The Story of the Merchant with the Efreet
The second sheikh finishes his amazing story and the efreet grants him one-third of the blood of the merchant.
Then the third sheikh starts his own story, saying that it is even more astonishing than the other two.
ON THE THIRD NIGHT
Sheherazade said:
The second sheikh continued his story:
The journey lasted a whole month, at the end of which we entered a town where we sold our wares; we made a profit of ten dinars for each dinar! Then we left the city.
As we arrived at the seaside, we found a woman, dressed in old and worn clothes, who approached me, kissed my hand, and said to me: "O my master, can you help me? and I will be able, in return, to recognize your benefit!" I said to her: “Yes, of course! I know how to help and oblige, but don't think you have to be grateful to me." She answered me: “O my master, then marry me, and take me to your country, and I will dedicate my soul to you! Oblige me then, for I am one of those who know the price of an obligation and a benefit. And don't be ashamed of my poor condition!" When I heard these words, I felt heartfelt pity for her: for there is nothing that does not happen with the will of Allah, who is mighty and great! So I took her away, I dressed her in rich clothes; then I spread out for her, in the ship, magnificent carpets, and I gave her a hospitable and wide welcome, full of urbanity. Then we left.
And my heart loved her with great love. And since then I haven't left her day or night. And only I, among my brothers, could work with her. So my brothers were full of jealousy, and they also envied me for my wealth and the fine quality of my wares, and they eagerly cast their eyes on all that I possessed, and they concerted my death and the abduction of my money: for the Shaitan made them see their action under the most beautiful colors.
One day when I was sleeping with my wife, they came to us, carried us off, and threw us both into the sea; and my wife woke up in the water. Then all of a sudden she changed shape and turned into a female genie. She then took me on her shoulders and put me down on an island. Then she disappeared for the whole night, and came back towards morning, and said to me: “Don't you recognize me? I am your wife! I abducted you, and saved you from death, with the permission of Allah Most High. You should know that I am a genie. And, from the moment I saw you, my heart loved you, simply because Allah willed it and I am a believer in Allah and his Prophet, may he (the Prophet) be blessed and preserved by Allah! When I came to you in the poor condition I was in, you still wanted to marry me. And so, I, in return, saved you from this death in the water. As for your brothers, I am full of fury against them, and certainly, I must kill them! »
At these words, I was very amazed, and I thanked her for her act, and I said to her: “As for the loss of my brothers, really it is not necessary!" Then I told her what had happened to me with them from the beginning to the end. After she heard my words, she said: “This night, I will fly away towards them and I will make sink their ship: and they will perish!" I said to him: “By Allah upon you! do not do it, for the Master of Proverbs says: O benefactor of an unworthy man! know that the criminal is sufficiently punished by his very crime! However, they are still my brothers!" She said, "I absolutely must kill them!" And I implored her indulgence in vain. After which, she took me on her shoulders, and flew away, and deposited me on the terrace of my house.
So I opened the doors of my house. Then I took the three thousand dinars out of their hiding place. And I opened my shop, after making the necessary visits and the usual greetings; and I made new purchases of goods.
When night came I closed my shop, and on entering my house I found these two dogs tied up in a corner. When they saw me, they got up and began to cry and cling to my clothes; but immediately my wife ran up and said: "These are your brothers." I said to her: "Who could have put them in this state?" She answered: “Me! I prayed to my sister, who is much more versed in enchantments than I am, and she put them in this state, from which they will only be able to emerge after ten years."
Therefore, O mighty efreet, I have come to this place, for I am going to my sister-in-law to beg her to deliver them since ten years have already passed. On my arrival here, I saw this good young man, I learned of his adventure, and did not want to move until I saw what could happen between you and him! And such is my tale."
The efreet said: “It is truly an astonishing tale: therefore I grant you a third of the blood in redemption for the crime. »
Then came forward the third sheikh, the master of the mule, and said to the efreet: "I will tell you a more marvelous story than that of the other two." And you will grant me in grace the rest of the blood and redemption from the crime. The efreet replied, "So be it!"
And the third sheikh said:
TALE OF THE THIRD SHEIKH
“O sultan, O chief of the genies! this mule was my wife. I had been on a trip once and had been away from her for a whole year; and when I had finished my business, I returned during the night to her, and found her lying with a black slave on the carpets of the bed; both were there talking, and simpering, and laughing, and kissing, and frolicking. As soon as she saw me, she got up quickly and threw herself on me, holding a pitcher of water; she murmured a few words over this jug, sprinkled me with water, and said to me: "Come out of your own form and become the image of a dog!" And immediately I became a dog, and she drove me out of my house. And I went out, and I kept wandering ever since, and finally, I come to a butcher's shop. I approached and began to eat bones. When the master of the shop saw me, he took me and came with me to his abode...
— At this point in her narration, Scheherazade saw the morning appear and quietly fell silent.