Sindbad built his own ship and invited merchants from other countries on his next voyage. Then they set sail, trading along the way for many weeks till they arrived at an island that seemed deserted. They came upon a roc’s egg about to hatch. The merchants would not listen to Sindbad who told them to leave the egg alone. They broke it, killed the baby roc and ate it after roasting it. Suddenly, the sky was overcast, as two huge rocs, the parents of baby roc, grief-stricken and furious, swooped down on the merchants. The merchants ran for their lives, scrambling into their ship, as the rocs attacked. But the rocs chased them, circling the ship, carrying huge rocks in their claws. One of the rocks dropped into the sea, but the next one smashed the ship into smithereens (small pieces), flinging everyone overboard into the water. Sindbad lost sight of the others.
In Trouble
Drifting along, Sindbad came to the rocky and steep shore of an island, where he fell asleep on the soft, lush grass. Fruit-laden trees grew everywhere. He, later, walked inland and found a frail old man sitting on a river-bank. Unable to talk, the man signalled to Sindbad to help him cross the river because he wanted to eat the delicious-looking fruits there. Sindbad, being a kind person and feeling sorry for the old man, carried him on his back across the river. But the old man wouldn’t get off his back! He gripped him with arms and legs wrapped tightly around him! Sindbad fainted, exhausted with the weight. But he found the old man still clutching him when he came around, holding on to him even when he plucked and ate fruit and lay down to rest! Sindbad wondered how to get rid of this old fellow, for he was tired.
Sindbad couldn’t get rid of the old man for days! He racked his brains to think of some way to get him off. Suddenly, he saw grapes. He picked them and made wine in the hollow shell of a fruit. Some days later, with the old man still hanging on to him, Sindbad began to sip the wine and began to sing and dance. The old man was curious about the drink and gulped some. He got drunk and his grip became loose. Sindbad was waiting for this, and in a flash, he dropped the old man and ran away to the seashore. Luckily, he met some sailors who heard his story and explained to him, “You are truly fortunate! That is the Old Man of the Sea who strangles anyone he catches!” Sindbad sailed away with them, reaching a town that seemed to have a place for strangers to stay.
In the morning, one of the friendly merchants gave Sindbad a sack and said, “Go along with the others and just do what they are doing!” He went along to a large grove of coconut trees with monkeys bounding on all of them! At first, he was puzzled when he saw the merchants throwing stones at them. Then he laughed, for the monkeys began to imitate them! Not having stones, they flung coconuts at the merchants who quickly filled their sacks. Sindbad joined the fun and soon had a sackful of coconuts that he sold, soon becoming very rich. He met the captain of a trading ship that had just come there. The captain took him on board. So, Sindbad wished his friends farewell and with a large cargo of coconuts, sailed homewards. They stopped at an island and collected pepper and pearls, and with trade in such merchandise they reached Baghdad as very rich men!
