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Genie, with all the Sorrow imaginable. Whilſt he languiſh’d in this cruel Expectation, a good old Man leading a Bitch, appeared and drew near him; they ſaluted one another, after which the old Man ſays to him, Brother, may I ask you why you are come into this deſart Place, where there’s nothing but evil Spirits, and by Conſequence you cannot be ſafe. To look upon theſe fine Trees, indeed one would think the Place inhabited, but it is a true Wilderneſs, where it is not ſafe to ſtay long.
The Merchant ſatisfy’d his Curioſity, and told him the Adventure which obliged him to be there. The 0ld Man liſten’d to him with Aſtoniſhment, and when he had done, cry’d out, This is the moſt ſurpriſing thing in the World, and you are bound by the moſt inviolable Oath; however, I will be Witneſs of your Interview with the Genie; and ſitting down by the Merchant, they talk’d together. But I ſee Day, ſays Scheherazade, and muſt leave off; yet the beſt of the Story is yet to come. The Sultan reſolving to hear the end of it, ſufferd her to live that Day alſo.
The Third Night.
NExt Morning Dinarzade made the ſame Requeſt to her Siſter as formerly, thus: My dear Siſter, ſays ſhe, if you be not aſleep, tell me one of thoſe pleaſant Stories, that you have read. But the Sultan, willing to underſtand what follow’d betwixt the Merchant and the Genie, bid her go on with that, which ſhe did as follows.
Sir, while the Merchant, and the old Man that led the Bitch, were talking; they ſaw another old Man, coming to them, follow’d by two black Dogs: After they had ſaluted one another, he ask’d them what they did in that Place. The old Man with the Bitch told him the Adventure of the Merchant and Genie, with all that had paſt betwixt them, particularly the Merchant’s Oath. He added that this was the Day agreed on, and that he was reſolved to ſtay and ſee the Iſſue.
The ſecond old Man, thinking it alſo worth his Curioſity, reſolv’d to do the like: He likewiſe ſat down bythem,
