Fairy Tale Junction

A Compendium of Fairy Tales I remember
...for my children

The Voyages of Sindbad,

The Valley of Diamonds

Almost as famous as Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp are the Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor, told also in Arabian Nights. Of the seven voyages of Sindbad, the most marvelous is the second, in which he visits the Valley of Diamonds. Listen now as Sindbad tells you his strange tale.

 

 

My father was a rich merchant of Persia. He left me a large fortune, which I quickly spent. I grew weary of an idle life, and put to sea with some merchants that I knew. We went from island to island, buying and selling goods.

One day we landed on an island covered with several sorts of fruit trees, but we could see neither man nor animal. We walked in the meadows and along the streams. While some of the company amused themselves with gathering flowers and fruits, I took my provisions, and sat down near a stream between high trees. I made a good meal, and then fell asleep. I can not tell how long I slept, but when I awoke, the ship was gone.

Not knowing what to do, I climbed to the top of a lofty tree, to see if I could discover any way of escape. When I gazed toward the sea I could see nothing but sky and water; but looking over toward the land, I saw something white. Coming down, I took what provision I had left, and went toward this object.

When I came near, I thought it to be a white dome of great size. I touched it, and found it to be very smooth. I went round to see if it were open on any side, but saw it was not, and that there was no climbing to the top, as it was so smooth. It was at least fifty paces round.

All of a sudden the sky became as dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. I looked up and saw a bird of monstrous size that came flying toward me. I had often heard sailors speak of a wonderful bird called the roc, and I was now sure that the great dome must be its egg. And in fact, the bird lit and sat over the egg.

As I saw her coming, I crept close to the egg so that I had before me one of the legs of the bird, which was as big as the trunk of a tree. I tied myself strongly to the leg with my turban, hoping that the roc next morning would carry me with her out of this desert island.

The bird flew away as soon as it was daylight, and carried me so high that I could not see the earth. Then she came down so fast that I lost my senses. When I found myself on the ground, I quickly untied the knot. I had scarcely done so, when the roc, taking a great serpent in her bill, flew away.

The spot where the bird had left me was surrounded on all sides by mountains that seemed to reach above the clouds, and so steep that no man could climb them. I found that I had gained nothing by the change.

As I walked through this valley I saw that it was covered with diamonds of great size. I took pleasure in looking upon them. But soon I saw a great number of serpents, so monstrous that each of them could easily swallow an elephant. They went in the daytime into their dens, where they hid themselves from the roc, and came out only at night.

I spent the day walking about the valley, trying to discover a way of escape. When night came on, I went into a cave, where I might rest in safety. I closed the entrance with a great stone, to keep away the serpents. I supped on part of my provisions, but the loud hissing of the serpents put me into such fear that I could not sleep.

At daybreak the serpents left, and I came out of the cave trembling. I can truly say that I walked upon diamonds without feeling any desire to touch them. At last I sat down and after having eaten a little more of my provisions, I fell asleep, for I had not closed my eyes during the night.

But I had scarcely shut my eyes when something fell by me with a great noise, and awoke me. This was a large piece of raw meat; and at the same time I saw several others fall down from the rocks in different places.

I had heard sailors and others tell of the valley of diamonds, and of the means used by merchants to secure the jewels. The merchants come to the upper rim of the valley when the eagles have young ones, and throw great pieces of meat into the valley.

The diamonds, upon whose points they fall, stick to them; and the eagles, seizing the meat in their claws, carry the jewels thus to their nests on the rocks. The merchants then run to the nests, drive off the eagles by their shouts, and take away the diamonds that stick to the meat.

I now saw the means of my escape. I gathered together the largest diamonds I could find, and put them into the leather bag in which I used to carry provisions. This I made fast to my girdle. I then took the largest of the pieces of meat, tied it close around me with my turban, and laid myself upon the ground.

Immediately one of the eagles picked me up with the piece of meat to which I was fastened, and carried me to its nest on the top of the mountain.

The merchants at once began their shouting to frighten the eagles. When they had forced them to quit their prey, one of them came to the nest where I was. He was amazed when he saw me, and began to quarrel with me, asking why I had stolen his goods.

"You will treat me with more kindness," said I, "when you know me better. Do not be uneasy. I have diamonds enough for you and myself too, more indeed than all the other merchants together. Whatever they have they owe to chance; but I chose for myself, in the bottom of the valley, those which you now see."

While I was speaking, the other merchants came crowding about us, much surprised to see me. They were even more amazed when I told them my story.

They took me to their camp, and when they opened my bag, they were indeed surprised at the size of my diamonds. They said that they had never seen any of such beauty. I asked the merchant who owned the nest to which I had been carried, to take as many for his share as he pleased. He took only one, and that, too, the smallest of them all. When I urged him to take more he said, "No, I am very well pleased with this. It will bring me as great a fortune as I desire."

I stayed with the merchants until they were ready to go home. Then we traveled many days across high mountains until we came to the sea, where we set sail. At last we reached Persia, and I settled down to enjoy my riches.

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