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the Story began laſt Night. The Sultan, without ſtaying till Scheherazade ask’d him leave, bid her make an end of the Story of the Genie and the Merchant, for I long to hear the Iſſue of it; upon which Scheherazade ſpoke, and continued the Story as follows.
The Second Night.
WHen the Merchant faw that the Genie was going to cut off his Head, he cry’d out aloud, and ſaid to him, for Heav'ns ſake hold your Hand! Allow me one Word, be ſo good as to grant me ſome reſpite, allow me but time to bid my Wife and Children adieu, and to divide my Eſtate among them by Will, that they may not go to Law with one another after my Death; and when I have done ſo, I will comeback to this ſame Place, and ſubmit to whatever you ſhall pleaſe to order concerning me. But, ſays the Genie, if I grant you the time you demand, I doubt you’ll never return: If you will believe my Oath, anſwers the Merchant, I ſwear by all that’s Sacred, that I will come and meet you here without fail. What time do you demand then, replies the Genie? I ask a Year, ſays the Merchant; I cannot have leſs to order my Affairs, and to prepare my ſelf to die without Regret. But I promiſe you, that this Day twelve Months I will return under theſe Trees, to put my ſelf into your Hands. Do you take Heav’n to be Witneſs to this Promiſe, ſays the Genie? I do, anſwers the Merchant, and repeat it, and you may rely upon my Oath. Upon this the Genie left him near the Fountain, and diſappear’d.
The Merchant being recover’d from his Fright, mounted his Horſe, and ſet forward on his Journey; and as he was glad on the one hand that he had eſcap’d ſo great a Danger, ſo he was mortallly ſorry on the other, when he thought on his fatal Oath. When he came home, his Wife and Children receiv’d him with all the Demonſtrations of a perfect Joy. But he, inſtead of making them anſwer-able
