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91-1-1 -
The First Voyage of Sindbaad of the Sea
In the
times of the Caliph Haaroon al-Rasheed, there lived a porter named
Sindbaad the Hammaal in Bagadaad city. He was very poor and bore burdens for hire upon
his head. One day his burden was very heavy, and the day was hot. As he
was passing by, he passed by a door of a merchant. There was a bench
there, so he sat down on the bench to take some rest.
On
the 537th Night
As he sat there, he
heard the sound of music and recitations. He, with delight, peeped in the
door and saw a great garden and many servants roaming around. Its scene
made him think that it was like a king's house. So he raised his hands,
prayed Allaah and recited a few verses. When
he finished his verses, he thought to take up his burden and go away, but
at the same time a young page came out of the door and said to him
- "Come inside, my Master is calling you." Although he wanted to
refuse to go inside the door, but he did not. So he put his burden near
the door and went inside. There he met a mature handsome man whose beard
had started becoming gray. He saluted him respectfully and stood in utmost
humility.
On
the 538th Night
So the man gave him permission to seat himself. He sat there
and was entertained by good wine and food. The porter fell on food. When
he had finished his food he thanked his host for his company and the
entertainment. The
man asked him - "What is your name and what do you do for
living?" "My name is Sindbaad the Hammaal and I bear the load for
hire." At this the man said - "Know O Sindbaad, that my name is
also Sindbaad, but Sindbaad of the Sea. I desire that you let me hear those verses again
which you recited outside the door. The poor man got ashamed to hear
him, but on insisting he recited them once more. Sindbaad of the Sea
got very pleased to hear. Then he said to the porter - "See, My story
is very wonderful and I will tell you what happened to me. I have
performed seven voyages which helped me to come to this prosperity, and each voyage has a wonderful tale connected to
it, and all stories are just by doom of Fortune and Fate. For from that
Destiny writes, there is neither refuge nor flight.
My
father stood first in the rank among the people and the merchants. He died
when I was very young, leaving to me a great wealth, buildings and fields.
When I grew up then I took care of my property, ate well, drank well, and
passed my time with my friends. I thought that this life style would
continue and profit me, but it did not. My wealth was finished and I was
in a poor state. I remembered a tale which I heard long before, of Lord Sulaimaan, the son of Daaood, respecting his saying - "Three things
are better than three - the day of death is better than the day of birth;
a living dog is better than a dead lion and the grave is better than the
palace."
Then I
arose and collected what I had, effects and apparel, and sold them; then I
sold my buildings and all I had was 3,000 pieces of silver. I decided to
go to other lands. So I bought some goods and commodities and some things
required for travel. I embarked a ship bound to Basaraa and it came to the city of Basaraa.
There we again embarked and sailed here and there for many days and many nights, passed by
island after island, from sea to sea, and land to land; and at every place
we passed, we bought something, we sold something.
Continuing
thus, we came to an island which was like a Paradise. We landed on that
island. Some cooked, some washed, I was among those who were amusing
themselves. We were doing thus that the Master of our ship called out
loudly - "Leave everything and run for your life, because this island
is not really an island, but it is a great fish that has become stationary
in the sea and the sand has accumulated upon it, the trees have grown upon
it, so it looks like an
island. The trees have grown upon it and since you have lighted the fire,
the fish might feel heat at anytime and it will descend into the sea."
On
the 539th Night
At the
Captain's warning all
passengers left their things pots or pans, clothes washed or unwashed,
gear and goods, then and there and embarked upon the ship, but some could
reach the ship, while others not. The island had moved and descended to
the bottom of the sea.
I also
could not reach the ship, so I also sank in the sea with the others. But
God saved me from drowning and kept me in a great wooden bowl in which the
passengers were washing. The vessel sailed away in front of my own eyes. I
remained in the bowl for one day and night. The wind and the waves brought my
bowl to an island where trees were overhanging the sea. I held a branch
of a tree and landed on the island. My legs were numb, and I got
unconscious. I just lay down on the island till next day. Next day morning
I dragged myself in sitting position then crawled. There were many fruits
and springs of sweet water so I ate fruits and drank water for several
days then I could regain my some energy. I started walking.
One
day as I was roaming around that I saw a strange object, but as I reached near it, it
appeared to be a mare. I tried to touch her, but she cried with a great
cry, and in the meantime a man came from under the earth and asked me -
"Who are you? When have you come here? Where have you come
from?" I answered - "O My Master, I am a stranger here. I was in
a ship, it submerged in the sea with other passengers. God saved me and
brought me here." He took me by my hand and asked me to follow him.
He took me to a subterranean chamber and offered me food. I ate to my
satisfaction. Then he asked about me and I told him what befell me.
Then I
asked him not to be displeased with me and tell me who he was and why was
he living in a subterranean chamber, and why he had chained the mare? He
said - "We are a party dispersed in this island upon its shores. We are
the grooms of the King Mihirjan and we take care of all of his
horses and every month, in bright fortnight, we bring the swift mares and
chain them here. They attract the sea-horses. The children born from them
are a good source of good money because such animals are not found on the
earth anywhere. This is the time of coming
of the sea-horse."
On
the 540th Night
"If the will of God
is there, I will take you to my King and then
will send you back to your own country. You know this, that if you had not met
me, you would have not seen here anyone else. You would have died in misery and
nobody knew it." At the same time many horses came out of the sea and
covered the mares. After a while when the mares kicked them out, that man
with his other fellows came out and seeing them the sea-horse ran away in
the sea. Then they asked about me and he told them my story. They spread
the table, arranged the food and ate and I also ate with them. Then they mounted the horses
and took me with them to their King.
We
came to the city of the King Al-Mihirjan. They told my story to him and he
desired to see me. I went to him, he welcomed me cordially. I told him the whole
story and he thanked Allaah for my safe arrival there. He appointed me the
superintendent of the sea-port and registrar of every vessel that came
there. I used to visit him regularly for his orders. He invested me costly
robes and other kinds o favors. I did not want to live there, so I always enquired the direction of
the city of Bagadaad, but none knew it, nor knew any one who went there.
One day I went to the King and found him with a party of Indians. They
asked about me and I asked about them.
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