Sindbad The Sailor - Voyage 7 Poem by Shankaran Kutty

Although my body had screamed “Enough”
Even before my sixth voyage
My mind yearned for more such that
Any suggestion to stop, I took umbrage

But now I realized that I have grown old
And my mind too stopped being willing
I had gone through all the thrills of life
Each voyage had been so fulfilling

I started building this palace you see
My family and friends were overjoyed
Each journey I had said would be my last
But each time my mind later swayed

The wealth I had brought in my journeys six
Would for a few generations suffice
So any more risks that I were to take
Would have to pay too high a price

But the plans we make would remain that
For we know not those of God and King
I heard a knock on my mansion door
When with my family, a quiet evening

“I am an officer of the Caliph’s court”
The stranger said to my face
“He has asked if his palace now
You would be willing to grace “

“Don’t mock at me sir”, I said to him
“Just tell me it is the Caliph’s command
I will be there in just a trice
Let me finish this job at hand “

I took the fastest horse in my stable
And quickly to the palace sped
The officer was waiting at the palace gates
To the Caliph’s chambers he led

I paid my respects to the Emperor
And prostrated at his feet
“Nice to see you again, Sindbad
For after a year we meet.

I am in need of your services
Only you can help me now
To my friend the King of Serendib
I need to send gifts somehow”

For a moment I lost myself in thoughts
Can I travel in this state?
But the Caliph I believed, like God
Is one who can rewrite my fate

“Though I had taken a call to retire
And live upon my resource
Your words are my command, my Lord
And obey I shall with full force”

The Caliph was mighty pleased
To hear thus my submission
A thousand sequins he ordered me paid
As expenses for my mission

The letter and presents were delivered
To travel, bythe royal ark
In a few days I had my goods
And on my journey I did embark

The journey was most uneventful
As we reached Serendib isle
The island displayed the same grandeur
Though I hadn’t been there a while

A royal welcome awaited us
As we entered the palace gates
The king came out to receive us
As if we were old mates

“Thrilled am I to see you thus
You have made an old man glad
These doors are open any time
To receive my good friend, Sindbad”

“I carry for you a letter and gifts
From our Caliph to the benevolent king
And prayers that may Allah forever
More joy and riches bring “

The King was so visibly pleased
To receive the reciprocation
And for the next few days in Serendib
It was time for celebration

It was time for us to leave our hosts
The mission, safely accomplished
A journey back, like the one we came
Was all that we all wished

Alas! but fate had willed otherwise
Just a week into our voyage
Our ship was captured by pirates who
Were so skilled, fierce and savage

A few did try to fight their way
But met a violent end
Against this savage lot so fully armed
We knew we couldn’t defend

They took us to a remote island
Hidden in the ocean vast
My heart was filled with intense fear
Visions from my voyages past

Their intent clear, in the slave market
For half a sack of gold
The entire bunch of the captured crew
Heartlessly, to a trader sold

I was bought by a rich merchant
Who treated me quite well
Who fed me, clad me in decent clothes
And gave a place to dwell

“What skill do you have”, he asked me then
“That I can put to use? ”
“I am a merchant with no physical skill”
I told him, fearing abuse

“The only skill I have ever learnt
Is to use the bow and arrow”
“That is good”, my master said
“Have some work for you tomorrow”

To the deepest woods next day he took
And made me climb a tall tree
“The work I have is from high up there
But don’t you try to flee

Sitting there each day you would see
A parade of elephants pass by
All you have to do is to shoot at them
And hope that some of them die “

For the first two days for all I did
I did not make any kill
As my rations wilted, I began to
Doubt my shooting skill

Success came the very next night
When an arrow found its mark
The panicked animals ran around
But did not spot me in the dark

As the streaming rays of morning sun
Streaked its way at dawn
Quietly climbed down from my perch
And in a trice I was gone

My master was happy for the dead pachyderm
And its tusks he cut off deep
For me it was back to duty
As I climbed the long trunk steep

The next few days were good for me
A rich harvest had we
Till one dawn found the elephants had
Encircled my tall oak tree

They danced around and shook with might
Loudly did they trumpet
High up the tree with no escape route
I could visibly see the threat

Then stepped forward the biggest of them
Around the foot of the tree, his trunk wound
With his massive strength then plucked the tree
And threw it on the ground

Hidden amongst the thick branches
I waited with abated breath
But I knew it was a matter of time
Before I met my certain death

Like a child pick up his small toy
He picked me up with ease
Placed me on his back and walked
With fear, my heart did freeze

We went along a very long way
And then placed me on the ground
And pointing his trunk behind me
To depart, he turned around

I turned behind to see a heap
Of elephant bones and tusk
Too scared to flee after my ordeal
I waited till it was dusk

I ran as fast as my legs would take
Under the cover of night
My heart was beating in a frenzy
Body shivering from my morning fright

“ I thought you were dead when
Your bow and arrow I found
And the tree in which you had sat
Was lying on the ground”

Saying thus my master followed
Me to the burial heap
His sacks he filled with tusks so many
And gave me one to keep

“Every year these gigantic beasts
Has killed many a timid slave
Having survived the elephants’ wrath
You have proved yourselves to be brave

And by showing us the burial heap
You have saved many an animal and men
I can’t hold you a slave anymore
The islanders are your brethren”

In a daze I stood and heard these words
My master had just spoken
No gift in this world is worth any more
Than the gift of freedom given

“You are free to go now”, my master said
“You are free as you have yearned
And you may take any of the riches
That you have so rightly earned”

I told him, no wealth I had craved for
Just wanted to quickly leave
Dreams that long ago I stopped seeing
I again started to weave

A dozen crater of ivory he made me take
And told me I could leave very soon
As soon as the ships would start coming in
At the onset of summer monsoon

My master chose the ship to board
And under his personal supervision
Loaded the ship with the ivory
And all my journey’s provision

To de-port me in the country of Indies
To the captain I did demand
Where selling my ivory for riches
To Baghdad I proceeded by land

I straight went to see the Caliph
To brief him of the mission’s success
And too old I have become to enjoy
Another journey’s excess

So that is my story my friend
Of how I reached where I am now
How I survived all my ordeals
And cheated death somehow

“My sufferings dear sir, are nothing
To what you have been through”, said Hindbad
Seeing tears of guilt in his eyes
Pulled his friend to his chest, did Sindbad

“The miseries of life I have been through
In another soul you may not find
But it hurts to see another go through
The travails of daily grind

These days you have been with me
Listening to my long story
Of adventure, fun and tragedy
And events sometimes so gory

Riches I have made enough
For my family and generations few
So as my friend and brother from now
Why don’t you partake it too “

Thus ends the story of Sindbad
The most celebrated sailor
Whose life was filled with stories
Of the sea, adventure and valour

But he was also a kind and noble soul
Which made him even richer
And for that alone, would posterity
Him, always remember