Evening star., 1927-09-30

(Betwecn the tenth and fourteenth cen,
tnr.es AD there grey ,iIes nn ~ xnoMn nrana in
English as the Thousand and One Nignts'
bie more familiarlr as the Arabian Nlgnas;
sna 5ny All Of ara 3f fascinatns scGlf The nights sig
rifles that the tales were told over perloo
Of a thousand and one nlghtsJ
~-~-once upon time there was an old
fisherman who was very poor, ana
found it difficult to support his family.
A,1d one morning that he went very
eArlv to cast his nets he began with
very bad luck, for he hauled IN the
carcass of an ass. which tore his nets
aid necesstated much mending. Mex,
III brought in only gravel and slime.
and was much vexed. He prayed
that he might have better luck the
third time. ;,
Son the third haul he was surprised
I'd find in his nets jar OF copper,
which, being heavy, seemed full OF
sSuet}ing. 1t was sealed with a leaden
seal. Still, he thought he might sell it
fHr old metal and get enough to buy
scme food. He examined the vessel
carefully and shook it. but no sound
came from it, He decided to open it,
aid quite easily pried off the seal
with his knife.
sHe tried TO empty the jar, but moth
ing came out, so he set it upright on
the, beach Then, as he watched it
thick smoke curlcd out Of it, forcing
ffim to back away. The smoke went
,tp to the clouds, whirling along the
sand in great masses, forming huge
feg or mist. The smoke, being all
oit of the jar, condensed itself and
fpnned a genie twice as large as the
lftlgest giant. At this monstrous
sight the fisherman would have fled,
Sut he was held r15tienless with aston
issment. - ,., so,o..o,
great prophet" said the genie. I'm
oppose thee no more. I'll obey all
thy commands"
The fisherman recovered his cour.
age at these words, and said 1T is
eighteen hundred years since Solo
mon died, and we are now at the end
of time. Tell me your history. and
how you came to be imprisoned in
the jar
The genie locked at the fisherman
f1ercely and said: Address me more
humbly."
Shall call you the owl of good
luck?" asked the fisherman.
BE more civil, or I'll kill YOU"
said the genie. II must. anyway
and you may choose only the manner
of your death
What exclaimed the fisherman.
"Would you kill your deliverer? Have
you forgotten that l just now set
you at liberty?"
II have not forgotten" said the
genie, but kill you / must. It is
my oath"
How have I offended you?" asked
the fisherman.
wait. Listen to my story" said
the genie. Il was a rebellious spirit
who opposed the great prophet Solo
mon. To avcnge himself, that great
monarch had me captured and brought
before his throne. There ! still re-
fused to recognize his power. so, to
punish me, he shut me up in this cop
per jar and to keep me in sealed it
with his great seal, with Gods name
on it. Then the jar was thrown into
the sea. For the first hundred
years ! swore to make my deliverer
rich, but the time expired. For the
second hundred years l vowed !
should open all the worlds treasures
TO him who set me free, but again the
time expired. For the three hundred
years | pledged myself to make my
nberator n great king, and to grant
him every day three wishes, but again
the time ran out. Being angry, l
now TOOK a solemn oath 10 XIII any
one who might deliver me. giving him
only the choice of how he wished to
die. You have set me free, and
now give you that choice
The poor fisherman was much
frightened. but he kept his presence
of mind. He begged the genie to re-
consider his oath. but the monster
was determined not to violate his
vow. Necessity is the mother of in
~cnuon, so the fisherman thought
rapidly.
Since I must die" he said to the
benie. Il submit TO Gods will But
before ] choose how I,shall die,
conjurc you by the great name on
the seal Of this jar TO answer me truly
one question"
The genie trembled at being hound
to positive answer. but granted the
request.
Il wish 10 know that you were act
ualIy in this jar" said the fisherman
Dare you swear it by the Great
Name?"
Yes" the genie replied. Il swear