The Merchant and the Genie

One day, a merchant went to a marketplace to purchase goods to trade.  Just when he thought he had examined all the shops and materials he saw one last stall that had escaped his notice.  To his great surprise the stall was empty except for an anxious looking man who was sitting with a genie hovering in the air above him.  He went to the man and asked him what he was selling.

“I’m selling this genie.  Will you buy him?” the man replied with a desperate sound in his voice.

“How much are you selling him for?” the merchant asked.

“No special price.  I’ll take whatever you want to give me for him.  Anything!”  This surprised the merchant even more.

“What does he do?”

“He can do anything you ask him to, whatever you wish for.  He is a wish-fulfilling genie.”

“Then why are you selling him?”

“Because I have wished for everything I could think of.  But this genie cannot stay idle. As soon as he is finished with one wish he wants another one to fulfill.  If he is not given a new wish he begins destroying everything he has done for his master.  When I had no more wishes he destroyed all those he granted for me.  Now I can’t even remember what they were or how to make a wish.  I want to get rid of him and to do that I must sell him to someone else.  Name your price and he is yours.”

The merchant was thrilled to hear this.  He thought of all kinds of things he could use the genie for.  His holdings were great, as were his dreams, and there was so much he needed help with.”

He reached into his pouch and said to the man, “I’ll give you ten dinars for this genie.”

Before he could give the man the money, the genie spoke up.  “Have you heard what my master has said about me?  I cannot sit idle.  As soon as I finish one command from you I need another.  Do you think you have so much work for me?”

“Oh yes,” the merchant replied.  ‘I most certainly do.   I have a great deal of work for you do.”  With that he handed the man the ten dinars and the genie was his.

When they arrived at the merchant’s home, the genie asked him, “Now tell me Master, what can I do for you?”

The merchant smiled and replied, “I have various properties in 25 different countries that are not adequately protected and are open to attack by thieves.   Go to each one of them and make them secure against any threat.”

“Your wish will be granted.  I will do it now Master.”

“But wait.  How do you know what to do?  You do not know which countries my properties are in or their locations or any information on what needs to be protected.  Let me give you the list so you can start your work.”

The genie laughed.  “We do not work like humans.  I already know all these details.  I have read your mind and know exactly what needs to be done.”  He clapped three times and said, “Your wish has been granted.  Now give me another command.”

The merchant had never thought that what would take years for a man to complete the genie could do in no time at all.  Then he realized that with his properties now secure, he could set the genie to accomplishing his dreams for each one of them.

“Now,” the merchant said, “I have great plans for all of my properties.   I want you to build carpet and textile factories, peace gardens, schools of great learning, and grand mosques on those properties all according to my plans.”

The genie clapped his hands three times and said, “My Master, it is done.  The factories are built and producing carpets and textiles of the most exquisite craftsmanship.  The gardens are blossoming in the midst of crowded cities where people will have a chance to find precious islands of peace.  Your schools have opened and students are learning there from the greatest sages and scholars of our age.  Magnificent mosques have been created exactly according to your dreams and are inspiring the faithful to prayer as we speak.  Now what can I do for you?”

When the merchant heard this his knees became weak and he almost fainted.  He somehow gathered himself together and managed to sit down.  The genie began spinning around in the air, slowly at first and then faster and faster.  The genie called out again, “What do you want me to do, Master?  What do you want me to do?”

Fearing that the genie was going to destroy all of his wishes the merchant shouted out the first thing that came into his mind.  “I want to become the richest man in the world … and … for all people everywhere to acknowledge me as their king. “

“O my Master, it is done.  You are the richest person in the world and everyone has acknowledged you as their king.  The preparations are being made for your coronation.  Now what can I do for you?  Command me.”

Now the merchant could not think of a thing.  His mind went blank and a panic began to grip him.  Out of his desperation the picture of man’s face came into his mind and an old memory came back to him.  Once on his travels he met a wise old man and spent some years learning from him.  He remembered that as he was leaving, his guru assured him, “If you ever need help and don’t know where to turn, remember me and I will help you.”

“If I’ve ever needed his help, it is now,” thought the merchant.  “Before I become the ruler of the world,” he told the genie, “I wish to receive the blessings of my old guru by whose grace I have found you.  Take me to Guruji’s place.  It is …”

“I know where he lives.  Come.”  The merchant felt himself being elevated in the air and a moment later he was in front of the cave where his guru lived.  “I’ll wait for you while you go to your guru for his blessings,” said the genie. “As soon as you are finished clap three times.  Then I will appear and take you to your coronation ceremony.”

The merchant gratefully left the genie and went inside the cave.  The old man was sitting there peacefully, half naked as always, and recognized the merchant at once.  “Tell me.  What has happened that has caused you to remember me?”

“Oh Guruji,” cried the merchant, “please save me.  Foolish man that I am I purchased a wish-fulfilling genie, thinking of all the things I have dreamt of accomplishing in my life.”  The merchant went on to describe all the tasks the genie had completed for him.”  I had no idea of the genie’s enormous power.  He fulfilled all my wishes in no time, and now I am to become king of the whole world.  He cannot sit idle.  If I do not give him more tasks he will destroy all that he has done for me and I could not bear to see that happen.  Please save me from this awful situation, I beg you!

The guru laughed.  “Is this the only trouble you are in?”

“Yes, Guruji.  Do you know what I should do?  I am so worried about what will happen if the genie takes away all my wishes.  Please help me!”

“First, you need to calm down and relax your mind.  Then you will be able to find the solution you are searching for within yourself.”

“Guruji, I can’t calm down and relax.  I feel like the genie is standing on top of my head, waiting to destroy all my wishes.  He knows I’ll run out of tasks for him to do and when he finishes undoing everything I’ve wished for I won’t even be able to make a wish for myself.  I’m trapped!  There’s no way out!”

Guruji laughed gently.  “OK, OK, I’ll help you.  There is a way out of your predicament.  But before I show you how to tame your genie, there is something else you must tame or it won’t do you any good.”

“What is that, Guruji?”

“Your own desires.  Concentrate your mind like I showed you and review all that you have asked your genie to do.  Tell me what you see.”

After some time the merchant answered in a quiet voice.  “The beautiful carpets and textiles, the peaceful gardens, the great academies of learning, and the majestic mosques – all these come from the promptings of my soul.  As for wealth beyond measure and becoming the ruler of every person on earth, these were not true wishes but products of my fear.  Nothing more.  I will order my genie to undo those two tasks.”

“Ah,” said Guruji, “you have seen clearly how to put desire in its proper place.  And now, about your perceived predicament …”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Tell your genie to find the tallest piece of bamboo in the forest and bring it back home with you.  Then command him to go up and down it until you tell him to stop.  You can stop him whenever you wish to give him another task and then tell him to return to going up and down the bamboo pole until your next command.

The merchant jumped for joy at the simplicity of the solution.  He cried, “Guruji, why couldn’t I have thought of such a simple way to control him?”

“Because when your mind is filled with fear and anxiety you cannot think straight.  When the genie finished your tasks so fast you panicked.  Your fear of the destruction and loss he might cause made you lose control over yourself.  At such times you should always remember your Helper, who helps us all.  He is closer to you than the air you breathe.”  Guruji smiled and the merchant felt all of his anxiety and tension melt away.  He thanked his guru with all his heart and with a light step made his way back outside the cave.

The merchant clapped three times and the genie appeared.  “First,” spoke the merchant, “I want you to undo my commands to be the richest man on earth and king of the whole world.”

“It is done, Master,” said the genie.

“Next, take me home and then bring me the tallest piece of bamboo you can find.”  The merchant felt himself rise in the air again and then he was home.  The genie disappeared and a moment later reappeared holding an enormously tall piece of bamboo.  “Fix the bamboo firmly in the ground,” commanded the merchant.

“It is fixed, my Master,” said the genie.  “Now what can I do for you?”

“You can go up and down this pole until I tell you to stop.”  The genie had no choice.  He started going up and down the pole endlessly, waiting to fulfill his master’s next wish.

Never again did the merchant make a decision out of fear and panic and as far as we know, the genie is still going up and down the bamboo pole to this day.

Source: Arabian Nights

Retranslated, and improved, by Lennie

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