180 THE FISHERMAN

measure of corn.” He examined the vessel on all sides, and
shook it, to see if what was within made any noise, but heard
nothing. This circumstance, with the impression of the seal
upon the leaden cover, made him think there was something
precious in it, To try this, he took a knife, and opened it with
very little labour. He presently turned the mouth downward,
but nothing came out, which surprised him exceedingly. He
set it before him, and while he looked upon it attentively,
there came out a very thick smoke, which obliged him to retire
two or three paces from it. ‘The smoke ascended to the clouds,
and, extending itself along the sea and upon the shore, formed
a great mist, which, we may well imagine, did mightily astonish
the fisherman. When the smoke was all out of the vessel, it
re-united itself, and became a solid body, of which there was
formed a genie, twice the size of the greatest of giants. At the
sight of a monster of such unsizeable bulk, the fisherman would
fain have fled, but was so frightened that he could not go one
step. “Solomon,” cried the genie immediately, “ Solomon,
the great prophet, pardon! pardon! I will never more oppose
your will; I will obey all your commands !”

The fisherman, when he heard these words from the genie,
recovered his courage, and said to him, “ Proud spirit, what is
that you say? It is above eighteen hundred years since the
prophet Solomon died, and we are nowat the end of time. Tell
me your history, and how you came to be shut up in this
vessel.” The genie, turning to the fisherman, with a fierce
look, said, “ You must speak to me with more civility ; thou art
very bold to call me a proud spitit.”—‘ Very well,” replied the
fisherman, “shall I speak to you with more civility, and call
you the owl of good luck?” —“ I say,” answers the genie, “ speak
to me more civilly, before I kill thee."—* Ah!” replies the
fisherman, “why would you kill me? Did not I just now set
you at liberty, and have you already forgotten it?” —“ Yes, I