Arabian Nights: 277th Night: Sindbad's Voyages - 6

The following night Shahrazad said:

Sindbad the sailor continued his story:

After my last voyage I had decided that I should no more embark upon a voyage.  In my advanced years I appreciate a quiet life, and I no more want to take risk of untoward incidents.  However, one day I had an unexpected visitor. When I spent my time among my friends, I was told that an officer of Caliph wished to talk to me.  When he was admitted to my presence he bade me to follow him to the presence of Caliph Harun-al-Rashid, which I accordingly did, and saluted the Caliph.  The Caliph said, "I have sent for you to assign you a special task.  You are to bear a letter and a gift to the king of Serendib in return for his message of friendship."

It fell on me like a thunderbolt.  I was not in a mood to undertake a long and hazardous travel leaving the evening company of my friends.

"Commander of the Faithful," I replied, "I am ready to do all that your Majesty commands, but I humbly pray you to remember that I am utterly disheartened by unheard of sufferings I have undergone.  Indeed I have made a vow never again to leave Baghdad."

With this I gave him a long account of some of my strangest adventures, to which he listened patiently.

"I admit," said he, "that you have indeed had some extraordinary experiences, but I do not see why they should hinder you from doing as I wish.  You have only to go straight to Serendib and give my message, then you are free to come back and do as you wish.  But go you must; my honour and dignity demand it."

Seeing that there is no escape, I declare myself willing; and the Caliph delighted, at having got his own way, gave me a thousand sequins, to meet the expenses on the way.  I was soon ready to start, and taking the letter and the present, I embarked at Balsora, and sailed quickly and safely to Serendib.  Here I disclosed my errand, and I was well received, brought into the presence of the king, who greeted me with joy.

"Welcome, Sindbad," he cried, "I have thought of you often, and rejoice to see you once more." 

I thanked him for the honour he did me, and displayed Caliph's gifts.  First a bed with complete hangings, all cloth of gold, which coast a thousand sequins, and another like it of crimson stuff. Fifty robes of rich embroidery, a hundred of the finest white linen from Cairo, Suez, Cufa and Alexandria.  More beds of different fashion, and an agate vase carved with the figure of a man aiming an arrow at lion, and finally a costly table which had once belonged to king Solomon.  The king accepted this, and was satisfied with Caliph's friendship.  After completing my task, I was anxious to depart.  While leaving, the king presented me with many gifts and bade me farewell.

Not later, I was on board of the ship. For the first four days the voyage was smooth.  On the fifth day we were attacked by pirates.  Those who resisted them were killed.  Those who did not resist were taken prisoners. What we possessed were plundered. Our clothes were changed.  At a distant island, they sold us as slaves.  I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who took me home with him.  Clothed and fed me well.  He asked me where I was going and what trade I am familiar with. I told him that I am a merchant.

"Tell me, can you shoot with a bow?

I told him that it was my pastime, when I was a youth.

He provided me with bow and arrows, and mounting me with him on his own elephant took the way to a vast forest which lay far from the town.  When we had reached the wildest part of it we stopped, and my master said to me, "This forest swarms with elephant.  Hide yourself in this great tree, and shoot at all that pass you.  When you have succeeded in killing one, come and tell me."

So saying he gave me a supply of food, and returned to the town.  I perched myself high up in the tree and kept watch.  That night I saw nothing, but just after sunrise next morning a large herd of elephants came crashing and trampling by.  I left no time in letting fly several arrows and at last one of the great animals fell to the ground dead, and the others retreated, leaving me free to come down from my hiding place and run back to tell my master of my success, for which I was praised and regaled with good things.  Then we went back to the forest together and dig a mighty trench in which we buried the elephant I had killed, in order that when it became a skeleton my master might return and take its tusk.

For two months afterwards, this was my routine, and no day passed without my securing an elephant.  I used to change my hiding place since my first hit.  One morning an unusual course took place on the part of the elephants. Instead of passing me, the elephants surrounded my hide out.  I smelt the danger lurking in their unusual conduct.  Trumpeting horribly and shaking the very ground they tread, they paused and looked at me.  I was terrified and my arrows dropped from my trembling hands.  The largest of the animals wound his trunk around the stem of my hide out.  With one mighty effort he tore up the tree by its roots, bringing me down to the ground entangled in its branches.  I thought that it was my end, but the elephant, picking me up gently, set me upon its back, where I clung more dead than alive, and followed by the whole herd turned and crashed off into the dense forest.  Moments of anxiety, on the back of the elephant, were moving forward, the trunk appeared in the sky, wound me and put me upon my feet, by the side of the elephant.  I stood as if in a dream watching the herd, which turned and trampled off in another direction, and soon disappeared in the dense forest.  Recovering myself, I looked about me.  I was standing upon the side of a great hill, strewn with the bone and tusks of elephants.  The tusks, there are more than I could carry away in my lifetime. Then why should we kill them? Was it for acknowledging this fact that they brought me here?

I turned and made for the city as fast as I could.  Not seeing a single animal on the way, I was convinced that they meant to send me the message: "You are free to take our tusks when we die, and don't kill us." 

After a day and a night I reached my master's house, and was received by him with joyful surprise.

"Ah! Poor Sindbad," he cried, "I was wondering what could have become of you.  When I went to the forest I found the tree newly uprooted, and arrows lying beside it. I feared I should never see you again.  Pray, tell me how you escaped death."

I soon satisfied his curiosity and next day we together went to the Ivory Hill.  He was overjoyed to find that I had told him nothing but truth.  When we had loaded our elephant with as many tusks as it could carry and were on our way back to the city he said, "My brother, take your liberty. No more can I treat you as a slave.  You have that much enriched me. May heaven prosper you.  I will no longer conceal from you that these elephants killed our slaves for years. You alone escaped the wrath of these wild animals.  So you must be under the special protection of Heaven.  Now through you the whole town is enriched.  So in addition to your liberty I shall bestow a fortune upon you."

I replied, "Master, I thank you, and wish you all prosperity.  For myself I only ask my liberty."

I stayed with him till the time of monsoon. Every day we added to his stock of ivory. Other merchants came to know of this secret. There was enough for all.  The master himself chose me a ship to sail, and put on board a great store of choice provisions, and ivories and other curiosities.

I left the ship at the first port, not feeling at ease upon the sea. Disposed of ivory for gold and bought many rare and costly presents. I loaded my pack animals and joined a caravan of merchants. Our journey was long and tedious, but I bore it patiently and reached Baghdad.  My first care was Caliph. I hurried to him, and gave him an account of my embassy. He told me that my long absence had disquieted him, but he had nevertheless hoped for the best.  Regarding my encounters with elephants, he told me that he would not have believed it, if it were from any other persons.

These stories were written by scribes and laid up among his treasures.  I took leave of him to return to my friends.

Thus Sindbad ended the stories of his voyages, and turning to Hindbad he added, "Well, my friend, what do you think of me now? Have you ever heard of anyone who suffered more, or more narrow escapes than I have?

Is it not just that I should now enjoy a life of ease and tranquility?

Hindbad drew near to him, and kissing his hand respectfully, replied, 

"Sir, you have indeed known fearful perils; my troubles have been nothing compared to yours.  Moreover, the generous use you make of your wealth proves that you deserve it. May you live long and happily in the enjoyment of it."

Sindbad then gave him a hundred sequins, and henceforth counted him among his friends, and he caused him to give up his profession as a porter.

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.

Note:-

The title One Thousand and One Nights (Alfa Layla wa Layla) is not meant to be taken literally.  In Arabic and Persian traditions "a thousand" often symbolizes "a vast or innumerable number" The addition of one gives it a poetic touch: a story that never ends.  It is really a metaphor for infinity, continuity and eternal act of story telling. This subject will be dealt with separately in another post.