After leaving these vessels in the sun for a few days, they fermented and turned into strong wine. One evening I drank from them. My pain lessened and I lost my reason. I began to sing, clap my hands, and jig around from one foot to the other with the old man on my back. The old man tapped me on the shoulder. Understanding what he wanted, I handed a gourd of wine up to him. He too drank from it and began to get merry. Soon he demanded another, and another, and I obliged until eventually the wine got the better of him and he fell asleep. For the first time in weeks, I felt that the grip of his legs around my neck had loosened. Taking my chance, I tossed the devil off my shoulders and onto the ground. The first use I made of my freedom was to find a great rock and use it to kill him while he slept. No Mercy of Allah be upon him!
I then returned to the shore with a heart full of happiness and relief, reciting praise to the Almighty who, in due course, brought a ship into sight. I signalled furiously to the sailors and was soon saved from that accursed paradise of an island. When I told the captain the story of all that had happened there, he said:
“He who rode on your shoulders is called Shaykh al-Bahir, the Old Man of the Sea, and none who has ever felt his legs on their neck has come away alive. He has eaten all who died below him. Praise be to Allah for your safety!”
The captain transported me freely to the next Island where the capital is known as the City of the Apes. Here, even the strong walls of the city do not protect the people from an uncomfortable fate. Every evening when it grows dark, apes come down from the trees and invade the city. To avoid them, the people have no choice but to leave their houses and sleep in boats. It was my good fortune to fall in with some business minded folk who showed me how they made the best of this ill luck. Every day they collected pebbles on the beach, and then stepped a little way into the forest and pelted the apes who lived in the trees. The apes responded by throwing back coconuts. This battle of stone and coconut took place every day, but the trade was fair, because the people picked up the nets and took them to trade in the market. I joined in this amusing but dangerous sport, and Allah permitted me to make a fair profit, day after day, until I had massed a good sum of money. When I was once again well off, I hired a passage on a passing ship. While travelling on my way back I traded my gold for pearls, and made an even greater profit.
By the time I reached the welcome port of Basrah I had amassed a fifth fortune to add to my others.
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