this time, a poor man, who I thought had come to ask alms,
presented himself before me in my shop. I said to him, "God help
you." He returned my salutation, and continued, "Is it possible
you do not know me?" Upon this I looked at him narrowly, and
recognised him: "Ah, brother," cried I, embracing him, "how could
I know you in this condition?" I made him come into my house, and
asked him concerning his health and the success of his travels.
"Do not ask me that question," said he; "when you see me, you see
all: it would only renew my grief, to relate to you the
particulars of the misfortunes I have experienced since I left
you, which have reduced me to my present condition."
I immediately shut up my shop, and taking him to a bath, gave him
the best clothes I had. Finding on examining my books, that I had
doubled my stock, that is to say, that I was worth two thousand
sequins, I gave him one half; "With that," said I, "brother, you
may make up your loss." He joyfully accepted the present, and
having repaired his fortunes, we lived together, as before.
Some time after, my second brother, who is the other of these two
dogs, would also sell his estate. His elder brother and myself
did all we could to divert him from his purpose, but without
effect. He disposed of it, and with the money bought such goods
as were suitable to the trade which he designed to follow. He
joined a caravan, and departed. At the end of the year he
returned in the same condition as my other brother. Having myself
by this time gained another thousand sequins, I made him a
present of them. With this sum he furnished his shop, and
continued his trade.
Some time after, one of my brothers came to me to propose that I
should join them in a trading voyage; I immediately declined.
"You have travelled," said I, "and what have you gained by it?
Who can assure me, that I shall be more successful than you have
been?" It was in vain that they urged open me all the
considerations they thought likely to gain me over to their
design, for I constantly refused; but after having resisted their
solicitations five whole years, they importuned me so much, that
at last they overcame my resolution. When, however, the time
arrived that we were to make preparations for our voyage, to buy
the goods necessary to the undertaking, I found they had spent
all, and had not one dirhem left of the thousand sequins I had
given to each of them. I did not, on this account, upbraid them.
On the contrary, my stock being still six thousand sequins, I
shared the half of it with them, telling them, "My brothers, we
must venture these three thousand sequins, and hide the rest in
some secure place: that in case our voyage be not more successful
than yours was formerly, we may have wherewith to assist us, and
to enable us to follow our ancient way of living." I gave each of
them a thousand sequins, and keeping as much for myself, I buried
the other three thousand in a corner of my house. We purchased
goods, and having embarked them on board a vessel, which we
freighted betwixt us, we put to sea with a favourable wind.
After two months sail, we arrived happily at port, where we
landed, and had a very good market for our goods. I, especially,
sold mine so well, that I gained ten to one. With the produce we
bought commodities of that country, to carry back with us for
sale.
When we were ready to embark on our return, I met on the sea-shore a
lady, handsome enough, but poorly clad. She walked up to me
gracefully, kissed my hand, besought me with the greatest earnestness
imaginable to marry her, and take her along with me. I made some
difficulty to agree to this proposal; but she urged so many things to
persuade me that I ought not to object to her on account of her
poverty, and that I should have all the reason in the world to be
satisfied with her conduct, that at last I yielded. I ordered proper
apparel to be made for her; and after having married her, according to
form, I took her on board, and we set sail. I found my wife possessed
so many good qualities, that my love to her every day increased. In
the mean time my two brothers, who had not managed their affairs as
successfully as I had mine, envied my prosperity; and suffered their
feelings to carry them so far, that they conspired against my life;
and one night, when my wife and I were asleep, threw us both into the
sea.
My wife proved to be a fairy, and, by consequence, a genie, so
that she could not be drowned; but for me, it is certain I must
have perished, without her help. I had scarcely fallen into the
water, when she took me up, and carried me to an island. When day
appeared, she said to me, "You see, husband, that by saving your
life, I have not rewarded you ill for your kindness to me. You
must know, that I am a fairy, and being upon the sea-shore, when
you were going to embark, I felt a strong desire to have you for
my husband; I had a mind to try your goodness, and presented
myself before you in disguise. You have dealt generously by me,
and I am glad of an opportunity of returning my acknowledgment.
But I am incensed against your brothers, and nothing will satisfy
me but their lives."
I listened to this discourse with admiration; I thanked the fairy
the best way I could, for the great kindness she had done me;
"But, Madam," said I, "as for my brothers, I beg you to pardon
them; whatever cause of resentment they have given me, I am not
cruel enough to desire their death." I then informed her what I
had done for them, but this increased her indignation; and she
exclaimed, "I must immediately pursue those ungrateful traitors,
and take speedy vengeance on them. I will destroy their vessel,
and sink them into the bottom of the sea." "My good lady,"
replied I, "for heaven's sake forbear; moderate your anger,
consider that they are my brothers, and that we ought to return
good for evil."
I pacified her by these words; and as soon as I had concluded,
she transported me in a moment from the island to the roof of my
own house, which was terraced, and instantly disappeared. I
descended, opened the doors, and dug up the three thousand
sequins I had formerly secreted. I went afterwards to my shop,
which I also opened; and was complimented by the merchants, my
neighbours, upon my return. When I went back to my house, I
perceived there two black dogs, which came up to me in a very
submissive manner: I could not divine the meaning of this
circumstance, which greatly astonished me. But the fairy, who
immediately appeared, said, "Husband, be not surprised to see
these dogs, they are your brothers." I was troubled at this
declaration, and asked her by what power they were so
transformed. "I did it," said she, "or at least authorised one of
my sisters to do it, who at the same time sunk their ship. You
have lost the goods you had on board, but I will compensate you
another way. As to your two brothers, I have condemned them to
remain five years in that shape. Their perfidiousness too well
deserves such a penance." Having thus spoken and told me where I
might hear of her, she disappeared.
"The five years being now nearly expired, I am travelling in quest
of her; and as I passed this way, I met this merchant, and the
good old man who led the hind, and sat down by them. This is my
history, O prince of genies! do not you think it very
extraordinary?"
"I own it is," replied the genie, "and on that account I remit the
merchant the second third of the crime which he has committed against
me."
As soon as the second old man had finished, the third began his
story, after repeating the request of the two former, that the
genie would pardon the merchant the other third of his crime,
provided what he should relate surpassed in singularity of
incidents the narratives he had already heard. The genie made him
the same promise as he had given the others.
The third old man related his story to the genie; and it exceeded
the two former stories so much, in the variety of wonderful
adventures, that the genie was astonished; and no sooner heard
the conclusion, than he said to the old man, "I remit the other
third of the merchant's crime on account of your story. He is
greatly obliged to all of you, for having delivered him out of
his danger by what you have related, for to this he owes his
life." Having spoken thus he disappeared, to the great
contentment of the company.
The merchant failed not to make due acknowledgment to his
deliverers. They rejoiced to see him out of danger; and bidding
him adieu, each of them proceeded on his way. The merchant
returned to his wife and children, and passed the rest of his
days with them in peace.
THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN.
There was an aged fisherman, who was so poor, that he could
scarcely as much as would maintain himself, his wife, and three
children. He went every day to fish betimes in the morning; and
imposed it as a law upon himself, not to cast his nets above four
times a-day. He went one morning by moon-light, and coming to the
seaside, undressed himself, and cast in his nets. As he drew them
towards the shore, he found them very heavy, and thought he had a
good draught of fish, at which he rejoiced; but in a moment
after, perceiving that instead of fish his nets contained nothing
but the carcass of an ass, he was much vexed.
When the fisherman had mended his nets, which the carcass of the
ass had broken in several places, he threw them in a second time;
and when he drew them, found a great deal of resistance, which
made him think he had taken abundance of fish; but he found
nothing except a basket full of gravel and slime, which grieved
him extremely. "O fortune!" cried he, with a lamentable tone, "be
not angry with me, nor persecute a wretch who prays thee to spare
him. I came hither from my house to seek for my livelihood, and
thou pronouncest against me a sentence of death. I have no other
trade but this to subsist by: and notwithstanding all my care, I
can scarcely provide what is absolutely necessary for my family.
But I am to blame to complain of thee; thou takest pleasure to
persecute honest people, and to leave great men in obscurity,
while thou shewest favour to the wicked, and advancest those who
have no virtue to recommend them."
Having finished this complaint, he fretfully threw away the
basket, and washing his nets from the slime, cast them the third
time; but brought up nothing, except stones, shells, and mud. No
language can express his disappointment; he was almost
distracted. However, when day began to appear, he did not forget
to say his prayers, like a good Moosulmaun, and he added to them
this petition: "Lord, thou knowest that I cast my nets only four
times a day; I have already drawn them three times, without the
least reward for my labour: I am only to cast them once more; I
pray thee to render the sea favourable to me, as thou didst to
Moses."
The fisherman having finished this prayer, cast his nets the
fourth time; and when he thought it was proper, drew them as
formerly, with great difficulty; but instead of fish, found
nothing in them but a vessel of yellow copper, which from its
weight seemed not to be empty; and he observed that it was shut
up and sealed with lead, having the impression of a seal upon it.
This turn of fortune rejoiced him; "I will sell it," said he, "to
the founder, and with the money buy a measure of corn." He
examined the vessel on all sides, and shook it, to try if its
contents made any noise, but heard nothing. This circumstance,
with the impression of the seal upon the leaden cover, made him
think it inclosed something precious. To try this, he took a
knife, and opened it with very little labour. He turned the mouth
downward, but nothing came out; which surprised him extremely. He
placed it before him, but while he viewed it attentively, there
came out a very thick smoke, which obliged him to retire two or
three paces back.
The smoke ascended to the clouds, and extending itself along the
sea and upon the shore formed a great mist, which we may well
imagine filled the fisherman with astonishment. When the smoke
was all out of the vessel, it re-united and became a solid body,
of which was formed a genie twice as high as the greatest of
giants. At the sight of a monster of such an unwieldy bulk, the
fisherman would fain have fled, but was so frightened, that he
could not move.
"Solomon," cried the genie immediately, "Solomon, the great
prophet, pardon, pardon; I will never more oppose your will, I
will obey all your commands."
When the fisherman heard these words of the genie, he recovered
his courage, and said to him, "Thou proud spirit, what is it you
say? It is above eighteen hundred years since the prophet Solomon
died, and we are now at the end of time. Tell me your history,
and how you came to be shut up in this vessel."
The genie turning to the fisherman, with a fierce look, said.
"Thou must speak to me with more respect; thou art a presumptuous
fellow to call me a proud spirit." "Very well," replied the
fisherman, "shall I speak to you more civilly, and call you the
owl of good luck?" "I say," answered the genie, "speak to me more
respectfully, or I will kill thee." "Ah!" replied the fisherman,
"why would you kill me? Did I not just now set you at liberty,
and have you already forgotten my services?" "Yes, I remember
it," said the genie, "but that shall not save thy life: I have
only one favour to grant thee." "And what is that?" asked the
fisherman. "It is," answered the genie, "to give thee thy choice,
in what manner thou wouldst have me put thee to death." "But
wherein have I offended you?" demanded the fisherman. "Is that
your reward for the service I have rendered you?" "I cannot treat
thee otherwise," said the genie; "and that thou mayest know the
reason, hearken to my story."
"I am one of those rebellious spirits that opposed the will of
heaven; nearly all the other genies owned Solomon, the great
prophet, and yielded to his authority. Sabhir and I were the only
two that would never be guilty of a mean submission: and to
avenge himself, that great monarch sent Asaph, the son of
Barakhia, his chief minister, to apprehend me. That was
accordingly done. Asaph seized my person, and brought me by force
before his master's throne.
"Solomon, the son of David, commanded me to acknowledge his
power, and to submit to his commands: I bravely refused, and told
him, I would rather expose myself to his resentment, than swear
fealty as he required. To punish me, he shut me up in this copper
vessel; and that I might not break my prison, he himself stamps
upon this leaden cover, his seal with the great name of God
engraver upon it. He then gave the vessel to one of the genies
who had submitted, with orders to throw me into the sea, which to
my sorrow were executed.
"During the first hundred years of my imprisonment, I swore that
if any one should deliver me before the expiration of that
period, I would make him rich, even after his death: but that
century ran out, and nobody did me that good office. During the
second, I made an oath, that I would open all the treasures of
the earth to any one that might set me at liberty; but with no
better success. In the third, I promised to make my deliverer a
potent monarch, to be always near him in spirit, and to grant him
every day three requests, of what nature soever they might be:
but this century passed as well as the two former, and I
continued in prison. At last being angry, or rather mad, to find
myself a prisoner so long, I swore, that if afterwards any one
should deliver me, I would kill him without mercy, and grant him
no other favour but to choose the manner of his death; and
therefore, since thou hast delivered me to-day, I give thee that
choice."
This discourse afflicted the fisherman extremely: "I am very
unfortunate," cried he, "to come hither to do such a kindness to
one that is so ungrateful. I beg you to consider your injustice,
and revoke such an unreasonable oath; pardon me, and heaven will
pardon you; if you grant me my life, heaven will protest you from
all attempts against your own." "No, thy death is resolved on,"
said the genie, "only choose in what manner you will die." The
fisherman perceiving the genie to be resolute, was extremely
grieved, not so much for himself, as on account of his three
children; and bewailed the misery they must be reduced to by his
death. He endeavoured still to appease the genie, and said,
"Alas! be pleased to take pity on me, in consideration of the
service I have done you." "I have told thee already," replied the
genie, "it is for that very reason I must kill thee." "That is
strange," said the fisherman, "are you resolved to reward good
with evil? The proverb says, 'That he who does good to one who
deserves it not is always ill rewarded.' I must confess, I
thought it was false; for certainly there can be nothing more
contrary to reason, or the laws of society. Nevertheless, I find
now by cruel experience that it is but too true." "Do not lose
time," interrupted the genie; "all thy reasonings shall not
divert me from my purpose: make haste, and tell me what kind of
death thou preferest?"
Necessity is the mother of invention. The fisherman bethought
himself of a stratagem. "Since I must die then," said he to the
genie, "I submit to the will of heaven; but before I choose the
manner of my death, I conjure you by the great name which was
engraver upon the seal of the prophet Solomon, the son of David,
to answer me truly the question I am going to ask you."
The genie finding himself obliged to a positive answer by this
adjuration, trembled; and replied to the fisherman, "Ask what
thou wilt, but make haste."
The fisherman then said to him, "I wish to know if you were
actually in this vessel: Dare you swear it by the name of the
great God?" "Yes," replied the genie, "I do swear by that great
name, that I was." "In good faith," answered the fisherman, "I
cannot believe you; the vessel is not capable of holding one of
your size, and how should it be possible that your whole body
should lie in it?" "I swear to thee, notwithstanding," replied
the genie, "that I was there just as you see me here: Is it
possible, that thou cost not believe me after the solemn oath I
have taken?" "Truly not I," said the fisherman; "nor will I
believe you, unless you go into the vessel again."
Upon which the body of the genie dissolved and changed itself
into smoke, extending as before upon the sea shore; and at last,
being collected, it began to re-enter the vessel, which it
continued to do by a slow and equal motion, till no part remained
out; when immediately a voice came forth, which said to the
fisherman, "Well now, incredulous fellow, I am in the vessel, do
not you believe me now?"
The fisherman, instead of answering the genie, took the cover of
lead, and having speedily replaced it on the vessel, "Genie,"
cried he, "now it is your turn to beg my favour, and to choose
which way I shall put you to death; but not so, it is better that
I should throw you into the sea, whence I took you: and then I
will build a house upon the shore, where I will reside and give
notice to all fishermen who come to throw in their nets, to
beware of such a wicked genie as thou art, who hast made an oath
to kill him that shall set thee at liberty."
The genie, enraged at these expressions, struggled to set himself
at liberty; but it was impossible, for the impression of
Solomon's seal prevented him. Perceiving that the fisherman had
got the advantage of him, for he thought fit to dissemble his
anger; "Fishermen," said he, "take heed you do not what you
threaten; for what I spoke to you was only by way of jest." "O
genie!" replied the fisherman, "thou who wast but a moment ago
the greatest of all genies, and now art the least of them, thy
crafty discourse will signify nothing, to the sea thou shalt
return. If thou hast been there already so long as thou hast told
me, thou may'st very well stay there till the day of judgment. I
begged of thee in God's name not to take away my life, and thou
didst reject my prayers; I am obliged to treat thee in the same
manner."
The genie omitted nothing that he thought likely to prevail with
the fisherman: "Open the vessel," said he, "give me my liberty,
and I promise to satisfy thee to thy own content." "Thou art a
traitor," replied the fisherman, "I should deserve to lose my
life, if I were such a fool as to trust thee: thou wilt not fail
to treat me in the same manner as a certain Grecian king treated
the physician Douban. It is a story I have a mind to tell thee,
therefore listen to it."
The Story of the Grecian King and the Physician Douban.
There was in the country of Yunaun or Greece, a king who was
leprous, and his physicians had in vain endeavoured his cure;
when a very able physician, named Douban, arrived at his court.
This physician had learnt the theory of his profession in Greek,
Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Latin, Syriac, and Hebrew books; he was
an experienced natural philosopher, and fully understood the good
and bad qualities of plants and drugs. As soon as he was informed
of the king's distemper, and understood that his physicians had
given him over, he found means to present himself before him. "I
know," said he, after the usual ceremonials, "that your majesty's
physicians have not been able to heal you of the leprosy; but if
you will accept my service, I will engage to cure you without
potions, or external applications."
The king listened to what he said, and answered, "If you be able
to perform what you promise, I will enrich you and your
posterity. Do you assure me that you will cure my leprosy without
potion, or applying any external medicine?" "Yes, Sire," replied
the physician, "I promise myself success, through God's
assistance, and to-morrow, with your majesty's permission, I will
make the trial."
The physician returned to his quarters, made a hollow mace, and
at the handle he put in his drugs; he made also a ball in such a
manner as suited his purpose, with which next morning he
presented himself before the king, and falling down at his feet,
kissed the ground.
The physician Douban rose up, and after a profound reverence, said to
the king, he judged it meet that his majesty should take horse, and go
to the place where he used to play at mall. The king did so, and when
he arrived there, the physician came to him with the mace, and said,
"Exercise yourself with this mace, and strike the ball until you find
your hands and body perspire. When the medicine I have put up in the
handle of the mace is heated with your hand, it will penetrate your
whole body; and as soon as you perspire, you may leave off the
exercise, for then the medicine will have had its effect. Immediately
on your return to your palace, go into the bath, and cause yourself to
be well washed and rubbed; then retire to bed, and when you rise
to-morrow you will find yourself cured."
The king took the mace, and struck the ball, which was returned
by his officers who played with him; he played so long, that his
hands and his whole body were in a sweat, and then the medicine
shut up in the handle of the mace had its operation, as the
physician had said. Upon this the king left off play, returned to
his palace, entered the bath, and observed very exactly his
physician had prescribed to him.
The next morning when he arose, he perceived with equal wonder
and joy, that his leprosy was cured, and his body as clean as if
it had never been affected. As soon as he was dressed, he came
into the hall of audience, where he ascended his throne, and
shewed himself to his courtiers: who, eager to know the success
of the new medicine, came thither betimes, and when they saw the
king perfectly cured, expressed great joy. The physician Douban
entering the hall, bowed himself before the throne, with his face
to the ground. The king perceiving him, made him sit down by his
side, presented him to the assembly, and gave him all the
commendation he deserved. His majesty did not stop here: but as
he treated all his court that day, made him eat at his table
alone with him.