46-2
- The
Fisherman and the Genie:
The Sultaan Meets a Young Man
The
fisherman, following the advice of the Genie that he would not catch fish
from there more than once a day, came back and directly went to the Sultaan.
The Sultaan was astonished to see those fish. He kept looking at them
for quite some time admiring them, then gave them to his Vazeer to give
them to the Chief cook to be cooked. The Vazeer went to the kitchen, gave them
to the Chief cook to dress them and immediately came back to the Sultaan.
The Sultaan asked him to give the fisherman 400 pieces of gold, which he gave
him immediately. The fisherman couldn't believe his eyes that he was seeing so
much cash.
Now
the cook cleaned the fish and put them in a frying pan with oil to cook.
When they were cooked from one side, she turned them to be cooked from
other side. She had scarcely turned them that one of the walls of the kitchen
opened up and in came a young lady. She looked like an Egyptian woman and was
wearing beautiful satin dress. To the surprise of the cook she came near the pan and
asked - "Fish, fish, Are you on your duty?" They replied -
"Yes, yes." The lady overturned the frying pan and went away
through the same opening she came there. The cook got frightened seeing
this and she bent to lift those fish from the floor, but they were blacker
than coal and were not to be carried to the Sultaan. She started crying
what she should do, and above that nobody will believe her if she told
anybody what she saw there.
At the
same time the Vazeer came there and asked her if the fish were ready. She told
everything what happened there, but the Vazeer couldn't believe her. Still
he sent for the fisherman to bring four more fish of the same kind as some
misfortune fell on the previous fish. The fisherman said told him that he
could bring them tomorrow. The next day, early in the morning, he went to
the pond, caught the four fish and brought them to the Vazeer. The Vazeer took
them to the kitchen and shut himself in the kitchen with the cook.
The
cook did as she did yesterday. She cleaned them and put them in a frying
pan with oil. Like yesterday as she turned them over to cook from other
side, one of the kitchen walls opened up and the same lady came out of the wall with
a rod in her hand. She asked the same question and the fish answered the
same reply to her as yesterday. She overturned the frying pan and went
away through he same opening where she came from. Vazeer said - "This
is really too surprising. It should not be hidden from the Sultaan. I will
go and tell him everything." He immediately went to the Sultaan and
told him everything. Sultaan also got very surprised to know this. He also
wanted to see this wonder so he asked that fisherman to bring those fish
again. He said - 'If you allow me three days time, Sir."
The
fisherman went there again, caught four fish, and brought them to the
Sultaan. Pleased with him he gave him 400 gold pieces again. He brought
them to his room and asked the cook to bring all necessary things to cook
them. After cleaning, she put them in a frying pan with oil, and as she
turned them over to cook from other side, a wall of the room opened and
this time black man came out of the wall and did the same what the lady
had done to them on two previous days. The fish had become charcoal.
The
Sultaan said - "This is really surprising, but it is sure that these
fish are extraordinary." he called the fisherman again and asked him
-"These fish make me very uneasy. Where did you catch these
fish?" The fisherman told him the address." The Sultaan asked
the Vazeer - "Do you know that pond?" "No Sir, I have never
heard of that pond." The Sultaan asked the fisherman - "How far
that pond is?" "Three hours far, Sir."
The
Sultaan and his all courtiers set off to that pond. At last they came to
the pond and found its water very clean and clear. They could see all fish
like the ones the fisherman brought to the Sultaan. The Sultaan expressed
his surprise that how come that they did not hear about this pond. The
Sultaan said - "Since you all say that you have never seen this pond
before, I will not return until I know that how this pond came here and
why these fish are of four colors." After this he ordered his people
to pitch his tent there on the banks of the pond.
When
the night came all retired to their tents to sleep. But the Sultaan was
not asleep. He said to his Vazeer - "Vazeer, My mind is at unrest.
The pond has appeared here, the black man appeared in my room, the fish
speak; I am indeed impatient to satisfy my curiosity that is why I am
going from my tent alone and you keep my absence secret." So he put
on a suit and set off to find about this. He climbed up the hill, then
came down in a plain and continued to walk till the Sun rose.
Then
he saw a magnificent castle made of black marble. He stood before it and
looked at it attentively. Its gate had two doors, one of them was open.
Although he could enter just like that, but he thought to knock first, so
he knocked first softly, then harder and then several times but nobody
came out. He thought, "If there is nobody in it, I have nothing to
fear; and if there is somebody in it, I am fully equipped for him." So
he entered. He went forward calling "Anybody is there?" but
nobody appeared and he also went forward.
He came to a court where a fountain was running. It had four golden lions
on its four sides. They were throwing water from their mouths and the
water which was coming out of their mouths was forming diamonds and
pearls. The castle was surrounded by garden on three sides. Many birds
were singing in that garden. Nets were fastened over the palace so that
the birds could not fly out. The Sultaan walked around for long time from
one apartment to another but he found nobody there, although everything
there was just very grand and magnificent. He got tired wandering around so he sat
down in a
room and looked outside the room in the garden.
Suddenly
he heard lamenting cries. He heard them attentively, somebody was crying -
"O Fate, You have made me an unfortunate man. Bring my death soon so
that it can end my sorrows. It is really surprising that I am still alive
after so much suffering." He went towards the direction from where
these cries were coming. He arrived at a hall, he opened its door and saw
a very handsome young man sitting on a throne. The Sultaan greeted him bowing
a little. He could not get up so he also greeted him sitting only on the
throne and said - "Sir, I should have risen from my seat to welcome
you but I am unable to rise because of a very sad reason, I hope you
wouldn't mind."
The
Sultaan said - "Thank you very much. In fact I came this side hearing
your sound, so that I can help you. Please tell me about your troubles,
but please tell me about the pond first which is near the palace and in
which there are fishes of four colors? What is this castle? How have you
come here and why are you here alone?" The young man started weeping
bitterly. After a while he said - "This is only misfortune that it
brings one down to whom it takes up. Fortunate are those people whose days
are always good." Then he lifted his gown and showed to the Sultaan
that he was human being only from head to waist, below that his body was
made of black marble.
The
Sultaan got very sad seeing the young man's condition, he said - "I
am horrified to see your condition. Please tell me your story, and I am
sure that the pond and the fish are the part of the same story." The
man said - "I will surely tell you my story. I am sure that you have
never heard such story before this.
|
