u." "I have told thee already," replied the genie, "it is
for that very reason I must kill thee." "That is strange," said the
fisherman, "are you resolved to reward good with evil? The proverb truly
says, 'He who does good to one who deserves it not, is always ill
rewarded.'" "Do not lose time," interrupted the genie; "all thy
chattering shall not divert me from my purpose; make haste, and tell me
what kind of death thou preferrest?"

Necessity is the mother of invention. The fisherman bethought himself of
a stratagem. "Since I must die then," said he to the genie, "I submit to
the will of Heaven; but before I choose the manner of my death, I
conjure you, by the great name which was engraven upon the seal of the
prophet Solomon, to answer me truly the question I am going to ask you."

The genie finding himself obliged to a positive answer by this
adjuration, trembled, and replied to the fisherman: "Ask what thou wilt,
but make haste."

The genie having thus promised to speak the truth, the fisherman said to
him: "I wish to know if you were actually in this vessel: dare you swear
it by the name of the great God?" "Yes," replied the genie, "I do swear
by His great name that I was." "In good faith," answered the fisherman,
"I cannot believe you; the vessel is not capable of holding one of your
size, and how should it be possible that your whole body could lie in
it?" "I swear to thee, notwithstanding," replied the genie, "that I was
there just as you see me here. Is it possible that thou dost not believe
me after the solemn oath I have taken?" "Truly not I," said the
fisherman; "nor will I believe you, unless you go into the vessel
again."

Upon this the body of the genie dissolved and changed itself into smoke,
extending as before upon the seashore; and at last being collected, it
began to re-enter the vessel, which it continued to do by a slow and
equal motion, till no part remained out; when immediately a voice came
forth, which said to the fisherman: "Well, incredulous fellow, dost thou
not believe me now?"

The fisherman, instead of answering the genie, took the cover of lead,
and having speedily replaced it on the vessel, "Genie," cried he, "now
it is your turn to beg my favour, and to choose which way I shall put
you to death; but it is better that I should throw you into the sea,
whence I took you: and then I will build a house upon the shore, where I
will reside and give notice to all fishermen who come to th