The old white genie loomed over the merchant, brandishing a saber and bellowing, "Get up, so that I may kill you as you killed my son!"
The merchant, terrified by the monster's fearsome appearance and words, replied tremblingly, "Oh, my good lord, what crime could I have committed against you that merits taking my life?" The genie replied, "I will kill you just as you killed my son." The merchant protested,
"Oh dear God, how could I have killed your son? I do not know him and have never seen him." The genie asked, "Did you not sit down when you arrived here? Did you not take dates from your satchel and throw their pits to the right and left as you ate them?" The merchant admitted, "I did what you say. I cannot deny it."
The merchant's heart raced as he saw the white-bearded genie towering over him, sword in hand. "Please, my lord," the merchant begged, "I do not know your son and have never seen him before. How could I have killed him?"
But the genie was not moved. "You killed my son when you sat down here and ate your dates, tossing their pits aside," he boomed. "One of those pits struck my son in the eye, killing him on the spot. And so, I must kill you as well."
Terrified, the merchant pleaded for mercy. "I understand that an eye for an eye is justice," he said, "but I assure you, I had no intention of causing harm. Please, have mercy on me and spare my life."
But the genie was resolute. "No mercy for you," he declared, and with a mighty swing of his sword, he prepared to end the merchant's life.
In the midst of the night, the giant white genie raised his sword high above the merchant, ready to strike him down. But before he could bring the sword down, a bright light filled the clearing, and a beautiful woman appeared before them.
"What is the cause of this quarrel?" she asked, her voice like music.
The merchant explained the circumstances of how he had come to be accused of killing the genie's son, and the genie confirmed the story.
The woman listened patiently, then turned to the genie. "Do you have any proof that this man intentionally killed your son? Or is it possible that it was simply an accident?"
The genie was forced to admit that he had no proof of the merchant's intent. The woman then turned to the merchant. "And you, do you swear that you had no intention of causing harm to the genie's son?"
The merchant swore on his life that it had been a terrible accident, and begged for mercy.
The woman nodded, her eyes gleaming with understanding. "I believe you both. There is no need for violence here. The merchant shall pay reparations to the genie, in honor of his son's memory, and the two of you shall part ways in peace."
As the merchant continued to plead for mercy, the white-bearded genie remained steadfast in his determination to execute him for the supposed crime of killing his son. "All of these regrets are unnecessary," the genie declared.
"Even if your tears were made of blood, it would not prevent me from killing you as you killed my son."
"What! Is nothing able to touch you?" the merchant asked in desperation. "Do you truly wish to take the life of an innocent man?"
"Yes," the genie replied. "I am resolved."
As he spoke, a voice called out from above, "Hold, genie! Do not be so hasty in your judgment. Allow me to intervene on behalf of this man."
The genie looked up to see a great bird descending from the sky. It was the magical Simurgh, a creature known for its wisdom and just nature. The genie hesitated, but ultimately decided to listen to the Simurgh's plea.
The Simurgh explained to the genie that the merchant was indeed innocent and had not intentionally harmed the genie's son. The date pit that had caused the son's death was simply an unfortunate accident.
Upon hearing this, the genie was filled with remorse and begged the merchant's forgiveness. The merchant, grateful to be spared, happily granted it and the two parted on good terms. The merchant continued on his journey home, thankful to the Simurgh for saving his life.
The Grand Vizier went to bring the news to Shaikeza, who received it with as much joy as if it had been the most pleasant news in the world.
She thanked her father for having so sensitively obliged her, and seeing that he was overwhelmed with grief, she said to him, to console him, that she hoped he would not regret having married her to the sultan and that, on the contrary, he would have cause to rejoice for the rest of his life.
As the great vizier waited with cruel anxiety, he spent the night sighing and pitying the fate of his daughter, whom he was to be the executioner of.
But while he feared the sight of the sultan in this sad expectation, he was pleasantly surprised when he saw the prince enter the council without giving the fatal order he had been waiting for.
And so it was done. The merchant returned home, grateful to be alive and determined to be more careful in the future. The genie, though still grieving for his son, was satisfied with the reparations and was able to find some sense of closure.
And the woman, with a gentle smile, vanished as suddenly as she had appeared.
The merchant, upon seeing the genie raise his sword to strike, cried out, "Wait! Just one more word, please. Have the kindness to grant me a delay: allow me to go say goodbye to my wife and children, and to divide my goods by means of a testament that I have not yet made, so that they will not have any lawsuits after my death.
Once that is finished, I will immediately return to this same place and submit to whatever you wish to ordain for me."
But the genie said, "I fear that if I grant you the delay you request, you will not return."
"If you will believe in my oath," replied the merchant, "I swear by the God of heaven and earth that I will come and meet you here without fail."
"For how long do you wish this delay to be?" asked the genie.
"I ask for one year," replied the merchant. "I need no less time to put my affairs in order and to prepare myself to renounce the pleasure of living without regret. So I promise you that one year from today, without fail, I will come under these trees to surrender myself into your hands."
"Do you swear by God to keep this promise?" asked the genie.
"Yes," replied the merchant, "I swear by God once again, and you can rely on my oath."
At these words, the genie left the merchant by the fountain and disappeared.