The Adventures of Sinbad – Vally of Dimonds
Once upon a time, in the faraway city of Baghdad, there lived a man named Sinbad. His father, a very rich man, had died while Sinbad was still a child. Sinbad inherited his fortune, and when he grew up, he started to spend a vast amount of money at once. He bought fine clothes, many houses, jewels, and treasure. He entertained his friends with countless parties, and his house was open to anyone who cared to come and stay.
The Beginning of a Journey
One day, Sinbad discovered that most of his fortune had been spent and there was very little money left. He decided to sell what was left of his jewels and belongings, buy some goods, and try to make money by trading them in foreign lands. Saying goodbye to his closest friends, he set sail on a fine ship with a party of other merchants.
Strange Lands and Wonderful Islands
Their journey took them to many strange lands and wonderful islands where they traded their goods with the people they met. One day, the merchants, who had grown quite rich by now, came to a lonely and uninhabited island. The island was covered with trees whose branches were bent down to the ground under the weight of the fruit they carried. Brightly coloured birds flew in and out of the trees, and flowers bloomed everywhere.
A Sudden Misfortune
The merchants landed on the island, and while some of them prepared a fire on the beach to cook a meal, Sinbad wandered off on his own to explore. He had not walked far in the hot sun before he felt very sleepy. Lying down on the soft, green grass, Sinbad soon fell into a deep sleep.
Isolated on the Island
When he awoke, he was horrified to see that the ship he should have been sailing on was now far out to sea. Climbing to the top of a palm tree, he waved his arms, but nobody saw him, and gradually the ship disappeared from view. It was clear that no one had noticed he was missing.
The Roc’s Egg
High in the tree, Sinbad turned around to take a better look at the island. To his joy and amazement, he saw a big white dome in the distance. Thinking that it looked like the round top of a building where he might find food and shelter, Sinbad slithered down the tree and set off in the direction of the dome. Dusk was falling when he reached it, and he walked around looking for an entrance, but there was none.
Facing the Roc
Suddenly, a shadow fell across the ground. Sinbad looked up to see a huge bird, bigger than he had ever seen before. He realized it was a roc, a giant bird he had heard many stories about from seafarers. Remembering that this monstrous bird fed its young on baby elephants, he trembled. The big white dome he thought was a building was the roc’s egg, half-hidden in the ground.
A Plan for Escape
However, it seemed the bird was settling down for the night, so Sinbad lay on the ground to think of a plan to escape the island. He unwound his long turban from his head and tied himself to one of the giant bird’s feet. He thought, “When the roc wakes in the morning, it will rise and fly away. Perhaps it will take me to a place where there are people. Then I can untie myself and be free.”
Unexpected Rescue
As the first rays of sunshine broke over the horizon, the giant roc stirred, stretched, and with a great flapping of wings, rose into the air, carrying Sinbad with it. They flew over the sea until the roc landed. Sinbad quickly untied himself and looked around. He found himself in a rocky valley with no living thing in sight. The slopes were too steep to climb.
A Valley of Diamonds
Suddenly, the roc dove steeply and returned, clutching a great black serpent in its beak. Sinbad had no choice but to stay in the valley. As he moved around, he noticed that the stones glittered in the sunlight. Upon closer inspection, he found that the rocky floor was strewn with magnificent diamonds, but also, there were huge black serpents, some thicker than palm trees.
A Sleepless Night
All day, Sinbad roamed the valley searching for shelter or a way to escape. Finally, at dusk, he came upon a cave where he could spend the night. As darkness fell, he wondered how he would escape the serpents. He decided to block the cave’s mouth with a boulder. However, he soon found a huge serpent coiled around its eggs and fast asleep at the end of the cave. Realizing he had locked himself in with a snake, he dreaded waking the monster.
A Dangerous Decision
As morning approached, Sinbad gathered the courage to move the boulder. As he pushed it away, he heard a hissing noise and saw the serpent stir. With all his might, he managed to move the boulder and staggered out into the valley of diamonds.
The Eagles’ Trick
Feeling hungrier than ever, Sinbad continued to wander the valley. Suddenly, he saw the body of a sheep roll down the valley’s steep slope and hit the ground with a thump. He remembered a story he had heard about how men from a far-away country would throw dead sheep into a valley and wait for eagles to carry them back up, where they would scare the birds away and collect the diamonds that got stuck to the meat.
Victory Against All Odds
As Sinbad gathered diamonds from the ground and filled his pockets and turban, he tied himself to the dead sheep and waited for an eagle. Within minutes, a powerful eagle swooped down, grabbing the sheep and flying upwards, taking Sinbad with it. When they reached the top, the merchants there frightened the eagle away, expecting to find diamonds, only to discover a man.
A Grateful Return
They helped Sinbad to his feet, and he recounted his adventures. Grateful for his escape, he shared some of his diamonds with them. Pleased, they took Sinbad back to their town.
Return to Baghdad
Eager to return home, Sinbad asked the merchants for a ship to take him back. The journey home was uneventful, and when the city of Baghdad finally came into view, he was overjoyed. After landing, he had the diamonds valued and exchanged for money, gaining far more than he had ever possessed.
A New Chapter
Sinbad returned to his house, resuming the rich life he had once known. His friends flocked to see him, and the story of his extraordinary adventures spread far and wide.