From the introduction: The Schooner Sultana was once owned by a wealthy merchant woman, who desired to one day marry a king (the Sultan) and thus named her ship. Her greed got the best of her, however, as she managed to trap a genie and bind it to the ship with orders to protect the cargo and the ship. No mention was made of the crew, however, so the genie was able to curse them, which is why the ship ran aground.