Sayfa 154 / 1116

Aye !" There upon the Evil Spirit softened his voice and smoothed

his speech and abased himself, saying, "What wouldest thou do

with me, O Fisherman?" "I will throw thee back into the sea," he

answered; "where thou hast been housed and homed for a thousand

and eight hundred years; and now I will leave thee therein till

Judgment day: did I not say to thee:-Spare me and Allah shall

spare thee; and slay me not lest Allah slay thee? yet thou

spurnedst my supplication and hadst no intention save to deal

ungraciously by me, and Allah hath now thrown thee into my hands

and I am cunninger than thou." Quoth the Ifrit, "Open for me and

I may bring thee weal." Quoth the Fisherman, "Thou liest, thou

accursed! my case with thee is that of the Wazir of King Yunan

with the sage Duban."[FN#77] "And who was the Wazir of King Yunan

and who was the sage Duban; and what was the story about them?"

quoth the Ifrit, whereupon the Fisherman began to tell

The Tale of the Wazir and the Sage Duban.