“A Shipwrecked Sailor” is an ancient Egyptian tale dating back to the Middle Kingdom period, around 2000 BCE, found in the form of hieratic text on a papyrus. This captivating A Shipwrecked Sailor Story recounts the harrowing adventures of a lone sailor stranded on a deserted island after surviving a shipwreck. Read More Summaries Class 8 English Summaries.
A Shipwrecked Sailor Summary
[This story is about a twenty-year-old young man called Luis Alejandro Velasco. He was washed overboard and put into the Caribbean Sea, because of a shipwreck. In a raft he spent ten days without food and water. This story says how Velasco reached in such a sad situation.]
In the beginning, I felt that I was all alone in the midst of the sea. Our ship was completely destroyed in the storm. Catching on a crate I somehow managed to swim. It was a bright sunny day. I could see only the scattered cargo and huge waves around me. The sea was so calm that there was no evidence of the disaster remaining. Suddenly I could hear some sounds around me. I could recognize the voice of Julio Amador Caraballo who was a well-built man. ‘Stand there Fatso’. He was shouting. I suddenly woke up as though from a short sleep.
I recognized that I was not alone in the sea. My shipmates were trying hard to escape from the sea. We were fifty miles away from Cartagena. But I was not scared. I hoped that I would spend my time till I get a shelter. I was sure that my friends were also in the same state. At that time I came across a raft. There were two rafts. The rafts were seven meters away from me. The rafts were near my friends. Suddenly one of the rafts disappeared. I swam towards the searching my friends. There were two, Castillo and Caraballo. Caraballo was wearing a life jacket and was carrying Castillo on his neck.
They were seen ten metre away from me. On another side of the sea Luis Rengifo was swimming with his headphone. He had removed his shirt so as to swim easily. He did not have a life jacket. If I had not seen him also I could recognize his voice. I somehow managed to make myself near them, Castillo and Caraballo were nearing the raft. I could see Herrara too who was waving his hand. I could not decide to which direction I should move. I aimed at Herrera who was two meters away from my raft. The storm was flowing heavily. So I could not succeed in reaching Herrera. Herrera disappeared. Rengifo was swimming confidently. He would succeed I thought because he was a brave man.
On the other side Caraballo and Castillo were seen three meters away. I put the oar towards them. Suddenly a big wave came and the raft was drifted. After that when I searched for them I could not see them Caraballo and Castillo were not seen. Rengifo was still swimming towards me. He was very tired. I could hear his voice saying ‘Fatso row fatso’. There was a heavy storm. I shouted and said that I could not row towards him. I did not know whether he heard it or not. I could see him on the surface.
He was waving his hand. Slowly he disappeared. I rowed my raft helplessly. Unfortunately two meters away he was drowned. I could not save him. I was shocked and could not move. Like a dog’s howling the wind was flowing. I hoped that the other raft would have saved my friends. It would surely get it, I hoped. Suddenly I was aware of the hot sun.
My head and whole body were burning due to heat. I looked at my watch. It was at 11.30 the shipwreck happened. Within ten minutes everything went wrong. Now I could see the calm sea around me as if nothing had happened. Within two or three hours someone would come and save me; I wished. At three o’clock I felt very thirsty. There was no water or food with me. I poured water on my head so that it became cool. I sat on my raft.
Suddenly I felt a severe pain on my knee. There was a big wound. I poured salt water on it, it became dry. I started searching for my belongings. I found the solitude very distressing. By seeing my belongings I escaped from my solitude. Thinking so I found my watch, my gold ring, the keys of my locker in the ship and the cars which I bought from mobile. I spent my time by repeatedly watching my cards. Someone ‘would come and save me’ I hoped.
Conclusion :
In conclusion, “A Shipwrecked Sailor” from ancient Egypt provides a remarkable window into the storytelling traditions of its time, showcasing the enduring appeal of tales of survival and divine encounters. A Shipwrecked Sailor narrative reflects the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit and highlights the significance of gratitude and humility in the face of the unknown.