Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales -- Arab countries; Tales -- Arab countries
We remained a considerable time at sea, and touched at several
islands; at length we landed on that of Salahat, where the sandal
wood is cultivated, which is much used in medicine. We entered the
port, and cast anchor, and the merchants began to unload their
goods, to sell or exchange them. One day, the captain called me to
him, and said, “Brother, I have in my possession some goods, which
belonged to a merchant, who was for some time on board my ship. As
this merchant is dead, I am going to have them valued, that I may
render some account of them to his heirs, should I ever meet with
them. The bales he was speaking of, were already upon deck. He
showed them me, saying, “These are the goods in question; I wish
you to take the charge of them, and negociate them, on the condition
of receiving what is usually due for your trouble.” I consented,
and thanked him for the opportunity he afforded me of employing
myself.
The writer of the ship registered all the bales with the names of
the merchants to whom they belonged; when he asked the captain by
what name he should register those destined for my charge; the
captain replied, “By the name of Sindbad, the sailor.” I could
not hear my own name without emotion, and looking at the captain, I
recognized him to be the very same person, who in my second voyage
had left me on the island, where I had fallen asleep by the side of
a brook, and who had put to sea without waiting for me. I did not at
first recollect him, so much was he changed from the time I had seen
him. As he thought me dead, it is not to be wondered that he did not
recognize me. “Captain,” said I to him, “was the merchant to
whom these things belonged called Sindbad?”--“Yes,” returned
he, “that was his name; he was from Bagdad, and embarked on board
my vessel at Balsora. One day when we went ashore on an island for
fresh water, I know not by what mistake he was left behind; none of
the crew perceived it till four hours after, when the wind blew so
fresh against us, that it was impossible to return.” “You
believe him to be dead,” resumed I.--“Most assuredly,”
replied the captain.--“Well then,” said I, “open your eyes,
and know that the same Sindbad, whom you left in the desert island,
is now before you. I fell asleep on the banks of a little stream,
and when I awoke I perceived that the ship was gone.”
At these words, the captain fixed his eyes on me, and after having
examined me very attentively, at last recollected me. “God be
praised!” cried he, embracing me, “I am delighted, that fortune
has given me an opportunity of repairing my fault. Here are your
goods, which I have preserved with care, and always had valued at
every port I stopped at. I return them to you with the profit I have
made on them.” I received them with the gratitude which such an
action demanded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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