Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/54

34 saw a poor man, so he gave him the twenty dinars and returned to the Moor, with whom he abode till they had accomplished the rites of the pilgrimage, when Abdussemed gave him the ring, that he had taken from the treasure of Es Shemerdel, saying, ‘This ring will bring thee to thy desire, for it is enchanted and hath a servant, by name Er Raad el Casif; so whatever thou hast a mind to of the things of this world, rub this ring and its servant will appear and do all thou biddest him.’

Then he rubbed the ring before him, whereupon the genie appeared, saying, ‘Here I am, O my lord! Ask what thou wilt and it shall be given thee. Hast thou a mind to people a ruined city or lay waste a flourishing one or slay a king or put an army to the rout?’ ‘O Raad,’ said Abdussemed, ‘this is become thy lord; do thou serve him faithfully.’ Then he dismissed him and said to Jouder, ‘Rub the ring and the genie will appear; and do thou command him to do whatever thou desirest, for he will not gainsay thee. Now go to thine own country and take care of the ring, for it will enable thee to baffle thine enemies.’ ‘O my lord,’ answered Jouder, ‘with thy leave, I will set out homeward.’ Quoth the Moor, ‘Summon the genie and mount upon his back; and if thou say to him, “Bring me to my native city this very day,” he will not gainsay thy commandment.’

So he took leave of the Moor and rubbed the ring, whereupon Er Raad presented himself, saying, ‘Here am I; ask and it shall be given to thee.’ ‘Carry me to Cairo this day,’ said Jouder. ‘Thy commandment shall be done,’ answered the genie and taking him on his back, flew with him from noon till midnight, when he set him down in the courtyard of his mother’s house and disappeared. Jouder went in to his mother, who rose at sight of him and greeted him, weeping. Then she told him how the king had beaten his brothers and cast them into prison and