Mythical Monday: Wishing for a Genie by Mae Clair

A creature of Arabian folklore, genies−or Jinns as they are often called−are powerful supernatural beings with inclinations that alternately tend toward good or evil. Believed to be spirits of fire and smoke, they are skilled in magic, but not so powerful as to be free of manipulation by others. It is the genie’s sad fate to suffer imprisonment, usually trapped inside an old oil lamp, confined by an evil sorcerer.

I’ve always found it interesting that these beings of immense power are subject...