The Arabian Nights - The Fisherman and the Jinni Free online reading

There was an old, poor fisherman who cast his net four times a day and only four times. One day he went to the shore and cast his net. When he tried to pull it up, he found it to be heavy. When he dove in and pulled up the net, he found a dead donkey in it. Then he cast his net again and netted a pitcher full of dirt. Then he cast his net for a third time and netted shards of pottery and glass. On his fourth and final try, he called upon the name of God and cast his net. When he pulled it up he found a copper jar with a cap that had the seal of Solomon on it. The fisherman was overjoyed, since he could sell the jar for money. He was curious of what was inside the jar, and removed the cap with his knife. A plume of smoke came out of the jar and condensed into a Jinni. The fisherman was frightened, although initially the Jinni did not notice him. The Jinni thought that Solomon had come to kill him. When the fisherman told him that Solomon had been dead for many centuries, the Jinni was overjoyed and granted the fisherman a choice of the manner of his death.