Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sinbad Part A

Sinbad the Sailor: "Having balanced my cargo exactly..."
Drawing by Milo Winter (1914) found on Wikipedia

Sinbad inherited a lot of money from his parents. He did not manage the money well, instead spending almost all of his wealth on riches. Then had a realization that being old and poor would be awful so he began salvaging what he had left. With his remaining wealth he fitted a ship with some other merchants and set sale. They traded at many different islands, and one day decided to take a break on a small island. The island began to shake, and next thing they realized it wasn’t an island but a huge whale’s back. Sinbad was left behind in the water during the scramble to get on board and set sail again. He drifted slowly till he washed up at an island. He climbed the cliff and rested. He found edible herbs and spring water. Then he found a horse and a man appeared. He was lucky to find these men before the left that part of the island because the island was confusing and uninhabited. The next day they reached the capital and Sinbad was well cared for. He spoke with other foreigners of news of Bagdad, and searched for a way home. He made his way home and saw a ship unloading his very own crates. He asked the captain who the crates belonged to. He responded that they were a sailor named Sinbad’s and Sinbad told him that was him. The captain did not believe that Sinbad was alive and claimed that Sinbad was trying to steal. He told his story and then other merchants began to recognize him. Sinbad was given his things and gave some to the King who saved him. Next voyage, he was napping on an island and again left behind. He strapped himself to a legendary bird that carried him to a valley full of prey. He could not escape and the valley was full of diamonds. One night the valley was being filled with large meat by merchants who hoped the meat would collect diamonds and be carried away by birds to be collected. He strapped himself to meat with diamonds in his pocket and was carried away to a merchant. The diamonds made him rich. Next voyage, Sinbad’s ship washed ashore. Most were eaten by a giant. Then washed on another shore and all but Sinbad were eaten by a snake. He was rescued by the ship that left him on the island in the second voyage. His fourth voyage, he shipwrecked on an island. The crew was drugged and eaten but he escaped and was rescued by merchants who took him to their land. He married a woman but when she died it was custom to bury the husband alive with the body. He lived off killing new arrivals and eating their provisions until an animal tunneled in. He followed that tunnel out. He took all the jewels from the tombs which again made him rich.

Bibliography:

The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898). Link