The Tale of the Unknown Island
 First edition | |
| Author | José Saramago |
|---|---|
| Original title | O Conto da Ilha Desconhecida |
| Translator | Margaret Jull Costa |
| Illustrator | Bartolomeu Dos Santos |
| Country | Portugal |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Genre | Short story |
| Publisher | Assirio & Alvim (Portugal) The Harvill Press (UK) Harcourt Brace (US) |
Publication date | 1997 |
Published in English | November 1999 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 42 pp |
"The Tale of the Unknown Island" (Portuguese: O conto da ilha desconhecida) is a short story by Portuguese author José Saramago. It was published in Portuguese in 1997, and English in 1999.
Plot
A man requests the king of his country to give him a boat so he can go in search for "the unknown island". The king questions him about the existence of such an island and tries to convince the man that all islands already appear on maps. The man states that only the known islands do. This debate concludes with the king granting him a boat.
During the following passages the man's quest to know himself expands into greater introspection. There he finds, much to his amazement, that the journey of exploration has started even before he has set the sails on the ship. He brings the floor cleaner from the Castle of the King to help him in his journey. Throughout the trip the two reveal feelings for each other and, perhaps, though it is not certain, they discover the unknown island.
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