We worked to repair it by the light of the stars and the moon and by the time the sky was reddening with the morning sun we were ready to sail. The men were eager to leave that awful shore, but I burned for revenge.
"Let us hurry back to the castle," I said. "We may yet catch the criminal asleep.Here is my plan. We will sharpen two sticks and harden them in the fire. If God is willing we shall have justice for our comrade's life."
Again the men were of two minds of what we should do, but their thirst for justice proved stronger than their love of life. We returned to the castle where we found the monster still slumbering. We split into two teams, and made our weapons in the embers of the fire. Then moving together we approached the sleeping giant and plunged our spears into his eyes. He awoke with a terrible roar and stumbled around the cave, shrieking fearfully, and groping around the ground hoping to find us.
We wasted no time in slipping out of the castle, and running as fast as we could in the direction of the beach. Thanks to the will of He who directs everything, we reached our boat safely and set sail. Three giants stood on the cliffs and threw giant boulders down into the sea. Our ships were buffeted by powerful waves but we got away safely. By mid morning on the following day we spied land, and thanking The Almighty for His mercy, we stumbled ashore.
But fate had allowed us to escape one peril only to face a far worse one. Once ashore, we discovered fresh water and fruit, but soon danger found us. A huge serpent dropped down from a tree and entwined itself around one of our men. We attacked the monster with knives and rocks, but its grip was too terrible. Then still more giant serpents slithered out of the bushes. In terror we ran this way and that, but the woods were full of these abominable and viperish monsters.
Darkness was falling, and I could not find my way back to the beach. I could not rest in the open, for fear of being crushed by a serpent. I decided to build a shelter and began to cut down branches from the trees. I used the wood to build a kind of cage around myself, and inside this I managed to get some rest for the night.
When morning came, I lifted the cage up and walked down along the path, still safe from serpents inside my wooden suit of armour. I only discarded my cage when I reached the beach. And then, looking out to sea I saw my salvation - the sail of another ship. How I jumped for joy, waved my arms, and called out - until at last they spotted me and set down a small boat. Two sailors rowed ashore and rescued me, thanks be to Allah.
On board I told my story and all of my remarkable adventures to the captain. At the end of my tale he looked at me and said:
“Truly your story proves the greatness of Allah. At first I did not recognise you. Such is the sorry state that you are in, worn down by suffering. But now I see that I know you. You are Sinbad who travelled on our ship, and whom we lost. As you described in the story of your second voyage, we set sail without you. When we realised our mistake, we debated whether or not we should divide up your merchandise between us, but I ruled that we should keep it. All your goods are safe in the hold of the ship.”
From that day on, my journey and my business went well.
We bought and sold wherever we went. I built up a stock of cloves and ginger and all manner of spices. And thence we fared on to the land of Sind, where also I sold them at a great profit.
Then we set sail again with a fair wind and the blessing of Almighty Allah, we arrived safe and sound at Bassorah.
I had gained on this voyage what was beyond count and reckoning. I gave freely to widows and orphans out of thanks for my happy return. Then fell to feasting and making merry with my friends and forgot all the hardships I had suffered.
Then Sindbad the Seaman gave Sinbad the Porter a hundred golden dinars. The porter after taking his gold passed the night in his own house, wondering at what his namesake the seaman had told him.
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