I’m hoping someone here can help me identify a fantasy story I read sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I believe it appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (F&SF), though it might have been in a similar magazine from that era.

Here’s what I remember about the story:

It’s set in a version of the ancient Middle East, in a nation that is notably poor and less advanced than other surrounding nations.

The main character is a sheik (or a similar tribal/royal leader) who encounters a djinn.

The djinn grants him a wish, and the sheik doesn’t ask for immediate riches or power. Instead, he wishes that his descendants and future generations will be prosperous, respected, and among the great nations of the world.

The djinn grants the wish, explaining that the sheik’s descendants will become extremely wealthy and that his people will live in one of the most affluent nations on earth.

The “twist” is that the djinn fulfills this wish by transforming underground water into oil, thereby setting up the future oil wealth that will enrich the sheik’s descendants and nation.

I don’t recall the title, author, or exact publication date, but the tone was more fantasy with a clever, speculative twist than hard science fiction.

If this rings a bell for anyone—title, author, magazine issue, anthology where it was reprinted—I’d be very grateful for any leads.

Thank you in advance for your help!

I’m hoping someone here can help me identify a fantasy story I read sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I believe it appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (F&SF), though it might have been in a similar magazine from that era.

Here’s what I remember about the story:

• It’s set in a version of the ancient Middle East, in a nation that is notably poor and less advanced than other surrounding nations.

• The main character is a sheik (or a similar tribal/royal leader) who encounters a djinn.

• The djinn grants him a wish, and the sheik doesn’t ask for immediate riches or power. Instead, he wishes that his descendants and future generations will be prosperous, respected, and among the great nations of the world.

• The djinn grants the wish, explaining that the sheik’s descendants will become extremely wealthy and that his people will live in one of the most affluent nations on earth.

• The “twist” is that the djinn fulfills this wish by transforming underground water into oil, thereby setting up the future oil wealth that will enrich the sheik’s descendants and nation.

I don’t recall the title, author, or exact publication date, but the tone was more fantasy with a clever, speculative twist than hard science fiction.