“SINBAD THE SAILOR”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 219, 15 September 1928, Page 20 (Supplement)

“SINBAD THE SAILOR”

TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

-•This voyage. ’sc id Sinbad, ""as a very interesting one. I sailed in my own ship and decided thzt”l would avoid ali ptaces that were dangerous. Everything went well until one day we arrived at a picturesque island. As wo had been at sea for some time, we decided that it would be pleasant to go ashore and stretch our legs; so. taking a smaller boat, we rowed round until we came to a pleasant spot where we beached the boat and jumped ashore.”

“‘Little did I realise when we 1.-'.c. ' c r- Liard Jia', further adventures were ahead of me. A short distance fro.n tuc Lore u-y co-apanians discovered a huge roc’s egg. They refused to leave it alone, and. despite my warning.. Rtehcd their axes and proceeded to smash the huge shell open. Inside the egg were some young rocs, who were alive enough to make a great outcry. Then, to our dismay, we say two great rocs, the parents, flying towards us.”

"It was soon evident tha' the parent b rds were in a great rage, so we decided that the best thing to do was to rc'.nm to the ship wihout delay. Rushing down to the beach we launched the boat and hurriedly rowed round the island. When the rocs discovered the broken egg. they uttered loud, angry cries, and flew round us. Suddenly one returned to the island and came back with a huge rock in its claws, which it dropped upon the boat, smashing it in pieces.”

The boat was completely wrecked and sank like a stone with all my companions. I nas the only one to escape from drowning, but a knock 1 received rendered me unconscious, and in that state I was washed ashore. When J recovered I found the ship had disappeared. the captain believing we had all been drowned. Next day I decided to explore the stand. and. walking under the tree. I came across a very old man seated by a stream, greeted him. but he only bowed his head in acknowledgement.”

“He seemed such a strange old man. end icekcd tj and helpless, that i «• .. mrry him. I asked him why he sat there so s'i!!, but, instead of answering he made a sign for me to lift him upon my back and carry him across the brook. The latter was fairly *\n and the stream, ran quickly, so I concluded that he found it too difficult for his aged fimbs to stand against the current, and had waited for someone to help him across. Therefore I gladly assisted him upon my back.

“But a great surprise was in store lor me., No sio.icr had he jo. L 4 upon my shoulders than I discovered he was by no means the wretched old weakling I had imagined. Suddenly he clasped his legs firmly round my neck, and, sitting astride my shoulders, he squeezed me so tightly that, fearing he would strangle me, I fell to the earth... Strugglin’ for breath. I lost consciousness.”