Section 1
Spending the rest of my life in Baghdad was my intention, however, I shortly got tired of a calm existence. After purchasing merchandise and with a restored predisposition for sale, I determined to set sail for the second time joining traders of acclaimed expertise. We put to sea stepping aboard a fine ship, having said our prayers to God. With large revenues, we bartered our goods while visiting different islands. Assorted kinds of fruit trees covered an island on which we landed, yet there were not either people or beasts on it as it lacked any population whatsoever. Along the streams surrounding the meadows, we walked on for a breath of air. I seated myself between two big trees entangled in an odd form to enjoy my wine and food, while others were engaged in gathering either flowers or fruits. Presently I napped having finished my proper repast. The ship had left after I woke up, and I did not know how much I slept.
The departure of the ship greatly astounded me. I failed to spot any of the traders who stepped on land with me although I searched for them in all corners. At an impressive distance, however, I finally discerned the sailing vessel which quickly disappeared from my sight.
In these gloomy circumstances, you might imagine the depressing thoughts that visited me. I was motionless in horrible anguish and I flung myself onto the soil. I bewailed and wept miserably. As I had not learned the lesson from my first voyage, I scolded myself extensively because I could have preferred to live till my life’s end without any troubles. However, my grief was untimely and all of that was futile.
I recommended myself to God in the end; I mounted a tall tree up to its top having no other idea and to get a glimpse of something optimistic I looked down everywhere. My eyes caught sight of some white thing as I looked upon the land, although in the direction of the sea, I discerned only sky and water. I grabbed whatever food I had and alighting from the tree I walked toward the white thing which was still indistinguishable being quite far-off.
It appeared to me as a white bowl of remarkable size and altitude, as I advanced towards it; however, it felt smooth as I went closer to tap. I found it closed on all sides so that due to its smoothness no one could mount it; it was a minimum of fifty paces in diameter.
The sky suddenly darkened as if a thick cloud covered the sun ready to set by that time. Although the unexpected darkness astounded me, a giant bird that brought about the darkness as it flew in my direction, astounded me even more. Frequent talks by sailors about a fowl, named roc, came to my mind and I perceived that I was most likely dazzled by its egg which I took for the huge bowl. The bird quickly descended and sat to hatch her egg. The bird’s leg was as large as a tree trunk, which I saw in front of me as I squeezed myself near the egg while the bird was flying closer. I had cloth round my turban with which I fastened myself to the bird’s leg. I hoped to leave that abandoned island tied up to the bird as it would fly away the next morning. At the crack of dawn the next day, after having spent the night in such a manner, I was taken by the roc high up to the sky while it flew far away from the earth. At a high speed, however, the bird soon alighted unexpectedly and I almost lost my wits. Hardly had I unfixed my loop, once landed with the roc, than the bird flew away fetching in her beak a snake of a huge length.
Diamonds of astonishing size were scattered on the ground, as I trailed along the valley. Although I was initially delighted by the sight of these stones, my contentment greatly decreased as I quickly glanced at certain objects farther away. These were numerous snakes having such huge sizes and lengths that they could swallow an elephant, and this scene took me with horror. The snakes used to come into view during the night, while during the day they hid themselves in their holes away from the sight of the roc, which was their rival.
