topped at many places, and sold our goods at a great profit, and
all went well until one day when we landed on a new island. It was a
most beautiful place, fair as the garden of Eden, where exquisite
flowers made a perfect rainbow of color and delicious fruits hung in
ripe clusters above.

"Here, under the shadow of the tree, I sat down to rest and to feast
my eyes upon all the loveliness around. I ate the food I had brought
with me, drank my wine, and then closed my eyes. The soft music of the
stream which flowed close by was like a song in my ears, and, before I
knew what I was doing, I fell asleep.

"I cannot tell how long I slept, but when at last I opened my eyes, I
could not see my companions anywhere, and when I looked towards the
sea, to my horror I found the ship was gone. It was sailing away, a
white speck in the distance, and here was I, left alone upon this
desert island. I cried aloud and wrung my hands with grief, and wished
with all my heart that I had stayed safely at home. But what was the
use of wishing that now?

"So I climbed into a high tree, and looked around to see if I could by
any means find a way of escape from the island. First I looked towards
the sea, but there was no hope for me there, and then I turned and
looked inland. The first thing that caught my eye was a huge white
dome, that seemed to rise from the center of the island, unlike
anything I had ever seen before.

"I climbed down the tree, and made my way towards the white dome as
quickly as I could, but when I reached it, it puzzled me more than
ever. It was like a great smooth ball, much too slippery to climb, and
into it there was no door or entrance of any sort. I walked round and
round it, wondering what it could be, when suddenly a dark shadow fell
upon everything and it grew black as night.

"I gazed upwards in great fear, and knew that the shadow was cast by a
great bird with outspread wings hovering over the place where I stood
and shutting out heaven's light. As I looked, it suddenly came
swooping down, and sat upon the white dome.

"Then it flashed into my mind that this must be the bird which I had
heard sailors talk of, called a roc, and the smooth white ball must be
its egg.

"Quick as thought, I unbound my turban, and twisted it into a rope.
Then I wound it round and round my waist, and tied the two ends
tightly round the roc's leg, which was close to where I stood.

"'It will fly away soon, and carry me away w