The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 6 | Page 7

the
deep, with all that were thereon, and the dashing sea surged over it with
clashing waves. I sank with the others down, down into the deep, but
Almighty Allah preserved me from drowning and threw in my way a
great wooden tub of those that had served the ship's company for
tubbing. I gripped it for the sweetness of life and, bestriding it like one
riding, paddled with my feet like oars, whilst the waves tossed me as in
sport right and left. Meanwhile the captain made sail and departed with
those who had reached the ship, regardless of the drowning and the
drowned; and I ceased not following the vessel with my eyes, till she
was hid from sight and I made sure of death. Darkness closed in upon
me while in this plight and the winds and waves bore me on all that
night and the next day, till the tub brought to with me under the lee of a
lofty island, with trees overhanging the tide. I caught hold of a branch
and by its aid clambered up on to the land, after coming nigh upon
death; but when I reached the shore, I found my legs cramped and
numbed and my feet bore traces of the nibbling of fish upon their soles;
withal I had felt nothing for excess of anguish and fatigue. I threw
myself down on the island ground, like a dead man, and drowned in
desolation swooned away, nor did I return to my senses till next
morning, when the sun rose and revived me. But I found my feet
swollen, so made shift to move by shuffling on my breech and crawling
on my knees, for in that island were found store of fruits and springs of

sweet water. I ate of the fruits which strengthened me; and thus I abode
days and nights, till my life seemed to return and my spirits began to
revive and I was better able to move about. So, after due consideration,
I fell to exploring the island and diverting myself with gazing upon all
things that Allah Almighty had created there; and rested under the trees
from one of which I cut me a staff to lean upon. One day as I walked
along the marge, I caught sight of some object in the distance and
thought it a wild beast or one of the monster-creatures of the sea; but,
as I drew near it, looking hard the while, I saw that it was a noble mare,
tethered on the beach. Presently I went up to her, but she cried out
against me with a great cry, so that I trembled for fear and turned to go
away, when there came forth a man from under the earth and followed
me, crying out and saying, "Who and whence art thou, and what caused
thee to come hither?" "O my lord," answered I, "I am in very sooth, a
waif, a stranger, and was left to drown with sundry others by the ship
we voyaged in;[FN#9] but Allah graciously sent me a wooden tub; so I
saved myself thereon and it floated with me, till the waves cast me up
on this island." When he heard this, he took my hand and saying,
"Come with me," carried me into a great Sardab, or underground
chamber, which was spacious as a saloon. He made me sit down at its
upper end; then he brought me somewhat of food and, being
anhungered, I ate till I was satisfied and refreshed; and when he had put
me at mine ease he questioned me of myself, and I told him all that had
befallen me from first to last; and, as he wondered at my adventure, I
said, "By Allah, O my lord, excuse me; I have told thee the truth of my
case and the accident which betided me; and now I desire that thou tell
me who thou art and why thou abidest here under the earth and why
thou hast tethered yonder mare on the brink of the sea." Answered he,
"Know, that I am one of the several who are stationed in different parts
of this island, and we are of the grooms of King Mihrjan[FN#10] and
under our hand are all his horses. Every month, about new-moon tide
we bring hither our best mares which have never been covered, and
picket them on the sea-shore and hide ourselves in this place under the
ground, so that none may espy us. Presently, the stallions of the sea
scent the mares and come up out of the water and seeing no one, leap
the mares and do their will of them. When they have covered them,
they try to drag them away with them, but cannot, by