400 headwords 4247726 Ibn Battuta fp indd 1

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finger you have 
five of these on 
your hand
cut (past cut) 
to take off with 
a knife
found him dead under a tree. 
After that, we always stayed 
with the caravan. You must 
never go alone into the desert, 
Ahmed. You can easily forget your way 
and die quickly in the hot sun.
There were lots of big snakes in this desert 
too, and one man in the caravan liked playing 
with them. What happened to him? A snake 
put its teeth into one of his fingers one 
morning, and he nearly died! In the end, 
with a knife, he cut this finger from his 
hand, and so he lived. Remember – playing 
with snakes is very dangerous!
We journeyed for many weeks to the biggest city 
in Mali to meet King Mansa Sulayman. But soon after we 
arrived, I ate something bad, and I was ill for a long time.
Usually, when you’re an important traveller, the ruler 
takes expensive gifts to you when you first arrive in a town. 
So I waited in my bed day after day for Mansa Sulayman’s 
men to visit me.
After some weeks, the King’s men arrived with gifts. 
Perhaps it was some nice clothes or some pieces of gold, I 
thought. But no! They gave me some old bread and meat!
When I felt better, I visited the King’s beautiful house 
every day. I waited for more gifts, but I got nothing. In the 
end, I spoke to the King. ‘I’m a world traveller. In every 
country rulers give me wonderful gifts when I arrive. I 
arrived in your city four months ago, but you do not speak 
to me or give me nice things. What can I say about you to 
other people?’
4247726 Ibn Battuta FP.indd 35
7/7/10 15:22:23
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