The Merchant and the Genie

There was once a merchant who possessed much
property in lands, goods, and money, and had
a great number of clerks, factors, and slaves. He
was obliged from time to time to take business
journevs, and on one occasion he took horse, and
carried with him a wallet containing biscuits and
dates, because he had a great desert to pass over,
where he could procure no sort of provisions. He
arrived without accident at the end of his journey,
and, having despatched his affairs, took horse again
in order to return home.

The fourth dav of his journey he turned out of
the road to rest for a while beneath some trees.

He found a fountain near at hand, so, tying his horse
to the branch of a tree, he seated himself beside
the fountain and took some biscuits and dates from
his wallet.

As he ate his dates he threw the stones care-
lessly in different directions; then, having finished
his repast, being a good Mussulman, he washed his
hands, face, and feet, and said his prayers.

Before he had finished he saw a genie, white
with age and of enormous size, advancing towards
him with a scimitar in his hand. He spoke to him
in a terrible voice, bidding him "Rise, that I may
kill you with this scimitar, as you have killed
my son."'

"How could I kill vour son?' exclaimed the
merchant, "I never knew, never saw him."

"Did you not sit down when vou came hither?"
demanded the genie, "and did you not take dates
out of your w^allet, and as you ate them did vou
not throW' the stones about in diff^erent directions?"

"I did all that you say," answered the merchant;
"I cannot deny it."

"If it be so," reasoned the genie, "I tell vou
that you have killed my son : and in this manner.
When you were throwing the stones about, mv son
was passing by and you threw one into his eye,
which killed him; therefore I must kill vou."

"Ah! my Lord! pardon me I " exclaimed the
merchant.

"No pardon, no mercy," exclaimed the genie.
"Is it not just to kill him that has killed another?"

"1 agree it is," replied the merchant, "but if
I killed your son it was unknown to me, and I did
it innocently ; I beg you therefore to pardon me,
and suffer me to live."

But as the genie persisted in his resolution the
merchant begged that he might be granted a year's
respite in which to return home, bid farewell to
his wife and children, and settle his business affairs.

"Do you take heaven to witness," cried the
genie, "that this dav twelvemonth vou will return
to this spot?"

"I do," answered the merchant, whereupon the
genie left him and disappeared.

The merchant then hastened to return home
and acquaint his family with the sorrowful intelli-
gence. There was great lamentation made, and his
wife and children wept bitterly, the merchant him-
self mingling his tears with theirs; but notwith-
standing this he did not neglect to set his affairs in
order, and at the end of the twelvemonth he bade
his family adieu and set out upon his journey to the
appointed spot.

He reached the fountain, alighted from his
horse, and seated himself upon the ground.

He had not been there long when he saw an
old man, leading a hind, approaching.

"Brother," said the old man, " whv are you
come to this desert place, which is the resort of an
evil spirit?"

The merchant satisfied his cnriosity and related
to him the adventure which obliged him to be there.
The old man listened with astonishment and when
he had finished exclaimed: "I will remain, Brother,
and be a witness of yonr interview with the genie."

Thev conversed together for a short time and
then perceived another old man coming towards
them, followed by two black dogs.

After they had saluted one another, he asked
them what they did in that place. The old man
with the hind told him the adventure of the merchant
and the genie, and all that had passed between them,
and the second old man resolved also to remain
and witness the issue of the meeting.

They had seriously begun to converse together
when thev perceived a thick vapour, like a cloud of
dust raised by a whirlwind, advancing towards them,
and out of the vapour appeared the genie, having
a scimitar in his hand.

Taking the merchant bv the arm, he said: "Rise,
that I mav kill you as vou killed mv son."

AVhen the old man who led the hind saw the
genie lav hold of the merchant and about to kill him,
he threw himself at the feet of the monster and said :
"Prince of Genies, I most humblv request you to
suspend your anger, and do me the favour to hear
me. I will tell vou the historv of mv life, and of




"Brother," said the old man, ^^why aye you come to this
desert fiace P"
he hind you see ; and if you think it more wonder-
ful and surprising than the adventure of the merchant,
I hope you will pardon the unfortunate man one
half of his offence."

The genie after deliberating a short time on
the proposal hnally agreed to it.

So the old man began his story. "This hind,"
said he, "is my cousin; nay, what is more, my wife.
She was very young when I married her, and after
living together twenty years and having no children,
I took a second wife, a slave. This slave wife
presented me with a son, and my wife, being jealous,
hated both mother and son ; but concealed her
aversion so well that I knew nothing of it till it
was too late.

"When my son was grown to a youth I was
obliged to undertake a long journey. Before I went
I recommended to my wife, of whom I had no
mistrust, the slave and her son, and prayed her to
take care of them durinjr mv absence, which was to
be for a whole vear.

"But, having studied magic, she succeeded by
her enchantments in changing my son into a calf
and his mother into a cow.

"At my return I enquired for mother and child.

"'Your slave,' said she, 'is dead; and as for your
son, I know not what has become of him. I have
not seen him these two months.'

"Eight months passed and my son did not return.
and, It being the feast of the great Sacrilice, I bade
my herdsman bring me a fat cow to sacrifice.

"He accordingly brought me one, and having
bound her I was about to make the sacrifice, but
she bellowed so piteouslv, tears falling from her
eves, that I could not brins: mvself to give her the
blow; but delivered her to mv herdsman, who took
her away and slaughtered her. But when he came
to skin her he found her to be nothing: but skin
and bone.

"'Take her yourself,' I said, 'and dispose of her
in alms, or in anv way you please; and if vou have
a fat calf, bring it me in her stead.'

"He returned shortly with a fat calf, and though
I knew not the calf was mv son, vet I could not
forbear being moved at the sight of him. On his
part, as soon as he beheld me, he made so great an
eftort to come near me, that he broke his cord and
threw himself at mv feet as if conjuring me not to
be so cruel as to take his life.

"I felt a tender pitv for him, which interested
me on his behalf, and I bade the herdsman take
the calf home and bring me another in his stead.

"Although mv wife urged me again and again to
make the sacrifice, I could not bring myself to do
so, and the herdsman led him awav. The following
morning the herdsman desired to speak with me
alone.

"'I come,' said he, 'to communicate to you a
piece of intelligence for which I hope vou will return
nie thanks. 1 have a daughter that has some skill
in maffic. Yesterday when I led the calf home I
perceived she laughed when she saw him, and in a
moment after fell a-weeping. I asked her why
she acted two such opposite parts at one and the
same time. "Father," said she, "the
calf you bring back is our master's
son : I laughed with joy to see him
still alive, and wept at the remem-
brance of the sacrifice that was made
the other day of his mother, who
was changed into a cow.
These enchantments were
made by our master's
wife, ^vho hated both
mother and son." '

"On hearing these
words I hastened to the
house of mv herdsman
and asked his daughter
if she were able to restore my son to his former
shape.

"She answered me, smiling, 'You are our master,
and I well know what I owe to vou ; but I cannot
restore your son to his former shape, except on two
conditions : the first is, that vou give him to me for
my husband; and the second, that you allow me to
punish the person who changed him into a calf.'

He broke his coni and tlive'W
himself at my feet.

"Having agreed to both these conditions, the
damsel took a vessel full of water, pronounced words
over it that I did not understand, and, addressing
herself to the calf, exclaimed 'O calf, if thou wast
born a calf, continue in that form ; but if thou be
a man, and art changed into a calf by enchantment,
return to thy natural shape.'

"As she spoke, she threw water upon him, and
in an instant he recovered his natural form.

"We embraced each other tenderlv, and I then
addressed him in these words: 'I doubt not but in
acknowledgment to vour deliverer you will consent
to make her your wife, as I have promised.'

"He consented joyfullv, but before they were
married she changed mv wife into a hind, and this
is she whom you see.

"This is the history of myself and this hind. Is
it not one of the most wonderful and surprising?"

"I admit it is," said the genie, "and on that
account forgive the merchant one half of his crime."

When the first old man had finished his storv,
the second, who led the two black dogs, addressed
the genie and said : —

" I am going to tell you what happened to me,
and these two black dogs you see by me, and I am
certain you will say that my story is yet more sur-
prising than that which you have just heard. But
when I have done this, I hope vou will be pleased
to pardon the merchant another half of his oflence."

"I will," replied the genie, "provided your story
surpass that of the hind."

Then the second old man began :

"Great Prince of Genies, you must know that
we are three brothers, the two black dogs and my-
self. Our father, when he, died, left each of us one
thousand sequins. With that sum we all became
merchants. A little time after we opened shop, my
eldest brother, one of these two dogs, resolved to
travel and trade in foreign countries. With this
view he sold his estate, and bought goods suited to
the trade he intended to follow.

"He went away and was absent a whole year.
At the expiration of this time, a poor man who I
thought had come to ask alms presented himself
before me in my shop.

"'Is it possible you do not know me?' he cried,
and upon this I looked at him narrowly and recog-
nised him. 'Ah, brother,' cried I, embracing him,
'how could I know you in this condition?' I made
him come into my house, and having questioned him
concerning his misfortunes, I found that he had
lost all his goods and money through unfortunate
trading.

"I immediately shut up my shop and, taking him
to a bath, gave him the best clothes I had. Find-
ing, on examining mv 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,
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, also sold his estate.

"His elder brother and myself did all we could
to divert him from his purpose, but without etiect.
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 de-
parted. 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 tra-
velled,' said T, 'and what have you gained by it?
Who can assure me that I shall be more successful
than you have been.' In vain thev urged me, for I
constantly refused; but after having resisted their
solicitation five whole years, they importuned me so
much, that at last thev overcame my resolution.

"When, however, the time arrived that we were
to make preparations for our vovage, to buv the
goods necessary to the undertaking, I found they had
spent all, and had not one dirrim left of the thou-
sand sequins I had given to each of them. I did
not, on this account, upbraid them. On the con-
trary, niv stock being still six thousand sequins, I
shared the half of it with them, telling them, 'My
brothers, we must venture these three thousand se-
quins, and hide the rest in some secure place : that
in case our vovaije be not more successful than vours

We put to sea witli a favourable wind.

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 thou-
sand in a corner of my house. We purchased goods,
and having embarked them on board a vessel, which
we freighted between 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 seashore a lady, exceedingly hand-
some, but poorly clad. She walked up to me, kissed
my hand, and besought me with great earnestness
to marry her and take her along with me.

"She assured me that I should have all the reason
in the world to be satisfied with her conduct, and
begged me not to object to her on account of her
poverty.

"And so at last I yielded, and ordered proper
apparel to be made for her, and, after having mar-
ried her, I took her on board, and we set sail. I
found my wife possessed so many good qualities that
my love for her increased every day. 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 conse-
quence, a genie, so that she could not be drowned ;
but for me, it is certain I must have perished with-
out 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 re-
met on the seashore a lady.

warded 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
bv me, and I am glad of an opportunity of return-
ing my acknowledgment. But I am incensed against
your brothers, and nothing will satisfy me but their
liycs.'

"I listened to this discourse with admiration and
thanked my wife 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 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, and
then disappeared.

"I descended, opened the doors of mv house, and
dug up the three thousand sequins I had formerly se-
creted. I went afterwards to my shop, which I also
opened, and was complimented bv 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
until the fairy, mv wife, appeared and said: 'Hus-
band, be not surprised to see these dogs, thev are
vour 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 mv 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 wav. As
to your two brothers, I have condemned them to
remain five years in that shape. Their perfidiousness
too well deserves such a penance. At the end of
that time, if you conduct them to my sister who
placed the enchantment upon them she will remove
it, and they will regain their natural forms.'

"The five years being now expired, I am travel-
ling in quest of my wife's sister; and as I passed
this way, I met this merchant and the good old man
who led the hind, and sat down bv them. This is
my historv, O Prince of Genies ! do not vou think
it very extraordinary?"

"I own it is," replied the genie, "and on that
account I remit the merchant the second half of the
crime which he has committed against me," and with
that the genie disappeared.

The merchant did not fail to make due acknow-
ledgment 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.