The Fisherman and The Jinn
It was a small village near the seashore. About sixty families were living over there. Most of them were farmers. But there was one poor fisherman. During the rainy season, he seldom ventured into the sea. That crippled his income, but he fought tooth and nail.
He started saving some money that helped him whenever he could not go. His boat got capsized twice in mid-sea! But since he was young, able-bodied, and an expert swimmer, he managed to turn the boat and in turn save him too.
One hot summer afternoon, as usual, he was at his work. The sun that climbed higher torched his body. The sea breeze was very hot too. But that was part of his profession. Wearing a cap, he continued to cast his net.
The hot sun kept the fish underwater. They seldom came to the surface. Then, it was lunchtime. He pulled the net and checked if the bait in it was intact. He was satisfied. He tossed the bet back in the water and rolled one end to his finger in the leg and opened the lunch packet.
Even the previous day's meal tasted very good for him. It was when he was about to finish the meal, he felt the net being pulled back! His face brightened. That could mean a fish was caught in the net!
Tossing the remaining food in the water, he caught hold of the net and pulled. But it weighed heavy! “Must be a big fish!” he thought. He pulled hard. But the net could not be pulled!
Gritting his teeth, he leaned backward and used every ounce of his strength before pulling. This time he could pull back the net, but not very fast. But on seeing what it caught, he felt disappointed!
It was not a big fish! There was a small brass jar at the other end! He thought it might have fallen from any passing boat or ship. He picked up the jar. As it was underwater all these days, it was slippery! Holding it tightly in between his thighs, he opened it.
Alas! Suddenly a cloud of white smoke shot up from the jar! The fisherman was taken aback! To his surprise, the cloud dispersed, the next moment, and a Jinn appeared from the smoke! It stood towering him and glared at him! That was unexpected!
The Jinn grinned horrifyingly! “You have woken me up from a deep sleep. I am going to kill you and eat you up!” roared the Jinn.
“I am so sorry. I did not mean to disturb you. It was unintentional and purely accidental that the jar got caught in the net. Please leave me!” he begged.
“No. I can’t spare you. A magician had trapped me into the jar,” He said. The Jinn further added, “if I ate the first man I saw, then the curse on me would be removed!” the Jinn thundered.
The fisherman’s mind raced. He knew no matter whatever he said, the Jinn would not spare him. He decided to play it cool!
“Please think it over,” he kept talking to the Jinn in order to gain time, “It was I who fished you out from the deep waters, opened the lid, and let you out. Now you say that you want to eat me up. Is this how you convey your thanks to me?” he asked at length.
“Shut up. That is the reason why I am still talking with you!” countered the Jinn.
Suddenly an idea struck the fisherman! He said, “But I could not wonder how such a big and mighty Jinn like you could get inside?”
“Aw, that won’t be a problem to Jinn like me. I can transform into a fly and enter inside!”
On hearing this, the fisherman laughed, “Don’t pull a fast one, a friend I can’t believe it. Even a kid would not believe your yarn. It is funny. Say something else!”
It annoyed the Jinn “See, how I am going to enter the jar!” he barked and then transformed into a fly and flew straight into the jar. That was the moment the fisherman had waited for! In a moment, he grabbed the lid and closed it tightly, and threw the jar back in the water!
Then he heaved a sigh of relief!