Sinbad

Our story begins

in the ancient country of Persia,

in the city of Baghdad.

One day, a porter carrying a heavy load,

stopped to rest near a beautiful home.

He looked at the splendid house and said,

How is it this man has so much,

and I have so little?

Why is he so fortunate, and I so unlucky?

The porter did not realize

someone was at the window above him.

Bring me that man.

Two servants seized the frightened porter.

But I didn't mean any harm!

Please, where do you take me?

To the greatest sailor of all time, Sinbad.

He would speak with you.

So the poor porter was brought

before the owner of this fine house,

Sinbad the Sailor.

Spare me, oh master!

Do not be afraid my friend,

I heard your remarks as you rested,

and I would like to tell you a story.

A tale you will never forget.

Please be my guest and feast with me

while I tell you of my adventures.

As a young boy, I was very poor,

but I was determined to search for my fortune.

I decided on a sailor's life,

and signed on as a deck hand

on the Golden Fleece.

She was the most beautiful and fastest ship

that ever out raced a pirate craft.

I sailed for many years,

learning the business of shipping and trading,

waiting for the day when I would own my own boat.

One day, we were caught in a typhoon,

and blown far off our course.

A giant wave washed me

and two companions overboard.

We clung to a log for a while,

but soon we were separated in the storm.

Then, night fell over the violent sea.

I swam until I found myself on a strange beach.

Confused and frightened,

I wandered into the jungle and became lost.

Finally, I dropped of exhaustion.

When I awoke in the morning,

I was next to a great white wall.

But then, I discovered it was a monstrous egg.

Only one bird could lay an egg such as this.

The roc.

I remembered an ancient story

about an island of fortune

where the roc bird lived.

Perhaps, I thought, this is it.

A great flapping of wings startled me.

The roc.

I hid under the egg,

wondering what to do,

when I had a desperate plan.

I tied myself to the roc's leg,

so that when he flew high above the trees,

I could get my directions.

As we went higher and higher,

I could see a river leading out into the ocean.

Finally the great bird landed in a cave,

high on a mountain.

A strange light came from within.

Untying myself from the bird,

I sneaked into the cave

and could hardly believe my eyes;

the island of fortune.

For there was a treasure in jewels beyond any dream.

I filled my pockets and clothes

with as many jewels as I could carry.

When the roc had gone,

I sneaked out of the cave

and down the mountain.

I constructed a log raft,

and let the river carry me towards the sea.

Suddenly, I was no longer moving.

The raft had stopped.

Then I saw why.

A monster, twenty feet tall,

had grabbed the raft

and was lifting me up in the air.

He had one huge eye, large ears, and an ugly mouth.

The hideous creature paralyzed me with fear,

for I expected to be killed at any moment.

The beast took me to his nearby cave

and dropped me into a cage.

And I saw what my fate was to be.

There, tied to stakes, were my two shipmates.

The monster was going to cook and eat them.

I couldn't see any way of escape.

My only hope was to distract the giant somehow.

Then I thought of the jewels.

While the beast gathered wood for our barbeque,

I fashioned a string of dazzling gems.

When he returned,

I dangled them to attract his attention.

The flashing almost hypnotized the monster.

He opened the cage door

and grabbed the tantalizing jewels

while I slipped out.

Quickly, I freed my friends,

and we ran for the river and my raft.

The eye of the creature

was only interested in the sparkling toy

which he had now placed about his neck.

But we didn't know how long that would be.

Just as we reached the ocean,

we heard the roaring of the monster

as it came crashing through the jungle,

looking for his runaway dinner.

He saw us, and started wading out

faster than we could push away.

The jewels sparkled as he moved.

Just as he was about to grab the raft,

a great shriek stopped him.

As he looked up,

the roc had missed the jewels,

and had seen them sparkling on the giant.

The battle was on.

While the two monsters fought,

we franticly pushed far out to sea,

and drifted away with the current.

The next day,

we were picked up by the Golden Fleece.

I had enough jewels

to make the entire crew wealthy.

I was able to buy my own sailing ship,

and prospered as a merchant and trader,

before I settled here in this home.

And so friend, you see,

I earned my fortune in a great adventure.

For listening to an old man's story,

I present you with a gift.

The wealth this jewel will bring you

will remind you of the famous, Sinbad the Sailor.

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