ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA a4

buy. The owner of the ship then looked towards
me, and said to me, “ Hear my words. Thou art
a stranger and poor, and hast informed us that
thou hast suffered many horrors; I therefore
desire to benefit thee with something that will
aid thee to reach thy country, and thou wilt pray
for me.” I replied, ‘‘ So be it, and thou shalt have
my prayers.” And he rejoined, ‘“‘ Know that there
was with us a man voyaging, whom we lost, and
we know not whether he be living or dead, having
heard no tidings of him. I desire to commit to
thee his bales, that thou mayest sell them in this
island. Thou shalt take charge of them, and we
will give thee something proportionate to thy
trouble and thy service; and what remaineth of
them we will take and keep until we return to
the city of Baghdad, when we will inquire for
the owner’s family, and give to them the re-
mainder, together with the price of that which
shall be sold of them. Wilt thou then take
charge of them, and land with them upon this
island, and sell them as do the merchants?” I
answered, ‘‘I hear and obey thee, O my master;
and thou are beneficent and kind.” And I
prayed for him and thanked him for that.

He thereupon ordered the porters and sailors
to land those goods upon the island, and to