. Then open the book, and my head will answer your questions.
But, sire, I implore your mercy, for I am innocent."

"Your prayers are useless, and if it were only to hear your head speak
when you are dead, you should die."

So saying, he took the book from the physician's hands, and ordered the
executioner to do his duty.

The head was so cleverly cut off that it fell into the basin, and
directly the blood ceased to flow. Then, to the great astonishment of
the king, the eyes opened, and the head said, "Your majesty, open the
book." The king did so, and finding that the first leaf stuck against
the second, he put his finger in his mouth, to turn it more easily. He
did the same thing till he reached the sixth page, and not seeing any
writing on it, "Physician," he said, "there is no writing."

"Turn over a few more pages," answered the head. The king went on
turning, still putting his finger in his mouth, till the poison in
which each page was dipped took effect. His sight failed him, and he
fell at the foot of his throne.

When the physician's head saw that the poison had taken effect, and
that the king had only a few more minutes to live, "Tyrant," it cried,
"see how cruelty and injustice are punished."

Scarcely had it uttered these words than the king died, and the head
lost also the little life that had remained in it.

That is the end of the story of the Greek king, and now let us return
to the fisherman and the genius.

"If the Greek king," said the fisherman, "had spared the physician, he
would not have thus died. The same thing applies to you. Now I am
going to throw you into the sea."

"My friend," said the genius, "do not do such a cruel thing. Do not
treat me as Imma treated Ateca."

"What did Imma do to Ateca?" asked the fisherman.

"Do you think I can tell you while I am shut up in here?" replied the
genius. "Let me out, and I will make you rich."

The hope of being no longer poor made the fisherman give way.

"If you will give me your promise to do this, I will open the lid. I
do not think you will dare to break your word."

The genius promised, and the fisherman lifted the lid. He came out at
once in smoke, and then, having resumed his proper form, the first
thing he did was to kick the vase into the sea. This frightened the
fisherman, but the genius laughed and said, "Do not be afraid; I only
did it to frighten you, and to show you that I intend to keep my word;
take your net