Moby-Dick

'Call me Ishmael', the young American says when he begins his story on the Rachel...

It is 1845, in the port of Bedford. Bedford is in North America, near the Atlantic Ocean. Ishmael is from New York. He is interested in whales. He wants to sail the sea, and learn more about them. So he goes to Bedford, and looks for whaling work there.

But there are no whaling ships in Bedford harbor that day. Ishmael must stay the night in Bedford, and look again the next day. He walks through the streets. It is a cold evening. Where can he sleep?

Near the harbor, he finds an old inn. He goes in, and speaks to the landlord, Peter Coffin.

"I'm a sailor, and new in town. I'd like a room for the night".

The landlord says, "Hmm. I don't have any empty rooms tonight, but you can stay in Queequeg's room. He's out now. But he's a sailor, too".

"OK", Ishmael says. He gives money to Mr Coffin for the night. The landlord takes him up to Queequeg's room, and leaves him there.

Ishmael is tired. He goes to bed at once. Soon he is sleeping. Later that night, he hears a noise. He sits up suddenly in bed. There is a big man in the room with a harpoon in his hand.

"Who are you? And what are you doing with that harpoon? Help!", Ishmael cries.

The landlord comes to the door of the room. "This is Queequeg. He always has that harpoon with him because he's a harpooner!" Peter Coffin laughs. "Don't be afraid of him. He's OK".

There is only one bed in the room. Ishmael sleeps in it that night with Queequeg. But Queequeg is a big man, and there isn't much of the bed for Ishmael.

At breakfast the next morning, Queequeg and Ishmael talk. They laugh about the night before.

"I come from Kokovok, in the South Pacific", Queequeg says. "One day I want to go back to my people, and help them. But for now, I'm a whaler. You and I are brothers now", he smiles. Ishmael is happy with his new friend.

They leave the inn, and visit Bedford harbor. But again there are no whaling ships. Then an old sailor sees Queequeg's harpoon. "Are you two looking for whaling work?", he asks.

"Yes", they answer.

"Then go to Nantucket - the nearest big port. The Pequod is there this week. She's a whaling ship, and her captain's looking for sailors".

"What's his name?", Ishmael asks.

"Ahab", the sailor answers. "He's a good captain, and a good harpooner. But he's a strange man".

"Let's go to Nantucket tomorrow", Queequeg tells Ishmael.

The next day, they sail to Nantucket. The Pequod is in the harbor there. They go on board, but they cannot see Captain Ahab. So they speak to Starbuck. Starbuck is the Pequod's first mate. He is a friendly man.

"My friend Queequeg and I are looking for whaling work", Ishmael says.

"That's good. Because we're looking for sailors", Starbuck tells him. "Young man, can you row?"

"Yes", Ishmael answers.

"Good", Starbuck says. "We have four whaling boats on the Pequod. Three boats have a mate, four rowers, and a harpooner. The fourth boat is for Captain Ahab. You can be a rower in my boat, Ishmael. And I need a new harpooner, Queequeg. This man is one of our harpooners, too. Tashtego, meet Queequeg".

Tashtego is a tall man with long, black hair. He says hello to Queequeg.

The next day, the sailors' families come and say goodbye. The Pequod is leaving Nantucket. She's going to sea for four years. So the sailors' families are sad.

Ishmael isn't sad. He's excited. But he has many questions in his head: "Where is Captain Ahab? Is he in his cabin? And when is he going to come and speak to his men?"

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port a town near the sea where ships can stop

ocean a big sea

whale a very big animal that lives in the sea and looks like a fish

sail to go across

whaling when you kill whales; for killing whales

ship you use a ship to go across the water

harbor ships stop here

inn an old name for a hotel

landlord this man has an inn, and works there

empty with nobody, or nothing, in it

harpoon people kill whales with this long, thin thing

captain the most important person on a ship

strange not usual

on board on, or onto, a ship

mate one of the most important people on a ship after the captain

friendly nice and open with people

row to move a boat through water using long pieces of wood

boat a little ship

sad not happy

cabin a room on a ship