The Roc or Rukh
Marco’s Roc
Arabic Origin
Marco’s Roc
Arabic Origin
“Come over here, you little princess, and let your uncle Marco tell you a story of his travels to China,” the famed explorer Marco Polo, not having any children of his own, loved to visit with the daughters of his sister. “Now I have written a book, as I am sure you know, but I did not tell the half of what I saw, for no one would have believed me.”
“Oh uncle, I have heard all of your stories of the Orient, where else have you been?” The “little princess” could be quite incredulous at times.
“I have a story for you, one which you have never heard. It is about Kublai Khan and islands, and a magical feather, and a bird.
“As we were traveling around the eastern side of Africa, we encountered an island by the name of Madagascar. While stopped on the island, I heard a tail about how Kublai Khan had been there, searching for the Roc, which to you my darling would be the fenice (Italian for Phoenix). Do you know about the fenice princess?”
“Yes, uncle, please go on, it was just getting good.” Replied Marco’s niece.
“Well, legend has it that Kublai Khan heard of the Roc as he was waging war near Arabia, which is where the story of the Roc comes. He was told that the Roc or Rukh, you can say it either way sweetie, was a gigantic bird with two horns on its head and four bumps on its back. For some reason Kublai Khan was convinced that if he could get a feather from this bird, he could conquer all of Asia. And so he traveled all the way across Africa in search of this feather, and legend has it that it was there, on the island of Madagascar, that he finally got a feather from the Roc.”
“Well? Did he conquer all of Asia Uncle Marco?” Asked the unsatisfied niece.
“Uh…no…but he did retain control of Mongolia and most of China.” Answered Marco.
“Then what was the point of him getting the stupid feather in the first place?” The little girl rarely found a point to Marco’s stories.
“Did you hear that princess? I think your sisters are calling you.”