Reading Diary B: The Voyages of Sindbad

The second part of The Voyages of Sindbad was even more incredible than the first! It started to frustrate me, though, how Sindbad would go on voyages still even though he knew that something bad would happen since it always did. I guess that's just the overly cautious side of me talking. My adventurous side thought all that he did was pretty great.

Fifth Voyage was a very interesting tale because there was so much going on. I was frustrated with the crew in the beginning when they stumbled upon a roc's egg and wanted to destroy it. The rocs had every right to throw those large rocks at the ship afterward, I thought. They were just protecting their young. The old man frustrated me with how he just would not let go. How did he survive when he wasn't being carried by someone? Sindbad's way of getting rid of the old man was brilliant. I thought it was kind of cute that Sindbad always got home safely and always had more treasure than he could carry.

(Old Man)

Sindbad's Seventh and Last Voyage offered a good ending to the tales of his voyages. Initially, I was annoyed with the Caliph because Sindbad wished to just live out the rest of his life quietly in Bagdad. The Caliph must have had many people he could have sent on this voyage, but then it wouldn't turn out to be as amazing of a voyage as it was. I also wondered how Sindbad made it there safely since it was so close to the place where all ships are destroyed. The part with the elephants was interesting to read. I especially liked how they took him to the graveyard of elephants and that stopped the poaching for a while.

Week 4 Storytelling: The Real Story Behind Sindbad's Third Voyage

I would like to consider myself a giant of routine. Up until recently, I would leave my humble castle every day at the crack of dawn, and I would go for my morning stroll around the island. This allowed me to mentally prepare for the day and to enjoy my beautiful surroundings.

I would then go and visit my cousins and discuss the weather and what the tide had brought in that morning. Afternoons and evenings were spent hiking and catching my evening meal.

I’ve always prided myself on my exquisite taste. I love fresh, locally grown produce and meats, but my guilty pleasure is humans. Call them my cheat meal. Since they don’t come around the island very often, I really feel like it’s my birthday when I get to have one, but I digress.

One day, after doing my usual activities, I returned to my castle to find the biggest surprise of my life. On the ground in my dining room was gathered a whole group of humans! I would have to count my calories for months after eating so many, but...WORTH IT. I decided to only eat one a night in order to at least somewhat keep up with portion control.

Upon examination, I discovered that they were all pretty measly. I at last found one that didn’t look like he would taste like uncooked rice, and after dining, I drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Life was looking really good.

I was able to enjoy some more humans over the next few nights, and I was beginning to think that eating one daily wouldn’t be such a bad thing at all! I began to get used to my routine of having one every night; eating dinner had become my favorite part of the day.

One night, everything changed. After I had supped, I lay down to go to sleep, as usual. The next thing I know, my morsels are stabbing me in the eye with the very spits I had used to cook them on! I was overcome with pain. It was with horror that I realized that I could no longer see! I got up, stumbled around, and after not being able to crush one of those evil creatures, I fled my castle in order to find some shelter from the monsters in my very home.

By some miracle, I got to the house of my two older cousins, who comforted me any way they could think to. They tried salves, organic eye drops, and just plain old ice, but nothing seemed to ease my eye pain.

“Those parasites! How inconceivable that our food would turn on us and treat us like we are the bad guys!” they cried.

The next morning, they decided to go over to my place and show those devils who’s boss. My cousins called up their friends, and, putting my arms around their shoulders for support, they took me to my castle. Not finding any humans there, they quickly guessed to run to the shoreline, where we suspected they would be trying to make their escape. We were correct. They had fashioned rafts and were quickly getting away! My fellow giants hurled large rocks at them and managed to destroy all rafts but one. Score! I was sad that we hadn’t gotten rid of all of them, but I took what I could get.

(Giants Hurling Rocks)

After these events, my routine became quite different. I can no longer enjoy my beautiful surroundings, and I get around with the help of my family. I struggle to hold my head high, but I know that deep down, I did nothing wrong. I’ve also sworn off humans completely and am now a strict vegetarian. Those humans have left a permanent bad taste in my mouth.

Author's Note: I chose to retell the story of Sindbad's Third Voyage from the point of view of the giant. In the original tale, Sindbad's crew is left on an island after a group of vicious red-furred savages overtake their ship and force them on to the island. They then take shelter in a castle that ends up belonging to a giant that has an affinity for human flesh. Every night, the giant eats one of the crew members for dinner, until one night the crew blinds him and makes their escape. They attempt to escape the island using rafts they had built during the day, but the only members of the crew that survive are the ones on Sindbad's raft because the others are destroyed by the rocks that the giants hurl at them. I tried to stick to the original as much as possible, but since virtually nothing was written about the giant's background, that gave me a lot of freedom. I especially liked that I could describe his daily activities and show why he ate the way he did, because I thought it would make him a little more relatable.
The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898) Web source: UN-Textbook

Reading Diary A: The Voyages of Sindbad

I chose this unit because I had heard about these tales often growing up but never got to read them. I'm so glad I chose this unit! I love tales involving lots of adventure, so this was the perfect pick for me. The Voyages of Sindbad are the incredible tales of the merchant Sindbad and all that he sees and experiences.

I loved how the setting and character were introduced in First Voyage. The story provided vivid imagery but didn't overdo it. I also enjoyed learning about the back story of Sindbad because it allowed me to connect more deeply with the character. The part about the island being a giant sleeping whale was so entertaining to me! I love how imaginative the story was from the very beginning. That was something that really pulled me in and made me want to continue reading.

(Sindbad, Illustration by Dulac)

The second voyage of Sindbad was even more incredible than the first, which was pleasantly surprising. In Second Voyage (cont'd), Sindbad explains how he escaped from the valley of the snakes. I again marveled at the imagination of the author because I wouldn't be able to think up something so incredible. Tying himself to a piece of meat so that eagles could get him out of the valley was so clever! Sindbad's ingenuity is inspiring. These stories focus on thinking outside the box, which is something I appreciate because I like seeing how different people solve problems. These tales, although crazy and tell of Sindbad being in danger, are nice because all of the people he interacts with end up treating him well, and he is kind to them in return. That aspect of the tales makes them heartwarming to read. 

(Valley of Diamonds)