THE SECOND VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SEAMAN

KNOW, O my brother, that I was living a most comfortable and
enjoyable life, in all solace and delight, as I told you yesterday,

until one day my mind became possessed with the thought of traveling
about the world of men and seeing their cities and islands, and a

longing seized me to traffic and to make money by trade. Upon this
resolve I took a great store of cash and buying goods and gear fit for

travel, bound them up in bales. Then I went down to the riverbank,
where I found a noble ship and brand-new about to sail equipped with

sails of fine cloth and well manned and provided. So I took passage in
her, with a number of other merchants, and after embarking our

goods, we weighed anchor the same day. Right fair was our voyage,
and we sailed from place to place and from isle to isle, and

whenever we anchored we met a crowd of merchants and notables and
customers, and we took to buying and selling and bartering.

At last Destiny brought us to an island, fair and verdant, in
trees abundant, with yellow-ripe fruits luxuriant, and flowers

fragrant and birds warbling soft descant, and streams crystalline
and radiant. But no sign of man showed to the descrier- no, not a

blower of the fire. The captain made fast with us to this island,
and the merchants and sailors landed and walked about, enjoying the

shade of the trees and the song of the birds, that chanted the praises
of the One, the Victorious, and marveling at the works of the

Omnipotent King. I landed with the rest, and, sitting down by a spring
of sweet water that welled up among the trees, took out some vivers

I had with me and ate of that which Allah Almighty had allotted unto
me. And so sweet was the zephyr and so fragrant were the flowers

that presently I waxed drowsy and, lying down in that place, was
soon drowned in sleep.

When I awoke, I found myself alone, for the ship had sailed and left
me behind, nor had one of the merchants or sailors bethought himself

of me. I searched the island right and left, but found neither man nor
Jinn, whereat I was beyond measure troubled, and my gall was like to

burst for stress of chagrin and anguish and concern, because I was
left quite alone, without aught of worldly gear or meat or drink,

weary and heartbroken. So I gave myself up for lost and said: "Not
always doth the crock escape the shock. I was saved the first time

by finding one who brought me from the desert island to an inhabited
place, but now there is no hope for me." Then I fell to weeping and

wailing and gave myself up to an access of rage, blaming myself for
having again ventured upon the perils and hardships of voyage,

whenas I was at my ease in mine own house in mine own land, taking
my pleasure with good meat and good drink and good clothes and lacking

nothing, neither money nor goods. And I repented me of having left
Baghdad, and this the more after all the travails and dangers I had

undergone in my first voyage, wherein I had so narrowly escaped
destruction, and exclaimed, "Verily we are, Allah's, and unto Him we

are returning!"
I was indeed even as one mad and Jinn-struck, and presently I rose

and walked about the island, right and left and every whither,
unable for trouble to sit or tarry in ay one place. Then I climbed a

tall tree and looked in all directions, but saw nothing save sky and
sea and trees and birds and isles and sands. However, after a while my

eager glances fell upon some great white thing, afar off in the
interior of the island. So I came down from the tree and made for that

which I had seen, and behold, it was a huge white dome rising high
in air and of vast compass. I walked all around it, but found no

door thereto, nor could I muster strength or nimbleness by reason of
its exceeding smoothness and slipperiness. So I marked the spot

where I stood and went round about the dome to measure its
circumference, which I found fifty good paces. And as I stood

casting about how to gain an entrance, the day being near its fall and
the sun being near the horizon, behold, the sun was suddenly hidden

from me and the air became dull and dar! Methought a cloud had come
over the sun, but it was the season of summer, so I marveled at this

and, lifting my head, looked steadfastly at the sky, when I saw that
the cloud was none other than an enormous bird, of gigantic girth

and inordinately wide of wing, which as it flew through the air veiled
the sun and hid it from the island.

At this sight my wonder redoubled and I remembered a story I had
heard aforetime of pilgrims and travelers, how in a certain island

dwelleth a huge bird, called the "roc," which feedeth its young on
elephants, and I was certified that the dome which caught my sight was

none other than a roc's egg. As I looked and wondered at the marvelous
works of the Almighty, the bird alighted on the dome and brooded

over it with its wings covering it and its legs stretched out behind
it on the ground, and in this posture it fell asleep, glory be to

Him who sleepeth not! When I saw this, I arose and, unwinding my
turban from my head, doubled it and twisted it into a rope, with which

I girt my middle and bound my waist fast to the legs of the roc,
saying in myself, "Peradventure this bird may carry me to a land of

cities and inhabitants, and that will be better than abiding in this
desert island." I passed the night watching and fearing to sleep, lest

the bird should fly away with me unawares, and as soon as the dawn
broke and morn shone, the roc rose off its egg and spreading its wings

with a great cry, flew up into the air dragging me with it, nor ceased
it to soar and to tower till I thought it had reached the limit of the

firmament. After which it descended earthward, little by little,
till it lighted on the top of a high hill.

As soon as I found myself on the hard ground, I made haste to unbind
myself, quaking for fear of the bird, though it took no heed of me nor

even felt me, and loosing my turban from its feet, I made off with
my best speed. Presently I saw it catch up in its huge claws something

from the earth and rise with it high in air, and observing it
narrowly, I saw it to be a serpent big of bulk and gigantic of

girth, wherewith it flew away clean out of sight. I marveled at this,
and faring forward, found myself on a peak overlooking a valley,

exceeding great and wide and deep and bounded by vast mountains that
spired high in air. None could descry their summits for the excess

of their height, nor was any able to climb up thereto. When I saw
this, I blamed myself for that which I had done and said: "Would

Heaven I had tarried in the island! It was better than this wild
desert, for there I had at least fruits to eat and water to drink, and

here are neither trees nor fruits nor streams. But there is no Majesty
and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!

Verily, as often as I am quit of one peril I fall into a worse
danger and a more grievous."

However, I took courage and walking along the wady, found that its
soil was of diamond, the stone wherewith they pierce minerals and

precious stones and porcelain and onyx, for that it is a dense stone
and a dure, whereon neither iron nor hardhed hath effect, neither

can we cut off aught therefrom nor break it, save by means of
loadstone. Moreover, the valley swarmed with snakes and vipers, each

big as a palm tree, that would have made but one gulp of an
elephant. And they came out by night, hiding during the day lest the

rocs and eagles pounce on them and tear them to pieces, as was their
wont, why I wot not. And I repented of what I had done and Allah, I

have made haste to bring destruction upon myself!" The day began to
wane as I went along, and I looked about for a place where I might

pass the night, being in fear of the serpents, ace for my and I took
no thought of meat and drink in my concern for my life. Presently, I

caught sight of a cave near-hand, with a narrow doorway, so I entered,
and seeing a great stone close to the mouth, I rolled it up and

stopped the entrance, saying to myself, "I am safe here for the night,
and as soon as it is day, I will go forth and see what Destiny will

do." Then I looked within the cave and saw at the upper end a great
serpent brooding on her eggs, at which my flesh quaked and my hair

stood on end, but I raised my eyes to Heaven and, committing my case
to fate and lot, abode all that night without sleep till daybreak,