burton--1001-nights--sample

his malice and his frowardness.” 26 He began by asking the Ifrit, “Hast
thou indeed resolved to kill me?” and, receiving for all answer, “Even
so,” he cried, “Now in the Most Great Name, graven on the seal-ring
of Sulayman the Son of David (peace be with the holy twain!), an I
question thee on a certain matter wilt thou give me a true answer?”
The Ifrit replied “Yea;” but, hearing mention of the Most Great
Name, his wits were troubled and he said with trembling, “Ask and be
brief.” Quoth the Fisherman, “How didst thou fit into this bottle which
would not hold thy hand; no, nor even thy foot, and how came it to
be large enough to contain the whole of thee?” Replied the Ifrit,
“What! dost not believe that I was all there?” and the Fisherman rejoined,
“Nay! I will never believe it until I see thee inside with my own
eyes.” —
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Fourth Night,
her sister said to her, “Please finish us this tale, an thou be not sleepy!”
so she resumed: —
It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Fisherman
said to the Ifrit, “I will never and nowise believe thee until I see thee
inside it with mine own eyes;” the Evil Spirit on the instant shook and
became a vapour, which condensed, and entered the jar little and little,
till all was well inside when lo! the Fisherman in hot haste took the
26
The intellect of man is stronger than that of the Jinni; the Ifrit, however, enters
the jar because he has been adjured by the Most Great Name and not from mere
stupidity. The seal-ring of Solomon according to the Rabbis contained a chased
stone which told him everything he wanted to know.
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