Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/178

152 the other, ‘my name is Sindbad the porter, and I carry folk’s goods on my head for hire.’ The host smiled and rejoined, ‘Know, O porter, that my name is even as thine, for I am Sindbad the Sailor; and now I would have thee repeat to me the verses thou didst recite at the gate but now.’ The porter was abashed and replied, ‘God on thee! Excuse me, for toil and misery and lack of good teach a man ill manners and indiscretion.’ ‘Be not ashamed,’ said the host; ‘thou art become my brother; but repeat to me the verses, for they pleased me, when I heard thee recite them at the gate.’ So the porter repeated the verses and they pleased the merchant, who said to him, ‘Know, O porter, that my story is a wonderful one, and thou shalt hear all that befell me and all I underwent before I won to this state of prosperity and became stablished whereas thou seest me; for I came not to this high estate but after sore travail and great weariness and perils galore, and how much toil and trouble have I not suffered aforetime! Indeed, I have made seven voyages, by each of which hangs a marvellous history, such as confounds the reason, and all this came to pass by the decree of fortune and fore-ordained fate; for there is neither flight nor refuge from that which is written. Know, then, O my lords,’ continued he, turning to his guests, ‘that THE FIRST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR.

My father was one of the richest and most considerable merchants of my native place and died, whilst I was yet a child, leaving me much wealth in money and lands and houses. When I grew up, I laid hands on the whole and ate and drank freely and wore rich clothes and lived lavishly