1-3 The
Merchant and the Genie:
Story of the Second Old Man: who was bitten on the cheek
The
second old man started his story - "You see these two black dogs
with me, they are my brothers. We are three brothers. Our father died
leaving 1,000 gold coins for each of us. We all became merchants and after
a while opened our shops. My eldest brother decided to travel to far
countries for merchandise, so he sold out everything what he had and his
merchandise and went away. He lived there for one year.
After
a year a beggar came to my shop and asked me if I recognized him. With a
little efforts I recognized him, he was my brother. I ushered him inside
and asked about his journey and living in far countries. He replied -
"You can see yourself what has happened to me in this one year."
I took him home, gave a hot water bath and good clothes to wear. I checked
my accounts, I had doubled my money by now. I gave him my half money
saying that he should forget what has happened, and we started living as
before.
After
some time my second brother expressed his desire to travel to far
countries. We both tried to stop him, but of no use. He joined a caravan
and set out. After a year he also came back with a similar condition. I
treated him in the same way I treated my eldest brother. I gave him my
half money and he re-opened his shop with that money.
After
a while my both brothers insisted me to travel with them, but seeing their
condition, I was unwilling to go with them. I asked them "What did
you gain by going there?" still they came to me repeatedly. After
five years of persuasion, I had to get ready or it. When they started
making preparations for traveling, they discovered that they had lost
every penny they had. I did not say anything to them, I had 6,000 gold
coins, I distributed it among ourselves - 1,000 for each of us and rest of
the 3,000 I buried in a corner of my house. We bought the merchandise,
loaded the vessel and set forth with a favorable wind.
After
a two-months of sailing we disembarked on a port, did a good trade. We
bought some merchandise also for further trade and desired to sail once
more that I was stopped by a beautiful but poorly dressed woman. She
kissed my hand and asked me to marry her and take her with me on the
vessel. First I hesitated, then I agreed, married her and ought some
beautiful dresses for her. Seeing this my brothers got jealous with me.
One night, they threw both of us into the sea. My wife was a fairy, so she
did not let me drown in the sea, but took me to an island and said to me -
"I liked you because of your good nature, but I am angry with your
two brothers. I will not take rest until I will kill them." I thanked
her to save my life but at the same time I begged her not to kill my
brothers. She transported me to the roof of my house and disappeared.
I came
down and dug up my 3,000 gold coins. I re-opened my shop and when I came
home, I found two black dogs with hanging faces. The fairy appeared again
and told me that she had changed them to these black dogs for 10 years.
After telling me where she could be found again, she disappeared again. This is
my story, don't you think that it is an astonishing one?"
Genie
said - "Yes it is, and I give up to you the 1/3rd punishment of this
merchant." Thus the third man also made the similar request to Genie
if his story surpassed the others. So he told his story, but I cannot tell
you that one as I do not know what it was. (Read
the third man's story here 5/86-4)
But after hearing that the
genie gave up to him the 1/3rd part of the merchant's punishment and
disappeared. The first merchant thanked all the three men for saving his
life. He came back to his house to live happily with his family.
But
however beautiful these stories are, they cannot be more interesting than
the fisherman's story."
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