Sinbad and the Giant Roc

About this story

The voyages of Sinbad the Sailor are seven adventures that a rich Baghdad merchant tells to a poor porter, one each day. They circulated as a separate Arabic story cycle before being included in the Arabian Nights, and Antoine Galland's French translation of the early 1700s made them famous in Europe. This is the second voyage, the one with the Roc's egg and the Valley of Diamonds, kept close to the original and told inside Sinbad's frame with the porter.

Tips for telling it

• Spread your arms wide and lower your voice when the Roc's shadow covers the sun.
• Before the meat comes tumbling down, ask your child how they would escape the Valley of Diamonds.
• Tell one voyage a night, just as Sinbad does with the porter.

Questions people ask

What is a roc?

A roc is a giant bird from Middle Eastern legend, said to be strong enough to carry off elephants. Sinbad meets one on his second voyage, and Marco Polo also recorded travellers' tales of the roc.

How many voyages did Sinbad make?

Seven. Sinbad tells them one a day to a poor porter in Baghdad, and in nearly every one he is shipwrecked or stranded and still comes home richer.

Is Sinbad in the original Arabian Nights?

Sinbad's voyages began as a separate Arabic story cycle and were later included in many versions of the Nights. Galland's French translation of the early 1700s helped make Sinbad one of the best-known Arabian Nights heroes.