1-3 The Merchant and the Genie (3 of 3) :
Story of the Second Old Man: who was bitten on the cheek
(Read the third man's story here in     SECTION-5/Story 86-4) 

The second old man started his story - "You see these two black dogs with me, they are my brothers. We are three brothers. Our father died leaving 1,000 gold coins for each of us. We all became merchants and after a while opened our shops. My eldest brother decided to travel to far countries for merchandise, so he sold out everything what he had and his merchandise and went away. He lived there for one year. 

After a year a beggar came to my shop and asked me if I recognized him. With a little effort I recognized him, he was my brother. I ushered him inside and asked about his journey and living in far countries. He replied - "You can see yourself what has happened to me in this one year." I took him home, gave a hot water bath and good clothes to wear. I checked my accounts, I had doubled my money by now. I gave him my half money saying that he should forget what has happened, and we started living as before.

After some time my second brother expressed his desire to travel to far countries. We both tried to stop him, but of no use. He joined a caravan and set out. After a year he also came back in a similar condition. I treated him in the same way I had treated my eldest brother. I gave him my half money and he re-opened his shop with that money.

After a while my both brothers insisted that I travel with them, but seeing their condition, I was unwilling to go with them. I asked them - "What did you gain by going there?"  Still they asked me to go repeatedly. After five years of persuasion, I got ready for it. When they started making preparations for traveling, they discovered that they had lost every penny they had. I did not say anything to them, I had 6,000 gold coins, I distributed it amongst ourselves - 1,000 for each of us and rest of the 3,000 I buried in a corner of my house. We bought merchandise, loaded the vessel and set forth with a favorable wind.

After a two-months of sailing we disembarked on a port, did good trade. We bought some merchandise also for further trade and desired to sail once more, but I was stopped by a beautiful but poorly dressed woman. She kissed my hand and asked me to marry her and take her with me on the vessel. First I hesitated, then I agreed, married her and bought some beautiful dresses for her. Seeing this my brothers got jealous with me. One night, they threw both of us into the sea. My wife was a fairy, so she did not let me drown in the sea, but took me to an island and said to me - "I liked you because of your good nature, but I am angry with your two brothers. I will not take rest until I kill them." I thanked her for saving my life but at the same time I begged her not to kill my brothers. She transported me to the roof of my house and disappeared.

I came down and dug up my 3,000 gold coins. I re-opened my shop and when I came home, I found two black dogs with hanging faces. The fairy appeared again and told me that she had changed them to these black dogs for 10 years. After telling me where she could be found again, she disappeared. This is my story, don't you think that it is an astonishing one?"

Genie said - "Yes it is, and I give to you one third punishment of this merchant." Thus the third man also made the similar request to Genie if his story surpassed the others. So he told his story, but I cannot tell you that one as I do not know what it was.
(Read the third man's story here in     SECTION-5/Story 86-4) 

But after hearing that the genie gave up to him the one third part of the merchant's punishment and disappeared. The first merchant thanked all the three men for saving his life. He came back to his house to live happily with his family.

But however beautiful these stories are, they cannot be more interesting than the fisherman's story.

End of Story No 1