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46-1
- The
Fisherman and the Genie:
A Fisherman Meets a Genie
A
similar story is given in
SECTION-1/Story 2-1.
There
was a very old fisherman. He was very poor. He had the family of four -
his wife and three children. He threw his net not more than four times a
day. Once he went to catch the fish in the morning. As he drew the net
towards himself, it seemed to him very heavy. He was happy that he had
caught a good load of fish. As he took it out of the water, he was shocked
to see that the load was not of fish but a skeleton of an ass. It tore his
net also, so he mended his net. He threw the net second time and this
time, in spite of being heave, brought a basket full of gravel and slime.
He was extremely sad to see this load. He threw away the basket and threw
his net again, the third time. This time it brought only stones, shells
etc. He almost got fainted to see it.
The
dawn had appeared by now, so he said his prayers - "Allaah, I throw
the net only four times and I haven't got anything till now. It is only
once more that I have to throw my net. I pray to you to make sea as
favorable to me as you did to Moses." After his prayers, he threw the
net in the sea. This time also he took out his net from the sea with great difficulty,
but he found only a vessel of yellow copper. It was heavy and sealed. He
was happy that he had at least something. He thought that he would sell that vessel and buy a bag of
corn. He opened the seal and turned the vessel upside down, but nothing
came out of it. He got very disappointed that he sat down putting his hand
on his head.
The
then he saw a black smoke coming out of the vessel, it spread all around
him, and when the vessel was empty, it all gathered together and formed
into a solid shape - a huge Genie. The fisherman was so frightened to see
that giant that he couldn't even move from his place. The Genie cried -
"Solomon, Solomon, Pardon, I will never oppose your will, I will
always obey your command." Hearing these words the fisherman came to
his senses and said to him - "O Proud Spirit, What are you saying?
Solomon has died 1,800 years ago. Tell me about yourself, how did you got
shut in this vessel?"
The
Genie said - "You should talk to me properly, otherwise I will kill
you." The fisherman said - "Why would you kill me? Haven't I
freed you from this vessel?" "I know it, still I can kill you. I
can give you only one favor." The fisherman asked, "And what is
that?" "That how should I kill you?" The fisherman said -
"But where have I offended you? Is that a reward for my
services?" Genie said - "We, Sakar and I, were the only two
spirits, among all the Genies owned by Solomon, who could oppose the will
of Heaven. Solomon, the son of David, asked me to quit my way of living
and accept his power, but I didn't listen to him so to punish me he shut
me in this vessel, put this seal himself and gave to one of his Genies
to throw it in the sea.
I
thought if somebody would free me in the first 100 years, I would make him
rich, even after his death, but nobody did it. In 2nd century I thought to
open all the treasure of the Earth but nobody freed me. In the 3rd
century, I promised to make him the monarch and to be near the spirit who
could fulfill his three requests everyday, still nobody freed me. Thus I
was imprisoned in this vessel for hundreds of years. Then I swore that
whoever would free me, I would kill him and grant him no other favor than
choose the kind of death he would prefer to die. Since you have freed me
so I give you that choice."
Hearing
all this the fisherman got very sad, he said - "It is my bad luck
that I did good to such an extremely ungrateful man. You pardon me and God
will pardon you." Genie said - "No, Your death is certain, you
just have to choose how do you want to die?" The fisherman again requested
him to show mercy for freeing him, but Genie said - "It is for the
same reason you have to die."
The
fisherman didn't see any chance of his life so he said to him -"Since
I must die, I submit to the will of Heaven, but before I tell you the way
of my death, you tell me what I am going to ask you by the name of
Solomon." The Genie trembled to speak truth, still he asked him to
make haste. The fisherman asked him - "Swear that you were really in
that vessel." The Genie said - "I swear that I was shut in the
vessel." The fisherman said - "But you are so big and the vessel
is so small, how could you be in the vessel, I don't believe it. Even your feet cannot come in that
vessel." The Genie said - "It is possible." "OK, Then
show me how were you shut in that small vessel?"
Upon
this Genie's body dissolved into smoke again, and re-entered the vessel in
exactly the same way in which he came out. When there was nothing outside,
a small voice came from the vessel, "I am all on this vessel, do you
believe now?" Instead of answering Genie, the fisherman fixed the
vessel's cover over the mouth of the vessel and said - "Now it is
your turn to ask me a favor as how do you want to die, or may be I should
throw this vessel again in the sea."
Genie
tried his best to come out but because of Solomon's seal he couldn't get
out, so he spoke to the fisherman softly - "You will not do what you
are saying. I was just joking." The fisherman said - "No, You
will go to the sea again. I begged you to spare my life, but you didn't
listen to, so you will go to the sea again." Genie said - "Open
the vessel and let me be out. I pray you. I promise to pay you to your
heart's content." The fisherman said - "No, I don't trust you,
you are a traitor, I can't let you out." The Genie said - "Please
do not treat me as Imaam treated Atekaa."
The
fisherman asked - "How Imaam treated Atekaa?" The Genie said -
"Oh, If you wish to hear his story, you have to open the vessel. Do you
think that I am going to tell you that story from a prison? No, not at
all. I will tell
you as many stories as you would like to hear but first you let me out of here."
The fisherman said - "No, I will not let you out, I am throwing you
in the sea." The Genie cried - "No, please no. I promise that I
will not hurt you. Besides I will tell you how to become rich." This
was a good incentive so the fisherman said - "OK, Now swear to me by
Solomon that you will fulfill your promise, then only I will open the
vessel."
The
Genie did so and the fisherman opened the vessel again. The Genie took his
form like before and the first thing he did was to kick the vessel in the
sea. The fisherman got frightened at this. Seeing him frightened, the
Genie laughed and said - "Don't be afraid, O fisherman, I did this
just to please me. Take your net and follow me." The Genie first led
him to the top of a mountain, then they descended in a plain near a pond.
The Genie asked him to catch the fish from that pond. The fisherman did
so, but he was very surprised to see only four color fish - white, red,
blue, and yellow. He brought out one of each color. Since he had never
seen such fish, he could not admire them, but thought maybe by selling
them he could get much money.
The
Genie said - "Take them to the Sultaan. He will give you so much
money for them than you have ever had in your life. You may come here
everyday to catch these fish, but not more than once a day, otherwise you
will have to repent. Never forget this condition." After saying this,
the Genie stamped his foot on the ground, the earth opened at that place
and swallowed the Genie.
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