The Story of the Magical Fountain

In the bustling city of Basra, where merchants from distant lands came to trade their wares and ships sailed the mighty Tigris River, there lived a humble water carrier named Hamid. Every day, from dawn until dusk, he would fill his large clay jars from the public wells and carry them through the narrow streets, selling cool, clean water to those who thirsted.

Hamid was a man of simple means but generous heart. Though he earned barely enough to feed himself and his elderly mother, he never turned away anyone who needed water but could not pay. His kindness was well known throughout the poorest quarters of the city, where he was beloved by children and blessed by grateful mothers.

The Mysterious Customer

One scorching summer day, as the sun beat down mercilessly and the very air seemed to shimmer with heat, Hamid was making his rounds when he encountered a stranger. The man was unlike anyone he had ever seen—tall and dignified, with eyes that seemed to hold the depth of ancient wisdom and robes that remained perfectly clean despite the dusty streets.

“Water seller,” the stranger called softly, “I am parched from my long journey. Might you spare some water for a weary traveler?”

“Of course, good sir,” Hamid replied immediately, offering his finest clay cup filled with the coolest water from his jars. “Drink your fill, and may Allah refresh your spirit as well as your body.”

The stranger drank deeply, and as he did so, his eyes never left Hamid’s face. When he finished, he smiled with genuine warmth. “You have shown kindness to a stranger without asking for payment. Tell me, water carrier, what is your greatest desire?”

Hamid laughed gently. “I desire nothing more than to continue serving others as Allah has blessed me to do. If I have enough bread for my mother and myself, and water to share with those who thirst, I am content.”

The stranger’s smile grew brighter. “Your heart is pure, Hamid ibn Abdullah. Because of your generosity, I will show you something that will change your life forever. Follow me at midnight to the old Roman ruins beyond the eastern gate, and bring your largest water jar.”

The Hidden Fountain

Despite his mother’s worried protests, Hamid felt compelled to meet the mysterious stranger. At the stroke of midnight, he made his way through the silent streets carrying his largest clay vessel. The ruins stood ghostly in the moonlight, ancient columns casting long shadows across weathered stones.

The stranger waited by a broken archway, and without a word, he led Hamid deeper into the ruins than anyone had ventured in living memory. They descended stone steps that seemed to glow with their own inner light, until they reached a hidden chamber far beneath the earth.

In the center of the chamber stood the most beautiful fountain Hamid had ever seen. It was carved from a single piece of white marble that seemed to capture and reflect moonlight even in this underground place. Crystal-clear water bubbled up from its center, cascading down in musical tones that filled the air with magic.

“This is the Fountain of Wishes,” the stranger explained, and now Hamid could see that he was no ordinary man, but a djinn of great power and wisdom. “It was created in the days when King Solomon commanded the djinn, hidden here to protect it from those who would abuse its power.”

“What does it do?” Hamid asked, his voice filled with wonder.

“Any vessel filled with its water will never empty, so long as the one who carries it remains pure of heart and generous of spirit. But beware—should greed or selfishness enter your heart, the magic will be lost forever.”

The Test of Character

The djinn filled Hamid’s clay jar with water from the magical fountain, and immediately the humble water carrier felt a change. The jar, which should have been heavy with water, felt light as air in his hands, yet when he looked inside, it was completely full.

“Use this gift wisely,” the djinn said as they returned to the surface. “Remember that true wealth comes not from what we keep for ourselves, but from what we give to others.”

The next morning, Hamid began his rounds as usual, but quickly discovered the miraculous nature of his jar. No matter how much water he poured out, it remained full to the brim. The water was the purest and coolest he had ever tasted, with a quality that seemed to refresh not just the body but the very soul.

At first, Hamid was tempted to keep the secret to himself and perhaps charge more for such exceptional water. But his generous nature quickly overcame such thoughts, and instead he began giving away more water than ever before, visiting the sick, the elderly, and the poor who could never afford to buy what they desperately needed.

The Spreading Kindness

Word of the water carrier with the inexhaustible supply spread throughout Basra. Some claimed his water could heal the sick, others said it brought good fortune to those who drank it. Hamid neither confirmed nor denied these rumors, but simply continued his daily rounds with quiet humility.

One day, a wealthy merchant approached him. “Water seller,” the man said, his eyes glinting with greed, “I have heard remarkable things about your water. I will pay you a thousand dinars for that jar and its secret.”

“I am sorry, good sir,” Hamid replied politely, “but this jar and what it contains are not mine to sell. They are a trust given to me to share freely with all who need them.”

The merchant’s face darkened with anger. “You fool! Do you know what riches you could have? What palace you could build, what servants you could command?”

“I know that I have enough,” Hamid answered peacefully. “And that is the greatest treasure of all.”

The Ultimate Test

As months passed, Hamid’s reputation for generosity grew, but so did the schemes of those who sought to profit from his gift. One scorching day, as a terrible drought gripped the land and the public wells began to run dry, the city’s water merchants conspired together.

“This water carrier is ruining our business,” they grumbled among themselves. “People come to him instead of buying from us. We must find a way to stop him.”

They went to the governor of the city, a corrupt man who could be bought with sufficient gold. “This Hamid claims his water has magical properties,” they lied. “Surely this is sorcery, which is forbidden by law.”

The governor, his purse heavy with the merchants’ bribes, ordered Hamid’s arrest. “You stand accused of practicing dark magic,” he declared. “Surrender your jar and submit to punishment, or face the consequences.”

Hamid’s heart was heavy as he looked at the crowd that had gathered. Among them were many he had helped—children whose fevers he had cooled with his water, elderly people who had drunk freely when they had no money, mothers whose babies had been refreshed in the terrible heat.

“I have used no sorcery,” Hamid said truthfully. “I have only shared what was given to me to share.”

The Revelation

Just as the governor’s guards moved to seize Hamid, the crowd began to speak out. One by one, people stepped forward to testify to the water carrier’s kindness and generosity. A old woman told how his water had saved her grandson’s life during a fever. A poor laborer spoke of how Hamid had given him water every day for months without asking for payment.

As the testimonies continued, something magical began to happen. The corrupt governor found himself moved by the stories of Hamid’s selflessness. The greedy merchants felt shame creeping into their hearts. Even the guards lowered their weapons, unable to arrest a man who had shown such pure kindness.

Suddenly, the mysterious stranger appeared again in the crowd, though now he revealed his true form as a djinn of great power and wisdom. “Behold,” he announced in a voice that carried to every corner of the square, “a man who has passed every test of character.”

“When given power, he remained humble. When offered wealth, he stayed generous. When threatened with punishment, he maintained his integrity. This is why the Fountain of Wishes chose him as its guardian.”

The Lasting Blessing

The djinn turned to the governor and the merchants. “You have tried to punish a man for the crime of kindness and accuse him of sorcery when his only magic is a pure heart. Return to your homes and consider what true wealth means.”

Ashamed, the governor withdrew the charges, and the merchants slunk away to reconsider their greedy ways. Many of them, inspired by Hamid’s example, later became known for their own generosity.

As for Hamid, he continued his work as a water carrier, but now the entire city knew of his magical jar and the blessing that came with it. During droughts, his fountain never failed. During times of sickness, his water brought comfort and healing. During celebrations, he freely shared with all who came to him.

The djinn appeared to him one last time before departing. “You have proven that true magic lies not in the power of djinn or the wonder of enchanted objects, but in the generosity of the human heart. As long as you remain faithful to this principle, the fountain’s blessing will never leave you.”

Hamid lived to a great age, beloved by all who knew him. When he finally departed this world, the magical jar passed to his son, who had learned his father’s lessons well. And so the blessing continued, passed down through generations to those who understood that the greatest wealth is found not in what we accumulate, but in what we freely give.

In the markets of Basra, even today, water sellers tell the story of Hamid and his magical fountain, reminding all who hear it that true riches flow from a generous heart, and that the magic of kindness never runs dry.

Thus ends the tale of the magical fountain, and the water carrier who discovered that the most powerful magic of all is love freely shared.