I walked all round it, but found no door thereto, nor could I muster strength or nimbleness to climb it, by reason of its exceeding smoothness and slipperiness.
However, after a while, I caught sight of some great white thing, afar off in the interior of the island so I came down from the tree and making for that which I had seen, found it a huge white dome of vast height and compass. Then I climbed a tall tree and looked in every direction, but saw nothing but sky and sea and trees and birds and islands and sands. And I repented me of having left Baghdad and exclaimed, "Verily we are God"s and to Him we return!" For indeed I was even as one mad, and I rose and walked about the island, unable for trouble to abide in any one place. I escaped the first time and happened on one who brought me to an inhabited place, but this time there is no hope of falling in with such a deliverer." Then I fell a-weeping and wailing and gave myself up to despair, blaming myself for having again adventured upon the perils and hardships of travel, whenas I was at my ease in my own house in my native city, taking my leisure with pleasant food and rich raiment, and lacking nothing, neither money nor goods, and this the more after all the toils and dangers I had undergone in my first voyage, wherein I had so narrowly escaped destruction. So I gave myself up for lost and said, "Not always does the pitcher come off unbroken. I searched the island right and left, but found neither man nor genie, whereat I was beyond measure troubled and my gall was like to burst for excess of chagrin and anguish and concern, for that I was left quite alone, without aught of meat or drink or worldly gear, weary and heart-broken. When I awoke, I found myself alone, for the ship had sailed with all who were therein, and left me behind, nor had one of the merchants or sailors bethought himself of me. I sat thus, enjoying the pleasant freshness of the breeze and the fragrance of the flowers, till presently I grew drowsy for very pleasance and lying down, soon fell asleep. I landed with the rest and sitting down by a spring of sweet water, that welled up among the trees, took out some victual I had with me and ate of that which God the Most High had allotted me. The captain made fast with us to this island, and the merchants and sailors landed and walked about, enjoying the shade of the trees and the song of the birds, that chanted the praises of the One, the Victorious, and marvelling at the works of the Omnipotent King. Fair weather attended us, and we sailed from place to place, buying and selling and bartering, till chance brought us to a lovely island, abounding in trees laden with ripe fruits and fragrant flowers and limpid streams and musical with the song of birds but there was no dweller there, no, not a blower of the fire. I took passage in her, with a number of other merchants, and we weighed anchor the same day. Then I went down to the river-bank, where I found a handsome new ship about to sail, well manned and provided and equipped with sails of fine cloth. So I took a great sum of money and buying goods and gear fit for travel, packed them into bales. I abode a while, as I told you yesterday, in the enjoyment of all the comforts and pleasures of life, until one day the longing seized me to travel again and see foreign countries and traffic and make profit by trade. 2- Sinbad the Sailor and Sindbad the Porter: The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
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