The Tale of the Fisherman and the Jinni
Did you know? The bottle the fisherman pulled up was actually King Solomon's sealed bottle!
In the oldest versions of 'One Thousand and One Nights,' the brass bottle the fisherman dragged up was stamped with King Solomon's signet ring. Legend says King Solomon used that ring to seal rebellious demons inside the bottle and cast it into the sea. This idea comes from ancient Middle Eastern protective amulet culture, where people believed metal containers could trap evil spirits. So when the fisherman opened the bottle, he was facing not just a demon, but an ancient curse sealed away for a thousand years!
Long, long ago, an old fisherman lived by the sea. He was so poor he had almost nothing—no extra grain at home, no valuable objects, only an old fishing net patched over and over, and skin tanned dark by the sea wind. Every day before dawn he came to the shore, cast his net into the vast sea, and exactly four times a day—no more, no less. This was the rule he set for himself, and his only way to make a living.
That morning, a thin mist floated on the sea, and gentle waves lapped against the rocks on the shore. The fisherman rolled up his trousers, walked barefoot into the cool seawater, and gripped the edge of his net tightly with both hands. He took a deep breath, entrusted all his hopes to this one cast, and threw with all his might. The net spread in the air like a gray flower, then splashed into the water.
He waited patiently until the net sank to the bottom, then slowly tightened the rope and pulled it up hand over hand. The net was much heavier than usual. The fisherman's heart leaped with joy—he thought he had caught a big fish—and he quickly hurried his hands. But when he dragged the net ashore with all his strength, he saw only a rotten dead donkey, with flies buzzing around it and a terrible stench filling the air.
The fisherman stood frozen, the smile on his face fading bit by bit. He let out a long sigh, shook his head, and said softly, "What a joke the sea is playing on me." He wiped the sweat from his forehead, pushed the dead donkey back into the sea, and though disappointed, still told himself: there are three chances left.
The fisherman sat on the shore for a while, letting the sea breeze dry the sweat on his face and soothe the disappointment in his heart. He told himself that the sea is unpredictable, and an empty first net means nothing—maybe the next cast would bring a good catch. So he stood up, straightened his net again, untangled the knotted lines one by one, checked a few holes, and stepped back into the water.
On the second cast, he was more focused than before. He gripped the net rope firmly with both hands and threw hard. The net traced an arc in the air and sank quietly into the sea. The water sparkled with tiny glints in the sunlight, and the fisherman narrowed his eyes and waited quietly. After a good while, he felt the rope move and began to haul in the net.
This time the net was heavy again, and the fisherman's heart lifted once more. He pulled carefully, afraid of breaking whatever was inside. When he dragged the net ashore, he found a clay jar inside, its mouth wide open and filled with wet mud and sand—heavy enough to frighten anyone, yet completely useless.
The fisherman tipped the jar over, and the mud and sand poured out with a splash. He looked at the pile of mud in disappointment and couldn't help sighing again. But he refused to give up. He tossed the empty jar aside, clapped the mud off his hands, and continued to pray to the sea, hoping the third try would bring good luck.
The fisherman cleaned off the mud and sand and stood in the water again. He looked up at the sky—the sun was already high, and the sea surface glittered with golden light. He knew in his heart that today's luck seemed poor, but a rule is a rule: four times a day, not one less. So he gritted his teeth and cast the net for the third time.
The sound of the net hitting the water was especially crisp, and the fisherman waited full of hope. But when he pulled it in, the net felt light and airy, almost weightless. His heart sank. He dragged the net ashore and saw only broken pottery shards and a few sharp pieces of glass, glinting coldly in the sun.
The fisherman squatted down, picked up a shard, and turned it over and over, then looked at the glass fragments, his face full of confusion. He truly did not understand why the sea kept playing tricks on him—first a dead donkey, then mud and sand, and now these useless fragments. He raised his head and muttered to the vast sea, "O sea, sea, what on earth are you trying to give me?"
Even so, the fisherman still did not give up. He picked up the fragments one by one and threw them far away so they wouldn't cut his feet, then straightened his back and looked at the last chance in his hands. He took a deep breath, ready to cast the final net of the day.
The fisherman readied his net again, silently saying a prayer, then with all his strength cast the last net into the sea. This time, he no longer held great expectations, only thinking that whatever he caught, he would accept calmly. The net spread in the air and splashed into the water, sending out ripples in circles.
He waited quietly until the net had fully sunk, then began to slowly haul in the rope. After only a few pulls, he felt that this net was unusually heavy, the rope cutting into his palms. The fisherman was both startled and delighted, and pulled up even more carefully, afraid the net would break under the strain. He stepped backward step by step and finally dragged the net onto the shore.
Inside the net lay a brass bottle, heavy and glowing with a dark golden luster. The fisherman leaned closer and saw that the mouth of the bottle was tightly sealed with lead, and on the lead seal was stamped a clear signet-ring mark, engraved with ancient words and symbols. Though he could not read, he could tell the mark was no ordinary thing, and a sense of awe rose in his heart.
The fisherman held the bottle in his hands, turning it over and over, examining it closely, more and more curious. He thought: what on earth is inside this bottle? Treasure, or something else? He hesitated for a moment, but in the end could not resist his curiosity. He found a stone, carefully broke the lead seal, and pried open the bottle's mouth.
As soon as the fisherman broke the seal, a wisp of thick smoke curled out of the bottle and drifted upward with a soft whoosh. He jumped back in fright, quickly set the bottle on the ground, and took a few steps backward. The smoke poured out faster and faster. At first it was just a tiny puff, but in an instant it turned into a rolling black cloud that shot up into the sky, darkening half the heavens.
The fisherman's eyes went wide as he watched the smoke swirl and gather in midair, until at last it took the shape of a gigantic demon. The demon was so huge that his head touched the sky and his feet were planted on the earth. His body was as massive as a mountain, his eyes blazed like two burning torches, and when he opened his mouth, rows of sharp white teeth gleamed. The fisherman's legs turned to jelly, and he could barely stand.
The demon bent down and roared in a voice like thunder: "Fisherman, you set me free, but you don't know that I have sworn to kill you!" The sound made the fisherman's ears ring and the sand beneath his feet tremble.
Stammering, the fisherman asked, "I... I saved you. Why do you want to kill me?" The demon gave a cold laugh, thick smoke swirling around him, but he did not strike at once—it seemed he wanted to explain first. Though the fisherman was shaking with fear, he still tried to stay calm and listened carefully.
The fisherman was so terrified that his whole body trembled, and his feet seemed rooted to the sand—he didn't even have the strength to run. He couldn't understand how his kind deed of releasing the demon had earned him a vow of death. Fighting back his fear, he asked in a shaky voice, "What did I do wrong? Why must you kill me?"
The demon lowered his head, the flames in his eyes flickering, and slowly began to explain. It turned out that he was a rebellious demon who had angered King Solomon and was sealed inside this brass bottle, cast down to the bottom of the sea, imprisoned for a thousand long years. In the darkness he waited in loneliness, and at first he had hope.
"For the first hundred years I was sealed," the demon said, "I swore that whoever freed me, I would make him rich for life and repay his kindness. But a whole hundred years passed, and no one came. For the second hundred years, I swore that whoever freed me, I would open the hidden treasures of the earth for him, so he could enjoy them endlessly. But another hundred years passed, and still no one came."
The demon's voice grew lower and lower, filled with pent-up anger: "In the third hundred years, I swore that whoever freed me, I would grant him three wishes. But four hundred years passed, and still no one came to save me. I suffered torment inside the bottle, my anger growing deeper day by day, until at last I swore: whoever frees me at this moment, I will kill him without mercy!"
Hearing the demon's words, the fisherman was both alarmed and anxious. He knew his strength was no match for the demon, and there was no escape by running—he could only rely on his wits. He quickly put on a humble manner and pleaded, "Mighty demon, I am just a weak old fisherman. How could I ever fight you? If you want to kill me, I have no way to defend myself. But before I die, could you grant me one request? I still have a family at home to support."
But the demon was unmoved. He shook his head, thick smoke swirling around him: "The vow has been made and cannot be changed. Accept your fate."
Seeing that begging was useless, the fisherman gradually grew calm. He stared at the giant demon, then looked at the small brass bottle on the ground, and suddenly a clever idea came to him. Pretending to be very surprised, he pointed at the bottle and asked, "Wait! You say you were originally shut inside this bottle—is that really true?"
The demon said impatiently, "Of course it's true." The fisherman deliberately shook his head with a look of disbelief: "You are so huge—your head touches the sky and your feet stand on the earth. How could you possibly fit into such a tiny bottle? I really don't believe it. Unless you show me by shrinking back into it right now, I won't believe your words."
Hearing the fisherman's words, the demon flew into a rage, feeling that this mere mortal dared to doubt his power. He roared, "You ignorant fisherman, how dare you not believe my words! Very well, I will let you see with your own eyes how I can shrink into this bottle!" As he spoke, his body began to change. Thick smoke poured from him, and he grew smaller and smaller, thinner and thinner.
The fisherman held his breath, staring without blinking. He watched as the giant demon turned into a wisp of thick smoke, drifting toward the brass bottle on the ground, slipping into its mouth and disappearing bit by bit. In the blink of an eye, only the bottle remained on the sand, and the demon was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing this, the fisherman immediately dashed forward, grabbed the lead seal, and with all his might pressed the bottle's mouth tightly shut. Then he picked up a stone and pressed the seal down firmly again. His hands and feet moved swiftly, and in one breath it was done. By the time the demon realized what had happened, the bottle was already sealed tight.
Inside the bottle, the demon was both shocked and furious. He pounded desperately against the walls, making dull thumping sounds, but he could not get out. Only then did he realize he had been tricked. He quickly softened his voice and begged pitifully, "Fisherman, fisherman, please let me out! I swear, this time I will repay you and never harm you!" The fisherman held the bottle and let out a long sigh of relief, a smile of triumph spreading across his face.
The fisherman held the bottle and let out a long, long sigh of relief. A smile he had not worn in ages spread across his face. But then he grew wary again, and said to the bottle: "You swore to kill me—how can I let you out? Unless you swear to repay me and never harm me."
The genie inside the bottle answered quickly: "Fisherman, fisherman, I swear to you—as long as you let me out, I will surely repay your kindness and never harm you in the slightest."
The fisherman shook his head and said: "Just now you said you would kill me, and now you say you will repay me. How can I believe you?"
The genie grew anxious, and its voice carried a ring of sincerity: "I swear by the name of King Solomon. If I break my word, may I suffer heaven's curse. King Solomon is a great prophet, and his name must not be dishonored. I swear I will never harm you, and I will give you a reward beyond your wildest dreams."
The fisherman thought for a moment and said to himself: "The name of King Solomon is indeed sacred. No matter how wicked a genie is, it would not dare break such an oath." So he nodded and said: "All right, I will trust you this once. But you must remember your oath."
The genie in the bottle answered again and again: "Of course, of course, I will never forget." Only then did the fisherman carefully pick up the bottle and prepare to break the seal.
The fisherman carefully broke the lead seal. The moment the mouth of the bottle loosened, a thick smoke burst out and shot straight up into the sky. The smoke swirled and gathered in the air, slowly taking the shape of a giant genie—a head like a round dome, hands like pitchforks, legs like tree trunks, and a fierce face. The fisherman backed away in fright, but the genie did not harm him. Instead, it spoke respectfully: "Fisherman, thank you for letting me out. I keep my word, and now I will take you somewhere."
The genie had the fisherman climb onto its back, and they rose into the air. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at a hidden lake. The water was crystal clear, surrounded by mountains, and the scenery was beautiful. The genie pointed into the lake and said: "Look, there are four-colored fish in this lake—red, white, blue, and yellow, each one a different color. Present these fish to the king, and he will surely reward you richly."
The fisherman looked closely, and indeed there were four fish in the lake, each a different color, glinting in the sunlight. He had never seen such strange fish and could not help marveling. The genie added: "But remember, you may catch only once a day. Do not be greedy." The fisherman nodded again and again, his heart full of hope.
The genie went on: "These fish are treasures the king has never seen. Present them to him, and he will be overjoyed and reward you with gold coins. But remember this well: you may catch only once a day, and never catch more, or disaster will follow." The fisherman quickly asked: "Why only once a day?" But the genie would say no more. It only shook its head and said: "Heaven's secrets must not be revealed. Just do as I say."
With that, the genie turned into a puff of thick smoke and vanished into the sky. The fisherman stood alone by the lake, gazing at the four-colored fish, both excited and uneasy. He remembered the genie's warning and decided to follow the instructions strictly. So he cast his net and caught four fish—exactly one red, one white, one blue, and one yellow. He placed the fish carefully in his basket and hurried back to the city.
Along the way, the fisherman thought to himself: "These four fish are so extraordinary—the king is sure to love them. Perhaps I can escape poverty because of this." He quickened his steps and headed toward the palace.
The fisherman arrived at the palace gate and asked to see the king. The guards saw his ragged clothes and wanted to send him away, but the fisherman insisted that he had a rare treasure to present to the king. The guards were half doubtful, but in the end they still announced him. When the king heard that a fisherman had strange fish, he ordered the man brought in.
The fisherman knelt before the king and presented the basket. The king lifted the lid and saw four fish of dazzling colors—red, white, blue, and yellow—each one giving off a strange, shimmering light. The king was astonished and said: "I have lived for so many years, and I have never seen such beautiful fish! Where did you catch them?" So the fisherman told the king about the genie, but he left out the exact location of the lake.
The king was overjoyed. He rewarded the fisherman with one hundred gold coins and ordered the royal chef to cook the fish at once. The fisherman held the gold coins and went home beaming with delight.
The chef cleaned the fish thoroughly and placed it in the pan to fry. Just as the fish began to sizzle, a crack suddenly split open in the wall, and a beautiful woman stepped out. She wore white clothes and had a lovely face, but no expression at all. She walked to the pan, gently waved the willow branch in her hand, and flipped the fish over. Then, without a word, she turned and disappeared into the crack, and the wall closed up as if nothing had happened.
The chef was stunned. When he came to his senses, the fish in the pan had come back to life! It leaped from the pan into a nearby water basin and swam around. The chef turned pale with fright and ran to tell the king. The king came to the kitchen himself and was amazed to see the four-colored fish swimming in the basin. He decided to watch the cooking process himself to see if the miracle would happen again.
The next day, the king ordered another four-colored fish to be caught and stayed in the kitchen himself. The chef put the fish in the pan, and sure enough, the wall cracked open again, and the woman in white appeared. She waved her willow branch over the fish as before, then vanished. The fish came back to life and jumped into the water. The king witnessed it all and was deeply shaken. He said, "This is no ordinary matter. There must be a secret behind it."
The king summoned the fisherman and asked, "Where did you catch these fish? Tell me the truth, or you will be severely punished." Seeing the king's stern face, the fisherman did not dare to hide anything and told the king the location of the hidden lake. After hearing this, the king decided to go and explore for himself. He took his attendants and followed the fisherman to the lake. The water was crystal clear, and four-colored fish swam about, a scene like a painting. The king looked around and noticed a magnificent palace by the lake, so he decided to go in and investigate.
The king walked into the palace and found it magnificently furnished but completely empty. He passed through the great hall and came to a bedroom, where he found a young man lying on a bed. The lower half of the man's body had turned to stone; only his upper half could move. Seeing the king, a glimmer of hope flashed in the man's eyes. He said, "Who are you? Why have you come here?" The king explained his purpose, and the man told him his tragic story.
It turned out that the man was a prince from a neighboring kingdom. Because he refused to marry the sister of an evil magician, the magician cursed him, turning half his body to stone and trapping him in this palace. The magician also turned the palace and the surrounding land into a lake and transformed the inhabitants into four-colored fish. The prince said, "Only by finding the magician and breaking the curse can I and these fish be saved." Hearing this, the king was filled with righteous indignation and decided to help the prince.
The king asked the prince, "Where is the magician now?" The prince replied, "He lives in a cave in the eastern mountains, but his magic is powerful and hard to overcome." The king thought for a moment and said, "I have a plan." He ordered weapons and horses to be prepared, then led his attendants to the eastern mountains. After a fierce battle, the king finally defeated the magician and forced him to lift the curse.
In an instant, the prince's lower body returned to normal, the lake around the palace turned back into land, and the four-colored fish became people again. The prince wept with gratitude, but the king smiled and said, "This is the fisherman's doing. If not for him, I would never have come here." So the king brought the prince back to the royal palace and rewarded the fisherman with great wealth. The fisherman's family lived happily ever after, never worrying about making a living again. And the brass bottle was treasured by the fisherman as a memento of this wondrous adventure.
