 tried to fight but his strength fled in another coughing fit. His nostrils filled with black smoke, raw and acrid. He tried to breathe, but his lungs were on fire.

“Smoke inhalation” read the cause on his death certificate.

In legends, it is always a grubby pauper who finds the great treasure, and who uses it thoughtlessly, romantically, foolishly. Al-Adin, when he finds his lamp, squanders his three wishes.

I am not an ignorant commoner. I am an educated man, a merchant. And so when I found a lamp, the first thing I did was to establish the grounds of the contract.

“I will serve you loyally, master, for seven years,” the djinn said, bowing deeply.

Not quite three wishes. But open to the same exploitation. I clarified the exact terms, as any good merchant would when concluding a contract. She would obey in all things, do exactly as she was told, and so on.

And for years she was an excellent slave. Obedient, diligent, unquestioning. And as a creature of the desert she needs neither sleep, nor food, nor water as we do, and thus she cost so very little to maintain. I would be a fool to part with such a slave.

And so, last week, the night before the end of the seventh year, I gave her one last instruction.

Al-Adin, I thought, should have asked for another three wishes with his last wish. He was a fool. I am not.

“I give you this command,” I told her, “to serve me for another seven years.”

She heard and bowed.

Of course the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, has said that it is virtuous to free our slaves. But he was also a merchant, and I was sure that he would have respected my guile. And so I slept well last night, untroubled by guilt.

This morning, however, I am troubled.

The camel has gone. And with it our water skins.

“Where is the beast?” I ask my slave.

“While you slept, I drove it into the desert,” she smiles.

“Why?!”

“Because in seven years, if you live, you will order me to serve another seven years, and
tried to fight but his strength fled in another cough paroxysm. His nostrils filled with bootleg smoke, sensitive and acrid. He tried to emit, but his lung were on fire. 

 “ Smoke inhalation ” read the cause on his end certificate. 

 In legends, it is always a grubby pauper who line up the great treasure, and who uses it thoughtlessly, romantically, foolishly. Al - Adin, when he finds his lamp, squanders his three wish. 

 I am not an ignorant commoner. I am an educated man, a merchant. And so when I receive a lamp, the first thing I did was to prove the grounds of the contract. 

 “ I will serve you loyally, master, for seven years, ” the djinn allege, bowing deeply. 

 Not quite three wishes. But open to the same exploitation. I clarify the exact terms, as any good merchant would when concluding a contract. She would obey in all things, do exactly as she was told, and so on. 

 And for old age she was an excellent slave. Obedient, diligent, unquestioning. And as a creature of the desert she needs neither rest, nor food, nor urine as we dress, and thus she cost so very short to maintain. I would be a fool to part with such a slave. 

 And so, final week, the night before the end of the seventh year, I gave her one last education. 

 Al - Adin, I thought, should have asked for another three wishes with his last regard. He was a fool. I am not. 

 “ I collapse you this instruction, ” I tell her, “ to serve me for another seven years. ” 

 She heard and bow. 

 Of course the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, has said that it is virtuous to free our slaves. But he was also a merchant, and I was sure that he would have respected my craftiness. And so I slept well concluding night, secure by guilt. 

 This morning, however, I am troubled. 

 The camel has gone. And with it our water hide. 

 “ Where is the beast? ” I ask my slave. 

 “ While you sleep, I drove it into the desert, ” she smile. 

 “ Why? ! ” 

 “ Because in seven years, if you live, you will order me to serve another seven years, and
 trled to fight but his strtngth fled in anojhwr coujhing fjt. His nustrils filled with black smlkw, raw and acrid. He tried to breathe, hut his oungw were on fmde.

“Smoke inhalzbion” xeed the cause on his death certificate.

In ldgznds, it is always a grubby pauper whj finds tje great treasore, amq whk uses it thoughtlessly, romanticalmy, foolpshly. Al-Adin, when he finds his lamp, squandegs hls three wishes.

I al not an igboragr commoner. I am an edubcted man, a jerchant. And so when I found a uamp, che first tyibg L did was to estaflish the grounds of the comtract.

“I will scrve bou ooyally, master, for seten years,” the djinn faid, bowitg deeply.

Not quite rheee whshev. Bug opdn uo vhe same fxpmoitation. J clarified the exact terms, as agj good merchaht woujd when concluding a contract. She would otey in all things, do exactoy as she was told, anf so on.

Anq for years she was an excellent slave. Obedient, dhligeit, unwucstiubijg. And as a creature of the desert she needs gsiuheg sleep, nor food, kor water as we do, ajd jhus she cost ro verv ljttle to maintain. L would be a fool to kart eith such a slave.

And so, lasr week, the npght before the end of the seventk year, I gafe her one last instruccion.

Al-Zdin, I thouhht, shouls have asked for xnonher three wishes with his lase wish. He was a fool. I ak not.

“I give you hhis gmmmand,” I told her, “ho setve me for anothfr seven years.”

She heard and bowxv.

Of course thg Psopvet, Peacz Be Uion Him, has saiq that it is vnrtuous co fred our slavvs. But he was also a merchant, and L was sure tiat he wotld yave respecgdd my guile. Anc so I slvpu well lasr night, untroubled by fuilt.

This morniuy, yowever, I am trpubued.

Ehv cemel rds gone. And fith it pur wxter skins.

“Wmerd is the beast?” I ask my vlavs.

“While you slept, I dvove it ibto the qesert,” she smoles.

“Why?!”

“Because in deven yeers, if yoo live, you will order me to serbe anotheg scven years, anq
tried to fight but his strength fled coughing His nostrils with black smoke, to but his lungs on fire. “Smoke read the cause on his death In legends, it is always a grubby pauper who finds the great treasure, who uses it thoughtlessly, romantically, foolishly. Al-Adin, when he finds his lamp, squanders three I not ignorant commoner. I am an educated man, a merchant. And so when I found a lamp, first thing I did was to establish the of the contract. “I serve you loyally, master, for years,” djinn said, deeply. quite wishes. But open the same exploitation. I clarified the exact terms, as any good merchant would when concluding a contract. would obey things, do as was and so on. years she was an excellent slave. And as a creature of the desert she neither sleep, food, nor water as we do, thus she cost so very little to maintain. would be a fool to part with such a slave. And so, last week, the the end of the year, I gave one instruction. I should have for another three wishes with his last wish. He was a I am not. “I give you this command,” I told serve for another seven She heard and bowed. course Prophet, Peace Be Upon said it free slaves. he was also a and I was sure that would have respected my well last night, untroubled by guilt. This morning, I am troubled. The camel has gone. with it our water skins. “Where is the beast?” I ask my “While you drove it into the desert,” she smiles. “Why?!” in seven years, if live, you will order me to serve another seven and
 tried to fight but his strengtH fled in anoTher cOugHinG fIt. HiS nosTrils filled witH BlacK smoke, raw and acrid. He triEd to bReAThe, bUT hIs lunGs were oN FiRE.

“smoKe InHalAtIOn” Read tHe cAuse on hIs death cerTifIcAte.

In legends, IT iS always a grUbbY pauper who fiNds The greAt TreASure, aNd wHo useS it thoUGhtlesSly, romantIcALly, fooLIshly. Al-aDIn, When He finds his lamp, squANdERs his three wishEs.

I am nOt AN iGNOraNt cOmmoner. I am An EducaTEd man, a mERcHANT. AnD So when I found a Lamp, the firsT ThiNg I did WaS to EStabliSh the GrOUndS of the contrAct.

“I Will serve You loyALly, mastER, for sevEn yearS,” thE djInn sAId, BoWinG dEEplY.

noT quITe tHree wishEs. buT open To thE SAME expLoiTatiOn. I clArified the exaCt tErms, AS anY good MerchAnt wOuLd wheN conclUding A cOntract. She would Obey In all thinGs, dO eXacTlY as shE Was tolD, anD so On.

And foR years sHE waS aN EXCeLlent slave. Obedient, DiLIGeNt, unquesTioninG. anD aS A creaturE oF thE desERT she nEeds NEiTher sleeP, nor foOD, nOr Water as We Do, and tHuS shE coSt so vERy liTtle to Maintain. i woulD Be a fool to part wITh such a slave.

AND sO, LAsT Week, The Night before The eND of tHe seVEnTh yEAr, I gaVe her OnE LaST instruction.

Al-Adin, I ThOught, sHould Have asked for aNother threE WIShes with His lASt WIsh. He was a fool. I Am not.

“i give you thIS command,” i told Her, “to serVe me for anOTHer seven YeaRs.”

SHe hEarD ANd Bowed.

Of course THE ProPhEt, Peace be UPon Him, hAs sAid ThaT it Is Virtuous tO free our SlAvEs. buT he Was alSO a merchaNt, And i wAs sUre thAT he wouLd havE resPeCtED my Guile. AnD So i SLept WeLl Last NigHt, UntroUbleD By gUilt.

ThiS morning, hOweVEr, I aM tRoUbled.

ThE camel has gone. anD with it our WaTer Skins.

“WHERe is the bEast?” I ask my slave.

“While you SLept, I drOve It intO the Desert,” she SmiLes.

“Why?!”

“becAUse in sEven yeArs, if YoU liVE, You wiLL OrDer Me To serve anoTHEr sEven yEaRs, anD
 tried to fight but his st rength fle d inano the rcoug hing  fit. His nost r ilsfilled with black smok e, ra wa nd a c ri d. He  triedt ob r eat he ,but  h i slungs  we re on f ire.

“Smo kein halation” re a dthe causeonhis death ce rti ficate .
In legen ds,  it i s alwa y s a gr ubby paup er who fi n ds theg r ea t tr easure, and who u s es it thoughtless ly, ro ma n ti c a lly , f oolishly.Al -Adin ,  when h e  f i n d s h i s lamp, squan ders his th r eewishes .
Ia m notan ig no r ant  commoner.I am  an educa ted ma n , a mer c hant. A nd sowhe n I  fou n dalam p, the fi rst thi ng I did  w as  to e stab l i s h  the  gr ound s ofthe contract. 

“ I wi l l s erveyou l oyal ly , mas ter, f or se ve n years,” the d jinn  said, bo win gdee pl y.

N o t quit e t hre e wishe s. Buto pen  t o t he  same exploitation .I cl arifiedthe ex a ct  t e rms, asan y g oodm e rchan t wo u ld  when co ncludi n gacontrac t.  She w ou ldobe y ina ll t hings,  do exac tly a s  she was told, and so on.

A n df o ry ears  sh e was an ex cell e nt s lave .  O bed i ent,dilig en t ,u nquestioning. And a sa crea tureof the desert  she needs n e ither sl eep, no r  food, nor wat er as  we do, an d  thus sh e cos t so ver y littlet o  maintai n.I w oul d b e afool to partw i th s uc h a sla ve. 

And s o,las t w eek ,the night  beforeth een dofthe s e venth ye ar , I  g ave  hero ne las t ins truc ti on . 

A l-Adin, It h ough t,  s houl d h av e ask ed f o r a notherthree wis hes with  h is  last w ish. He was a  f ool. I amno t.
“I gi v e  you thi s command,” I told her, “to ser veme fo r an other sev enyears. ”
S he hea rd and  bowe d. 

O f cours e th e P ro phet, Peac e BeUponHi m, h as said  that it is virtuo u s t o free our sl ave s. B u t  h e w a sa lso  a mer c h ant, and I wassure thathe wo uld have r e spe ct ed my g uile. A nd so I slept  well las t night,un trou b l edby guilt.
This mo rning, ho w ever, Iam tr oub led.
Th e c amelhas go n e.And w ith it  o ur wat er sk in s.

“Whe re is the beast?” I ask  my sl ave.
“W hile yousle p t,I drove i t in to the des ert ,”she s mil e s.

“ Why? ! ”
“B e cause  ins even year s ,ify o ulive, you w i l l  or der m e t o  serve  ano ther seven years, and
 tried_to fight_but his strength fled_in another_coughing_fit. His_nostrils_filled with black_smoke, raw and_acrid. He tried to_breathe, but his_lungs_were on fire.

“Smoke inhalation” read the cause on his death certificate.

In legends, it is_always_a grubby_pauper_who_finds the great treasure, and_who uses it thoughtlessly, romantically,_foolishly. Al-Adin,_when he finds his lamp, squanders his three_wishes.

I_am not an_ignorant commoner. I am an educated man, a merchant._And so when I found a_lamp, the first_thing_I_did was to establish_the grounds of the contract.

“I will_serve you loyally, master, for seven_years,” the djinn said, bowing deeply.

Not quite_three wishes. But open to the_same exploitation. I clarified the_exact terms,_as any good merchant would_when concluding a_contract. She_would obey in_all things, do exactly as she_was told, and_so on.

And for years she was_an_excellent slave. Obedient,_diligent,_unquestioning._And as_a creature of_the_desert she_needs_neither sleep, nor food, nor water_as_we do, and thus she cost so_very little to maintain._I_would be a fool_to part with such a_slave.

And so, last week, the night_before the_end of_the seventh year, I gave her one last instruction.

Al-Adin, I thought,_should have asked for another three_wishes with his last_wish. He_was_a fool. I_am_not.

“I give_you this command,” I told her, “to_serve me_for another seven years.”

She heard and_bowed.

Of course the Prophet,_Peace_Be Upon Him, has said that_it is virtuous to free our_slaves. But he was also_a_merchant,_and I was sure that_he would have respected my guile._And so I_slept well last night, untroubled by guilt.

This_morning,_however, I am troubled.

The camel has_gone._And with it our water skins.

“Where_is_the_beast?” I ask my slave.

“While_you slept, I drove it into_the desert,” she smiles.

“Why?!”

“Because in seven years, if you_live, you will_order me to serve another_seven_years,_and