brothers and I am the third. Now when our father died and left us a
capital of three thousand gold pieces,[52] I opened a shop with my
share, and bought and sold therein, and in like guise did my two
brothers, each setting up a shop. But I had been in business no long
while before the elder sold his stock for a thousand dinars, and after
buying outfit and merchandise, went his ways to foreign parts. He was
absent one whole year with the caravan; but one day as I sat in my
shop, behold, a beggar stood before me asking alms, and I said to him,
"Allah open thee another door!"[53] Whereupon he answered, weeping the
while, "Am I so changed that thou knowest me not?" Then I looked at him
narrowly, and lo! it was my brother, so I rose to him and welcomed him;
then I seated him in my shop and put questions concerning his case.
"Ask me not," answered he; "my wealth is awaste and my state hath waxed
un-stated!" So I took him to the Hammám-bath[54] and clad him in a suit
of my own and gave him lodging in my house. Moreover, after looking
over the accounts of my stock-in-trade and the profits of my business,
I found that industry had gained me one thousand dinars, while my
principal, the head of my wealth, amounted to two thousand. So I shared
the whole with him, saying, "Assume that thou hast made no journey
abroad but hast remained at home; and be not cast down by thine
ill-luck." He took the share in great glee and opened for himself a
shop; and matters went on quietly for a few nights and days. But
presently my second brother (yon other dog), also setting his heart
upon travel, sold off what goods and stock-in-trade he had, and albeit
we tried to stay him he would not be stayed: he laid in an outfit for
the journey, and fared forth with certain wayfarers. After an absence
of a whole year he came back to me, even as my elder brother had come
back; and when I said to him, "O my brother, did I not dissuade thee
from travel?" he shed tears and cried, "O my brother, this be destiny's
decree: here I am a mere beggar, penniless[55] and without a shirt to
my back." So I led him to the bath, O Jinni, and clothing him in new
clothes of my own wear, I went with him to my shop and served him with
meat and drink. Furthermore I said to him, "O my brother, I am wont to
cast up my shop-accounts at the head of every year, and whatso I shall
find of surplusage is between me and thee."[56] So I proceeded, O
Ifrit, to strike a balance and, finding two thousand dinars of profit,
I returned praises to the Creator (be He extolled and exalted!) and
made over one half to my brother, keeping the other to myself.
Thereupon he busied himself with opening a shop and on this wise we
abode many days. After a time my brothers began pressing me to travel
with them; but I refused, saying, "What gained ye by your voyage that I
should gain thereby?" As I would not give ear to them we went back each
to his own shop where we bought and sold as before. They kept urging me
to travel for a whole twelvemonth, but I refused to do so till full six
years were past and gone when I consented with these words, "O my
brothers, here am I, your companion of travel: now let me see what
monies you have by you." I found, however, that they had not a doit,
having squandered their substance in high diet and drinking and carnal
delights. Yet I spoke not a word of reproach; so far from it I looked
over my shop accounts once more, and sold what goods and stock-in trade
were mine; and, finding myself the owner of six thousand ducats, I
gladly proceeded to divide that sum into halves, saying to my brothers,
"These three thousand gold pieces are for me and for you to trade
withal," adding, "Let us bury the other moiety underground that it may
be of service in case any harm befal us, in which case each shall take
a thousand wherewith to open shops." Both replied, "Right is thy
recking;" and I gave to each one his thousand gold pieces, keeping the
same sum for myself, to wit, a thousand dinars. We then got ready
suitable goods and hired a ship and, having embarked our merchandise,
proceeded on our voyage, day following day, a full month, after which
we arrived at a city, where we sold our venture; and for every piece of
gold we gained ten. And as we turned again to our voyage we found on
the shore of the sea a maiden clad in worn and ragged gear, and she
kissed my hand and said, "O master, is there kindness in thee and
charity? I can make thee a fitting return for them." I answered, "Even
so; truly in me are benevolence and good works, even though thou render
me no return." Then she said, "Take me to wife, O my master, and carry
me to thy city, for I have given myself to thee; so do me a kindness
and I am of those who be meet for good works and charity: I will make
thee a fitting return for these and be thou not shamed by my
condition." When I heard her words, my heart yearned towards her, in
such sort as willed it Allah (be He extolled and exalted!); and took
her and clothed her and made ready for her a fair resting-place in the
vessel, and honourably entreated her. So we voyaged on, and my heart
became attached to her with exceeding attachment, and I was separated
from her neither night nor day, and I paid more regard to her than to
my brothers. Then they were estranged from me, and waxed jealous of my
wealth and the quantity of merchandise I had, and their eyes were
opened covetously upon all my property. So they took counsel to murder
me and seize my wealth, saying, "Let us slay our brother and all his
monies will be ours;" and Satan made this deed seem fair in their
sight; so when they found me in privacy (and I sleeping by my wife's
side) they took us both up and cast us into the sea. My wife awoke
startled from her sleep and, forthright becoming an Ifritah,[57] she
bore me up and carried me to an island and disappeared for a short
time; but she returned in the morning and said "Here am I, thy faithful
slave, who hath made thee due recompense; for I bore thee up in the
waters and saved thee from death by command of the Almighty. Know that
I am a Jinniyah, and as I saw thee my heart loved thee by will of the
Lord, for I am a believer in Allah and in His Apostle (whom Heaven
bless and preserve!). Thereupon I came to thee conditioned as thou
sawest me and thou didst marry me, and see now I have saved thee from
sinking. But I am angered against thy brothers and assuredly I must
slay them." When I heard her story I was surprised and, thanking her
for all she had done, I said, "But as to slaying my brothers this must
not be." Then I told her the tale of what had come to pass with them
from the beginning of our lives to the end, and on hearing it quoth
she, "This night will I fly as a bird over them and will sink their
ship and slay them." Quoth I, "Allah upon thee, do not thus, for the
proverb saith, O thou who doest good to him that doth evil, leave the
evil doer to his evil deeds. Moreover they are still my brothers." But
she rejoined, "By Allah, there is no help for it but I slay them." I
humbled myself before her for their pardon, whereupon she bore me up
and flew away with me till at last she set me down on the terrace-roof
of my own house. I opened the doors and took up what I had hidden in
the ground; and after I had saluted the folk I opened my shop and
bought me merchandise. Now when night came on I went home, and there I
saw these two hounds tied up; and, when they sighted me, they arose and
whined and fawned upon me; but ere I knew what happened my wife said,
"These two dogs be thy brothers!" I answered, "And who hath done this
thing by them?" and she rejoined, "I sent a message to my sister and
she entreated them on this wise, nor shall these two be released from
their present shape till ten years shall have passed." And now I have
arrived at this place on my way to my wife's sister that she may
deliver them from this condition, after their having endured it for
half a score of years. As I was wending onwards I saw this young man,
who acquainted me with what had befallen him, and I determined not to
fare hence until I should see what might occur between thee and him.
Such is my tale! Then said the Jinni, "Surely this is a strange story
and therefor I give thee the third portion of his blood and his crime."
Thereupon quoth the third Shaykh, the master of the mare-mule, to the
Jinni, "I can tell thee a tale more wondrous than these two, so thou
grant me the remainder of his blood and of his offence," and the Jinni
answered, "So be it!" Then the old man began
_THE THIRD SHAYKH'S STORY._
Know, O Sultan and head of the Jann, that this mule was my wife. Now it
so happened that I went forth and was absent one whole year; and when I
returned from my journey I came to her by night, and saw a black slave
lying with her on the carpet-bed, and they were talking, and dallying,
and laughing, and kissing and playing the close-buttock game. When she
saw me, she rose and came hurriedly at me with a gugglet[58] of water;
and, muttering spells over it, she besprinkled me and said, "Come forth
from this thy shape into the shape of a dog;" and I became on the
instant a dog. She drove me out of the house, and I ran through the
doorway nor ceased running until I came to a butcher's stall, where I
stopped and began to eat what bones were there. When the stall-owner
saw me, he took me and led me into his house, but as soon as his
daughter had sight of me she veiled her face from me, crying out, "Dost
thou bring men to me and dost thou come in with them to me?" Her father
asked, "Where is the man?"; and she answered, "This dog is a man whom
his wife hath ensorcelled and I am able to release him." When her
father heard her words, he said, "Allah upon thee, O my daughter,
release him." So she took a gugglet of water and, after uttering words
over it, sprinkled upon me a few drops, saying, "Come forth from that
form into thy former form." And I returned to my natural shape. Then I
kissed her hand and said, "I wish thou wouldest transform my wife even
as she transformed me." Thereupon she gave me some water, saying, "As
soon as thou see her asleep, sprinkle this liquid upon her and speak
what words thou heardest me utter, so shall she become whatsoever thou
desirest." I went to my wife and found her fast asleep; and, while
sprinkling the water upon her, I said, "Come forth from that form into
the form of a mare-mule." So she became on the instant a she-mule, and
she it is whom thou seest with thine eyes, O Sultan and head of the
Kings of the Jann! Then the Jinni turned towards her and said, "Is this
sooth?" And she nodded her head and replied by signs, "Indeed, 'tis the
truth: for such is my tale and this is what hath befallen me." Now when
the old man had ceased speaking the Jinni shook with pleasure and gave
him the third of the merchant's blood.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth Dunyazad,
"O, my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and how tasteful; how sweet
and how grateful!" She replied, "And what is this compared with that I
could tell thee, the night to come, if I live and the King spare
me?"[59] Then thought the King, "By Allah, I will not slay her until I
hear the rest of her tale, for truly it is wondrous." So they rested
that night in mutual embrace until the dawn. After this the King went
forth to his Hall of Estate, and the Wazir and the troops came in and
the court was crowded, and the King gave orders and judged and
appointed and deposed, bidding and forbidding during the rest of the
day. Then the Divan broke up, and King Shahryar entered his palace.
Now when it was the Third Night,
And the King had had his will of the Wazir's daughter, Dunyazad, her
sister, said to her, "Finish for us that tale of thine;" and she
replied, "With joy and goodly gree! It hath reached me, O auspicious
King, that when the third old man told a tale to the Jinni more
wondrous than the two preceding, the Jinni marvelled with exceeding
marvel; and, shaking with delight, cried, "Lo! I have given thee the
remainder of the merchant's punishment and for thy sake have I released
him." Thereupon the merchant embraced the old men and thanked them, and
these Shaykhs wished him joy on being saved and fared forth each one
for his own city. Yet this tale is not more wondrous than the
fisherman's story." Asked the King, "What is the fisherman?s story?"
And she answered by relating the tale of
-----
Footnote 40:
Travellers tell of a peculiar knack of jerking the date-stone, which
makes it strike with great force: I never saw this "Inwá" practised,
but it reminds me of the water-splashing with one hand in the German
baths.
Footnote 41:
_i.e._, sorely against his will.
Footnote 42:
Arab. "Shaykh"=an old man (primarily), an elder, a chief (of the
tribe, guild, etc.); and honourably addressed to any man. Comp. among
the neo-Latins "Sieur," "Signore," "Señor," "Senhor," etc. from Lat.
"Senior," which gave our "Sire" and "Sir." Like many in Arabic the
word has a host of different meanings and most of them will occur in
the course of The Nights. Ibrahim (Abraham) was the first Shaykh or
man who became grey. Seeing his hairs whiten he cried, "O Allah what
is this?" and the answer came that it was a sign of dignified
gravity. Hereupon he exclaimed, "O Lord increase this to me!" and so
it happened till his locks waxed snowy white at the age of one
hundred and fifty. He was the first who parted his hair, trimmed his
mustachios, cleaned his teeth with the Miswák (tooth-stick), pared
his nails, shaved his pecten, snuffed up water, used ablution after
stool and wore a shirt (Tabari).
Footnote 43:
The word is mostly plural=Jinnís: it is also singular=a demon; and
Ján bin Ján has been noticed.
Footnote 44:
With us moderns "liver" suggests nothing but malady: in Arabic and
Persian as in the classic literature of Europe it is the seat of
passion, the heart being that of affection. Of this more presently.
Footnote 45:
Originally in Al-Islam the concubine (Surriyat, etc.) was a captive
taken in war and the Koran says nothing about buying slave-girls. But
if the captives were true believers the Moslem was ordered to marry
not to keep them. In modern days concubinage has become an extensive
subject. Practically the disadvantage is that the slave-girls,
knowing themselves to be the master's property, consider him bound to
sleep with them; which is by no means the mistress's view. Some
wives, however, when old and childless, insist, after the fashion of
Sarah, upon the husband taking a young concubine and treat her like a
daughter—which is rare. The Nights abound in tales of concubines, but
these are chiefly owned by the Caliphs and high officials who did
much as they pleased. The only redeeming point in the system is that
it obviated the necessity of prostitution which is, perhaps, the
greatest evil known to modern society.
Footnote 46:
Arab. "Al-Kahánah"=the craft of a "Káhin" (Heb. Cohen) a diviner,
soothsayer, etc.
Footnote 47:
Arab. "Id al-kabír"=The Great Festival; the Turkish Bayrám and Indian
Bakar-eed (Kine-fête), the pilgrimage-time, also termed "Festival of
the Kurbán" (sacrifice) because victims are slain; Al-Zuha (of Undurn
or forenoon), Al-Azhá (of serene night) and Al-Nahr (of
throat-cutting). For full details I must refer readers to my
"Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah" (3
vols. 8vo. London, Longmans, 1855). I shall have often to refer to
it.
Footnote 48:
Arab. "Kalám al-mubáh," _i.e._, that allowed or permitted to her by
the King, her husband.
Footnote 49:
Moslem Kings are expected, like the old Guebre Monarchs, to hold
"Darbar" (_i.e._, give public audience) at least twice a day, morning
and evening. Neglect of this practice caused the ruin of the
Caliphate and of the Persian and Moghul Empires: the great lords were
left uncontrolled and the lieges revolted to obtain justice. The
Guebre Kings had two levée places, the Rozistan (day station) and the
Shabistan (night-station—istán or stán being a nominal form of
istádan, to stand, as Hindo-stán). Moreover one day in the week the
sovereign acted as "Mufti" or Supreme Judge.
Footnote 50:
Arab. "Al-Bashárah," the gift everywhere claimed in the East and in
Boccaccio's Italy by one who brings good news. Those who do the
reverse expose themselves to a sound strappado.
Footnote 51:
A euphemistic formula, to avoid mentioning unpleasant matters. I
shall note these for the benefit of students who would honestly
prepare for the public service in Moslem lands.
Footnote 52:
Arab. "Dinár," from the Latin denarius (a silver coin worth ten
ounces of brass) through the Greek δηνάριον: it is a Koranic word
(chapt. iii.) though its Arab equivalent is "Miskál." It also occurs
in the Kathá before quoted, clearly showing the derivation. In the
"Book of Kalilah and Dimnah" it is represented by the Daric or
Persian Dinár, δαρεικός, from Dárá=a King (whence Darius). The Dinar,
sequin or ducat, contained at different times from 10 and 12 (Abu
Hanifah's day) to 20 and even 25 dirhams or drachmas; and, as a
weight, represented a drachma and a half. Its value greatly varied,
but we may assume it here at nine shillings or ten francs to half a
sovereign. For an elaborate article on the Dinar see Yule's "Cathay
and the Way Thither" (ii., pp. 439-443).
Footnote 53:
The formula used in refusing alms to an "asker" or in rejecting an
insufficient offer: "Allah will open to thee!" (some door of gain—not
mine)! Another favourite ejaculation is "Allah Karim" (which Turks
pronounce "Kyereem")=Allah is All-beneficent: meaning Ask Him, not
me.
Footnote 54:
The public bath. London knows the word through "The Hummums."
Footnote 55:
Arab. "Dirham" (Plur. diráhim, also used in the sense of money,
"siller"), the Gr. δραχμή and the drachuma of Plautus (Trin. 2, 4,
23). The word occurs in the Panchatantra also showing the derivation;
and in the Syriac Kalilah wa Dimnah it is "Zúz." This silver piece
was=6 obols (9¾d.) and as a weight=66½ grains. The Dirham of The
Nights was worth six "Dánik," each of these being a fraction over a
penny. The modern Greek Drachma is=one franc.
Footnote 56:
In Arabic the speaker always puts himself first, even if he address
the King, without intending incivility.
Footnote 57:
A she-Ifrit, not necessarily an evil spirit.
Footnote 58:
Arab. "Kullah" (in Egypt pron. "gulleh"), the wide-mouthed jug,
called in the Hijaz "baradiyah;" "daurak" being the narrow. They are
used either for water or sherbet and, being made of porous clay,
"sweat," and keep the contents cool; hence all old Anglo-Egyptians
drink from them, not from bottles. Sometimes they are perfumed with
smoke of incense, mastich or Kafal (Amyris Kafal). For their graceful
shapes See Lane's "Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern
Egyptians" (chapt. v). I quote, here and elsewhere, from the fifth
edition, London, Murray, 1860.
Footnote 59:
"And what is?" etc. A popular way of expressing great difference. So
in India:—"Where is Rajah Bhoj (the great King) and where is Gangá
the oilman?"
THE FISHERMAN AND THE JINNI.
It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that there was a Fisherman well
stricken in years who had a wife and three children, and withal was of
poor condition. Now it was his custom to cast his net every day four
times, and no more. On a day he went forth about noontide to the sea
shore, where he laid down his basket; and, tucking up his shirt and
plunging into the water, made a cast with his net and waited till it
settled to the bottom. Then he gathered the cords together and haled
away at it, but found it weighty; and however much he drew it
landwards, he could not pull it up; so he carried the ends ashore and
drove a stake into the ground and made the net fast to it. Then he
stripped and dived into the water all about the net, and left not off
working hard until he had brought it up. He rejoiced thereat and,
donning his clothes, went to the net, when he found in it a dead
jackass which had torn the meshes. Now when he saw it, he exclaimed in
his grief, "There is no Majesty, and there is no Might save in Allah
the Glorious, the Great!" Then quoth he, "This is a strange manner of
daily bread;" and he began reciting in extempore verse:—
O toiler through the glooms of night in peril and in pain ✿ Thy toiling
stint for daily bread comes not by might and main!
Seest thou not the fisher seek afloat upon the sea ✿ His bread, while
glimmer stars of night as set in tangled skein.
Anon he plungeth in despite the buffet of the waves ✿ The while to
sight the bellying net his eager glances strain;
Till joying at the night's success, a fish he bringeth home ✿ Whose
gullet by the hook of Fate was caught and cut in twain.
When buys that fish of him a man who spent the hours of night ✿
Reckless of cold and wet and gloom in ease and comfort fain,
Laud to the Lord who gives to this, to that denies his wishes ✿ And
dooms one toil and catch the prey and other eat the fishes.[60]
Then quoth he, "Up and to it; I am sure of His beneficence, Inshallah!"
So he continued:—
When thou art seized of Evil Fate, assume ✿ The noble soul's
long-suffering: 'tis thy best:
Complain not to the creature; this be 'plaint ✿ From one most Ruthful
to the ruthlessest.
The Fisherman, when he had looked at the dead ass, got it free of the
toils and wrung out and spread his net; then he plunged into the sea,
saying, "In Allah's name!" and made a cast and pulled at it, but it
grew heavy and settled down more firmly than the first time. Now he
thought that there were fish in it, and he made it fast, and doffing
his clothes went into the water, and dived and haled until he drew it
up upon dry land. Then found he in it a large earthen pitcher which was
full of sand and mud; and seeing this he was greatly troubled and began
repeating these verses[61]:—
Forbear, O troubles of the world, ✿ And pardon an ye nill forbear:
I went to seek my daily bread ✿ I find that breadless I must fare:
For neither handcraft brings me aught ✿ Nor Fate allots to me a share:
How many fools the Pleiads reach ✿ While darkness whelms the wise and
ware.
So he prayed pardon of Allah and, throwing away the jar, wrung his net
and cleansed it and returned to the sea the third time to cast his net
and waited till it had sunk. Then he pulled at it and found therein
potsherds and broken glass; whereupon he began to speak these verses:—
He is to thee that daily bread thou canst nor loose nor bind ✿ Nor pen
nor writ avail thee aught thy daily bread to find:
For joy and daily bread are what Fate deigneth to allow; ✿ This soil is
sad and sterile ground, while that makes glad the hind.
The shafts of Time and Life bear down full many a man of worth ✿ While
bearing up to high degree wights of ignoble mind.
So come thou, Death! for verily life is not worth a straw ✿ When low
the falcon falls withal the mallard wings the wind:
No wonder 'tis thou seest how the great of soul and mind ✿ Are poor,
and many a losel carle to height of luck designed.
This bird shall overfly the world from east to furthest west ✿ And that
shall win her every wish though ne'er she leave the nest.
Then raising his eyes heavenwards he said, "O my God!"[62] verily Thou
wottest that I cast not my net each day save four times;[63] the third
is done and as yet Thou hast vouchsafed me nothing. So this time, O my
God, deign give me my daily bread. Then, having called on Allah's
name,[64] he again threw his net and waited its sinking and settling;
whereupon he haled at it but could not draw it in for that it was
entangled at the bottom. He cried out in his vexation "There is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah!" and he began reciting:—
Fie on this wretched world, an so it be ✿ I must be whelmed by grief
and misery:
Tho' gladsome be man's lot when dawns the morn ✿ He drains the cup of
woe ere eve he see:
Yet was I one of whom the world when asked ✿ "Whose lot is happiest?"
oft would say "'Tis he!"
[Illustration]
Thereupon he stripped and, diving down to the net, busied himself with
it till it came to land. Then he opened the meshes and found therein a
cucumber-shaped jar of yellow copper,[65] evidently full of something,
whose mouth was made fast with a leaden cap, stamped with the seal-ring
of our Lord Sulayman son of David (Allah accept the twain!). Seeing
this the Fisherman rejoiced and said, "If I sell it in the brass-bazar
'tis worth ten golden dinars." He shook it and finding it heavy
continued, "Would to Heaven I knew what is herein. But I must and will
open it and look to its contents and store it in my bag and sell it in
the brass-market." And taking out a knife he worked at the lead till he
had loosened it from the jar; then he laid the cup on the ground and
shook the vase to pour out whatever might be inside. He found nothing
in it; whereat he marvelled with an exceeding marvel. But presently
there came forth from the jar a smoke which spired heavenwards into
æther (whereat he again marvelled with mighty marvel), and which
trailed along earth's surface till presently, having reached its full
height, the thick vapour condensed, and became an Ifrit, huge of bulk,
whose crest touched the clouds while his feet were on the ground. His
head was as a dome, his hands like pitchforks, his legs long as masts
and his mouth big as a cave; his teeth were like large stones, his
nostrils ewers, his eyes two lamps and his look was fierce and
lowering. Now when the fisherman saw the Ifrit his side muscles
quivered, his teeth chattered, his spittle dried up and he became blind
about what to do. Upon this the Ifrit looked at him and cried, "There
is no god but _the_ God, and Sulayman is the prophet of God;" presently
adding, "O Apostle of Allah, slay me not; never again will I gainsay
thee in word nor sin against thee in deed."[66] Quoth the Fisherman, "O
Márid,[67] diddest thou say, Sulayman the Apostle of Allah; and
Sulayman is dead some thousand and eight hundred years ago,[68] and we
are now in the last days of the world! What is thy story, and what is
thy account of thyself, and what is the cause of thy entering into this
cucurbit?" Now when the Evil Spirit heard the words of the Fisherman,
quoth he; "There is no god but _the_ God: be of good cheer, O
Fisherman!" Quoth the Fisherman, "Why biddest thou me to be of good
cheer?" and he replied, "Because of thy having to die an ill death in
this very hour." Said the Fisherman, "Thou deservest for thy good
tidings the withdrawal of Heaven's protection, O thou distant one![69]
Wherefore shouldest thou kill me and what thing have I done to deserve
death, I who freed thee from the jar, and saved thee from the depths of
the sea, and brought thee up on the dry land?" Replied the Ifrit, "Ask
of me only what mode of death thou wilt die, and by what manner of
slaughter shall I slay thee." Rejoined the Fisherman, "What is my crime
and wherefore such retribution?"
Quoth the Ifrit, "Hear my story, O Fisherman!" and he answered, "Say
on, and be brief in thy saying, for of very sooth my life-breath is in
my nostrils."[70] Thereupon quoth the Jinni, "Know, that I am one among
the heretical Jann and I sinned against Sulayman, David-son (on the
twain be peace!) I together with the famous Sakhr al-Jinni;[71]
whereupon the Prophet sent his minister, Asaf son of Barkhiyá, to seize
me; and this Wazir brought me against my will and led me in bonds to
him (I being downcast despite my nose) and he placed me standing before
him like a suppliant. When Sulayman saw me, he took refuge with Allah
and bade me embrace the True Faith and obey his behests; but I refused,
so sending for this cucurbit[72] he shut me up therein, and stopped it
over with lead whereon he impressed the Most High Name, and gave his
orders to the Jann who carried me off, and cast me into the midmost of
the ocean. There I abode an hundred years, during which I said in my
heart, "Whoso shall release me, him will I enrich for ever and ever."
But the full century went by and, when no one set me free, I entered
upon the second five score saying, "Whoso shall release me, for him I
will open the hoards of the earth." Still no one set me free and thus
four hundred years passed away. Then quoth I, "Whoso shall release me,
for him will I fulfil three wishes." Yet no one set me free. Thereupon
I waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and said to myself, "Whoso shall
release me from this time forth, him will I slay and I will give him
choice of what death he will die; and now, as thou hast released me, I
give thee full choice of deaths." The Fisherman, hearing the words of
the Ifrit, said, "O Allah! the wonder of it that I have not come to
free thee save in these days!" adding, "Spare my life, so Allah spare
thine; and slay me not, lest Allah set one to slay thee." Replied the
Contumacious One, "There is no help for it; die thou must; so ask me by
way of boon what manner of death thou wilt die." Albeit thus certified
the Fisherman again addressed the Ifrit saying, "Forgive me this my
death as a generous reward for having freed thee;" and the Ifrit,
"Surely I would not slay thee save on account of that same release." "O
Chief of the Ifrits," said the Fisherman, "I do thee good and thou
requitest me with evil! in very sooth the old saw lieth not when it
saith:—
We wrought them weal, they met our weal with ill; ✿ Such, by my life!
is every bad man's labour:
To him who benefits unworthy wights ✿ Shall hap what hapt to
Ummi-Amir's neighbour.[73]