The Second Voyage

On the next day, Hindbad the porter visited Sindbad’s place to hear the talc of his next voyage. The rich man began pouring the reminiscence of his second adventurous voyage.

The wealth earned from my first voyage was enough to lead a good life. Hence, for a period of time I enjoyed the luxuries bought from the money. Then one day again I decided to sail to earn more money through trading and also to see the world. I embarked on a big ship with all my merchandise. The ship carried many other merchants who were willing to make good fortune by selling their goods in different parts of the world. The ship sailed through various continents and islands. I did a good business and got a high price for my goods.

While sailing through the seas the ship reached a lush green beautiful island. Its sprawling meadow, melodious high water cool water streams and the laden with the fruits attracted all of us. We decided to get down and have our meals on that beautiful island. We proceeded further on the island. What surmised us the most was its loneliness. Despite its rich scenic beauty and abundance of natural resources, it was strangely isolated.

Nevertheless, we chose to sit under a big shady tree near a cool water stream. After a good meal, we all lied down to relax for sometime. Tired of the long journey. I fell fast asleep in the loving arms of the pleasant ambience.

But when I woke up, to my horror I found myself all alone on that strange, lonely island. All my companions and the crew members of the ship had already left and sailed away from there. The situation terrified me and I wept on my misery and helplessness. I desperately ran to the port in a hope to get a glimpse of my ship. Alas! As far as my eyes could see there was no ship, except for the huge waves of the endless sea, which were adding to my fear. Grief I walked back on the island with and disappointment, I eyed p huge dome. Standing near it I wondered, “What could it be? There is no entrance or window.”

Suddenly darkness spread in the region. I looked up. “Perhaps the dark patch of clouds has overcast the sky,” I said to myself. But to my astonishment, it was not a dark cloud but a huge bird’s sprawling large wings, which had prevented the sunrays from reaching down the earth. At once a thought flashed in my mind, “It must be the much talked about bird `roc’.” I had heard from the sailors about this strange bird.

Soon the huge bird settled over the huge dome, which was actually its egg. As the bird relaxed sitting over its egg. I cautiously crawled under its legs and tied myself to one of its legs with the help of my turban. Unable to find any other way to come out of this strange lonely island, I took this risk.

After sometime, the roe spread its wings and flew up in the sky. Tied with its leg, I too reached high up. I travelled a long distance, hanging from the leg. I was extremely frightened suspending in the sky and almost lost my senses. At last, my long journey ended when the roc descended in a valley. At once, I untied myself from the leg, crept out and hid myself.

Soon the bird flew high with a long frightening snake in its claws, which it had picked tip from the valley. As the bird was away, I heaved a sigh of relief and gazed around the valley. The valley was surrounded by high mountains. It was almost impossible to climb those dangerously steep mountains. It meant that I came out of the mouth of dragon and fell into the mouth of devil.

I was tired and frightened. I was hungry too. So I walked in the valley in search of food, but there was nothing seen around. When I walked through the valley, what attracted me most was its sparkling round. I keenly observed and found that the ground of the valley was covered with small and big pieces of precious stones like diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emerald. With the sunrays falling on the ground, it was glittering as if innumerable stars had fallen down on the earth.

With the sunset, darkness spread its arms. Suddenly thousands of huge serpents came out of their hideouts and crawled on the ground. I guessed, “The roe must have caught one among these snakes in its claws. Probably the fear of roc prohibits the serpents from coming out in day light.”

Horrified by this frightful scene, I desperately looked around to find a safe place. Luckily, I found a cave. I hastily entered into it and blocked the entrance with a huge boulder. I spent a sleepless night there. With the sunrise, I came out of the cave. Out of hunger and fear, my condition was pathetic. I was sure that my days were numbered.

In desperation, I moved through the valley. Suddenly a big piece of meat dropped from the high cliff of the mountain. As soon as it dropped. an enormous eagle swooped drown from the high sky and picked up the dropped meat piece and flew back to the mountaintop. A few glittering pieces of precious stones which had stuck to the soft sticky meat piece, also went out of the valley.

The tales, I had heard from the mouth of my fellow traders about the valley of precious stones and the strange way to take out those stones, flashed in my mind. The merchants who wanted these precious stones had devised a wonderful way to get it. From the mountaintop, they would drop the pieces of meat into the valley. The eagles who had their nest on the mountaintop would fly down to pick up those meat pieces to feed their young ones. Subsequently, the stones also came out from the valley glued to the meat pieces. The merchants waiting on the mountaintop would collect the stones from their nests afterwards.

The whole episode gave me an idea to rescue myself from that dreaded valley. I tied a big piece of meat on my back. However, before tying myself with the meat piece I did not forget to fill up my pockets with those precious stones. After sometime, an eagle swooped down looking for the meat piece and picked me up along with the meat piece.

When the eagle reached up on the mountain, the merchants who were waiting for the stones frightened the eagle. Hence, the eagle dropped me on the ground and fled to its nest. The merchants were very much surprised to see me. I told them all about my misfortune and begged to help me. The merchants pitied over me and accompanied me to their camp. I stayed there as their guest for a few days. I gave them a few of my valuable stones, which pleased them a lot. I also shared those memorable but dreaded sights, which I witnessed during my stay in the valley.

After few days, I set out for my city Baghdad. The ship took me to my town safely. Now I was a rich man. I shared my wealth with my relatives and neighbours. I donated a part of my wealth to the poor and needy. The wealth added more luxuries and comfort in my life. In a short span of time, all my sufferings and mental shock were healed up.

“Here ends the story of my second voyage,” said Sindbad to the porter. He then thanked him for giving a good company and again presented him a purse full of gold coins. Sindbad invited his poor friend Hindbad on the next day to hear the story of his third voyage.