As I told you yesterday, I returned from my second voyage overjoyed at my safety and with great wealth increased, Allah having repaid me all that I had wasted and lost. I stayed awhile in Baghdad, enjoying the utmost ease and prosperity, comfort and happiness, until the carnal side of my nature was seized once more with longing for travel and adventure and the desire for profit and gain. For the human heart is naturally prone to evil. So I made up my mind, laid in great quantities of goods suitable for a sea voyage, and went to Bassorah. There I went down to the shore and found a fine ship ready to sail, with a full crew and a numerous company of merchants—men of worth and substance, of faith and piety. I embarked with them and we set sail, trusting in the blessing of Almighty Allah and His help and favour to bring our voyage to a safe and prosperous end. Already we congratulated one another on our good fortune and successful journey. We sailed from sea to sea and from island to island and city to city, in all delight and contentment, buying and selling wherever we touched, and taking our pleasure. Until one day, as we sailed across the dashing sea, swollen with clashing waves, behold, the captain (who was standing on the rail examining the ocean in all directions) cried out with a great cry. He struck his face and tore out his beard and rent his clothes, then ordered the sails furled and anchors cast. We said to him, "O Captain, what is the matter?"

He replied, "Know, O my brothers—may Allah preserve you!—that the wind has overcome us and driven us off our course into mid-ocean. And destiny, for our ill luck, has brought us to the Mountain of the Apes, a hairy folk like monkeys, among whom no man has ever fallen and come out alive. My heart tells me we are all dead men." Hardly had the captain finished speaking when the apes were upon us. They surrounded the ship on all sides, swarming like locusts and crowding the shore. They were the most frightful of wild creatures, covered with black hair like felt, of hideous appearance and small stature—only four spans high, with yellow eyes and black faces. None knows their language or what they are, and they shun the company of men.

We feared to kill them or strike them or drive them away because of their inconceivable numbers. If we hurt one, the rest would fall upon us and kill us, for numbers overcome courage. So we let them do as they wished, though we feared they would plunder our goods and gear. They swarmed up the cables and gnawed them apart, and they did the same to all the ropes of the ship, so that it fell off from the wind and was stranded on their mountainous coast. Then they seized all the merchants and crew and, putting us ashore on the island, they made off with the ship and its cargo and went their way—we know not where. We were thus left on the island, eating its fruits and wild herbs and drinking from its streams. Until one day we saw what seemed to be an inhabited house in the midst of the island. We made for it as fast as we could, and behold, it was a castle strong and tall, surrounded by a lofty wall, with a two-leaved gate of ebony wood, both leaves standing open. We entered and found inside a wide, bare space like a great square, around which stood many high doorways open to view. At the far end was a long bench of stone with braziers and cooking gear hanging about it, and great piles of bones everywhere. But we saw no one and marvelled greatly at this.

Then we sat down in the courtyard for a while, and presently we fell asleep, sleeping from midday until sundown. Then, lo! the earth trembled beneath our feet and the air rumbled with a terrible sound. And there came down upon us from the top of the castle a huge creature in the form of a man, black of colour, tall and massive of body, like a great date palm tree. He had eyes like coals of fire and teeth like boar's tusks, and a vast gaping mouth like the mouth of a well. Moreover, he had long loose lips like a camel's, hanging down upon his breast, and ears like two great flaps falling over his shoulder blades. The nails of his hands were like the claws of a lion. When we saw this frightful giant, we almost fainted. Every moment our fear and terror grew, and we became as dead men from the excess of horror and dread.

When it was the Five Hundred and Forty seventh night

Then we arose and wandered about the island, hoping that perhaps we might find a place to hide or a way to escape, for death seemed a light matter compared to being roasted over a fire and eaten. However, we found no hiding place, and evening overtook us. In our terror, we returned to the castle and sat there for a while. Presently, the earth trembled beneath our feet and the black ogre came up to us. He turned us over one by one, feeling us, until he found a man to his liking. He seized him and did with him as he had done with the captain—killed him, roasted him, and ate him. After that he lay down on the bench and slept all night, snoring and snorting like a beast with its throat cut, until daybreak, when he arose and went out as before. Then we gathered together and spoke to one another, saying, "By God, we would be better off throwing ourselves into the sea and drowning than dying roasted like this! This is an abominable death!" One of us said, "Hear me, my words! Let us plan to kill him and be rid of him, and free the Muslims from his cruelty and tyranny."

Then I said, "Hear me, O my brothers. If there is nothing for it but to kill him, let us carry some of this firewood and planks down to the seashore and build ourselves a boat. If we succeed in slaughtering him, we can either embark and let the waters carry us where Allah wills, or else stay here until a ship passes, when we will take passage in it. If we fail to kill him, we will embark in the boat and put out to sea. And if we drown, we shall at least escape being roasted over a fire—and if we escape, then we escape, and if we drown, we die as martyrs." "By God," they all said, "this is a good plan!" We agreed and set about carrying it out. We dragged down to the beach the pieces of wood that lay about the bench. We made a boat and moored it to the shore, then we stowed some food in it and returned to the castle. As soon as evening fell, the earth trembled beneath our feet, and in came the black ogre upon us, snarling like a dog about to bite. He came up to us and felt us and turned us over one by one, then took one of us and did with him as he had done before—killed and ate him.

After that he lay down on the bench and snored and snorted like thunder. As soon as we were sure he was asleep, we arose and took two iron spits from those standing nearby. We heated them in the fiercest of the fire until they were red-hot like burning coals. Then, gripping them firmly, we crept up to the giant as he lay snoring on the bench. We thrust the spits into his eyes and pressed down with all our united strength, so that his eyeballs burst and he became stone blind. He cried out with a great cry that made our hearts tremble, and springing up from the bench, he began groping after us, blind. We fled right and left, and he could not see us, for his sight was completely gone. But we were in terrible fear of him and thought ourselves surely dead, despairing of any escape. Then he found the door by feeling his way with his hands and went out roaring loudly. The earth shook beneath us from the noise of his roaring, and we quaked with fear. As he left the castle, we followed him and made our way to where we had moored our boat, saying to one another, "If this accursed creature stays away until sunset and does not return to the castle, we will know he is dead. And if he does come back, we will embark in the boat and paddle away to escape, committing our fate to Allah."

But as we spoke, behold, the black ogre appeared with two other creatures like him—Ghouls even more foul and frightful than he, with eyes like red-hot coals. When we saw them, we hurried into the boat and cast off the moorings and paddled away, pushing out to sea. As soon as the ogres caught sight of us, they cried out and ran down to the shore, then began pelting us with rocks. Some of the rocks fell among us and others into the sea. We paddled with all our might until we were beyond their reach. But many of us were killed by the rocks, and the winds and waves played with us and carried us into the midst of the dashing sea, swollen with clashing billows. We knew not where we were going, and my companions died one after another, until only three of us remained—myself and two others.

When it was the Five Hundred and Forty eighth night

Then we walked about the island, eating of its fruits and drinking of its streams until dusk. We climbed into a high tree to sleep, I on the topmost branch. As soon as it was dark night, up came the serpent, looking right and left. Making for the tree on which we were, it climbed up to my companion and swallowed him down of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

to his shoulders. Then it coiled around the tree trunk with him, while I, unable to look away from the sight, heard his bones crack in its belly as it swallowed him whole. After that it slid down from the tree. When day broke and the light showed me the serpent was gone, I came down like a dead man, trembling with fear and anguish. I wanted to throw myself into the sea and be at rest from the sorrows of the world, but I could not bring myself to do it, for life is precious. So I took five pieces of wood, broad and long, and bound one crosswise to the soles of my feet. I bound others in the same way on my right and left sides and across my breast, and the broadest and largest I bound across my head, fastening them all with ropes. Then I lay down on the ground on my back, completely fenced in by the pieces of wood, which enclosed me like a coffin. As soon as it grew dark, up came the serpent, as was its custom, and made for me. But it could not get at me to swallow me because of the wooden pieces that fenced me in. It wriggled around me on every side while I lay there, like a dead man from terror. Every now and then it would glide away and come back, but every time it tried to reach me, it was hindered by the pieces of wood I had bound around me. It did not stop trying to beset me from sundown until dawn, but when the light of day shone on the beast, it made off in utmost fury and extreme disappointment.

Then I put out my hand and unbound myself, barely alive from fear and suffering. I went down to the island shore, and suddenly a ship far off in the midst of the waves caught my eye. I tore off a great branch of a tree and made signals with it to the crew, shouting all the while. When the ship's company saw this, they said to one another, "We must get closer and see what this is. Perhaps it is a man." So they steered for the island and soon heard my cries. They took me on board and asked me about my situation. I told them all my adventures from beginning to end, at which they marvelled greatly and gave me clothes to cover myself. Moreover, they set food before me, and I ate my fill and drank cold sweet water and was greatly refreshed. Allah Almighty brought me back to life after I was virtually dead. So I praised the Most High and thanked Him for His favours and exceeding mercies. My heart, which had known utter despair, now revived, and it seemed to me that all I had suffered was but a dream. We sailed on with a fair wind that the Almighty sent us, until we came to an island called Al-Saláhitah, which abounds in sandalwood. There the captain cast anchor.

When it was the Five Hundred and Forty ninth night

"So be it," I answered. "You shall have my prayers." He said, "Know then that there was a man with us, a traveller, whom we lost, and we do not know whether he is alive or dead, for we have had no news of him. So I intend to entrust his bales of goods to you, that you may sell them on this island. A part of the proceeds we will give you as payment for your labour and service, and the rest we will keep until we return to Baghdad, where we will seek out his family and deliver it to them along with the unsold goods. Tell me, will you undertake this charge and land and sell them as other merchants do?" I replied, "I hear and I obey, O my lord, and great is your kindness to me." I thanked him, and he ordered the sailors and porters to carry the bales ashore and commit them to my charge. The ship's scribe asked him, "O master, what are these bales and what merchant's name shall I write upon them?" He answered, "Write upon them the name of Sindbad the Seaman, he who was with us in the ship and whom we lost at the Rukh's island, and of whom we have had no word. We intend this stranger to sell them, and we will give him a part of the price for his pains and keep the rest until we return to Baghdad. If we find the owner, we will give it to him, and if not, to his family." The scribe said, "Your words are wise and your advice is right."

Now when I heard the captain order the bales to be inscribed with my name, I said to myself, "By God, I am Sindbad the Seaman!" So I gathered my courage and patience and waited until all the merchants had landed and were gathered together, talking and bargaining about buying and selling. Then I went up to the captain and asked him, "O my lord, do you know anything about this Sindbad, whose goods you have committed to me for sale?" He answered, "I know nothing of him except that he was a man from Baghdad city, called Sindbad the Seaman, who was drowned with many others when we lay anchored at an island. I have heard nothing of him since then." At this I cried out with a great cry and said, "O captain, may Allah keep you! Know that I am that Sindbad the Seaman, and I was not drowned! When you cast anchor at the island, I landed with the rest of the merchants and crew. I sat down in a pleasant place by myself and ate some of the food I had brought with me and enjoyed myself until I grew drowsy and fell asleep. When I awoke, I found no ship and no one near me. These goods are my goods and these bales are my bales! All the merchants who gather jewels from the Valley of Diamonds saw me there and will testify that I am Sindbad the Seaman. For I told them everything that had befallen me and how you forgot me and left me sleeping on the island."

When the passengers and crew heard my words, they gathered about me, and some believed me while others did not. But then, behold, one of the merchants, hearing me mention the Valley of Diamonds, came up to me and said to them, "Hear what I say, good people! When I told you the most wonderful thing in my travels—how at the time we cast down our slaughtered animals into the Valley of Serpents (I throwing mine as was my custom), there came up a man clinging to mine—you did not believe me and called me a liar." "Yes," they said, "you did tell us such a tale, but we had reason not to believe you." He continued, "Now this is the very man! Here is my proof: he gave me diamonds of great value and high price, the like of which are not to be found, more than would have stuck to my quarter of meat. And I travelled with him to Bassorah city, where he took leave of us and went to his native land, while we returned to ours. This is he! He told us his name is Sindbad the Seaman and how the ship left him on the desert island. And know you that Allah has sent him here so that the truth of my story be made clear to you. Moreover, these are his goods, for when he first met with us, he told us of them, and the truth of his words is evident."

Hearing the merchant's speech, the captain came up to me and examined me carefully. Then he said, "What was the mark on your bales?" "It was thus and so," I answered, and reminded him of things that had passed between us when I embarked with him from Bassorah. Then he was convinced that I was indeed Sindbad the Seaman. He embraced me and wished me joy of my safety, saying, "By God, O my lord, your case is indeed wondrous and your tale marvellous! But praised be Allah who has brought you and me together again, and who has restored to you your goods and gear!"

When it was the Five Hundred and Fiftieth night

The captain said, "Praised be Allah who has restored to you your goods and gear." Then I disposed of my merchandise to the best of my skill, and profited greatly from them, at which I rejoiced with great joy and congratulated myself on my safety and the recovery of my goods. We did not stop to buy and sell at every island until we came to the land of Hind, where we bought cloves and ginger and all manner of spices. From there we went to the land of Sind, where we also bought and sold. In these Indian seas I saw wonders without number, among them a fish like a cow that brings forth its young and nurses them like human beings. From its skin, shields are made. There were also fishes like asses and camels, and tortoises twenty cubits wide. And I saw also a bird that emerges from a sea shell, lays eggs, and hatches her chicks on the surface of the water, never coming up from the sea to the land. Then we set sail again with a fair wind and the blessing of Almighty Allah, and after a prosperous voyage, arrived safe and sound at Bassorah. I stayed there a few days and then returned to Baghdad, where I went at once to my quarter and my house and greeted my family and friends. I had gained on this voyage more than I could count or reckon, so I gave alms and gifts and clothed the widow and the orphan, by way of thanksgiving for my safe return.

Then I fell to feasting and making merry with my companions and close friends, and I forgot while eating well and drinking well and dressing well, everything that had happened to me and all the perils and hardships I had suffered. "These, then, are the most admirable things I saw on my third voyage, and tomorrow, God willing, you shall come to me and I will relate the adventures of my fourth voyage, which is still more wonderful than those you have already heard." (Thus says he who tells the tale.) Then Sindbad the Seaman ordered a hundred golden dinars to be given to Sindbad the Landsman as was his custom, and called for food. They spread the table and the company ate the evening meal and went their ways, marvelling at the tale they had heard. The Porter, after taking his gold, passed the night in his own house, also wondering at what his namesake the Seaman had told him. As soon as day broke and the morning showed its light, he rose and prayed the dawn prayer, then went to the house of Sindbad the Seaman. Sindbad returned his greeting and received him warmly and made him sit with him until the rest of the company arrived. Then he had food brought out, and they ate and drank and made merry. Then Sindbad the Seaman spoke to them and told the narrative of