Synopses & Reviews
"There once was an unhappy man who longed to be all on his own," begins this delightful story. The unhappy man jumps ship and swims to a barren rock sticking up out of the sea where he plants rice. But he hides when sailors come ashore, and they are amazed to discover rice growing on what seems to be an uninhabited island. Every time they come, they leave behind more plants and birds, and soon the island is bursting with fat bananas, juicy pineapples, and plump dates. What happens when the Queen of Portugal hears about this lush island where sailors have planted her flag?
Synopsis
When a sailor can't bear life on ship any more, he jumps overboard and swims to a big barren rock. There he cares for a half-drowned cockerel and plants rice, hiding away when a boat arrives. The sailors are amazed to see rice growing and keep coming back, leaving plants and game-birds, until the island bursts with tropical fruit and wildlife. But soon the Queen of Portugal hears about it and demands to meet the person responsible.