“I clung to a piece of wood which we had brought from the ship to make the fire, and I could only hope that I would soon be picked up by my companions.  But alas! there was so much confusion on board that no one missed me, and as a wind sprang up the captain set sail, and I was left alone at the mercy of the waves.

“All night long I floated, and when morning came I was so tired and weak that I thought I must die.  But just then a great wave lifted me up and threw me against the steep side of an island, and to my joy I managed to climb the cliff and rest on the green grass above.

“Soon I began to feel better, and as I was very hungry I went to look for something to eat.  I found some plants which tasted good, and a spring of clear water, and having made a good meal, I walked about the island to see what I would find next.

“Before long I came to a great meadow where a horse was tied, and as I stood looking at it, I heard men’s voices which sounded as if they came from under the earth.  Then from an underground cave a man appeared, who asked me who I was and where I came from.  He took me into the cave where his companions were, and they told me they were the grooms belonging to the King of the island, whose horses they brought to feed in the meadow.  They gave me a good meal, and told me it was very lucky that I had come just then, for next day, they meant to return to their master, and would show me the way, which I could never have found for myself.

“So we set off together early next morning, and when we reached the city I was very kindly received by the King.  He listened to the story of my adventures, and then bade his servants see that I wanted for nothing.

“As I was a merchant I took great interest in the shipping, and often went down to the quay to see the boats unload.  One day when I was looking over a cargo which had just been landed, what was my astonishment to see a number of bales with my own name marked on them.  I went at once to the captain and asked him who was the owner of these bales of goods.

“‘Ah!’ replied the captain, ’they belonged to a merchant of Bagdad called Sindbad.  But he, alas! perished in a dreadful way soon after we sailed, for with a number of people belonging to my ship he landed on what looked like a green island, but which was really the back of a great sleeping whale.  As soon as the monster felt the warmth of the fire which they had lighted on his back, he woke up and dived below the sea.  Many of my men were drowned, and among them poor Sindbad.  Now I mean to sell his goods that I may give the money to his relations when I find them.’

“‘Captain,’ said I, ’these bales are mine, for I am that Sindbad who thou sayest was drowned.’

“‘What wickedness there is in the world,’ cried the captain.  ’How canst thou pretend to be Sindbad when I saw him drowned before my eyes?’

“But presently, when I had told him all that had happened to me, and when the other merchants from the ship knew me to be the true Sindbad, he was overjoyed, and ordered that the bales should be at once given to me.