The Merchant and the Genie
A traveler, a spirit, and three old men in the desert
Page 1
Once, long ago, a wealthy Merchant set out on a journey across the wide, sun-drenched desert, traveling for days under the relentless sun. He rode upon his swift camel, carrying valuable goods for trade to distant cities. The journey was long and demanding, with the sands stretching endlessly in every direction, shimmering under the intense heat. As evening approached one day, feeling the pleasant weariness of travel, the Merchant decided to halt and rest. He found a small, shady spot cast by a low rock formation and dismounted from his camel, grateful for the brief pause from the saddle. He opened his saddlebag and took out some sweet, ripe dates, a truly welcome treat after the long hours of travel. He ate them slowly, savoring each one, tossing the pits carelessly aside as he enjoyed the quiet peace of the vast, empty desert, unaware of the ancient presence that lay beneath the sand.
Page 2
No sooner had the Merchant tossed his last date pit than the air around him began to darken, not with nightfall, but with an unnatural, swirling gloom. A colossal column of dark smoke rose from the very ground where the pit had landed, growing rapidly taller and wider until it took on a terrible, humanoid shape. Before the Merchant's astonished and terrified eyes stood a towering Genie, a fearsome spirit wreathed in dense, dark, angry smoke, with eyes that glowed like burning coals in the deepening gloom around his form. The Genie let out a fearsome roar that echoed across the quiet desert, making the ground tremble beneath the Merchant's feet. The Merchant, who had seen many wonders in his travels and faced many dangers, had never encountered anything so mighty or so furious. He stood frozen, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm in his chest, utterly unable to move or speak, as the colossal spirit fixed its glowing, enraged gaze upon him, its form filling the space under the lone palm tree.
Page 3
The Genie's voice was like thunder, shaking the very ground and echoing off the ancient rocks. He explained, his voice laced with sorrow and fury, that his son, a young spirit, had been playing invisible near the ground at that very spot, unseen by mortal eyes. The carelessly thrown date pit had struck him down, and the blow had tragically caused the sudden end of his life. Now, the Genie declared with terrifying finality, he would take the Merchant's life in return, as a just and equal vengeance for his lost child. The Merchant, trembling from head to foot, fell to his knees in the dust. He raised his hands in desperate supplication, begging the mighty spirit for mercy. He swore with sincere desperation that he had not known any spirit's child was playing there, and that he had acted without any intention of harm. The Genie, however, was deaf to his heartfelt pleas, his glowing eyes burning with unyielding sorrow and vengeful rage, his colossal form casting a fearsome shadow.
Page 4
The Merchant, desperate for any chance to live and knowing the Genie's power, begged for a single year of reprieve. He explained with urgent words that he had many affairs to settle, important debts to pay, and a beloved family to bid farewell to before he could face his inevitable fate. Surprisingly, after a moment of silence that seemed to stretch into an eternity, the Genie, perhaps touched by the Merchant's sincerity, agreed. He told the Merchant that he would grant him exactly one year, to the very day, to return to this very spot in the oasis. If he did not, the Genie vowed he would find him wherever he was and take his life then and there. With a heavy heart, but a flicker of hope, the Merchant rose. He quickly mounted his camel, urging the creature onward, and set off, leaving the ominous oasis behind, riding as fast as the creature could carry him, the chilling promise of death hanging heavily over his head with every step.
Page 5
The Merchant returned to his bustling city and his beautiful, spacious home. He greeted his family and managed his affairs with a heavy heart, knowing the terrible fate that awaited him at the end of the appointed year. He meticulously paid his debts, distributed his considerable wealth wisely among his loved ones, ensuring their future security, and gave detailed instructions for the care of his household and his businesses. He spent his days in quiet contemplation, making sure every last detail was in perfect order, never revealing the terrible secret of his encounter with the powerful Genie. When the year was almost at an end, he gathered his family and servants. He spoke words of love and farewell, pretending he was merely embarking on another long trading journey, though his eyes held a deep, unshakeable sorrow that only he understood. He embraced each one, knowing in his heart it would be for the very last time.
Page 6
True to his word, when the full year had passed, the honorable Merchant left his comfortable home and traveled once more across the wide, unforgiving desert. He returned precisely to the very spot in the oasis where he had first encountered the fearsome Genie, the memory of that terrifying meeting fresh in his mind. The air was still and quiet, filled only with the gentle rustle of palm fronds, and the sun was warm on his face, a stark contrast to the Genie's fiery presence. He dismounted from his camel and sat down by a quiet, dry stream bed, beneath the welcome shelter of some tall date palms, and waited patiently. He knew his appointed time had come, and he felt a strange, deep calm. He had settled his affairs, said his farewells, and now he was ready to face the inevitable consequences of his unwitting act. He looked out at the familiar desert landscape, reflecting on his life, prepared for whatever might come, embracing his fate with quiet dignity.
Page 7
As the sun began to dip lower, painting the sky with fiery colors of orange and purple, a new figure appeared on a rocky trail leading directly into the oasis. It was an old man, with a long white beard that flowed over his chest and a distinctive green turban wrapped around his head, leading a gentle brown deer by a simple leash. The old man, seeing the Merchant sitting alone and waiting so patiently, seemingly lost in thought, paused respectfully in his journey. He approached the Merchant with a kind smile and a warm greeting, his voice gentle. Curious, he asked why a man of such apparent standing would be waiting in such a desolate and remote spot, appearing to expect something or someone of great importance. The Merchant, though initially reluctant to share his grim and extraordinary tale, felt a strange compulsion to tell the wise traveler of his fateful encounter with the powerful Genie and his solemn promise to return.
Page 8
As the First Old Man listened intently to the Merchant's extraordinary story, a second traveler appeared on another path leading into the oasis. This was the Second Old Man, a man with a gray beard and a sturdy brown cloak, walking steadily with two loyal black dogs trotting faithfully at his heels, their tails wagging gently. He approached a sturdy stone well, a known central gathering point within the oasis, to draw fresh water after his journey. Seeing the two men in deep and serious conversation, the Second Old Man greeted them warmly and, like the first, expressed his polite curiosity about their presence in such a remote and quiet spot. The Merchant, having already begun his tale for the First Old Man, found himself repeating the incredible story of the Genie and his promised fate, drawing both Old Men into the gravity of his unique situation. The two black dogs sat patiently nearby, their ears perked, as if listening intently to every word.
Page 9
Just as the Merchant finished his extraordinary story for the second time, recounting every detail of his terrifying encounter, a third figure appeared on the horizon. This was the Third Old Man, with a short white beard and a bright striped tunic, leading a strong grey mule heavily laden with goods. He too approached the gathering, drawn by the unusual sight of the men conversing so intently, curious about the tale being told. Before he could even utter his question or join their circle, the air around them grew strangely cold, and a familiar, terrifying column of dark smoke began to rise ominously from the very sand where the Merchant was to meet his doom. With a mighty, earth-shaking roar, the fearsome Genie reappeared, his eyes glowing intensely red, his smoky form towering once more over the now terrified group. He had returned exactly as promised, at the precise moment, and he was ready to claim the Merchant's life.
Page 10
One by one, the three Old Men stepped forward and asked the Genie for permission to tell their own extraordinary stories, hoping to amuse him and perhaps sway his heart from vengeance. Each tale was more wondrous than the last, filled with magic, curses, and surprising turns of fortune, captivating even the mighty spirit. The Genie, though initially stern and unyielding, found himself growing amused and even pleased by their captivating storytelling, his fiery eyes softening with each narrative. After each tale, he graciously granted a portion of his claim on the Merchant's life, his profound anger slowly softening and dissipating like mist in the morning sun. Finally, after the third enchanting story was told, the Genie's fury was entirely gone, replaced by a sense of satisfaction. With a great sigh that stirred the palm fronds like a gentle breeze, he declared the Merchant free from his vow. Then, with a final, benevolent glance at the grateful men, the Genie's smoky form began to dissipate and fade, receding gracefully into the vast, clear desert sky, leaving the Merchant and his new friends in peace, their lives now safe.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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