Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/53

35 thee thy choice of deaths.’ When the fisherman heard this, he exclaimed, ‘O God, the pity of it that I should not have come to release thee till now!’ Then he said to the Afrit, ‘Spare me, that God may spare thee, and do not destroy me, lest God set over thee one who will destroy thee.’ But he answered, ‘There is no help for it, I must kill thee: so choose what death thou wilt die.’ The fisherman again returned to the charge, saying, ‘Spare me for that I set thee free.’ ‘Did I not tell thee,’ replied the Marid, ‘that is why I kill thee?’ ‘O head of the Afrits,’ said the fisherman, ‘I did thee a kindness, and thou repayest me with evil: indeed the proverb lieth not that saith:

‘Make no more words about it,’ said the Afrit; ‘thou must die.’ Quoth the fisherman to himself, ‘This is a genie, and I am a man; and God hath given me a good wit. So I will contrive for his destruction by my wit and cunning, even as he plotted mine of his craft and perfidy.’ Then he said to the Afrit, ‘Is there no help for it, but thou must kill me?’ He answered, ‘No,’ and the fisherman said, ‘I conjure thee, by the Most High Name graven upon the ring of Solomon son of David (on whom be peace!), answer me one question truly.’ When the Afrit heard him mention the Most High Name, he was agitated and trembled and replied, ‘It is well: ask and be brief.’ Quoth the fisherman, ‘This vessel would not suffice for thy hand or thy foot: so how could it hold the whole of thee?’ Said the Afrit, ‘Dost thou doubt that I was in it?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the fisherman; ‘nor will I believe it till I see it with my own eyes.’” Here Shehrzad perceived the day and was silent.