Robinson Crusoe was a merchant seaman. The only thing he wanted in life was to go to sea to make his fortune. He didn’t want to study law as his father had hoped. He didn’t want to share in his family’s successful business as his mother had hoped.
On the first of September 1659, Robinson Crusoe set sail from San Salvador, Brazil. This voyage became the greatest adventure in his life time.
Unfortunately, on the twelfth day at sea, a violent storm destroyed Robinson Crusoe’s ship. He alone survived and was cast ashore on a deserted island. When he felt strong enough to stand up and look around him, his joy immediately turned to sadness. He was alone. He has nothing to eat or drink. He had no weapons with which to hunt or defend himself other than a small knife in his belt.
Those fears hit him so suddenly that he began running about the shore like a mad man, beating his chest and screaming to God,”Why have You saved me only to make me suffer in this misery?”
When he had no more strength to run or scream, Robinson sat down on the sand and tried to clear his thoughts. He tried to swim to the ship. He found some spare masts. He tied each one with a rope and he made a good raft. Then he loaded the raft with many things he found in his wrecked ship like rice, meat, corn, shotguns, pistols, sword, gunpowder and bullets. He had to summon all his strength and intelligence to survive and flourish against impossible odds.
The next days Robinson built his home on the side of the hill with a fortress for his protection. He also learned new skills. He learned how to make earthenwares, he learned how to plant crops, and he learned how to make a canoe from the trunks of large trees. He hunted animals for his food and he also raised cattle.
Robinson Crusoe spent the next five years living a very quiet life. Then he tried to explore the island. He stood stunned when he saw footprints. He rushed home in fear. So, he tried to strengthen his fortress.
But in his twenty-third year, Robinson’s peaceful life was disturbed. He spied some smoke rising from the shore on his side of the island. He gasped as he saw hands, skulls, fear, and other bones of human bodies scattering in the sand, near the remains of fire. It seemed that cannibals also lived in the island.
In his twenty-fifth year Robinson saw five canoes landing on the shore. Thirty men danced around a fire and there were two men dragged from the boat towards the fire. One of them was immediately knocked down with a club and the cannibals began cutting and eating him. The other man suddenly jumped away and ran into woods.
Robinson helped and saved the man and this man showed his loyalty and promised to be Robinson’s slave. Robinson named the man ‘Friday’ and taught him English. Robinson was happy because he had a friend and a faithful servant.
After two years, Friday’s English had become so good that he was able to answer many questions. One day, Friday ran towards Robinson and told the bad news that the cannibals returned. More savages and prisoners arrived. Both of them arranged a strategy to attack the savages and saved the prisoners. And they made it! In fact, one of the prisoners was Friday’s father.
Days rolled by so quickly. When Robinson was walking around, he saw an English ship lying at anchor about several miles. At first, he was overjoyed at the thought of seeing a ship filled with his own countrymen. But then… there was something wrong. He tried to find out what really happened. Actually there was a mutiny in the ship. Robinson planned to save the captain. When the right time came, he did it successfully. The captain thanked Robinson so much that he promised to take Robinson to England if Robinson could help him take over the ship. Robinson agreed and they began their plan. With a good strategy and a good cooperation, they succeeded in taking over the ship. Robinson was very happy because he could return to England. He finally left his island on the 19th of December 1686.
Kisah di atas diringkas dan diceritakan kembali oleh Hendro Darsono
berdasarkan novel karya Danie Defoe yang berjudul The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, diterbitkan oleh Baronet Books, New York 1992
