The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
My good friend fisherman, replies the genie, I conjure thee once
more not to be guilty of so cruel a thing; consider that it is
not good to avenge one's self, and that, on the other hand, it is
commendable to do good for evil; do not treat me as Imama treated
Ateca formerly. And what did Imama to Ateca, replies the
fisherman? Ho! says the genie, if you have a mind to know it,
open the vessel; do you think that I can be in a humour to tell
stories in so strait a prison? I will tell you as many as you
please when you let me out. No, says the fisherman, I will not
let thee out, it is in vain to talk of it; I am just going to
throw you into the bottom of the sea. Hear me one word more,
cries the genie, I promise to do thee no hurt; nay, so far from
that, I will show thee a way how thou mayst become exceeding
rich.
The hope of delivering himself from poverty prevailed with the
fisherman. I could listen to thee says he, were there any credit
to be given to thy word; swear to me by the great name of God,
that you will faithfully perform what you promise, and I will
open the vessel; I do not believe you will dare to break such an
oath.
The genie swore to him, and the fisherman immediately took off
the covering of the vessel. At that very instant the smoke came
out, and the genie having resumed his form as before, the first
thing he did was to kick the vessel into the sea. This action
frightened the fisherman: Genie, says he, what is the meaning of
that; will not you keep the oath you made, just now? And must I
say to you as the physician Douban said to the Grecian king,
Suffer me to live, and God will prolong your days.
The genie laughed at the fisherman's fear, and answered, No,
fisherman, be not afraid, I only did it to divert myself, and to
see if thou wouldst be alarmed at it: But, to persuade thee that
I am in earnest, take thy net and follow me. As he spoke these
words, he walked before the fisherman, who, having taken up his
nets, followed him, but with some distrust: They passed by the
town, and came to the top of a mountain, from whence they
descended into a vast plain, which brought them to a great pond
that lay betwixt four hills,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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