindbad," said he, when I had bowed to the floor before the throne, "I stand in need of your service; you must carry my answer and present to the king of Serendib."

This command was to me like a clap of thunder. Though I had made a vow never to leave Bagdad, I saw that I must obey. The Caliph was well pleased, and ordered me a sum of money ample for my needs.

In a few days I departed with the letter and present, and, after a safe voyage, reached the isle of Serendib.

"Sindbad," said the king, when I was brought before him with great pomp, and had bowed to the earth, "you are welcome; I have many times thought of you. I bless the day on which I see you once more."

I thanked him for his kindness, and delivered the gifts from my august master. The Caliph's letter was as follows:--

"Greeting, in the name of the Sovereign Guide of the Right Way, from the Servant of G.o.d, Haroun Al-Raschid, whom G.o.d hath set in the place of viceregent to his Prophet, after his ancestors of happy memory, to the potent and esteemed king of Serendib.

"We received your letter with joy, and send you this from our imperial residence, the garden of superior wits. We hope when you look upon it you will perceive our good will, and be pleased with it. Farewell."

The Caliph's present was a complete suit of cloth of gold, fifty robes of rich stuff, a hundred of white cloth, the finest of Cairo, Suez, and Alexandria; a vessel of agate, half a foot wide, on the bottom of which was carved a man with one knee on the ground, who held a bow and an arrow, ready to discharge at a lion. He sent also a rich tablet, which, according to tradition, belonged to the great Solomon.

The king of Serendib was highly pleased. Soon I obtained leave to depart, though not easily. Dismissed with a large present, I sailed at once for Bagdad, but had not the good fortune to arrive there so soon as I had hoped. G.o.d ordered it otherwise.

Three or four days after sailing, we were attacked by pirates. Some of the crew were killed, and I, with others who did not resist, was taken to a remote island and sold.

I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who treated me well, and dressed me handsomely as a slave. In a few days he asked me if I knew any trade. I told him I was a merchant, robbed of all I possessed.

"Tell me," said he, "can you shoot with a bow?" I said it had been one of the exercises of my youth. Then he gave me a bow and arrow, took me behind him on an elephant, and carried me to a thick forest. Stopping before a great tree, he said, "Climb up that, and shoot at the elephants, of which there are many in this forest, as you see them pa.s.s by, and if any of them fall, come and give me notice." Then he left me, and returned to the town, and I remained upon the tree all night.

In the morning I shot one of the many elephants that pa.s.sed under the tree, and when the others had left it dead, I went into the town and told my patron of my success, which pleased him greatly. Then we returned, and dug a hole for the elephant, in which my patron meant to leave it until it was rotten, when he would take its teeth and trade with them.

For two months I did this service. One morning I was amazed to see that the elephants, instead of pa.s.sing by, stopped and came towards my tree with a horrible noise, in such numbers that the plain was covered, and shook under them. They surrounded the tree, with their trunks uplifted, and all fixed their eyes upon me. This frightened me so that my bow and arrows fell out of my hand.

My fears were not without cause, for soon one of the largest of the elephants put his trunk round the foot of the tree, plucked it up, and threw it on the ground. I fell with the tree, and the elephant, taking me up with his trunk, laid me on his back, where I sat more like one dead than alive. He put himself at the head of the rest, who followed him in line, carried me some distance, then laid me down on the ground, and retired with all the others. When they were gone, I got up, and found that I was upon a long and broad hill, almost covered with the bones and teeth of elephants. I doubted not but that this was their burial place, and that they carried me thither on purpose to tell me that I should no longer kill them, now that I knew where to get their teeth without doing them harm. I did not stay on the hill, but turned towards the city, and, traveling a day and a night, came to my patron.

He had believed me dead, for he had found the tree pulled up in the forest, and my bow and arrows on the ground. When he had heard of my escape, we set out for the hill, and brought back as many teeth as an elephant could bear. Then my master told me how many slaves had been killed by the elephants, and blessed me for making him and his whole city rich. "I can treat you no more as a slave," he said, "but as a brother. I give you your liberty henceforth. I will also give you riches."

To this I answered that the only reward I wished was leave to return to my own country. "Very well," said he, "the monsoon will soon bring ships for ivory. Then I will send you home."