Then when they had gone along, a long way, they came into a deserted desert with no. Little patches of nearly dead but grown and not. Every once in a while.
Then when it was deserted, look, a small tree, old and withered, maybe a thousand years old, maybe only one thousand years old, stood, small, on a little place. Any number of small leaf needles stuck out to show its life. From a little wound by its side came forth a stream of golden tree blood which, slow and glistening, hardened to a crystal.
When the Sheba came to it, she knelt down a little way from the tree and spoke thus.
Dear Tree, Old One, Father and Mother, I come in all humility to beg some Crystal Gold from the wound in your side. I know its worth, I shall neither waste nor throw it to the wind, I will gather no fortune with its very value.
Then she in careful to took some small pieces of golden crystal from the rough skin of the ancient tree.
The Sphinx made a wander this and that over the deserted desert while Sheba was busy.
In a short she came over a sand hill near to see a figure whirling about. Going slowly to the figure she placed a great paw with sheathed claws upon the figure and said, Are you then a sand thing or just resting? If the later then I must challenge you to prove the innocence of your very intent as I have been tasked with protecting the Healer Sheba in all cases.
I am dead, or at least not a living thing, said the figure, so no need to worry yourself. And, anyway, I’m not sure I understand the question.
I see, said the Sphinx, are you then a speaking corpse or a spirit of some kind that has inhabited this human sand form that you came across by chance, sweeping the desert on the wind to find a corporeal vessel for you wandering consciousness.
I am a Djinn, said the swirl of sand, and you, the great Sphinx, should know this better, as your mother was one such as I and your father a lion.
That is as maybe, said the Sphinx thoughtfully, I am some five thousand years about this earth and my parental management is lost to me. If then you are one such Djinn, could you stop swirling about when I speak please, where was I, oh yes, then I must still ascertain your motives and innocence, as I am, as I said previously, responsible for one person nearby.
I am neither guilty nor innocent said the Djinn, my nature is pure chance and as you now have pinned me with your great paw, I may grant to you a wish or boon that I may be freed to go about my swirling.
Do you mean a baboon or a balloon said the Sphinx, I know what a wish is, but I am not familiar with a boon. And by the way what is that creme brulé doing on the sand.
Let’s just stick with a wish then, said the Djinn, I’m not in the mood for nuanced explanations. I think its just a deserted dessert by the way, I’ve no idea how it got there.
Right you are, said the Sphinx, My wish is that Good should conquer Evil.
Nice try, said the Djin, I can see that I have some parameters to define here. This wish that you have forced from me concerns only your personal circumstances and perhaps a small circle of friends and relations. If you could keep it simple I’d appreciate it.
Oh no no no, my wish stands, said the Sphinx, your somewhat flexible parameters have come too late, Good wins, Evil loses, that is the deal. If this is not forthcoming my claw will separate your sand particles in such a way that reassembly will be improbable.
The Djinn swirled faster and faster in agitation, I cannot, it is above my paygrade, please allow me to grant you something within my gift, I beg you that thus our bargain can be complete.
The Sphinx took pity and said OK then I wish, I wish that the all True Words might shine clear.
Noooooo! cried the Djinn, a years supply of ice cream, a new car, your favorite team to win the league, to be a little taller or more comely, a bag of gold, a magic carpet or two, or all of the above if you must.
Did you mention some magic carpets and ice cream? Mused the Sphinx, that will do it.
Done, said the Djinn, now let me swirl away.
And so it did, leaving the Sphinx with two magic carpets, a tub of Madagascan Vanilla ice cream and a crème brule which was suffering from the heat.
The Sphinx ate the ice cream reasoning that it would have melted in the time it took to get back to Sheba.
The Guardians of the Cave 