The Third Old Man and Mule

In the heart of the ancient desert, where the sands whisper secrets of a thousand nights, a merchant stood trembling before a powerful Genie. He was facing certain death until three old men approached, each offering a story in exchange for a portion of the merchant’s life. The first two had already shared their wonders, but the most peculiar sight was yet to come. The third old man stepped forward, leading a mule by a halter, ready to tell a story that rivaled the complexity found in The Porter and Three Ladies.

The Discovery of Betrayal

This old man began his tale by explaining that the mule he led was not a beast of burden by nature, but a woman bound by a magical curse. Years ago, he had been a prosperous merchant who traveled frequently for trade. Upon returning from a long journey that had lasted over a year, he arrived home late at night, hoping to surprise his beloved wife. However, the surprise was his to bear. He found his wife in the company of a slave, and in her panic and rage, she did not seek forgiveness. Instead, she turned to the dark arts of sorcery.

His wife, well-versed in clandestine magic similar to the enchantments seen in The Lady of the Glass Jar, threw a vessel of water over him. With a few muttered incantations, she cried, “Leave this form and take the shape of a dog!” In an instant, the merchant’s world shifted. His height shrank, his voice became a bark, and he was driven from his own home as a stray animal.

The Life of a Stray

For months, the merchant lived the life of a miserable dog, scavenging for scraps and dodging the kicks of passersby. His plight was as tragic as the isolation felt in The Tale of the Young King, though his throne was now the cold cobblestones of the marketplace. One day, he followed a butcher who took pity on him and gave him a few bones. The merchant, even in his canine form, showed such intelligence and gratitude that the butcher decided to take him home.

Upon entering the butcher’s house, the butcher’s daughter—who was a master of white magic—immediately covered her face. She told her father that the dog was, in fact, a man who had been cursed by a wicked woman. Much like the wisdom found in The Tale of the Husband, she understood the complexities of domestic betrayal and the power of transformative spells.

The Restoration of Form

Determined to help, the girl took a cup of water and performed a counter-spell. She sprinkled the water over the dog and commanded him to return to his human state. The merchant stood tall once more, weeping with joy. The daughter then gave him a small vial of enchanted liquid, instructing him that if he wished for justice, he must throw this over his wife and command her to take whatever shape he desired.

He returned to his home in secret. His wife was stunned to see him, but before she could utter another curse, he splashed the liquid over her. “Because of your betrayal and your cruelty, live out your days as a mule!” he declared. The transformation was instantaneous. Since that day, he had traveled the world with the mule, ensuring she lived as a beast to reflect the lack of humanity she had shown him. His journey was a long path of recovery, mirrored by the trials faced by The Vizier’s Son in his own quest for truth.

Justice and Mercy

The Genie, moved by the sheer imagination and the sense of justice in the story, granted the third portion of the merchant’s life back to him. The three old men had saved a life through the power of storytelling alone. The merchant thanked them profoundly and returned to his family, forever mindful of the thin line between reality and the magical unknown of the Alif Laila world.