186 THE FISHERMAN

you will find your account in it.” Having spoken thus, he
struck his foot upon the ground, which opened, and shut again,
after it had swallowed up the genie. The fisherman, being
resolved to follow the genie’s advice exactly, forebore casting in
his nets a second time; and returned to the town very well
satisfied with his fish, and making a thousand reflections upon
his adventure. He went straight to the sultan’s palace to
present him his fish. ‘The sultan was surprised when he saw
the four fishes which the fisherman presented him. He took
them up one after another, and viewed them with attention ;
and after having admired them a long time, “Take those fishes,”
said he, to his first vizier, “and carry them to the handsome
cook-maid, that the Emperor of the Greeks has sent me. I
cannot but imagine but they must be as good as they are fine.”
‘The vizier carried them himself to the cook, and delivering
them into her hands, “Look ye,” said he, “there are four
fishes newly brought to the sultan ; he orders you to dress
thom.” And having said so, he returned to the sultan, his
master, who ordered him to give the fishermian four hundred
pieces ‘of gold, of the coin of that country, which he did
accordingly.

‘The fisherman, who had never seen so much cash in his life-
time, could scarce believe his own good fortune, but thought it
must be a dream, until he found it to be real, when he instantly
provided necessaries for his family with it. But, having told
you what happened to the now happy fisherman, I must
acquaint you next with what befel the sultan’s cook-maid,
whom we shall find in great perplexity. As soon as she had
gutted the fishes, she put them upon the fire in a frying-pan,
with oil; and when she thought them fried enough on one
side, she turned them upon the other ; but, oh monstrous pro-
digy ! scarce were they turned, when the walls of the kitchen
opened, and in came a young lady of wonderful beauty and