A/N: The modern collection of stories known commonly as '1001 Arabian Nights' is culled from Persian, Indian and other cultures' myths and folktales that has changed over time as it has been translated, rewritten and added to through the centuries. Surely there is room for one or two more tales?

The 2684th Arabian Night

"Curses on him!"

The Sultan Shahriyar was in turmoil and distress, pacing about his room in great anger. He yelled as he kicked a pillow on the floor for effect, and it sailed into a corner.

"Sire, what inflames you so?" Scheherazade cried as she ran into the room. Looking about, she saw no one but her husband. "I thought an intruder might be in your room."

"Such a person could be dealt with easily enough" he said as he sat down on a cushion in such a rough matter it looked as though he threw himself. "My problem, although great, is not so near at hand."

"Tell me your troubles, and perhaps in some small way I might be of assistance" she said as she tried to calm her husband.

"I shall, although I see nothing to be gained of it. It is the Sultan Mazhareashwayiyin."

"His is the land to the north of yours."

"It is. I have good relations with my neighbors in all directions except him."

"Does he spread lies about you? Does he steal your property?"

"No, he is more devious than that; he mocks me!" The sultan stood, only to sit again. "Whatever I do, he does the same. I name our daughter Schehedral and he names his twin daughters Schahedral and Schehedran. I buy two heads of cattle, he buys three. I build an new room on my palace, he builds a new room and tower. If I were to take another woman for my wife, he would probably take two. I know he does it to spite me; I wish a Jinn would wisk him away never to be seen again."

"Don't say that sire!" Scheherazade pleaded as she knelt in front of him. "You should be careful what you wish for, particularly with a Jinn."

"I suppose you have a story to enlighten me on this matter?"

"Well," she said, sitting beside him to make herself comfortable "as it so happens I have heard a tale..."

...

There was once a learned man by the name of Tabloola who was known far and wide as a great healer. Not of people, for he cared little of his fellow man, and even less of women. He spent many long days and late nights consulting texts and trying different herbs and mixtures to effect cures. People would bring him work animals and beloved pets praying for help, and he would do what he could not for the owner's sake but for the animals. It was not the grief of the owner upon the loss of an animal, but the animal's suffering that reached deep within him.

No matter how tiresome his efforts, how valiant his dedication, some animals were beyond saving; some had even perished before arriving. These failures would make him angry, and he would take out his anger on his wife and house servants. They longed to leave and be far from his cruel ways, for there was little solace in seeing a camel healed if the next day the man would fail and strike his wife, cook or whoever had the misfortune of crossing his path. But such a thing as leaving was unheard of, and they would have been returned against their will if it had been attempted.

One day, while walking the fields, the wife found a bottle half-buried in the ground. Excited, she cleaned it and brought it to her husband. He examined it, and became excited too. It was the type of bottle that traditionally held a genie, but before he opened it he pondered what his wish would be. He announced that he would wish to heal any animal that he touched, even one that was no longer living.

He opened the bottle, and as expected a genie appeared and granted him one wish. The man made his request, and the Jinn confirmed the wish before granting it. Then in a puff the genie and the bottle disappeared.

The man gleefully set out to a neighbor, who had a horse that was lame. The man walked directly into the stable, and placed his hand on the horse. He stood back and waited. The horse moved about his stall, still with a limp. The man started to get angry and curse when the room was lit with a blue flash and the startled horse ran around his stall completely cured. The man immediately went to the owner and demanded payment for the cure; when the owner saw his horse walking again he gladly paid the man, who then left to return home.

As the days went on, the man's reputation grew greatly. He would take an offered animal into his stall, close the door, and a short time later exit with the animal now healthy. Even a cat, which had died after being run over by a cart, came out of the stall purring and completely healthy. The man was becoming greatly renowned for his abilities, but he was not happy.

The first day after the genie had granted his wish, he had sat down to eat a meal of glazed chicken and rice. He had just picked up a piece of chicken to eat when he was called urgently to the front of his house. Irritated at being interrupted, he threw down the chicken back into his plate and went to see who needed such urgent help. When he returned, he was surprised to find that a live chicken was sitting on his plate, its feathers covered in glaze sauce. Shocked, he realized that he had brought his meal back to life. He vowed never to eat animal flesh again, but he was never happy no matter how his cook and wife prepared his fruits and vegetables. He became more and more cross, and resumed his old habits of ill-treatment to those in his house.

On his birthday, his wife and cook provided him a special treat, a stew made up of every known vegetable and seasoned with saffron. Sullen, the man accepted the food with no thanks and told them to leave him alone. They left and stood in the kitchen. A few minutes later a blue flash came from down the hall simultaneously with a scream, followed by the sound of mooing.

"Perhaps the beef we hid in his stew didn't sit well in his stomach" they smiled as they picked up their packed bags and left the palace forever.

...

"So your tale" the sultan said leaning back and looking a little pale "shows us that you should be very careful what you wish for."

"Yes, Sire. If your neighbor who is doing you no actual harm leaves, then it is possible you can get a new neighbor who is worse. It also teaches us that you should not bite off more than you can chew! Which reminds me of another story..."

The End

A/N: Not quite the King Midas touch, but the same warning about unintended consequences.