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What is thy story, and what is thy account of thyself, and what

is the cause of thy entering into this cucurbit?" Now when the

Evil Spirit heard the words of the Fisher man, quoth he; "There

is no god but the God: be of good cheer, O Fisherman!" Quoth the

Fisherman, "Why biddest thou me to be of good cheer?" and he

replied, "Because of thy having to die an ill death in this very

hour." Said the Fisherman, "Thou deservest for thy good tidings

the withdrawal of Heaven's protection, O thou distant one![FN#69]

Wherefore shouldest thou kill me and what thing have I done to

deserve death, I who freed thee from the jar, and saved thee from

the depths of the sea, and brought thee up on the dry land?"

Replied the Ifrit, "Ask of me only what mode of death thou wilt

die, and by what manner of slaughter shall I slay thee." Rejoined

the Fisherman, "What is my crime and wherefore such retribution?"

Quoth the Ifrit, "Hear my story, O Fisherman!" and he answered,

"Say on, and be brief in thy saying, for of very sooth my life

breath is in my nostrils."[FN#70] Thereupon quoth the Jinni,

"Know, that I am one among the heretical Jann and I sinned

against Sulayman, David son (on the twain be peace!) I together

with the famous Sakhr al Jinni;"[FN#71] whereupon the Prophet

sent his minister, Asaf son of Barkhiya, to seize me; and this

Wazir brought me against my will and led me in bonds to him (I

being downcast despite my nose) and he placed me standing before

him like a suppliant.