Page 143 - Arrow Publications Pvt. Ltd.
P. 143

Some sailors had told me of this bird called the roc. The roc was coming closer and

          closer. It settled down on the tree. When the roc had gone to sleep, I unwound the

          turban and then tied the strip of cloth around myself, with the other end tied to the
          roc’s leg. In the morning, I was high up in the air. The roc carried me over land and sea.

          Soon, we came down at a great speed. Thud! We hit the ground. Quickly I freed myself
          from the roc’s leg. When the roc had flown away I looked around. Where was I? I was

          now in a deep, dark, narrow valley.








           What did Sinbad do
           when he realized he was
           alone on the island?




















          All around there were high mountains. As I was walking on the ground, kicking the
          stones out of my way, I saw something dazzling on the ground. All over the ground

          there were diamonds. I had heard a lot about the valley of diamonds. Every year, clever

          merchants come to these mountains with chunks of meat. They throw them down
          into the valley of diamonds. Some diamonds get stuck in the meat. Eagles swoop down

          and carry the meat with the diamonds up to their nests. Then the merchants scare the

          eagles away. When they are gone, these merchants take the diamonds away.

          I collected as many diamonds as I could and stuffed them in my bag. But how was I
          going to come out of the valley? Just then I saw a chunk of meat on the ground. I tied

          it to my back. Then I put my face to the ground and waited.

          At last, I heard the flapping of wings. An eagle picked up the meat that was tied to my

          back and of course, he carried me too with the piece of meat to the mountains. Soon I
          heard the voice of a man. When he saw me he shouted, “So, you have come here to take


                                                                                                              143
                                                                                            Arrow-English Plus-5
   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148