Long ago, in the golden dawns of old Persia, there lived a poor fisherman named Bahram. Each morning, before the call to prayer kissed the sky, Bahram cast his net into the restless sea, hoping for enough fish to feed his family. Some days, the sea was kind. Most days, it gave him nothing but broken shells and the weight of his own despair.
One crisp morning, Bahram’s net grew heavy, not with fish, but with a strange jar, sealed with lead and engraved with ancient symbols. Curious, he shook it, but no sound came. With a stone, he pried open the lid. A cloud of black smoke billowed out, rising high into the sky and twisting into a monstrous figure, a genie, his eyes glowing like coals, voice booming like thunder.
The Genie
“At last! After a thousand years!” the genie roared. “I am Azram, once a prince among spirits, now cursed to this jar by the great King Solomon!”
Bahram stumbled backward. “If Solomon bound you, what wrong did you commit?”
“I defied him,” said Azram. “He gave me a choice: servitude or exile. I chose pride, and paid with centuries sealed beneath the sea.”
Bahram bowed low. “Then I have done you a great kindness. Will you reward me?”
The genie sneered. “When I was first imprisoned, I vowed to reward the one who freed me. A hundred years passed, no one came. In my second century, I swore I would grant my savior untold riches. Still, no one came. In the third, I promised to grant three wishes. But by the fourth century, my heart turned to ash. Now I vow: whoever frees me shall die.”
Bahram Tricks the Genie
Bahram’s heart pounded. But his mind, sharpened by years of struggle, remained clear.
“You are mighty, Azram,” he said slowly. “But I doubt you truly came from that little jar.”
The genie snarled. “You dare question me?”
“I mean no offense,” said Bahram. “But such a vast form could never have fit inside such a tiny vessel. It is surely a trick.”
Furious, Azram shrieked, “Then watch and tremble!”
With that, the genie transformed back into black smoke and poured himself into the jar once more. Swiftly, Bahram slammed the lid shut and resealed it with a stone. The jar trembled violently, but Bahram did not flinch.
Bury the Genie
“Fool me once,” he said. “But not again.”
He hauled the jar back to the sea’s edge, contemplating what to do. Cast it back? Sell it to a mystic? Keep it buried?
Just then, a dervish passed by, humming a prayer. Bahram called out and told him the tale. The dervish, eyes bright with wisdom, said, “The genie must remain sealed—not out of hate, but to protect others. Pride unchecked becomes destruction.”
And so, together, they buried the jar beneath the sands of an old ruined shrine. Bahram never told another soul. He returned to his fishing, and though he never grew rich, the sea became kinder. Some say the sea remembered the man who outwitted a genie with nothing but words and wit.
Moral of the Story
Wisdom often wins where strength fails. In a world where danger can hide behind charm or power, it is not always might that saves a life, but calm thinking and clever speech. This tale reminds us that pride can trap even the powerful—and humility and cunning can free the weak.
Knowledge Check
What is the moral of the folktale “The Fisherman and the Genie Jar”?
The story teaches a lesson about cleverness and humility, showing how actions rooted in calm thinking and quick wit can change one’s fate, reflecting traditional Persian values.
What cultural group does the tale “The Fisherman and the Genie Jar” come from?
This folktale originates from the Persian storytelling tradition in Asia.
Why did Bahram open the genie jar?
In the tale, Bahram opened the jar out of curiosity and hope for treasure, which sets the story into motion and reveals his humble, resourceful nature.
How does the folktale “The Fisherman and the Genie Jar” explain a cultural or natural concept?
The story offers a moral explanation for why knowledge and humility are valued over pride and brute strength in Persian culture, tying into spiritual themes of justice and restraint.
Is “The Fisherman and the Genie Jar” considered a trickster tale, ghost story, or moral fable?
“The Fisherman and the Genie Jar” is a moral fable that reflects the wisdom and spiritual teachings of its originating culture, passed down through oral tradition.
How is this folktale relevant to modern readers?
The message of “The Fisherman and the Genie Jar” remains relevant as it teaches timeless truths about cleverness, self-control, and the dangers of unchecked pride and power.
Origin: This folktale comes from the Persian tradition in Asia.
