The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Black Dogs

Great prince of the genii, you must know that we are three
brothers--these two black dogs and myself. Our father died, leaving us
each a thousand sequins. With this sum we all three took up the same
profession, and became merchants. A short time after we had opened our
shops, my eldest brother, one of these two dogs, resolved to travel in
foreign countries for the sake of merchandise. With this intention he
sold all he had and bought merchandise suitable to the voyages he was
about to make. He set out, and was away a whole year. At the end of
this time a beggar came to my shop. "Good-day," I said. "Good-day,"
he answered; "is it possible that you do not recognise me?" Then I
looked at him closely and saw he was my brother. I made him come into
my house, and asked him how he had fared in his enterprise.

"Do not question me," he replied, "see me, you see all I have. It
would but renew my trouble to tell of all the misfortunes that have
befallen me in a year, and have brought me to this state."

I shut up my shop, paid him every attention, taking him to the bath,
giving him my most beautiful robes. I examined my accounts, and found
that I had doubled my capital--that is, that I now possessed two
thousand sequins. I gave my brother half, saying: "Now, brother, you
can forget your losses." He accepted them with joy, and we lived
together as we had before.

Some time afterwards my second brother wished also to sell his business
and travel. My eldest brother and I did all we could to dissuade him,
but it was of no use. He joined a caravan and set out. He came back
at the end of a year in the same state as his elder brother. I took
care of him, and as I had a thousand sequins to spare I gave them to
him, and he re-opened his shop.

One day, my two brothers came to me to propose that we should make a
journey and trade. At first I refused to go. "You travelled," I said,
"and what did you gain?" But they came to me repeatedly, and after
having held out for five years I at last gave way. But when they had
made their preparation, and they began to buy the merchandise we
needed, they found they had spent every piece of the thousand sequins I
had given them. I did not reproach them. I divided my six thousand
sequins with them, giving a thousand to each and keeping one for
myself, and the other three I buried in a corner of my house. We
bought merchandise, loaded a vessel with it, and set forth with a
favorable wind,in order that if our voyage proved unsuccessful we might be able to console ourselves and begin our former profession.

We purchased our goods, embarked in a vessel, which we ourselves freighted, and set sail with a favorable wind. After sailing about a month, we arrived, without any accident, at a port, where we landed, and had a most advantageous sale for our merchandise. I, in particular, sold mine so well that I gained ten for one.


About the time that we were ready to embark on our return, I accidentally met on the seashore a female of great beauty, but very poorly dressed. She accosted me by kissing my hand, and entreated me most earnestly to permit her to be my wife. I stated many difficulties to such a plan; but at length she said so much to persuade me that I ought not to regard her poverty, and that I should be well satisfied with her conduct, I was quite overcome. I directly procured proper dresses for her, and after marrying her in due form, she embarked with me, and we set sail. During the voyage,I discovered so many good qualities in my wife that I began to love her more and more.

During our voyage I found my wife possessed of so many good qualities that I loved her every day more and more. In the meantime my two brothers, who had not traded so advantageously as myself, and who were jealous of my prosperity, began to feel exceedingly envious. They even went so far as to conspire against my life; for one night, while my wife and I were asleep, they threw us into the sea. I had hardly, however, fallen into the water, before my wife took me up and transported me to an island. As soon as it was day she thus addressed me:


"You must know that I am a fairy, and being upon the shore when you were about to sail, I wished to try the goodness of your heart, and for this purpose I presented myself before you in the disguise you saw. You acted most generously, and I am therefore delighted in finding an occasion of showing my gratitude, and I trust, my husband, that in saving your life I have not ill rewarded the good you have done me. But I am enraged against your brothers, nor shall I be satisfied till I have taken their lives."

I listened with astonishment to the discourse of the fairy, and thanked her, as well as I was able, for the great obligation she had conferred on me.

"But, madam," said I to her, "I must entreat you to pardon my brothers."

I related to her what I had done for each of them, but my account only increased her anger.

I thanked the fairy for all that she had done for me, but I begged her
not to kill my brothers.

I appeased her wrath, and in a moment she transported me from the
island where we were to the roof of my house, and she disappeared a
moment afterwards. I went down, and opened the doors, and dug up the
three thousand sequins which I had buried. I went to the place where
my shop was, opened it, and received from my fellow-merchants
congratulations on my return. When I went home, I saw two black dogs
who came to meet me with sorrowful faces. I was much astonished, but
the fairy who reappeared said to me,

"Do not be surprised to see these dogs; they are your two brothers. I
have condemned them to remain for ten years in these shapes." Then
having told me where I could hear news of her, she vanished.

The ten years are nearly passed, and I am on the road to find her. As
in passing I met this merchant and the old man with the hind, I stayed
with them.

----
This is my history, O prince of genii! Do you not think it is a most
marvellous one?

"Yes, indeed," replied the Genie, "and I will give up to you the third
of the merchant's punishment."

Then the third old man made the Genie the same request as the other
two had done, and the Genie promised him the last third of the
merchant's punishment if his story surpassed both the others.

----
So he told his story to the Genie, but I cannot tell you what it was,
as I do not know.

But I do know that it was even more marvellous than either of the
others, so that the Genie was astonished, and said to the third old
man, "I will give up to you the third part of the merchant's
punishment. He ought to thank all three of you for having interested
yourselves in his favour. But for you, he would be here no longer."

So saying, he disappeared, to the great joy of the company. The
merchant did not fail to thank his friends, and then each went on his
way. The merchant returned to his wife and children, and passed the
rest of his days happily with them.

"But, sire," added Scheherazade, "however beautiful are the stories I
have just told you, they cannot compare with the story of the
Fisherman."
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the story of the Fisherman