1 A Sailor’s Life

Robinson Crusoe Retold froms the Daniel Defoe original

CHAPTER 1 A Sailor's Life My name is Robinson Crusoe. In 1692, I was born in the town of York. I was the youngest of three sons. My eldest brother was a soldier and died in battle against Spain. My second brother simply disappeared. He left one day and never returned. My parents had lost two sons and did not want to lose a third. My father wanted me to stay home and

become a lawyer, but I craved grand adventures and faraway lands—I wanted to be a sailor! One morning, my father called me into his study. He was a grave man with stern eyes and a sharp mind. He spoke to me for a long time about my dreams. My father had worked hard to give his family a good, safe life. How could I leave it all behind for a life on the high seas? I could say nothing in my defense. Sailing was hard, scary work. Many men lost their lives. Many boats got lost. Many left home never to return again. This excitement sparked my imagination. "I know it's dangerous, Father." I said. "But I feel it is my destiny. I'm sorry." My father started to cry. I felt awful for upsetting him, so I made up my mind to stay at home, for now. I did my best not to mention the tales I

read or the great voyages I heard other men talk about in the streets. I suffered in silence and tried to be a son he could be proud of, but it wasn't easy. My heart ached to smell the ocean from the deck of a great ship. My legs longed to walk the shores of faraway lands. My hands did not want to sit and idle away the days of my youth—I craved adventure. Nothing else would ever make me happy. A few short weeks passed. I became even more determined to become a sailor. I wanted to run off in the night and board the first ship sailing to foreign seas. But I knew that would make my parents upset. Instead, I tried to talk to my mother. "My mind is made up, Mother," I said. "All I've ever wanted is to become a sailor. I wish you and Father would just give me your permission to go to sea." "I'm eighteen now," I continued, "If you

make me become a lawyer or force me to learn some other trade, I'll run away. But if you just let me go on one voyage, I'll come back and do exactly as Father asks." My mother grew angry and refused to ask my father anything. My parents wholeheartedly disapproved. That was the end of the subject. Mother and Father tried everything to change my mind about leaving. They promised me that I could attend any school I wanted. They told me I could look into any trade that interested me. I refused every offer —my only dream was to go to sea. Nothing else would do.