At this offensive speech the enraged Genius tried every method to get out of the vase, but in vain; for the impression of the seal of Solomon, the prophet, the Son of David, prevented him. Knowing, then, that the fisherman had the advantage over him, he began to conceal his rage. “Take care,” said he, in a softened tone, “what you are about, fisherman. Whatever I did was merely in joke, and you ought not to take it seriously.”—“O Genius,” answered the fisherman, “you, who were a moment ago the greatest of all the Genii, are now the most insignificant; and do not suppose that your flattering speeches will be of any use to you. You shall assurely return to the sea: and if you passed all the time there you said, you may as well remain till the day of judgment. I entreated you in the name of God not to take my life, and you rejected my prayers; I ought to reject yours likewise.
The Genius tried every argument to move the fisherman’s pity, but in vain. “I conjure you to open the vase,” said be; “if you give me my liberty again, you shall have reason to be satisfied with my gratitude.”—“You are too treacherous for me to trust you,” returned the fisherman: “I should deserve to lose my life, if I had the imprudence to put it in your power a second time. You would most likely treat me as a Greek king treated Douban, the physician. Listen, and I will tell you the story.
THE HISTORY
OF THE GREEK KING AND DOUBAN THE PHYSICIAN.
In the country of Zouman, in Persia, there lived a king, whose subjects were originally Greeks. This king was sorely afflicted with a leprosy, and his physicians had unsuccessfully tried every remedy they were acquainted with, when a very ingenious physician, called Douban, arrived at the court.
He had acquired his profound learning by studying different authors in the Greek, Latin, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Syriac, and Hebrew languages; and besides having a consummate knowledge of philosophy, he was also well acquainted with the good and bad properties of all kinds of plants and drugs.
As soon as he was informed of the king’s illness, and that the physicians had given him up, he dressed himself as neatly as possible, and obtained permission to be presented to the king. “Sire,” said he, “I know that all the physicians who have attended your majesty, have been unable to remove your leprosy; but, if you will do me the honour to accept of my services, I will engage to cure you without either internal or topical applications.” The king, pleased with this proposition, replied, “If you are really so skilful as you pretend, I promise to confer affluence on you and your posterity; and without reckoning the presents you will have, you shall be my first favourite; but do you assure me then, that you will remove my leprosy without making me swallow any potion or applying any remedy externally?”—“Yes, Sire,” replied the physician, “I flatter myself I shall succeed, with the help of God; and to-morrow I will begin my operations.”
Douban returned to his house, and made a sort of racket or bat, with a hollow in the handle to admit the drug he meant to use; that being done, he also prepared a sort of round ball, or bowl, in the manner he intended, and the following day he presented himself before the king, and prostrating himself at his feet, kissed the ground.
Douban then arose, and having made a profound reverence, told the king that he must ride on horseback to the place where he was accustomed to play at bowls. The king did as he was desired, and when he had reached the bowling-green, the physician approached him, and putting into his hand the bat which he had prepared, “Sire,” said he, “exercise yourself with striking that bowl about with this bat, till you find yourself in a profuse perspiration. When the remedy I have enclosed in its handle is warmed by your hand, it will penetrate through your whole body; you may then leave off, for the drug will have taken effect; and when you return to your palace get into a warm bath, and be well rubbed and washed, then go to bed, and to-morrow you will be quite cured.
The king took the bat, and spurred his horse after the bowl till he struck it; it was sent back again to him by the officers who were playing with him, and he struck it again; and thus the game continued for a considerable time, till he found his hand as well as his whole body in a perspiration, which made the remedy in the bat operate as the physician had said; the king then left the game, returned to the palace, bathed, and observed very punctually all the directions that had been given him.