Sinbad & the Valley of Diamonds

#####Sinbad & the Valley of Diamonds

My name is Sindbad. You must have

I heard of me. After all, I am the richest and most famous merchant in all Baghdad. But I wasn’t always so rich. It took seven great sea voyages to make me the man I am today. Perhaps I’ll start by telling you about the most amazing one of all…

After sailing to many ports, buying and selling cargoes, my ship came to a wonderful island. Here we found fine fruit trees and streams of crystal water, lovely flowers and pretty singing birds. But there were no people. I decided to explore this beautiful place and set off alone to climb the cliffs. After a while I began to feel weary and lay down to rest on a grassy bank, where I soon fell fast asleep.

When I awoke, I saw to my horror that the ship had gone. I gazed far out across the water and I could see its sails like a white speck on the horizon. Lonely and afraid, I decided to climb to the top of a nearby hill, hoping to find a town or village on the other side. But there was nothing. Nothing, that is, except a strange white shape nearby which I approached.

It was shaped like a gigantic dome. To walk right round it took fully fifty paces. There was no way in. I touched it gently and its surface was quite smooth.

Suddenly the sky darkened and the wind gusted around me. I looked up and saw a monstrous black bird swooping down towards me.

Its mighty wings spread wide as it settled on the great dome. From the very size of the bird I knew that this was the giant Roc, and the dome was the top of its huge egg. I had heard stories of this fantastic beast, of its size and strength, but I had not believed them. Now I lay smothered under its huge belly.

Soon the great bird was asleep. I thought of a plan to help me off the island. I unwound my turban and twisted it into a crude rope. I tied one end round the bird’s leg (which was the size of a tree trunk) and the other round my waist. I lay awake all night. Nothing stirred. But at first light the colossal creature lurched into the air with a deafening screech, carrying me with it.

Up and up she soared, almost to the sky, with me clinging on tight. At last she started to come down, fast at first but then drifting gently to the bottom of a deep valley.

I had just untied myself from the bird when she took off again this time clutching a wriggling black serpent in her beak.

The dusty valley was closed in by steep hills on all sides, and I had no hope of climbing them. I had been better off on the island, where at least there was fruit and water to keep me alive.

Then I noticed that the whole valley was bathed in a soft, glowing light. It was the light of the dawn reflected in a million diamonds which lay all over the ground. Everywhere I could see gems so large that they made me gasp.

Never before, even in the finest houses of Baghdad, had I seen such riches. But all around these precious stones crawled deadly snakes, some so large they could have swallowed me whole. I realised then that I, Sindbad, had come to the famous Valley of Diamonds, which no man had ever left alive.

I was terrified, but as the sun rose the evil creatures slid softly away into their dark holes. I roamed this bowl-shaped valley all that day, searching for water and a safe place to shelter for the night.

At last I found a small cave on a slope. After looking all around to make sure there were no dangers inside I hauled a massive stone across the entrance to leave just a chink of light. All night I lay quaking with fear as the snakes and serpents hissed around the opening to my cave, their whip-like tongues poking through the gaps round the stone. At dawn, the creatures began to slink away to their hiding places. So, tired and very hungry, I rolled back the stone and ventured out again into the sunlit valley.

I had walked only a few paces when something hurtled past me down the hillside. It was the body of a sheep. Then two or three more crashed down nearby. These were being thrown down the steep slope by diamond hunters in the hope that the gems would stick in the animals’ fleece.

Giant eagles pounced on the sheep and carried them off for food to their nests high in the mountains. There the hunters could frighten away the birds and collect the diamonds.

Now, I had feared that there was no escape from the valley. But when I saw an eagle swoop on the carcass of a sheep and carry it off, I had an idea. First, I crammed all the diamonds I could into my pockets. Then I chose the largest sheep, unwound my turban again and tied myself to it. I waited under the beast, my head squashed between its body and the dry earth. One or two snakes sniffed round the carcass but went away. Then suddenly I was in the air, lifted by the sharp talons of the biggest eagle I had ever seen. Up, up he went, coming to rest on a high ledge.

Before I had a chance to escape, the eagle started tearing into the sheep, its sharp beak slashing closer and closer to my face.

But suddenly the eagle flew into the air, frightened by a gang of men all yelling and throwing stones. I quickly freed myself and stood up. The hunters were terrified by the sight of me, covered with the sheep’s blood.

“I have more diamonds than you have ever seen, more than you’ll ever need!” I shouted. “And I collected them all myself!” I showed them my bulging pockets and told them my strange story. They took me to their master’s tent, where he gave me food and drink, and a welcome bath to rid me of the foul smell of the sheep. I offered the kind man as many diamonds as he wanted, but he took just a few. “These will be enough,” he said. “You must keep the rest, my friend. You have earned them.”

And so I made my way back to the nearest town and sold all the stones, but one, for a vast sum of money. Then, I bought a fleet of ships with rich cargoes to sell here, back home in Baghdad. And this fine stone you see shining in my turban is the one diamond I kept to remind me of my amazing journey.