Then, in an amazing bit of irony, you will see that because the king believed the story about the physician being an assassin, he in fact turned the physician into an assassin after all! After the Greek king thus meets his gruesome doom, Scheherazade returns us to the story of the fisherman and the genie so that we can learn what happens to them next.
[Notes by LKG]
This story is part of the Arabian Nights unit. Story source: The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898).
The Physician's Revenge
[for audio, see previous page]
"Sire," went on the vizir to the Greek king, "to return to the physician Douban. If you do not take care, you will repent of having trusted him. Who knows what this remedy, with which he has cured you, may not in time have a bad effect on you?"
The Greek king was naturally very weak, and did not perceive the wicked intention of his vizir, nor was he firm enough to keep to his first resolution. "Well, vizir," he said, "you are right. Perhaps he did come to take my life. He might do it by the mere smell of one of his drugs. I must see what can be done."
"The best means, sire, to put your life in security, is to send for him at once, and to cut off his head directly he comes," said the vizir.
"I really think," replied the king, "that will be the best way." He then ordered one of his ministers to fetch the physician, who came at once.
"I have had you sent for," said the king, "in order to free myself from you by taking your life."
The physician was beyond measure astonished when he heard he was to die. "What crimes have I committed, Your Majesty?"
"I have learnt," replied the king, "that you are a spy, and intend to kill me. But I will be first, and kill you. Strike," he added to an executioner who was by, "and rid me of this assassin."
At this cruel order the physician threw himself on his knees. "Spare my life," he cried, "and yours will be spared."
The fisherman stopped here to say to the genius: "You see what passed between the Greek king and the physician has just passed between us two."
The Greek king (the fisherman went on) had no mercy on him, and the executioner bound his eyes.
All those present begged for his life, but in vain.
The physician on his knees, and bound, said to the king: "At least let me put my affairs in order, and leave my books to persons who will make good use of them. There is one which I should like to present to Your Majesty. It is very precious, and ought to be kept carefully in your treasury. It contains many curious things the chief being that when you cut off my head, if Your Majesty will turn to the sixth leaf, and read the third line of the left-hand page, my head will answer all the questions you like to ask it."
The king, eager to see such a wonderful thing, put off his execution to the next day, and sent him under a strong guard to his house. There the physician put his affairs in order, and the next day there was a great crowd assembled in the hall to see his death, and the doings after it.
The physician went up to the foot of the throne with a large book in his hand. He carried a basin, on which he spread the covering of the book, and presenting it to the king, said: "Sire, take this book, and when my head is cut off, let it be placed in the basin on the covering of this book; as soon as it is there, the blood will cease to flow. Then open the book, and my head will answer your questions. But, sire, I implore your mercy, for I am innocent."
"Your prayers are useless, and if it were only to hear your head speak when you are dead, you should die." So saying, he took the book from the physician's hands, and ordered the executioner to do his duty.
The head was so cleverly cut off that it fell into the basin, and directly the blood ceased to flow. Then, to the great astonishment of the king, the eyes opened, and the head said, "Your Majesty, open the book."
The king did so, and finding that the first leaf stuck against the second, he put his finger in his mouth, to turn it more easily. He did the same thing till he reached the sixth page and, not seeing any writing on it, "Physician," he said, "there is no writing."
"Turn over a few more pages," answered the head. The king went on turning, still putting his finger in his mouth till the poison in which each page was dipped took effect. His sight failed him, and he fell at the foot of his throne.
When the physician's head saw that the poison had taken effect, and that the king had only a few more minutes to live, "Tyrant," it cried, "see how cruelty and injustice are punished."
Scarcely had it uttered these words than the king died, and the head lost also the little life that had remained in it.
That is the end of the story of the Greek king, and now let us return to the fisherman and the genius.
"If the Greek king," said the fisherman, "had spared the physician, he would not have thus died. The same thing applies to you. Now I am going to throw you into the sea."
"My friend," said the genius, "do not do such a cruel thing. Do not treat me as Imma treated Ateca."
"What did Imma do to Ateca?" asked the fisherman.
"Do you think I can tell you while I am shut up in here?" replied the genius. "Let me out, and I will make you rich."
The hope of being no longer poor made the fisherman give way. "If you will give me your promise to do this, I will open the lid. I do not think you will dare to break your word."
The genius promised, and the fisherman lifted the lid. He came out at once in smoke, and then, having resumed his proper form, the first thing he did was to kick the vase into the sea. This frightened the fisherman, but the genius laughed and said, "Do not be afraid; I only did it to frighten you, and to show you that I intend to keep my word; take your nets and follow me."
Next: The Sultan and the Fish
(1000 words)
