The novel "The Fool's Revenge and The Tale of the Fisherman's Fish" by Hajjaj Adoul takes us to a bizarre world where there are strange celebratory rituals and societal norms concerning the very concept of work, alongside characters wrestling internally with good, evil, lust, virtue, and all the conflicting human drives deep within our shared humanity.

The character of the "fool" or the "village idiot" has been frequently depicted in many artistic works. Through this character, it becomes possible to express strange ideas and words that rational characters might find hard to utter. Writers often put words into the mouth of the fool, who cannot be judged by traditional standards. This allows the author to be liberated, expressing their thoughts through the actions and words of the fool. This character is not new and has been featured in famous novels such as Dostoevsky's "The Idiot" and the village idiot "Zein" in Tayeb Salih's "The Wedding of Zein". Many films have also portrayed the fool, often using their words to introduce provocative, revealing, and inspiring sentences that illuminate the events for the audience.

When Hajjaj Adoul introduced the character of the fool in the short story "The Fool's Revenge", the fool, named "Sumo", was unique. He embodied a naive kindness that believes in a strange form of tolerance regarding human relationships, especially between males and females, to the extent that he breaks societal conventions.

In "The Fool's Revenge", "Sumo" perceives human relationships from his own perspective, far from norms and traditions. He wonders why people prevent him from embracing the beautiful "Timati". He is attracted to her, feeling a thrill from the softness of her body. When told she loves "Abisu" and will marry him, he responds, "Fine, I will marry the beautiful Timati, and if the beautiful Timati loves Abisu, she can marry Abisu too. This way, there are no problems, no anger, no fights, no issues." (p. 29).

As "Sumo" grew into adolescence, his body matured while his mind remained childlike. His body became a pure embodiment of masculinity, and he wasn't responsible for his actions. The continuous childhood mentality of "Sumo" was his danger. When someone teases him, "Sumo" embraces them and lifts them off the ground, nearly choking and crushing them, all while laughing, unaware that he's hurting the person. Children did not spare him, often throwing bricks at him and hiding. "Sumo" wouldn't chase them but warns them of his anger. They frequently conspired against him, especially manipulating his profound love for his grandmother. They would deceive him into believing his grandmother was ill and calling for him. Hurrying home crying, he would find his grandmother "Raheesa" perfectly fine, laughing in joy and hugging her, narrating in his few words the children's lies.

The body of "Sumo" grows more inflamed and lustful for women. His burning desire for them never settles. Why do women refrain from him? Why can't he embrace any of them, whether married or unmarried? Why do women scream in fear of him? And why do men and young men rush to keep him away from women? Even "Sumo" was surprised by "Abisu" who grabbed a tree branch, attacked him, and hit him on the head until he bled – all because "Sumo" simply wanted to kiss Abisu's girlfriend.

As Sumo's actions with women, driven by his insatiable lust, became frequent, the village people gathered and decided: If "Sumo" rapes any woman in the village, he will be sentenced to death. If he attacks a woman and tries to rape her but fails, his male organ will be cut off as punishment, ensuring they protect their wives and daughters.

The village forgot that "Sumo" was simple-minded, not grasping the severity of the decision against him. Even when the young men tried to inform "Sumo" of the serious decision taken against him, he laughed, not understanding.

He kept wondering why they beat him when all he wanted was to embrace the girls. He even embarrassed his brother on his wedding night by shouting, "I want the bride too." He wanted to marry the girl his brother did. While the village laughed at his actions, the wise old "Jeriot" exclaimed: "The upcoming days are ominous. The boy "Sumo" needs a woman, and he will find one, no matter if the whole village stands against him. It's natural desire, people."

As if the old woman had predicted a tragedy in the story. "Kamalo," the mayor's son, loved "Timati" who went to meet her lover "Abisu." On her way, "Sumo" encountered her and tried to rape her, which resulted in her death as he strangled her. The blame for the murder and rape fell on the naive "Sumo," with no one thinking the mayor's son "Kamalo" was the actual perpetrator. Especially since the accomplice "Salvai," lied to the entire village, saying he saw "Sumo" fleeing the crime scene, and everyone knew "Sumo" had previously approached "Timati" twice. Thus, the innocent was blamed for a crime he didn't commit.

"Sumo" kept repeating he didn't kill "Timati." Despite the village's uncertainty about the true murderer, they decided to castrate "Sumo" and erase his manhood forever. He kept chanting: "Unjust village, unjust village. I kill "Timati"? No, I love "Timati". "Sumo" kills "Timati"? No." He cursed the five responsible for his fate: "Salvai" the lame, "Kamalo" the mayor's son, the mayor, "Abisu," and "Hidhido." He prayed for the gods to take revenge on the unjust village. The gods, listening to the innocent "Sumo," accepted his sincere, honest prayers.

At the next harvest festival, old "Jeriot" began to narrate among her stories the tale of the wronged fool "Sumo," the unjust village, and the themes of revenge and forgiveness.

"Thousand and One Nights" is an enchanting and alluring world, an inexhaustible source for many great narrators who delved into its depths and produced different masterpieces. Marquez sensed "Thousand and One Nights" in "One Hundred Years of Solitude," as did Naguib Mahfouz. Alfred Farag wrote a play inspired by it and many writers have drawn from its tales.

The Genie of the Flask is a character that motivates writing. A writer can become entrapped by it and produce naive work. However, Hajjaj Adul introduced us to a different genie from the flask, "Shushu," a teenage genie. Notice that "Shushu" is a pet name hinting at a softer side of the devil. He is young, naive, can easily be fooled, is between childhood and adolescence, not very intelligent, impulsive, but not evil. His family had committed a deed that had them punished by Solomon. While he possesses the abilities of genies, it's within the boundaries of his young age. He behaves like the young ones, making gestures suitable for teenagers. He cries when his genie sister informs him that their mother has died. When he tries to fulfill the fisherman's wishes, he grants him modest wishes according to his capabilities as a teenage genie. He then plays a deceptive game with the fisherman, a game that typical genies don't play. He's a charming genie, completely different from the genies of "One Thousand and One Nights." A genie with whom you can laugh, and whom you can anger. A genie that doesn't frighten, and perhaps tempts you to take advantage of his naivety. Time passes and affects this genie. As the fisherman stood up, dusting off his clothes, he noticed that the genie "Shushu" had changed; he grew taller and broader, his body slightly trembling with some extra flesh, his chin had grown hair even though he had shaved it, and his mustache was soft, extending sideways before dropping down both sides of his chin. His voice became rougher.

"Shushu" plays tricks on the fisherman, making him believe that as he has grown older, he's offering him a grand opportunity in a wealthy realm called "The Kingdom of the Golden Apricot." He convinces him that the stranger entering this kingdom today will marry the princess and will become the prince. The women of this kingdom are extraordinarily beautiful, except for one woman.

When the fisherman goes and marries the princess of the kingdom, he discovers that the unattractive woman is the princess herself, and she resembles a buffalo. He learns of a law in the kingdom: if one's wife bears a daughter, he is to be killed. He flees and abandons the kingdom, only to later regret it when he finds out he had fathered a son. Overwhelmed with remorse, he thinks of the pranks the genie might pull next. This genie, different from the ones in "One Thousand and One Nights," is light-hearted to the point that he makes you fond of him.