Pagina 197 de 1116

Spare me, and pardon my past doings; and, as I have been

tyrannous, so be thou generous, for it is said among sayings that

go current:-O thou who doest good to him who hath done thee evil,

suffice for the ill doer his ill deeds, and do not deal with me

as did Umamah to 'Atikah."[FN#101] Asked the Fisherman, "And what

was their case?" and the Ifrit answered, "This is not the time

for story telling and I in this prison; but set me free and I

will tell thee the tale." Quoth the Fisherman, "Leave this

language: there is no help but that thou be thrown back into the

sea nor is there any way for thy getting out of it for ever and

ever. Vainly I placed myself under thy protection,[FN#102] and I

humbled myself to thee with weeping, while thou soughtest only to

slay me, who had done thee no injury deserving this at thy hands;

nay, so far from injuring thee by any evil act, I worked thee

nought but weal in releasing thee from that jail of thine.