Hello and welcome to Sleepcove. Please listen in a place where you can safely go to sleep.

I hope everyone's having a really good day. And for this episode, I've actually recorded

the full Arabian night story of Simpathasena. On my last podcast episode, I just contained

a few of his voyages and short stories. But I really enjoyed reading them, and I've

actually read out the full tale, and I hope you enjoy it for this week's episode.

So let's begin.

The seven voyages of Simpathasena. In the times of the Caliph, Haron El Rashid, their

lived in Baghdad, a poor porter named Hindbad, who, on a very hot day, was sent to carry

a heavy load from one end of the city to the other. Before he had accomplished half

the distance, he was so tired that finding himself in a quiet street where the pavement

was sprinkled with rose water and a cool breeze was blowing. He sat his burden upon the

ground and sat down to rest in the shade of a grand house. Very soon he decided that

he could not have chosen a pleasant place, a delicious perfume of allos, wood and pastels

came from the open window and mingled with a scent of the rose water which steamed up from

the hot pavement. Within the palace he heard some music, as of many instruments cunningly

played, and the melodious war ball of nightingales and other birds, and by this and the appetising

smell of many dainty dishes of which he presently became aware. He judged that feasting and

merry-making were going on. He wondered who lived in this magnificent house, which he

had never seen before, a street in which he stood, being one of which he seldom had occasion

to pass. To satisfy his curiosity, he went up to some splendidly dressed servants who stood at

the door and asked one of them the name of the master of the mansion. What replied he,

Do you live in Baghdad, do not know, that here lives the noble Sinbad the sailor,

...