The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor is a Middle Kingdom story about an apparently failed expedition that unexpectedly turns into a success at the end. The narrator of the story begins telling it supposedly to cheer up a man whose own expedition has just resulted in apparent failure. The narrator says that he was traveling by sea to distant mines when he was shipwrecked on an island, the only survivor of a crew of 120. Also on the island was a huge talking snake, who encouraged the marooned man to remain patient and never lose hope for a positive outcome. The snake then prophesied that in four months the man would be on a ship bound for home. Sure enough, at the prophesied time a ship did appear, and the snake gave the man some parting gifts: various ointments, spices, animals, jewels, and other valuable items. When the man reached Egypt, he gave these treasures to the king, who honored him for his act of tribute.

See also: literature ; tales .