The Arabian Nights Part-2

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.
The Grecian king was not satisfied with having admitted the
physician Douban to his table, but caused him to be clad in a
rich robe, ordered him two thousand pieces of gold, and thinking
that he could never sufficiently acknowledge his obligations to
him, continued every day to load him with new favours. But this
king had a vizier, who was avaricious, envious, and naturally
capable of every kind of mischief. He could not behold without
envy the presents that were given to the physician, whose other
merits had already begun to make him jealous, and he therefore
resolved to lessen him in the king's esteem. To effect this, he
went to the king, and told him in private, that he had some
information of the greatest consequence to communicate. The king
having asked what it was? "Sire," said he, "it is highly
dangerous for a monarch to confide in a man whose fidelity he has
never tried. Though you heap favours upon the physician Douban,
your majesty does not know that he is a traitor, sent by your
enemies to take away your life." "From whom," demanded the king,
"have you the suggestion which you dare pronounce? Consider to
whom you are speaking, and that you are advancing what I shall
not easily believe." "Sire," replied the vizier, "I am well
informed of what I have had the honour to reveal to your majesty;
therefore do not rest in dangerous security: if your majesty be
asleep, be pleased to awake; for I once more repeat, that the
physician Douban left his native country, and came to settle
himself at your court, for the sole purpose of executing the
horrible design which I have intimated."
"No, no, vizier," interrupted the king; "I am certain, that this
physician, whom you suspect to be a villain and a traitor, is one
of the best and most virtuous of men. You know by what medicine,
or rather by what miracle, he cured me of my leprosy: If he had
had a design upon my life, why did he save me then? He needed
only to have left me to my disease; I could not have escaped it,
as life was fast decaying. Forbear then to fill me with unjust
suspicions: instead of listening to you, I tell you, that from
this day forward I will give that great man a pension of a
thousand pieces of gold per month for his life; nay, though I
were to share with him all my riches and dominions, I should
never pay him sufficiently for what he has done. I perceive it to
be his virtue that raises your envy; but do not think I will be
unjustly prejudiced against him. I remember too well what a
vizier said to king Sinbad, his master, to prevent his putting to
death the prince his son."
What the Grecian king said about king Sinbad raised the vizier's
curiosity, who said, "I pray your majesty to pardon me, if I have
the boldness to ask what the vizier of king Sinbad said to his
master to divert him from putting the prince his son to death."
The Grecian king had the condescension to satisfy him: "That
vizier," said he, "after having represented to king Sinbad, that
he ought to beware, lest on the accusation of a mother-in-law he
should commit an action of which he might afterwards repent, told
him this story."