The king, eager to see such a wonderful thing, put off his execution to the next day, and sent him under a strong guard to his house.  There the physician put his affairs in order, and the next day there was a great crowd assembled in the hall to see his death, and the doings after it.  The physician went up to the foot of the throne with a large book in his hand.  He carried a basin, on which he spread the covering of the book, and presenting it to the king, said:  “Sire, take this book, and when my head is cut off, let it be placed in the basin on the covering of this book; as soon as it is there, the blood will cease to flow.  Then open the book, and my head will answer your questions.  But, sire, I implore your mercy, for I am innocent.”

“Your prayers are useless, and if it were only to hear your head speak when you are dead, you should die.”

So saying, he took the book from the physician’s hands, and ordered the executioner to do his duty.

The head was so cleverly cut off that it fell into the basin, and directly the blood ceased to flow.  Then, to the great astonishment of the king, the eyes opened, and the head said, “Your majesty, open the book.”  The king did so, and finding that the first leaf stuck against the second, he put his finger in his mouth, to turn it more easily.  He did the same thing till he reached the sixth page, and not seeing any writing on it, “Physician,” he said, “there is no writing.”

“Turn over a few more pages,” answered the head.  The king went on turning, still putting his finger in his mouth, till the poison in which each page was dipped took effect.  His sight failed him, and he fell at the foot of his throne.

When the physician’s head saw that the poison had taken effect, and that the king had only a few more minutes to live, “Tyrant,” it cried, “see how cruelty and injustice are punished.”

Scarcely had it uttered these words than the king died, and the head lost also the little life that had remained in it.

That is the end of the story of the Greek king, and now let us return to the fisherman and the genius.

“If the Greek king,” said the fisherman, “had spared the physician, he would not have thus died.  The same thing applies to you.  Now I am going to throw you into the sea.”

“My friend,” said the genius, “do not do such a cruel thing.  Do not treat me as Imma treated Ateca.”

“What did Imma do to Ateca?” asked the fisherman.

“Do you think I can tell you while I am shut up in here?” replied the genius.  “Let me out, and I will make you rich.”

The hope of being no longer poor made the fisherman give way.

“If you will give me your promise to do this, I will open the lid.  I do not think you will dare to break your word.”

The genius promised, and the fisherman lifted the lid.  He came out at once in smoke, and then, having resumed his proper form, the first thing he did was to kick the vase into the sea.  This frightened the fisherman, but the genius laughed and said, “Do not be afraid; I only did it to frighten you, and to show you that I intend to keep my word; take your nets and follow me.”