The Sailor Sindbad
Sindbad was a merchant. But unlike others, he sailed too far off countries. He had made seven voyages till then. In every voyage, he invariably got into trouble! It was the storm in the mid-sea that toppled his ship every time. And a castaway Sindbad landed on an island and spent months together before he hitch-hiked his way back home!
During one such voyage, the ship was caught in the worst storm and got tossed here and there like a toy. It was nearing the port when the tragedy struck! Then a monstrous wave that struck the broad side of the ship catapulted it against a boulder that shattered the ship to pieces in no time!
Including Sindbad, there were 22 people on board. All of them were flung up in the inky black night into the swollen sea waves. Luckily for Sindbad, there was a broken wooden plank floating within reach. With powerful strokes, he reached the plank and clung on to it!
He fought between life and death! Fighting his way after what seemed to be an endless time, he has washed ashore! He saw a rocky island in front of him. He was tired and hungry.
He did not want to venture into an unknown island about which he did not know anything. His dresses were wet and he was shivering with cold. But he bore the brunt and stretched on the seashore. Moments later, sleep forced his eyes to shut!
The next morning, he woke up. He saw a rocky mountain over there. He slowly climbed up. On reaching the top, he saw an adjacent mountain that was a little bigger than where he was. In between, there was a deep valley. Then he spotted it!
There was a white, circular, and rock-like object! On a very close examination, he understood that it was the egg of the giant rock bird. Then something sparkled in the sunlight. He went near it. Alas! There were numerous precious gems scattered all around.
Sindbad, who always tied a bag around his shoulder, collected as many stones as he could.
Then he heard some voices! He looked up. A few men standing on the cliff of the adjacent mountain tossed some meat pieces down where Sindbad was standing!
At once, Sindbad understood what it was! He had heard about it. The people there tossed meat pieces down where he stood. The precious gems there would get stuck to the meat pieces.
When the rock bird picked up the meat pieces and flew over their head, they would beat the drum for making deafening noise to scare the bird which at once would drop the meat pieces! Then the men would collect the gems from the meat pieces! That was a routine on that island!
Sindbad reacted quickly! He collected more precious stones. Next, he removed the cloth from his head and squatted down under the rock bird’s gigantic egg. Time crawled by. Then he heard a swish sound in the air.
At the same time, a vast shadow swept over the ground near him and came to a rest near the egg as the mammoth rock bird sat on the egg! It did not see Sindbad lurking underneath.
The moment the bird sat down, Sindbad tied his bag around its legs and waited. The bird saw the meat pieces. It took off after it picked up the meat and flew above. When it flew over the adjacent cliff, the waiting men made a sound by beating the drums and shouting!
The scared rock bird let go of the meat piece. This was the moment, Sindbad waited for. At once, he loosened the knot and jumped down where the men were standing.
All of them were surprised to see him. Sindbad told them about him and gave them some gems which he had collected for them.
They took him to their king. Sindbad stayed there for some days. Then the king arranged for his voyage.
Later, Sindbad reached home as a rich man!