Island of Pygmies

Journey to the Island

Once, a few merchants were travelling on a ship to a distant land. When the vessel reached the port of Aloha, a young man came aboard.

The ship set sail once again, but barely had ventured into the deep seas when a fierce storm arose, violently buffeting the slender craft. Nearby loomed the outline of a rocky island, and all aboard the ship feared that the vessel would be dashed to pieces against the rocks.

The Island of Jewels

The ship’s captain announced, “We are now looking at the Island of Jewels. It is said that you can never see jewels like these anywhere else in the world.” However, this offered little comfort to those on board, for, regardless of what treasures the rocks contained, the ship was on the brink of wreckage. Consequently, the passengers decided to abandon the ship, and little rafts were floated. All the passengers left for the island except for the young man who preferred to remain on board.

Confronted by Danger

As soon as they landed, they were confronted by a horde of pygmies who began showering poisoned arrows upon them. The merchants and sailors ducked frantically to avoid the arrows. Eventually, they were surrounded and captured.

The captain of the pygmies asked, “Why have you come to our island?” The captain of the ship replied, “Our ship was caught in a storm. Now you must help us.” The leader of the pygmies responded, “Our king will decide that.” He then ordered his soldiers to bind the captives’ eyes.

Imprisoned

Thus, blindfolded, they were taken before the pygmy king, who refused to believe their story about a ship lost in the storm and promptly imprisoned them in underground caves.

Sanjeevi’s Search

Meanwhile, a young man named Sanjeevi woke from a deep slumber and was worried to find that no one had returned to the ship. He set out to find his companions and fashioned a raft for that purpose. When he reached the shore, he saw two pygmy children playing with what seemed to be marbles, but were, in fact, blood-red rubies.

When they saw him, the children screamed in fear and tried to run away, shouting, “Giant! Giant!” Sanjeevi quickly reassured them that he was not a giant, just a bigger man. Feeling hungry, he asked the children to lead him home, and from them, he learned of the fate that had befallen the other merchants. Determined to free them, he made a plan.

Negotiating with the Pygmies

After eating his fill, he requested the other pygmies to take him to their king. They gladly agreed and escorted him to the king, who sat upon a high rock. As soon as he approached the rock, Sanjeevi grabbed the diminutive king and held him aloft. The king screamed in fright and thrashed about in Sanjeevi’s grip.

Hearing their king’s cries, the pygmies rushed in from all sides but halted in their tracks when they saw the perilous situation their king was in.

A Bold Ultimatum

“If even a hair on my friends’ heads is harmed, I’ll crush your king to death. What do you say?” Sanjeevi said calmly. In a quivering voice, the king ordered the release of the captives. Soon, the grateful prisoners arrived, realizing they owed their freedom to Sanjeevi, who had originally stayed behind.

A Safe Return

Then, at Sanjeevi’s order, the pygmies set to work repairing the ship. When everything was ready for departure, the merchants expressed their desire to take some of the precious stones from the island.

Sanjeevi called the king and stated, “My friends are interested in your coloured marbles, but we want the big round ones from the top of the mountain. We can’t play with tiny marbles.” Thus, the merchants obtained their precious stones and set sail for home, filled with gratitude for Sanjeevi, who had not only given them a new lease on life but had also made them rich in the process.