A poor man sought wealth by capturing a jinn, but his greed led to fear and regret. Here’s how his story unfolded.
The Desire for Wealth and the Sage’s Warning
A poor man wished to become rich and heard that capturing a jinn could grant him wealth. He found a sage in his town reputed for great powers and asked him for the secret to capturing a jinn. The sage warned that a jinn is a terrible being who will follow every command but must be kept busy constantly, or it would kill its master. The man assured the sage he could keep the jinn occupied for life.
The Jinn’s Swift Service
The man went into the forest and recited the magic words until a huge jinn appeared. He commanded the jinn to build a palace and bring him money. The jinn completed both tasks instantly. Wanting to keep the jinn busy, the man then ordered it to cut down the forest and build a city, which the jinn also accomplished immediately. The jinn then asked for more work.
Fear of the Jinn’s Power
The man grew frightened as he realized the jinn completed tasks too quickly, leaving him no new commands. The jinn warned him urgently, threatening to eat him if not given something to do. In terror, the man fled to the sage, begging for help.
The Sage’s Clever Solution
The sage told the jinn to straighten the tail of a dog nearby. The jinn tried repeatedly, but the dog’s curly tail kept curling back immediately. The jinn spent many days struggling with the tail and finally gave up, begging to be released. The man agreed and resolved never to be greedy again.
