The genie laughed at the fisherman’s fear, and answered, No, fisherman, be not afraid, I only did it to divert myself, and to see if thou wouldst be alarmed at it:  But, to persuade thee that I am in earnest, take thy net and follow me.  As he spoke these words, he walked before the fisherman, who, having taken up his nets, followed him, but with some distrust:  They passed by the town, and came to the top of a mountain, from whence they descended into a vast plain, which brought them to a great pond that lay betwixt four hills,

When they came to the side of the pond, the genie says to the fisherman, Cast in thy nets, and take fish; the fisherman did not doubt to catch some, because he saw a great number in the pond; but he was extremely surprised when he found they were of four colours; that is to say, white, red, blue, and yellow.  He threw in his nets, and brought out one of each colour; having never seen the like, he could not but admire them, and, judging that he might get a considerable sum for them, he was very joyful.  Carry these fish, says the genie to him, and present them to the sultan; he will give you more money for them than ever you had in your life.  You may come every day to fish in this pond, and I give thee warming not to throw in thy nets above once a day; otherwise you will repent it.  Take heed, and remember my advice; if you follow it exactly, you will find your account in it.  Having spoken thus, he struck his foot upon the ground, which opened, and shut again after it had swallowed up the genie.

The fisherman, being resolved to follow the genie’s advice exactly, forebore casting in his nets a second time; but returned to the town very well satisfied with his fish, and making a thousand reflections upon his adventure.  He went straight to the sultan’s palace to present him his fish.  But, sir, says Scheherazade, I perceive day, and must stop here.

Dear sister, says Dinarzade, how surprising are the last events you have told us?  I have much ado to believe that any thing you have to say can be more surprising.  Sister, replies the sultaness, if the sultan, my master, will let me live till to-morrow, I am persuaded you will find the sequel of the history of the fisherman more wonderful than the beginning of it, and incomparably more diverting.  Schahriar, being curious to know if the remainder of the story of the fisherman would be such as the sultaness said, put off the execution of the cruel law one day more.

The Nineteenth Night.

Towards morning, Dinarzade called the sultaness, and said, Dear sister, my pendulum tells me it will be day speedily, therefore pray continue the history of the fisherman; I am extremely impatient to know what the issue of it was.  Scheherazade, having demanded leave of Schahriar, resumed her discourse as follows:  Sir, I leave it to your majesty to think how much the sultan was surprised when he saw the four fishes which the fisherman presented him.  He took them up one after another, and beheld them with attention; and after having admired them a long time, take these fishes, says he to his prime vizier, and carry them to the fine cook-maid that the emperor of the Greeks has sent me.  I cannot imagine but they must be as good as they are fine.