I beg you, my savior, to let me go.

I beg you, my jailor, to see the sadness in my eyes.

I beg you, my tormentor, to notice how I wither and die.

If you don’t let me return to the sea, nothing will remain.

If you don’t let me leave this boat, my death will carry yours.

Tahbib al-Bahr,

The mysterious Tahbib al-Bahr, or Physician of the Sea, is mentioned in several documents collected by the Abbasid Caliphate (the third of the Islamic Caliphates to succeed Muhammad). The Abbasid dynasty was known for their interest in the study of the oceans and the creatures that inhabit them. They were also known for their patronage to Jabir ibn Hayyan; a renowned alchemist and the first person to mention the Tahbib al-Bahr.

This creatur...

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