“Will Artificial Intelligence Overwhelm Us?”

A Father sent his son to the devils to learn devilry. At the end of a year he had learned so much that the surpassed the devils. So the father came for him and took him home.

The boy said to his father, "Now that I have learned devilry so well, to-morrow I wish to turn into a very fine horse; so fine that you will see fit to sell me for a price becoming my value. But know, above all things, that you must not give my halter away with me."

The next morning he turned into a horse. His father took him and sold him for many thousand piasters, and kept the halter. Straightway the horse ran away from his master and came back home to his father.

The following day he turned into a mule. His father took him to the market to sell him. The devils who had taught him came and asked the father, "For how much will you sell the mule?"

"I 'll sell him for so much, " said the father, naming a price.

The agreed to the price and paid him.

Then the father said, "I will not give you the halter."

"They said, "It's necessary for us to have it." And they began to argue.

Meanwhile the mule escaped and went off, and the devils hurried to follow him. When they came near the mule, and he saw he could not escape them, he turned into a hare. The devils turned into dogs, and ran after him. Again they caught up with him. But the hare turned into an apple and fell into the lap of a queen. The devils turned into two dervishes and said:

"In the name of the Lord, give us that apple that has fallen into your lap; because for many days we have struggled for it."

The queen said: "Shouldn't I be ashamed to refuse after you have struggled so for this apple?" Here it is! Take it and go about your own business." And she threw them the apple.

The apple turned into millet and scattered on the ground. The dervishes turned into chickens and started eating the millet. Then the millet turned into fox and ate the chickens. Thus the pupil had learned so much devilry that he ate up those who had taught him.