The merchant, having recovered from his fear, mounted his horse and resumed his journey. While he was glad to have escaped such great danger, he was also filled with mortal sadness at the thought of the fateful oath he had made.
When he arrived home, his wife and children greeted him with the utmost joy, but instead of embracing them in turn, he began to weep so bitterly that they knew that something extraordinary must have happened to him.
His wife asked him the cause of his tears and the intense pain he was expressing. "We are rejoicing at your return, yet you are alarming us all with your state. P
lease explain to us the reason for your sadness," she said. "Alas, how can I be in any other state?" he replied. "I have only one year left to live."
He then told them what had happened between him and the genie, and informed them that he had given his word to return in a year's time to receive death at the genie's hand.
The merchant, once a wealthy man with a vast fortune in land, goods, and cash, had many employees and slaves.
He occasionally had to make trips to meet with his associates, and on one such occasion, he set out on horseback with a bag containing a small supply of biscuit and dates, as he would be passing through a desert where he would not find any sustenance.
He arrived safely at his destination, but when he was finished with his business, he set out on his return journey.
On the fourth day of his journey, he was greatly discomforted by the heat of the sun and the scorching ground. He deviated from his path to seek refreshment under some trees he saw in the countryside.
He came upon a fountain with clear, flowing water beneath a large walnut tree, and dismounted to tie his horse to a branch. He sat down near the fountain and pulled out some dates and biscuit from his bag to eat.
As he ate the dates, he tossed the pits to the right and left. When he had finished this modest meal, he washed his hands, face, and feet, as was his habit as a good Muslim, and prayed.
Just as he finished his prayer, an enormous, white-haired genie appeared before him, sword in hand, and said in a terrible voice, "Stand up, that I may kill you as you killed my son."
He accompanied these words with a fearsome cry. The merchant, terrified by the genie's hideous appearance as well as his words, replied trembling, "Alas."
The fourth day of his journey, he felt so uncomfortable from the heat of the sun, and from the earth heated by its rays, that he turned off the path to go and cool himself under some trees that he saw in the countryside.
There, at the foot of a large walnut tree, he found a fountain with very clear and flowing water. He dismounted, tied his horse to a tree branch, and sat near the fountain, after taking some dates and biscuit from his suitcase.
As he ate the dates, he threw the cores to the right and left. When he finished this frugal meal, as he was a good Muslim, he washed his hands, face, and feet, and prayed.
The year passed quickly, and it was time for the merchant to fulfill his promise. He packed a bag with the burial shroud he would need and said goodbye to his wife and children, who were devastated at the thought of losing him.
They begged him to allow them to come with him and die by his side, but he knew it was his duty to go alone. With a heavy heart, the merchant set off on his journey, knowing that he would soon be facing his death.
As he rode through the countryside, he couldn't help but reflect on his life and the choices he had made. He prayed to the gods for forgiveness and begged for mercy, hoping that they would have mercy on his soul.
When he finally arrived at the designated spot, the merchant dismounted from his horse and approached the waiting genie, ready to face his fate.
The merchant, his heart heavy with sorrow, made his way home. When he arrived, his wife and children greeted him with joy, but they quickly saw that he was not his usual self.
He was filled with sadness and tears and they knew that something extraordinary must have happened to him. He told them about his encounter with the genie and about the terrible oath he had made to return and be put to death at the end of the year.
His family was filled with despair at the news and for the next year, the merchant worked tirelessly to put his affairs in order.
He paid off his debts, gave generously to the poor, freed his slaves, and divided his wealth among his children. He appointed guardians for those who were too young to manage their own affairs and he took care to provide well for his wife, as was required by their marriage contract.
Finally, the year was up and it was time for the merchant to set out on his journey. He packed a suitcase with the burial shroud in which he would be laid to rest and bid farewell to his wife and children.
They were inconsolable, begging to go with him and die by his side, but the merchant knew that he had to accept his fate. He tearfully tore himself away from his loved ones and set out for the appointed place, arriving at the fountain just as he had promised.
He dismounted from his horse and sat down at the edge of the fountain, waiting for the genie with all the sadness one could imagine.
The merchant, still in the grips of a terrible agony, began to make preparations for his journey. He packed a bag with the shroud in which he was to be buried, and set out for the place where he had first encountered the genie.
As he arrived at the spot, a kind old man leading a doe on a leash appeared and approached him.
The two men greeted each other, and the old man asked why the merchant had come to such a deserted place, where only malevolent spirits dwelled and where it was dangerous to stay for long.
As the merchant waited in agony for the genie's arrival, an old man approached with a doe on a leash. The merchant explained the reason for his presence, and the old man listened in shock.
"This is the most extraordinary thing I have ever heard," the old man exclaimed. "You are bound by an unbreakable oath. I want to witness your meeting with the genie." With that, he sat down next to the merchant and they waited together for the genie's arrival.
As the sun began to rise, the merchant sat by the fountain, lost in his sorrows and awaiting his fate. Suddenly, an old man appeared, leading a doe on a leash.
The merchant and the old man greeted each other and the old man asked the merchant why he had come to such a desolate place, where only malevolent spirits dwelled.
The merchant told the old man of his encounter with the genie and the promise he had made to return and receive his punishment. The old man was shocked by the merchant's story and offered to stay and witness the meeting with the genie.