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91-7-2 -
The Seventh Voyage of Sindbaad of the Sea:
Sindbaad on the Island of Sarandeeb
On
the 563rd Night
This
story is according to Burton's book, The
previous story was according to Lane.
Both the versions differ considerably.
Next
night, Shaharzaad again started her story of the account of Sindbaad's
seventh voyage - "When Sindbaad had finished telling the account of his
sixth voyage all got dispersed. Hammaal also went back home. Next day he
rose, said his morning prayers and came to Sindbaad of the Sea. When all
people had gathered, Sindbaad started telling about his seventh voyage.
He
said - "When I had come back from my sixth voyage I earned lots of
profit, so I started living like before. I thought
whatever has happened to me, it was enough and I started enjoying what I
had; but again, one day, I longed for the sea voyage, so I again bought
some merchandise, packed up my bales and sent them from Bagadaad to
Basaraa. When I found a ship, I embarked it with by merchandise, and we
sailed in our health and safety till we came to Madinat al-Sin.
But as
we left it, we had to face a violent head-wind a heavy rainfall. We
covered our bales with our clothes and started praying Allaah. That our
Captain loosen his girdle and beat his head, so we asked him - "O Captain,
What is the matter?" He replied -"The wind has mastered us, an it has
taken us into an utmost sea of the world." Then he came down and took out
a bag of blue cotton in which there were some powder like ashes. He put it
on a dish wet with a little sea water, waited for a while, then tasted it.
Then he took out a booklet and read it weeping - "It is written in this
book that whoever will come here will surely die, without any hope,
because this sea is called the Sea of Clime of the King. Here is the
Sepulcher of our King Solomon and very huge serpents. And whichever ship
comes here, a huge fish rises up and swallows her up along with everything
in her."
As we
were talking like this that a huge fish came which lifted our ship from
water and let her fall and we saw a huge fish like a mountain, opening its
mouth, and in the meantime another huge monstrous fish came, so we said
good bye to each another. But Lo, a third fish came, bigger than the
previous two fish, seeing which we had lost our mind completely. All the
three fish started circling our ship. The third fish's mouth was as big as
a city's gate and and its throat looked like a long valley. Suddenly a
strong wind came and took our ship to settle on great reef. The ship had
broken and all that was on her plunged into the sea.
I tore
my clothes and swam in the sea for some distance till I held a plank of
the ship. I said to myself - "O Sindbaad of the Sea, You are suffering so
many hardships and problems still you never repent and leave these sea
voyages. Now you keep patience and suffer which you deserve."
On
the 564th Night
Shaharzaad continued - "Sindbaad continued his story - "When my ship was
broken, and I had to swim in the sea I cursed myself again for my greed to
gain. But this time I repented with my sincere heart that I will never
travel, not even in my thoughts, and I continued to pray Allaah to save my
life this time. I swam for two days on the plank and then landed on an
island full of trees and streams. I ate fruits, drank fresh sweet water
and gained my strength.
As I
walked a little, I found a river of strong flow, so I remembered making
raft for myself, that if it will take me somewhere, it is all right; or if
I will perish, I will perish. So I collected some large pieces of trees
and made a raft, and prayed that "if I am saved, it is Allaah's wish" and
set it in the water current. It took me for the first day, the second day,
and the third day without eating and drinking. Then I came to a mountain
where the river ran under the mountain. Seeing it I feared for my life if
I lay on the raft, but the current overtook me and I entered the
subterranean passage under the mountain.
Luckily after a while my raft came out in the open space and I found
myself in an open valley where the river fell making a great noise. I held
on to the raft for the fear of falling off it. Waves were tossing me right
and left, I could not control it till it stopped near a big city. The town
people saw me and threw a rope to me to hold it, but I had not much
strength, so they threw a net over the raft and drew it towards them. I
fell like a dead man suffering from hunger, thirst and lack of sleep.
After a while when I came to my senses, an old man came out of the crowd,
gave me some handsome clothes, took me to bath, offered me Sherbet and
took me to his house. His family members offered me rich food to eat. I
ate it to my satisfaction and thanked Allaah for His grace. He gave me a
place to stay in his house and appointed some pages and maids in my
service.
I
stayed there for three days recovering from my feat, till my heart and my
mind was calm and at ease. On the fourth day the Shekh came to me and said
to me - "You have been cheering us with your company, but will you come
now with me to sell thing? I have ordered my servants to collect your
things from the sea and piled up on he shore. Don't be so careful nor be
worried, take your things in the market, if somebody offers you the price
you like, you sell it, otherwise I will keep it in my warehouse." I said
to myself, "Let me see what does he do for me." So I went with him to
market and I saw that he had collected the wood of my raft which was made
of sandalwood and the broker was trying to sell it.
On
the 565th Night
Shaharzaad continued her story - "Sindbaad told them further - "I saw the
broker selling the wood of my raft and people bidding for it 1,000 Deenaar."
The broker said to me - "This is the current price of this wood, if you
want to sell at this price, I can sell it, otherwise I can keep it in my
store." I said - "The business is in your hands, do as you wish." he asked
me - "Will you sell me this for 100 gold pieces more than its bidding by
buyers?" "OK, I have sold it you for the money to be received." So he took
the wood to his storehouse and myself to his house and counted the money
to me.
After
a few days the Shekh said to me - "I wish to propose you something with
the hope that you will not refuse it." "What is it?" He said - "I am an
old man, I don't have a son, I have a daughter who is beautiful and young.
I wish to marry her to you so that you can live in our country. I will
give you everything what I have." I was silent for sometime. He again said
- "It is my wish, if you will agree then the girl will be yours as from
now and you will be my son. If you would like to travel to your home, then
also there will not be any problem. You may sell my property and go home."
I said - "You are like my father, it is because of your guidance that I
have survived here. You yourself may decide as what should I do."
At
this he called for his daughter and a Qaazee, married her to me, and made
a good feast. She was indeed very beautiful. We loved each other and lived
happily till her father died. I became the master of his whole property.
The merchants installed me in his office as he was their Shekh and Chief
and none of them purchased anything without his knowledge. Thus I became
acquainted with the town folks. I noticed that in the beginning of each
month they transformed, means their faces changed, they became like birds
and flew in the sky and none remained in the city except the women and the
children.
So
once I thought that in next month I will ask one of them to carry me with
him just to see where they go. So when the first of the month came and
their complexion changed, I asked one of them to carry me with him and
that I will return with him. But he said - "This is not possible." But I
pursued him till he consented. I went with him riding on his back without
telling anybody from my family, friends, or servants. He flew up very high
in the sky, that I heard the Angels glorifying God in the dome of Heavens.
At this i wondered and exclaimed - "Praised be Allaah."
As
soon as I pronounced these words that a fire came from Heaven and all but
consumed the company . They fled from there cursing me and casting me down
on a high mountain. I repented for what I had done. I was thinking that
where should i go, that Lo, two young men came there carrying a staff of
red gold. I greeted them and asked - "Who are you and what are you?" "We
are the servants of Allaah and we live in this mountain." They gave me
their staff and went away leaving me there. The then a serpent came
carrying a man in her jaw. She had swallowed him up to the navel and he
was crying out - "Whoever will deliver me from this serpent, Allaaah will
deliver him from all problems." So I hit the staff on the serpent's head
and she cast the man from her mouth."
On
the 566th Night
Next
night, Shaharzaad resumed the story - "When I hit her on her head, she
cast the man out from her mouth. When I hit her second time, she fled from
there. The man said to me - "Since you have freed me from the serpent, I
will never leave you and will be always with you on this mountain."
"Welcome." And we roamed about till we came to a company of people. I saw
that man who cast me on that mountain, among those people. I went to him
and spoke to him in a friendly way. He said - "It was you who destroyed us
by your Tasbeeh." I asked for his forgiveness saying that I did not know
about it and requested him to take me back and not to say a word. He took
a promise from me that as long as I will be on his back, I will not take
the name of Allaah. I did that. Then I gave my staff of gold to the man
whom I delivered from the serpent and rode on the back of my friend.
He
brought me to my home where my wife welcomed and warned me to go anywhere
with these folks for they were brothers of the devil. They do not know how
to take the name of Allaah nor they worship Him. I asked her - "Then how
did your father do?" She said - "He was not one of them. I think you
should sell whatever we have because I do not want to live here any more a
both my parents are dead." So I sold everything and looked for somebody
who was going to Basaraa. I found a company of people going to Basaraa, so
we, my wife and myself, went them taking all the movables and leaving
house etc there only.
I came
to Basaraa, I did not stay there, I just came directly to Bagadaad. I had
returned from my seventh voyage after 27 years. They had given up all hope
of my return, but as they saw me they were very happy. I told them what
befallen me on this voyage. After this voyage I swore that I will never
travel either by sea or by land. So O Sindbaad, You can think what
sufferings and calamities I had to face to come to this stage." Sindbaad
the Porter said - "Please forgive me for any wrong I have done to you."
And they continued live in friendship till they died.
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