Fisherman Story

Shaharzaad said - "There was a fisherman. He was so poor that he had great difficulty in bringing up his family - his wife and three children. He used to go to sea to catch fish but it was his rule that he did not cast his net more than four times. Once he went to catch fish that the first time he cast his net, he got a skeleton of an ass, he was very disappointed. He had to mend his net as the skeleton has broken his net at several places. When he cast his net second time he got a basket full of trash, he got very angry at this. Next time he threw his net, he collected only shells, mud and stones. He was really annoyed at this. When last time he threw the net he got a yellow vessel. Since it was heavy, he thought there might be something which he could sell and get some money to buy food for his family. But as he opened it, there came out a dense smoke which scattered all around.

In a little while the smoke gathered itself and formed a shape of a Genie and cried - "I will never disobey you." The fisherman was frightened, but with courage he asked him - "How did you get shut in this vessel?" The Genie said - "Talk to me properly, otherwise I will kill you." "Why will you kill me? I have taken you out, and you will kill me for it?" "OK, Then listen to my story. I disobeyed the King of the Genie, so to punish me he shut me in this vessel of copper and threw this vessel in the sea. During the first 100 years I promised to myself that if somebody will take me out, I will make him rich. But nobody took me out. During the next 100 years, I promised to myself if somebody will take me out I will give all the treasures to him, but nobody took me out. During the third century I promised to make him a King, to be near him and fulfill his three wishes everyday, still nobody took me out. During the fourth century I promised to kill him who would take me out. You took me out that is why I will kill you. Now just tell me how would you prefer to die?"

The fisherman said - "Since I must die, I want to ask you one question. Were you really in this vessel?" "Yes." "I cannot believe it because even your one foot cannot go in this vessel, how can your whole body go in this vessel? I cannot believe this unless I see it myself." The Genie changed himself into smoke and entered the vessel. Then he called from inside - "See now, I am speaking from the vessel, I am inside the vessel." As soon as the fisherman heard this he closed the lid of the vessel and said to the Genie - "Now you tell me, what kind of death you would prefer? I think it will be better if I throw you in the sea again."

The Genie said - "Please do not throw me in the sea, whatever you will say, I will do." Fisherman said - "No, I will trust you, I am afraid, you will treat me as the Greek King treated the physician Doubaan. Listen I tell you how he treated him."