The Roc’s Egg (The Second Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor)
Getting down from the tree I quickly collected
what had remained off for my
requirements and leave as
fast as I could and went towards it. As I
came near it, it appeared to me to be a white ball of
giant size
and height, and when I touched it, I found
that it was too smooth and soft. As it was
impossible to climb it, because it
existed no
foot-hold, so that I could walk unto it. I walked round about it
to find some
opening, but there was none to be seen.
I however counted, that it was at least fifty
steps round. By this time the sun was
about to set, but quite rapidly it fell dark.
There I saw
something like a huge black cloud came
over me, and I saw with wonder that it was a
bird of extraordinary size which was hovering
near. Then I remembered that often the sailors speak of a wonderful bird called a
roc, and it occurred to me that the white object
which had so puzzled me must be its egg.
Sure enough the bird settled upon
it, covering it with its wings to keep it warm
and would hatch it,
and I was sitting close beside the egg in such a
position that one of the bird's feet, which was
as large as the trunk of a tree, was just in
front of me. Adjusting myself I settled
securely in it in the hope that
the roc, when it might take the flight next morning, would
carry me away with it from the deserted island.
And this was exactly what did happen. As soon
as the sun rose in the morning the bird
woke from his nest into the air
carrying me up and up till I could no longer see
the earth, and then suddenly it descended so
swiftly that I almost lost awareness.
When I became aware that the roc had settled and I was once again upon
the solid ground, I
quickly released myself from its foot, and not a moment too soon;
for the bird, pounced upon a huge snake, and killed
it with a few blows from its powerful beak, and
holding it up rose up into the air once more and
soon disappeared from my sight. When I had looked
about me I began to doubt if I had gained
anything by quitting the deserted island.