Reading Notes: Voyages of Sinbad

For Sinbad's fifth voyage, he decided to make his own ship so he could take his own time and go where he wanted to go. His crew set sail and arrived on an uninhabited island. The men went exploring and found another Roc egg. The men decided to kill the baby bird inside and cook it for something to eat against Sinbad's advice. Soon after, the parents of the Roc egg arrived and were obviously upset about their baby. The men scrambled to the ship and set sail, but the Rocs traveled after them with huge rocks in their talons. They crushed the ship with their rocks and Sinbad grabbed onto another piece of driftwood. He made his way to the rocky shoreline of a nearby island. On the island he found an old man who needed help getting around. Sinbad helped him travel the island by way of piggy back rides. After a few days of doing this, Sinbad made some wine and they both shared a good bit. Sinbad took this opportunity to get the old man off of his back and left for the coastline where he met some mariners. The crew sailed to a rich city and suggested Sinbad go with an interesting group of merchants. It turned out they were going to fetch some coconuts, but the trees were huge and slick. The men began to throw rocks at monkeys in the tree because the monkeys would grab the coconuts and hurl them back at the merchants. Sinbad went on to trade his coconuts for other valuables on his way back to Bagdad. 

On Sinbad's 6th trip, he traveled to India before setting out on the seas. His ship was caught in a storm that directed them to the deadliest sea current in all the ocean. It led them to the base of a mountain where their ship was torn to shreds. The men made it away with their most valuable possessions, but they appeared stranded for the time coming. Sinbad found a flowing river that went underground, and just as he was about to run out of food he determined he would build a raft and float the river because there was a chance it would lead him to safety. He fell asleep and woke up to a group of friendly black men. They had pulled his raft from the river. The men were amazed by Sinbad's story and brought him to their king. The king was also amazed and treated Sinbad very, very well. Eventually Sinbad asked to leave, and the king sent him on his way with many gifts. He also commissioned him to deliver a letter to "the commander of the faithful". Sinbad set out to do as the king asked. The package contained a vase carved from a single ruby with pearls and other goods inside it. There were a number of other goods including a beautiful slave girl. The Caliph who received the goods asked Sinbad of the king's wealth. Sinbad confirmed the king's wealth and significance, to which the Caliph was pleased. After this delivery, Sinbad returned home. 

Sinbad's 7th, and final, trip was commissioned by the Caliph. He requested Sinbad travel back to the king who had sent the gifts because the Caliph wanted to return the favor. Sinbad asked to be removed from the mission, but the Caliph wouldn't allow it. When he arrived at the king's palace, the king was pleased to see him. Sinbad presented the gifts from the Caliph to the. After a short while, the king allowed Sinbad to leave. Sinbad was ready to return home and enjoy peaceful life, so he left quickly. On his return trip home, he was captured by pirates who sold him in a foreign land as a slave. He was sold to a rich merchant. His owner commissioned him to hunt for elephants in the forest. He killed an elephant and it was buried so that after it deteriorated it would provide beautiful tusks. For months he killed elephants each day. One day the elephants caught wind of him and surrounded his tree. Then the biggest of them all put his trunk around the tree and pulled it from the ground. He flew to the ground and the giant beast picked him up, again with his trunk, and placed Sinbad on his back. The elephants went stampeding into the forest with Sinbad. The elephants brought Sinbad to their burial ground where there were piles of elephant bones in an effort to convince him to stop shooting the elephants with his bow. Sinbad told his owner the story and brought him to the bone pile. There they collected tusks and the master set Sinbad free because he had enriched him so well. His master sent him on his way home with plenty of ivory and other gifts because he had been such a good slave. 

When Sinbad returned home, the Caliph was surprises, but happy, to see him. Sinbad told him all of his stories and the Caliph was amazed. This was the end of Sinbad's voyages.

Sinbad the Sailor - Wikipedia

The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang