“I was tired of travelling and facing untold dangers,” confessed Sindbad, “But one day, an officer of the Caliph’s court came to inform me that I was required to serve the Caliph. I had to bear a letter and gifts from him for the King of the Indies in return for the courtesy and friendship that the King had shown him.” The story of his seventh voyage ran as follows:
Sindbad tried to explain his reluctance to the messenger, describing his voyages and the dangers he had undergone. But he had to accompany the officer to the court and finally, he had to obey the commands of the Caliph.
This time, he sailed in a ship equipped by the Caliph. It was a safe journey and he went to the court of the King of the Indies where he was received with great comfort, joy and courtesy.
Sindbad displayed the gifts sent by the Caliph. There was a bed with golden curtains, another with red velvet. There were many more beds with different designs and colours for resting and relaxing. There were fifty robes with rich embroidery and a hundred ones made of the finest white linen from Egypt and other parts of the land. There was an exquisite agate statue of a man aiming an arrow at a lion and a costly table that had once belonged to King Solomon. With the gifts was a warm message from the Caliph thanking the King for the friendship and courtesy he had extended.
The King was so happy to receive this token of friendship from the Caliph that he sent Sindbad off with valuable gifts too.
The voyage was going ahead smoothly. But on the fifth day, pirates attacked the ship and boarded it. The sailors fought them, but they were killed or imprisoned. Sindbad was one of the prisoners. The pirates took away all their possessions and gave each of them a dirty cloak to wear. They were taken to a distant island where all of them were sold as slaves.
Sindbad found he was the slave of a rich merchant who fortunately was kind. He fed him and gave him good clean clothes to wear and then asked him about his life. Sindbad told him that he too had been a rich merchant travelling by ship and over land, trading all over the world.
The merchant asked him if he could use a bow and arrows. “I learnt to shoot as a young man,” replied Sindbad, “Perhaps with some practice I can become an expert again.”
The merchant took Sindbad on an elephant deep into the forest.
“There are elephants that come here in herds. Shoot one dead and then come and tell me,” said the merchant, before he left Sindbad in the forest with a bow and arrows and some food. He then returned to the city.
Sindbad climbed a tree. At sunrise he heard the thunderous sound of the herd coming there. He shot at the elephants and luckily he was able to shoot one dead. The herd scattered and Sindbad climbed down. He went to his master and told him about the elephant he had killed. His master came back with him and together they buried the dead elephant.
“We will wait till he becomes a skeleton and then take his tusks to sell the ivory,” said the merchant.
Sindbad carried out the orders of his master and every day he killed one elephant and buried it. This went on for two months. Then one morning the elephant herd surrounded the tree on which Sindbad sat. They shook the tree to uproot it and Sindbad lost his hold. He fell with a thud to the ground, and looked around terrified of the angry herd.
One of the elephants picked him up with his trunk and carried him deeper into the forest. He took him to a hill that was full of elephant bones and tusks! It was evidently the burial ground of the elephants. The noble creatures had brought him there to show him the terrible result of the killing of their companions. They left him unharmed there and went away.
Sindbad was deeply touched by the wisdom and nobility of the great creatures. He returned to his master and reported the incident of the Ivory Hill to him.
The merchant was so impressed with Sindbad’s under-standing and compassion that he set him free. He wished to give many gifts to Sindbad, but Sindbad said all he wanted the freedom to return to his home. However, the merchant treated him thereafter as a brother, not as a slave.
Sindbad stayed till the monsoon rains arrived to help the merchant. He took him to Ivory Hill. There was enough ivory not only for his master but for all the merchants in the city. They took the ivory from there and soon all the warehouses were full.
The merchant chose the ship in which Sindbad was to travel home and equipped it with enough provisions for the journey. He also added ivory and gifts for him.
Sindbad was worried because he had always so much trouble during his sea voyages. He decided to leave the ship at the next port and travel overland to Baghdad. He sold off the ivory for gold. Then he joined a caravan and took the long route home.
In Baghdad, he presented himself before the Caliph and reported the completion of his task. The Caliph honoured him and he came back to stay among the members of his family and friends.
“So, my friend,” Sindbad said to Hindbad, “do you still think I have become wealthy by luck?”
Hindbad bowed to him, saying, “I understand now, sir. And I respect your effort and your generosity. Greatness doesn’t come from only luck.” Thanking him for opening his eyes to the truth, Hindbad left for his house. He had got a wonderful friend.
