APDL Eductation Resources/APDL Eductation Resources.iso/text/books/arabian/ARABIAN_5

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And among tales they tell is one touching
ALADDIN

              ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP


IT hath reached me, O King of the Age, that there dwelt in a city of
the cities of China a man which was a tailor, withal a pauper, and
he had one son, Aladdin hight. Now this boy had been from his babyhood
a ne'er-do-well, a scapegrace. And when he reached his tenth year, his
father inclined to teach him his own trade, and, for that he was
overindigent to expend money upon his learning other work or craft
or apprenticeship, he took the lad into his shop that he might be
taught tailoring. But, as Aladdin was a scapegrace and a ne'er-do-well
and wont to play at all times with the gutter boys of the quarter,
he would not sit in the shop for a single day. Nay, he would await his
father's leaving it for some purpose, such as to meet a creditor, when
he would run off at once and fare forth to the gardens with the
other scapegraces and low companions, his fellows. Such was his
case- counsel and castigation were of no avail, nor would he obey
either parent in aught or learn any trade. And presently, for his
sadness and, sorrowing because of his son's vicious indolence, the
tailor sickened and died.

Aladdin continued in his former ill courses, and when his mother saw
that her spouse had deceased and that her son was a scapegrace and
good for nothing at all, she sold the shop and whatso was to be
found therein and fell to spinning cotton yarn. By this toilsome
industry she fed herself and found food for her son Aladdin the
scapegrace, who, seeing himself freed from bearing the severities of
his sire, increased in idleness and low habits. Nor would he ever stay
at home save at meal hours while his miserable wretched mother lived
only by what her hands could spin until the youth had reached his
fifteenth year. It befell one day of the days that as he was sitting
about the quarter at play with the vagabond boys, behold, a dervish
from the Maghrib, the Land of the Setting Sun, came up and stood
gazing for solace upon the lads. And he looked hard at Aladdin and
carefully considered his semblance, scarcely noticing his companions
the while. Now this dervish was a Moorman from Inner Morocco, and he
was a magician who could upheap by his magic hill upon hill, and he
was also an adept in astrology. So after narrowly considering Aladdin,
he said in himself, "Verily, this is the lad I need and to find whom I
have left my natal land." Presently he led one of the children apart
and questioned him anent the scapegrace saying, "Whose son is he?" And
he sought all information concerning his condition and whatso
related to him.

After this he walked up to Aladdin, and drawing him aside, asked, "O
my son, haply thou art the child of Such-a-one the tailor?" and the
lad answered, "Yes, O my lord, but 'tis long since he died." The
Maghrabi, the magician, hearing these words, threw himself upon
Aladdin and wound his arms around his neck and fell to bussing him,
weeping the while with tears trickling a-down his cheeks. But when the
lad saw the Moorman's case, he was seized with surprise thereat and
questioned him, saying, "What causeth thee weep, O my lord, and how
camest thou to know my father?" "How canst thou, O my son," replied
the Moorman, in a soft voice saddened by emotion, "question me with
such query after informing me that thy father and my brother is
deceased? For that he was my brother german, and now I come from my
adopted country and after long exile I rejoiced with exceeding joy
in the hope of looking upon him once more and condoling with him
over the past. And now thou hast announced to me his demise. But blood
hideth not from blood, and it hath revealed to me that thou art my
nephew, son of my brother, and I knew thee amongst all the lads,
albeit thy father, when I parted from him, was yet unmarried."

Then he again clasped Aladdin to his bosom, crying: "O my son, I
have none to condole with now save thyself. And thou standest in stead
of thy sire, thou being his issue and representative and 'whoso
leaveth issue dieth not,' O my child!" So saying, the magician put
hand to purse, and pulling out ten gold pieces, gave them to the
lad, asking, "O my son, where is your house and where dwelleth she,
thy mother and my brother's widow?" Presently Aladdin arose with him
and showed him the way to their home, and meanwhile quoth the
wizard: "O my son, take these moneys and give them to thy mother,
greeting her from me, and let her know that thine uncle, thy
father's brother, hath reappeared from his exile and that
Inshallah- God willing- on the morrow I will visit her to salute her
with the salaam and see the house wherein my brother was homed and
look upon the place where he lieth buried." Thereupon Aladdin kissed
the Maghrabi's hand, and after running in his joy at fullest speed
to his mother's dwelling entered to her clean contrariwise to his
custom, inasmuch as he never came near her save at mealtimes only.

And when he found her, the lad exclaimed in his delight: "O my
mother, I give thee glad tidings of mine uncle who hath returned
from his exile, and who now sendeth me to salute thee." "O my son,"
she replied, "meseemeth thou mockest me! Who is this uncle, and how
canst thou have an uncle in the bonds of life?" He rejoined: "How
sayest thou, O my mother, that I have no living uncles nor kinsmen,
when this man is my father's own brother? Indeed he embraced me and
bussed me, shedding tears the while, and bade me acquaint thee
herewith." She retorted, "O my son, well I wot thou haddest an
uncle, but he is now dead, nor am I ware that thou hast other eme."

The Moroccan magician fared forth next morning and fell to finding
out Aladdin, for his heart no longer permitted him to part from the
lad. And as he was to-ing and fro-ing about the city highways, he came
face to face with him disporting himself, as was his wont, amongst the
vagabonds and the scapegraces. So he drew near to him, and taking
his hand, embraced him and bussed him. Then pulled out of his poke two
dinars and said: "Hie thee to thy mother and give her these couple
of ducats and tell her that thine uncle would eat the evening meal
with you. So do thou take these two gold pieces and prepare for us a
succulent supper. But before all things, show me once more the way
to your home." "On my head and mine eyes be it, O my uncle," replied
the lad and forewent him, pointing out the street leading to the
house. Then the Moorman left him and went his ways and Aladdin ran
home and, giving the news and the two sequins to his parent, said, "My
uncle would sup with us."

So she arose straightway and, going to the market street, bought all
she required. Then, returning to her dwelling, she borrowed from the
neighbors whatever was needed of pans and platters, and so forth,
and when the meal was cooked and suppertime came she said to
Aladdin: "O my child, the meat is ready, but peradventure thine
uncle wotteth not the way to our dwelling. So do thou fare forth and
meet him on the road." He replied, "To hear is to obey," and before
the twain ended talking a knock was heard at the door. Aladdin went
out and opened, when, behold, the Maghrabi, the magician, together
with a eunuch carrying the wine and the dessert fruits. So the lad led
them in and the slave went about his business. The Moorman on entering
saluted his sister-in-law with the salaam, then began to shed tears
and to question her, saying, "Where be the place whereon my brother
went to sit?" She showed it to him, whereat he went up to it and
prostrated himself in prayer and kissed the floor, crying: how scant
is my satisfaction and how luckless is my lot, for that I have lost
thee, O my brother, O vein of my eye!" And after such fashion he
continued weeping and wailing till he swooned away for excess of
sobbing and lamentation, wherefor Aladdin's mother was certified of
his soothfastness. So, coming up to him, she raised him from the floor
and said, "What gain is there in slaying thyself?"

As soon as he was seated at his ease, and before the food trays were
served up, he fell to talking with her and saying: "O wife of my
brother, it must be a wonder to thee how in all thy days thou never
sawest me nor learnst thou aught of me during the lifetime of my
brother who hath found mercy. Now the reason is that forty years ago I
left this town and exiled myself from my birthplace and wandered forth
over all the lands of Al-Hind and Al-Sind and entered Egypt and
settled for a long time in its magnificent city, which is one of the
world wonders, till at last I fared to the regions of the setting
sun and abode for a space of thirty years in the Moroccan interior.
Now one day of the days, O wife of my brother, as I was sitting
alone at home, I fell to thinking of mine own country and of my
birthplace and of my brother (who hath found mercy). And my yearning
to see him waxed excessive and I bewept and bewailed my strangerhood
and distance from him. And at last my longings drave me homeward until
I resolved upon traveling to the region which was the falling place of
my head and my homestead, to the end that I might again see my
brother. Then quoth I to myself: 'O man, how long wilt thou wander
like a wild Arab from thy place of birth and native stead? Moreover,
thou hast one brother and no more, so up with thee and travel and look
upon him ere thou die, for who wotteth the woes of the world and the
changes of the days? 'Twould be saddest regret an thou lie down to die
without beholding thy brother. And Allah (laud be to the Lord!) hath
vouchsafed thee ample wealth, and belike he may be straitened and in
poor case, when thou wilt aid thy brother as well as see him.'

"So I arose at once and equipped me for wayfare and recited the
fatihah. Then, whenas Friday prayers ended, I mounted and traveled
to this town, after suffering manifold toils and travails which I
patiently endured whilst the Lord (to Whom be honor and glory!) veiled
me with the veil of His protection. So I entered, and whilst wandering
about the streets the day before yesterday I beheld my brother's son
Aladdin disporting himself with the boys and, by God the Great, O wife
of my brother, the moment I saw him this heart of mine went forth to
him (for blood yearneth unto blood!), and my soul felt and informed me
that he was my very nephew. So I forgot all my travails and troubles
at once on sighting him, and I was like to fly for joy. But when he
told me of the dear one's departure to the ruth of Allah Almighty, I
fainted for stress of distress and disappointment. Perchance, however,
my nephew hath informed thee of the pains which prevailed upon me. But
after a fashion I am consoled by the sight of Aladdin, the legacy
bequeathed to us by him who hath found mercy for that 'whoso leaveth
issue is not wholly dead.'"

And when he looked at his sister-in-law, she wept at these his
words, so he turned to the lad, that he might cause her to forget
the mention of her mate, as a means of comforting her and also of
completing his deceit, and asked him, saying: "O my son Aladdin, what
hast thou learned in the way of work, and what is thy business? Say
me, hast thou mastered any craft whereby to earn a livelihood for
thyself and for thy mother?" The lad was abashed and put to shame
and he hung down his head and bowed his brow groundward. But his
parent spake out: "How, forsooth? By Allah, he knoweth nothing at all,
a child so ungracious as this I never yet saw- no, never! All the day
long he idleth away his time with the sons of the quarter, vagabonds
like himself, and his father (O regret of me!) died not save of
dolor for him. And I also am now in piteous plight. I spin cotton
and toil at my distant night and day, that I may earn me a couple of
scones of bread which we eat together. This is his condition, O my
brother-in-law, and, by the life of thee, he cometh not near me save
at mealtimes, and none other. Indeed, I am thinking to lock the
house door, nor ever open to him again, but leave him to go and seek a
livelihood whereby he can live, for that I am now grown a woman in
years and have no longer strength to toil and go about for a
maintenance after this fashion. O Allah, I am compelled to provide him
with daily bread when I require to be provided!"

Hereat the Moorman turned to Aladdin and said: "Why is this, O son
of my brother, thou goest about in such ungraciousness? 'Tis a
disgrace to thee and unsuitable for men like thyself. Thou art a youth
of sense, O my son, and the child of honest folk, so 'tis for thee a
shame that thy mother, a woman in years, should struggle to support
thee. And now that thou hast grown to man's estate, it becometh thee
to devise thee some device whereby thou canst live, O my child. Look
around thee and Alhamdolillah- praise be to Allah- in this our town
are many teachers of all manner of crafts, and nowhere are they more
numerous. So choose thee some calling which may please thee to the end
that I stablish thee therein, and when thou growest up, O my son, thou
shalt have some business whereby to live. Haply thy father's
industry may not be to thy liking, and if so it be, choose thee some
other handicraft which suiteth thy fancy. Then let me know and I
will aid thee with all I can, O my son." But when the Maghrabi saw
that Aladdin kept silence and made him no reply, he knew that the
lad wanted none other occupation than a scapegrace life, so he said to
him: "O son of my brother, let not my words seem hard and harsh to
thee, for if despite all I say thou still dislike to learn a craft,
I will open thee a merchant's store furnished with costliest stuffs
and thou shalt become famous amongst the folk and take and give and
buy and sell and be well known in the city."

Now when Aladdin heard the words of his uncle the Moorman, and the
design of making him a khwajah- merchant and gentleman- he joyed
exceedingly, knowing that such folk dress handsomely and fare
delicately. So he looked at the Maghrabi smiling and drooping his head
groundward and saying with the tongue of the case that he was content.
The Maghrabi the magician, looked at Aladdin and saw him smiling
whereby he understood that the lad was satisfied to become a trader.
So he said to him: "Since thou art content that I open thee a
merchant's store and make thee a gentleman, do thou, O son of my
brother, prove thyself a man and Inshallah- God willing- tomorrow I
will take thee to the bazaar in the first place have a fine suit of
clothes cut out for thee, such gear as merchants wear; and secondly, I
will look after a store for thee and keep my word."

Now Aladdin's mother had somewhat doubted the Moroccan being her
brother-in-law, but as soon as she heard his promise of opening a
merchant's store for her son and setting him up with stuffs and
capital and so forth, the woman decided and determined in her mind
that this Maghrabi was in very sooth her husband's brother, seeing
that no stranger man would do such goodly deed by her son. So she
began directing the lad to the right road and teaching him to cast
ignorance from out his head and to prove himself a man. Moreover,
she bade him ever obey his excellent uncle as though he were his
son, and to make up for the time he had wasted in frowardnes with
his fellows. After this she arose and spread the table, then served up
supper, so all sat down and fell to eating and drinking while the
Maghrabi conversed with Aladdin upon matters of business and the like,
rejoicing him to such degree that he enjoyed no sleep that night.
But when the Moorman saw that the dark hours were passing by, and
the wine was drunken, he arose and sped to his own stead. But ere
going he agreed to return next morning and take Aladdin and look to
his suit of merchant's clothes being cut out for him.

And as soon as it was dawn, behold, the Maghrabi rapped at the door,
which was opened by Aladdin's mother. The Moorman, however, would
not enter, but asked to take the lad with him to the market street.
Accordingly Aladdin went forth to his uncle and, wishing him good
morning, kissed his hand, and the Moroccan took him by the hand and
fared with him to the bazaar. There he entered a clothier's shop
containing all kinds of clothes, and called for a suit of the most
sumptuous, whereat the merchant brought him out his need, all wholly
fashioned and ready sewn, and the Moorman said to the lad, "Choose,
O my child, whatso pleaseth thee." Aladdin rejoiced exceedingly,
seeing that his uncle had given him his choice, so he picked out the
suit most to his own liking and the Moroccan paid to the merchant
the price thereof in ready money. Presently he led the lad to the
hammam baths, where they bathed. Then they came out and drank
sherbets, after which Aladdin arose and, donning his new dress in huge
joy and delight, went up to his uncle and kissed his hand and
thanked him for his favors.

The Maghrabi, the magician, after leaving the hammam with Aladdin,
took him and trudged with him to the merchants' bazaar, and having
diverted him by showing the market and its sellings and buyings, and
to him: "O my son, it besitteth thee to become familiar with the folk,
especially with the merchants, so thou mayest learn of them merchant
craft, seeing that the same hath now become thy calling." Then he
led him forth and showed him the city and its cathedral mosques,
together with all the pleasant sights therein, and lastly made him
enter a cook's shop. Here dinner was served to them on platters of
silver and they dined well and ate and drank their sufficiency,
after which they went their ways. Presently the Moorman pointed out to
Aladdin the pleasaunces and noble buildings, and went in with him to
the Sultan's palace and diverted him with displaying all the
apartments, which were mighty fine and grand, and led him finally to
the khan of stranger merchants, where he himself had his abode. Then
the Moroccan invited sundry traders which were in the caravanserai,
and they came and sat down to supper, when he notified to them that
the youth was his nephew, Aladdin by name. And after they had eaten
and drunken and night had fallen, he rose up, and taking the lad
with him, led him back to his mother, who no sooner saw her boy as
he were one of the merchants than her wits took flight and she waxed
sad for very gladness.

Then she fell to thanking her false connection, the Moorman, for all
his benefits and said to him: "O my brother-in-law, I can never say
enough though I expressed my gratitude to thee during the rest of
thy days and praised thee for the good deeds thou hast done by this my
child." Thereupon quoth the Moroccan: "O wife of my brother, deem this
not mere kindness of me, for that the lad is mine own son, and 'tis
incumbent on me to stand in the stead of my brother, his sire. So be
thou fully satisfied!" And quoth she: "I pray Allah by the honor of
the Hallows, the ancients and the moderns, that He preserve thee and
cause thee continue, O my brother-in-law, and prolong for me thy life.
So shalt thou be a wing overshadowing this orphan lad, and he shall
ever be obedient to thine orders, nor shall he do aught save whatso
thou biddest him thereunto."

The Maghrabi replied: "O wife of my brother, Aladdin is now a man of
sense and the son of goodly folk, and I hope to Allah that he will
follow in the footsteps of his sire and cool thine eyes. But I
regret that, tomorrow being Friday, I shall not be able to open his
shop, as 'tis meeting day when all the merchants, after congregational
prayer, go forth to the gardens and pleasaunces. On the Sabbath,
however, Inshallah!- an it please the Creator- we will do our
business. Meanwhile tomorrow I will come to thee betimes and take
Aladdin for a pleasant stroll to the gardens and pleasaunces without
the city, which haply he may hitherto not have beheld. There also he
shall see the merchants and notables who go forth to amuse themselves,
so shall he become acquainted with them and they with him."

The Maghrabi went away and lay that night in his quarters, and early
next morning he came to the tailor's house and rapped at the door. Now
Aladdin (for stress of his delight in the new dress he had donned
and for the past day's enjoyment in the hammam and in eating and
drinking and gazing at the folk, expecting futhermore his uncle to
come at dawn and carry him off on pleasuring to the gardens) had not
slept a wink that night, nor-closed his eyelids, and would hardly
believe it when day broke. But hearing the knock at the door, he
went out at once in hot haste, like a spark of fire, and opened and
saw his uncle, the magician, who embraced him and kissed him. Then,
taking his hand, the Moorman said to him as they fared forth together,
"O son of my brother, this day will I show thee a sight thou never
sawest in all thy life," and he began to make the lad laugh and
cheer him with pleasant talk. So doing, they left the city gate, and
the Moroccan took to promenading with Aladdin amongst the gardens
and to pointing out for his pleasure the mighty fine pleasaunces and
the marvelous high-builded pavilions. And whenever they stood to stare
at a garth or a mansion or a palace, the Maghrabi would say to his
companion, "Doth this please thee, O son of my brother?"

Aladdin was nigh to fly with delight at seeing sights he had never
seen in all his born days, and they ceased not to stroll about and
solace themselves until they waxed a-weary, then they entered a mighty
grand garden which was near-hand, a place that the heart delighted and
the sight belighted, for that its swift-running rills flowed amidst
the flowers and the waters jetted from the jaws of lions molded in
yellow brass like unto gold. So they took seat over against a
lakelet and rested a little while, and Aladdin enjoyed himself with
joy exceeding and fell to jesting with his uncle and making merry with
him as though the magician were really his father's brother.

Presently the Maghrabi arose, and loosing his girdle, drew forth
from thereunder a bag full of victual, dried fruits and so forth,
saying to Aladdin: "O my nephew, haply thou art become a-hungered,
so come forward and eat what thou needest." Accordingly the lad fell
upon the food and the Moorman ate with him, and they were gladdened
and cheered by rest and good cheer. Then quoth the magician: "Arise, O
son of my brother, an thou be reposed, and let us stroll onward a
little and reach the end of our walk." Thereupon Aladdin arose and the
Moroccan paced with him from garden to garden until they left all
behind them and reached the base of a high and naked hill, when the
lad, who during all his days had never issued from the city gate and
never in his life had walked such a walk as this, said to the
Maghrabi: "O uncle mine, whither are we wending? We have left the
gardens behind us one and all and have reached the barren hill
country. And if the way be still long, I have no strength left for
walking. Indeed I am ready to fall with fatigue. There are no
gardens before us, so let us hark back and return to town." Said the
magician: "No, O my son. This is right road, nor are the gardens
ended, for we are going to look at one which hath ne'er its like
amongst those of the kings, and all thou hast beheld are naught in
comparison therewith. Then gird thy courage to walk. Thou art now a
man, Alhamdolillah- praise be to Allah!"

Then the Maghrabi fell to soothing Aladdin with soft words and
telling him wondrous tales, lies as well as truth, until they
reached the site intended by the African magician, who had traveled
from the sunset land to the regions of China for the sake thereof. And
when they made the place, the Moorman said to Aladdin: "O son of my
brother, sit thee down and take thy rest, for this is the spot we
are now seeking and, Inshallah, soon will I divert thee by
displaying marvel matters whose like not one in the world ever saw,
nor hath any solaced himself with gazing upon that which thou art
about to behold. But when thou art rested, arise and seek some wood
chips and fuel sticks which be small and dry, wherewith we may
kindle a fire. Then will I show thee, O son of my brother, matters
beyond the range of matter." Now when the lad heard these words, he
longed to look upon what his uncle was about to do and, forgetting his
fatigue, he rose forthright and fell to gathering small wood chips and
dry sticks, and continued until the Moorman cried to him, "Enough, O
son of my brother!"

Presently the magician brought out from his breast pocker a
casket, which he opened, and drew from it all he needed of incense.
Then he fumigated and conjured and adjured, muttering words none might
understand. And the ground straightway clave asunder after thick gloom
and quake of earth and bellowings of thunder. Hereat Aladdin was
startled and so affrighted that he tried to fly, but when the
African magician saw his design, he waxed wroth with exceeding
wrath, for that without the lad his work would profit him naught,
the hidden hoard which he sought to open being not to be opened save
by means of Aladdin. So, noting this attempt to run away, the magician
arose, and raising his hand, smote Aladdin on the head a buffet so
sore that well-nigh his back teeth were knocked out, and he fell
swooning to the ground. But after a time he revived by the magic of
the magician, and cried, weeping the while: "O my uncle, what have I
done that deserveth from thee such a blow as this?" Hereat the
Maghrabi fell to soothing him, and said: "O my son, 'tis my intent
to make thee a man. Therefore do thou not gainsay me, for that I am
thine uncle and like unto thy father. Obey me, therefore, in all I bid
thee, and shortly thou shalt forget all this travail and toil whenas
thou shalt look upon the marvel matters I am about to show thee."

And soon after the ground had cloven asunder before the Moroccan, it
displayed a marble slab wherein was fixed a copper ring. The Maghrabi,
striking a geomantic table, turned to Aladdin and said to him: "An
thou do all I shall bid thee, indeed thou shalt become wealthier
than any of the kings. And for this reason, O my son, I struck thee,
because here lieth a hoard which is stored in thy name, and yet thou
designedst to leave it and to levant. But now collect thy thoughts,
and behold how I opened earth by my spells and adjurations. Under
yon stone wherein the ring is set lieth the treasure wherewith I
acquainted thee. So set thy hand upon the ring and raise the slab, for
that none other amongst the folk, thyself excepted, hath power to open
it, nor may any of mortal birth save thyself set foot within this
enchanted treasury which hath been kept for thee. But 'tis needful
that thou learn of me all wherewith I would charge thee, nor gainsay
e'en a single syllable of my words. All this, O my child, is for thy
good, the hoard being of immense value, whose like the kings of the
world never accumulated, and do thou remember that 'tis for thee and
me."

So poor Aladdin forgot his fatigue and buffet and tear-shedding, and
he was dumbed and dazed at the Maghrabi's words and rejoiced that he
was fated to become rich in such measure that not even the sultans
would be richer than himself. Accordingly he cried: "O my uncle, bid
me do all thou pleasest, for I will be obedient unto thy bidding." The
Maghrabi replied: "O my nephew, thou art to me as my own child and
even dearer, for being my brother's son and for my having none other
kith and kin except thyself. And thou, O my child, art my heir and
successor." So saying, he went up to Aladdin and kissed him and
said: "For whom do I intend these my labors? Indeed, each and every
are for thy sake, O my son, to the end that I may leave thee a rich
man and one of the very greatest. So gainsay me not in all I shall say
to thee, and now go up to yonder ring and uplift it as I bade thee."
Aladdin answered: "O uncle mine, this ring is overheavy for me. I
cannot raise it single-handed, so do thou also come forward and lend
me strength and aidance toward uplifting it, for indeed I am young
in years." The Moorman replied: "O son of my brother, we shall find it
impossible to do aught if I assist thee, and all our efforts would
be in vain. But do thou set thy hand upon the ring and pull it up, and
thou shalt raise the slab forthright, and in very sooth I told thee
that none can touch it save thyself. But whilst haling at it cease not
to pronounce thy name and the names of thy father and mother, so
'twill rise at once to thee, nor shalt thou feel its weight."

Thereupon the lad mustered up strength and girt the loins of
resolution and did as the Moroccan had bidden him, and hove up the
slab with all ease when he pronounced his name and the names of his
parents, even as the magician had bidden him. And as soon as the stone
was raised he threw it aside, and there appeared before him a
sardab, a souterrain, whereunto led a case of some twelve stairs,
and the Maghrabi said: "O Aladdin, collect thy thoughts and do
whatso I bid thee to the minutest detail, nor fail in aught thereof.
Go down with all care into yonder vault until thou reach the bottom,
and there shalt thou find a space divided into four halls, and in each
of these thou shalt see four golden jars and others of virgin or and
silver. Beware, however, lest thou take aught therefrom or touch them,
nor allow thy gown or its skirts even to brush the jars or the
walls. Leave them and fare forward until thou reach the fourth hall,
without lingering for a single moment on the way. And if thou do aught
contrary thereto, thou wilt at once be transformed and become a
black stone. When reaching the fourth hall, thou wilt find therein a
door, which do thou open, and pronouncing the names thou spakest
over the slab, enter therethrough into a garden adorned everywhere
with fruit-bearing trees. This thou must traverse by a path thou wilt
see in front of thee measuring some fifty cubits long beyond which
thou wilt come upon an open saloon, and herein a ladder of some thirty
rungs. Thou shalt there find a lamp hanging from its ceiling, so mount
the ladder and take that lamp and place it in thy breast pocket
after pouring out its contents. Nor fear evil from it for thy clothes,
because its contents are not common oil. And on return thou art
allowed to pluck from the trees whoso thou pleasest, for all is
thine so long as the lamp is in thy hand."

Now when the Moorman ended his charge to Aladdin, he drew off a seal
ring and put it upon the lad's forefinger, saying: "O my son, verily
this signet shall free thee from all hurt and fear which may
threaten thee, but only on condition that thou bear in mind all I have
told thee. So arise straightway and go down the stairs,
strengthening thy purpose and girding the loins of resolution.
Moreover, fear not, for thou art now a man and no longer a child.
And in shortest time, O my son, thou shalt will thee immense riches
and thou shalt become the wealthiest of the world."

Accordingly, Aladdin arose and descended into the souterrain,
where he found the four jars, each containing four jars of gold, and
these he passed by as the Moroccan had bidden him, with the utmost
care and caution. Thence he fared into the garden and walked along its
length until he entered the saloon, where he mounted the ladder and
took the lamp, which he extinguished, pouring out the oil which was
therein, and placed it in his breast pocket. Presently, descending the
ladder, he returned to the garden, where he fell to gazing at the
trees, whereupon sat birds glorifying with loud voices their Great
Creator. Now he had not observed them as he went in, but all these
trees bare for fruitage costly gems. Moreover, each had its own kind
of growth and jewels of its peculiar sort and these were of every
color, green and white, yellow, red, and other such brilliant hues,
and the radiance flashing from these gems paled the rays of the sun in
forenoon sheen. Furthermore the size of each stone so far surpassed
description that no King of the Kings of the World owned a single
gem equal to the larger sort, nor could boast of even one half the
size of the smaller kind of them. Aladdin walked amongst the trees and
gazed upon them and other things which surprised the sight and
bewildered the wits, and as he considered them, he saw that in lieu of
common fruits the produce was of mighty fine jewels and precious
stones, such as emeralds and diamonds, rubies, spinels, and balases,
pearls and similar gems, astounding the mental vision of man.

And forasmuch as the lad had never beheld things like these during
his born days, nor had reached those years of discretion which would
teach him the worth of such valuables (he being still but a little
lad), he fancied that all these jewels were of glass or crystal. So he
collected them until he had filled his breast pockets, and began to
certify himself if they were or were not common fruits, such as
grapes, figs, and suchlike edibles. But seeing them of glassy
substance, he, in his ignorance of precious stones and their prices,
gathered into his breast pockets every kind of growth the trees
afforded, and having failed of his purpose in finding them food, he
said in his mind, "I will collect a portion of these glass fruits
for playthings at home." So he fell to plucking them in quantities and
cramming them in his pokes and breast pockets till these were
stuffed full. After which he picked others which he placed in his
waist shawl and then, girding himself therewith, carried off all he
availed to, purposing to place them in the house by way of ornaments
and, as hath been mentioned, never imagining that they were other than
glass.

Then he hurried his pace in fear of his uncle, the Maghrabi, until
he had passed through the four halls and lastly on his return
reached the souterrain, where he cast not a look at the jars of
gold, albeit he was able and allowed to take of the contents on his
way back. But when he came to the souterrain stairs and clomb the
steps till naught remained but the last, and finding this higher
than an the others, he was unable alone and unassisted, burthened
moreover as he was, to mount it. So he said to the Maghrabi, "O my
uncle, lend me thy hand and aid me to climb." But the Moorman
answered: "O my son, give me the lamp and lighten thy load. Belike
'tis that weighteth thee down." The lad rejoined: "O my uncle, 'tis
not the lamp downweigheth me at all, but do thou lend me a hand, and
as soon as I reached ground I will give it to thee." Hereat the
Moroccan, the magician, whose only object was the lamp and none other,
began to insist upon Aladdin giving it to him at once. But the lad
(forasmuch as he had placed it at the bottom of his breast pocket
and his other pouches, being full of gems, bulged outward) could not
reach it with his fingers to hand it over, so the wizard after much
vain persistency in requiring what his nephew was unable to give
fell to raging with furious rage and to demanding the lamp, whilst
Aladdin could not get at it. Yet had the lad promised truthfully
that he would give it up as soon as he might reach ground, without
lying thought or ill intent. But when the Moorman saw that he would
not hand it over, he waxed wroth with wrath exceeding and cut off
all his hopes of winning it. So he conjured and adjured and cast
incense a-middlemost the fire, when forthright the slab made a cover
of itself, and by the might of magic lidded the entrance. The earth
buried the stone as it was aforetime, and Aladdin, unable to issue
forth, remained underground.

Now the sorcerer was a stranger and, as we have mentioned, no
uncle of Aladdin's, and he had misrepresented himself and preferred
a lying claim, to the end that he might obtain the lamp by means of
the lad for whom this hoard had been upstored. So the accursed
heaped the earth over him and left him to die of hunger. For this
Maghrabi was an African of Afrikiyah proper, born in the inner
Sunset Land, and from his earliest age upward he had been addicted
to witchcraft and had studied and practiced every manner of occult
science, for which unholy lore the city of Africa is notorious. And he
ceased not to read and hear lectures until he had become a past master
in all such knowledge. And of the abounding skill in spells and
conjurations which he had acquired by the perusing and the lessoning
of forty years, one day of the days he discovered by devilish
inspiration that there lay in an extreme city of the cities of
China, named Al-Kal'as, an immense hoard, the like whereof none of the
kings in this world had ever accumulated. Moreover, that the most
marvelous article in this enchanted treasure was a wonderful lamp,
which whoso possessed could not possibly be surpassed by any man
upon earth, either in high degree or in wealth and opulence, nor could
the mightiest monarch of the universe attain to the all-sufficiency of
this lamp with its might of magical means. When the Maghrabi assured
himself by his science and saw that this hoard could be opened only by
the presence of a lad named Aladdin, of pauper family and abiding in
that very city, and learnt how taking it would be easy and without
hardships, he straightway and without stay or delay equipped himself
for a voyage to China (as we have already told), and be did what he
did with Aladdin fancying that he would become Lord of the Lamp. But
his attempt and his hopes were baffled and his work was clean
wasted. Whereupon, determining to do the lad die, he heaped up the
earth over him by gramarye to the end that the unfortunate might
perish, reflecting that "The live man hath no murtherer." Secondly, he
did so with the design that, as Aladdin could not come forth from
underground, he would also be impotent to bring out the lamp from
the souterrain. So presently he wended his ways and retired to his own
land, Africa, a sadder man and disappointed of all his expectations.

Such was the case with the wizard, but as regards Aladdin, when
the earth was heaped over him, he began shouting to the Moorman,
whom he believed to be his uncle, and praying him to lend a hand
that he might issue from the souterrain and return to earth's surface.
But however loudly he cried, none was found to reply. At that moment
he comprehended the sleight which the Moroccan had played upon him,
and that the man was no uncle, but a liar and a wizard. Then the
unhappy despaired of life, and learned to his sorrow that there was no
escape for him, so he fell to beweeping with sore weeping the calamity
had befallen him. And after a little while he stood up and descended
the stairs to see if Allah Almighty had lightened his grief load by
leaving a door of issue. So he turned him to the right and to the
left, but he saw naught save darkness and four walls closed upon
him, for that the magician had by his magic locked all the doors and
had shut up even the garden wherethrough the lad erst had passed, lest
it offer him the means of issuing out upon earth's surface, and that
he might surely die. Then Aladdin's weeping waxed sorer and his
wailing louder whenas he found all the doors fast shut, for he had
thought to solace himself awhile in the garden. But when he felt
that all were locked, he fell to shedding tears and lamenting like
unto one who hath lost his every hope, and he returned to sit upon the
stairs of the flight whereby he had entered the souterrain.

But it is a light matter for Allah (be He exalted and extolled!)
whenas He designeth aught to say, "Be," and it becometh, for that He
createth joy in the midst of annoy. And on this wise it was with
Aladdin. Whilst the Maghrabi, the magician, was sending him down
into the souterrain, he set upon his finger by way of gift a seal ring
and said: "Verily this signet shall save thee from every strait an
thou fall into calamity and ill shifts of time, and it shall remove
from thee all hurt and harm, and aid thee with a strong arm whereso
thou mayest be set." Now this was by Destiny of God the Great, that it
might be the means of Aladdin's escape. For whilst he sat wailing
and weeping over his case and cast away all hope of life, and utter
misery overwhelmed him, he rubbed his hands together for excess of
sorrow, as is the wont of the woeful. Then, raising them in
supplication to Allah, he cried, "I testify that there is no God
save Thou alone, the Most Great, the Omnipotent, the All-conquering,
Quickener of the dead, Creator of man's need and Granter thereof,
Resolver of his difficulties and duress and Bringer of joy, not of
annoy. Thou art my sufficiency and Thou art the Truest of Trustees.
And I bear my witness that Mohammed is Thy servant and Thine
Apostle, and I supplicate Thee, O my God, by his favor with Thee to
free me from this my foul plight."

And whilst implored the Lord and was chafing his hands in the
soreness of his sorrow for that had befallen him of calamity, his
fingers chanced to rub the ring, when, lo and behold! forthright its
familiar rose upright before him and cried: "Adsum! Thy slave
between thy hands is come! Ask whatso thou wantest, for that I am
the thrall of him on whose hand is the ring, the signet of my lord and
master." Hereat the lad looked at him and saw standing before him a
Marid like unto an Ifrit of our lord Solomon's Jinns. He trembled at
the terrible sight, but, hearing the Slave of the Ring say, "Ask
whatso thou wantest. Verily, I am thy thrall seeing that the signet of
my lord be upon thy finger," he recovered his spirits and remembered
the Moorman's saying when giving him the ring. So he rejoiced
exceedingly and became brave and cried, "Ho, thou slave of the Lord of
the Ring, I desire thee to set me upon the face of the earth." And
hardly had he spoken this speech when suddenly the ground clave
asunder and he found himself at the door of the hoard and outside it
in full view of the world. Now for three whole days he had been
sitting in the darkness of the treasury underground, and when the
sheen of day and the shine of sun smote his face he found himself
unable to keep his eyes open; so he began to unclose the lids a little
and to close them a little until his eyeballs regained force and got
used to the light and were purged of the noisome murk. Withal he was
astounded at finding himself without the hoard door whereby he had
passed in when it was opened by the Maghrabi, the magician, especially
as the adit had been lidded and the ground had been smoothed,
showing no sign whatever of entrance.

Thereat his surprise increased until he fancied himself in another
place, nor was his mind convinced that the stead was the same until he
saw the spot whereupon they had kindled the fire of wood chips and
dried sticks, and where the African wizard had conjured over the
incense. Then he turned him rightward and leftward and sighted the
gardens from afar and his eyes recognized the road whereby he had
come. So he returned thanks to Allah Almighty, Who had restored him to
the face of earth and had freed him from death after he had cut off
all hopes of life. Presently he arose and walked along the way to
the town, which now he knew well, until he entered the streets and
passed on to his own home. Then he went in to his mother, and on
seeing her, of the overwhelming stress of joy at his escape and the
memory of past affright and the hardships he had borne and the pangs
of hunger, he fell to the ground before his parent in a fainting
fit. Now his mother had been passing sad since the time of his leaving
her, and he found her moaning and crying about him. However, on
sighting him enter the house she joyed with exceeding joy, but soon
was overwhelmed with woe when he sank upon the ground swooning
before her eyes. Still, she did not neglect the matter or treat it
lightly, but at once hastened to sprinkle water upon his face, and
after she asked of the neighbors some scents which she made him
snuff up. And when he came round a little, he prayed her to bring
him somewhat of food saying, "O my mother, 'tis now three days since I
ate anything at all." Thereupon she arose and brought him what she had
by her, then, setting it before him, said: "Come forward, O my son.
Eat and be cheered, and when thou shalt have rested, tell me what hath
betided and affected thee, O my child. At this present I will not
question thee, for thou art aweary in very deed." Aladdin ate and
drank and was cheered, and after he had rested and had recovered
spirits he cried:

"Ah, O my mother, I have a sore grievance against thee for leaving
me to that accursed wight who strave to compass my destruction and
designed to take my life. Know thou that I beheld death with mine
own eyes at the hand of this damned wretch, whom thou didst to be my
uncle, and had not Almighty Allah rescued me from him, I and thou, O
my mother, had been cozened by the excess of this accursed's
promises to work my welfare, and by the great show of affection
which he manifested to us. Learn, O my mother, that this fellow is a
sorcerer, a Moorman, an accursed, a liar, a traitor, a hypocrite,
nor deem I that the devils under the earth are damnable as he. Allah
abase him in his every book! Hear then, O my mother, what this
abominable one did, and all that I shall tell thee will be soothfast
and certain. See how the damned villain brake every promise he made,
certifying that he would soon work all good with me. And do thou
consider the fondness which he displayed to me and the deeds which
he did by me, and all this only to win his wish, for his design was to
destroy me. And Alhamdolillah- laud to the Lord- for my deliverance.
Listen and learn, O my mother, how this accursed entreated me."

Then Aladdin informed his mother of all that had befallen him,
weeping the for stress of gladness- how the Maghrabi had led him to a
hill wherein was hidden the hoard and how he had conjured and
fumigated, adding: "After which, O my mother, mighty fear gat hold of
me when the hill split and the earth gaped before me by his
wizardry. And I trembled with terror at the rolling of thunder in mine
ears and the murk which fell upon us when he fumigated and muttered
spells. Seeing these horrors, I in mine affright desiped to fly, but
when he understood mine intent, he reviled me and smote me a buffet so
sore that it caused me swoon. However, inasmuch as the treasury was to
be opened only by means of me, O my mother, he could not descend
therein himself, it being in my name and not in his. And for that he
is an ill-omened magician, he understood that I was necessary to him
and this was his need of me." Aladdin acquainted his mother with all
that had befallen him from the Maghrabi, the magician, and said:

"After he had buffeted me, he judged it advisable to soothe me in
order that he might send me down into the enchanted treasury, and
first he drew from his finger a ring, which he placed upon mine. So
I descended and found four halls all full of gold and silver, which
counted as naught, and the accursed had charged me not to touch
aught thereof. Then I entered a mighty fine flower garden everywhere
bedecked with tall trees whose foilage and fruitage bewildered the
wits, for all, O my mother, were of varicolored glass, and lastly I
reached the hall wherein hung this lamp. So I took it straightway
and put it out and poured forth its contents." And so saying,
Aladdin drew the lamp from his breast pocket and showed it to his
mother, together with the gems and jewels which he had brought from
the garden. And there were two large bag pockets full of precious
stones, whereof not one was to be found amongst the kings of the
world. But the lad knew naught anent their worth, deeming them glass
or crystal. And presently he resumed:

"After this, O mother mine, I reached the hoard door carrying the
lamp and shouted to the accursed sorcerer which called himself my
uncle to lend me a hand and hale me up, I being unable to mount of
myself the last step for the overweight of my burthen. But he would
not and said only, 'First hand me the lamp!' As, however, I had placed
it at the bottom of my breast pocket and the other pouches bulged
out beyond it, I was unable to get at it and said, 'O my uncle, I
cannot reach thee the lamp, but I will give it to thee when outside
the treasury.' His only need was the lamp, and he designed, O my
mother, to snatch it from me and after that slay me, as indeed he
did his best to do by heaping the earth over my head. Such then is
what befell me from this foul sorcerer." Hereupon Aladdin fell to
abusing the magician in hot wrath and with a burning heart, and
crying: "Wellaway! I take refuge from this damned wight, the
forswearer the wrongdoer, the forswearer, the lost to all humanity,
the archtraitor, the hyprocrite, the annihilator of ruth and mercy."
When Aladdin's mother heard his words and what had befallen him from
the Maghrabi, the magician, she said: "Yea, verily, O my son, he is
a miscreant, a hypocrite who murthereth the folk by his magic. But
'twas the grace of Allah Almighty, O my child, that saved thee from
the tricks and the treachery of this accursed sorcerer whom I deemed
to be truly thine uncle."

Then, as the lad had not slept a wink for three days and found
himself nodding, he sought his natural rest, his mother doing on
like wise, nor did he awake till about noon on the second day. As soon
as he shook off slumber he called for somewhat of food, being sore
a-hungered, but said his mother: "O my son, I have no victual for
thee, inasmuch as yesterday thou atest all that was in the house.
But wait patiently a while. I have spun a trifle of yarn which I will
carry to the market street and sell it and buy with what it may be
worth some victual for thee." "O my mother," said he, "keep your
yarn and sell it not, but fetch me the lamp I brought hither that I
may go vend it, and with its price purchase provaunt, for that I
deem 'twill bring more money than the spinnings." So Aladdin's
mother arose and fetched the lamp for her son, but while so doing
she saw that it was dirty exceedingly, so that said: "O my son, here
is the lamp, but 'tis very foul. After we shall have washed it and
polished it 'twill sell better." Then, taking a handful of sand, she
began to rub therewith, but she had only begun when appeared to her
one of the Jann, whose favor was frightful and whose bulk was horrible
big, and he was gigantic as one of the Jababirah. And forthright he
cried to her: "Say whatso thou wantest of me. Here am I, thy slave and
slave to whoso holdeth the lamp, and not I alone, but all the Slaves
of the Wonderful Lamp which thou hendest in hand."

She quaked and terror was sore upon her when she looked at that
frightful form, and her tongue being tied, she could not return
aught reply, never having been accustomed to espy similar
semblances. Now her son was standing afar off, and he had already seen
the Jinni of the ring which he had rubbed within the treasury, so when
he heard the slave speaking to his parent, he hastened forward, and
snatching the lamp from her hand, said: "O Slave of the Lamp, I am
a-hungered, and 'tis my desire that thou fetch me somewhat to eat, and
let it be something toothsome beyond our means." The Jinni disappeared
for an eye twinkle and returned with a mighty fine tray and precious
of price, for that 'twas all in virginal silver, and upon it stood
twelve golden platters of meats manifold and dainties delicate, with
bread snowier than snow; also two silvern cups and as many black jacks
full of wine clear-strained and long-stored. And after setting all
these before Aladdin, he vanished from vision.

Thereupon the lad went and sprinkled rose-water upon his mother's
face and caused her snuff up perfumes pure and pungent, and said to
her when she revived: "Rise, O mother mine, and let us eat of these
meats wherewith Almighty Allah hath eased our poverty." But when she
saw that mighty fine silvern tray she fell to marveling at the matter,
and quoth she: "O my son, who be this generous, this beneficent one
who hath abated our hunger pains and our penury? We are indeed under
obligation to him, and meseemeth 'tis the Sultan who, hearing of our
mean condition and our misery, hath sent us this food tray." Quoth he:
"O my mother, this be no time for questioning. Arouse thee and let
us eat, for we are both a-famished." Accordingly they sat down to
the tray and fell to feeding, when Aladdin's mother tasted meats whose
like in all her time she had never touched. So they devoured them with
sharpened appetites and all the capacity engendered by stress of
hunger. And secondly, the food was such that marked the tables of
the kings. But neither of them knew whether the tray was or was not
valuable, for never in their born days had they looked upon aught like
it.

As soon as they had finished the meal (withal leaving victual enough
for supper and eke for the next day), they arose and washed their
hands and sat at chat, when the mother turned to her son and said:
"Tell me, O my child, what befell thee from the slave, the Jinni,
now that Alhamdolillah- laud to the Lord!- we have eaten our full of
the good things wherewith He hath favored us and thou hast no pretext
for saying to me, 'I am a-hungered."' So Aladdin related to her all
that took place between him and the slave what while she had sunk upon
the ground a-swoon for sore terror, and at this she, being seized with
mighty great surprise, said: "'Tis true, for the Jinns do present
themselves before the sons of Adam, but I, O my son, never saw them in
all my life, and meseemeth that this be the same who saved thee when
thou wast within the enchanted hoard." "This is not he, O my mother.
This who appeared before thee is the Slave of the Lamp!" "Who may this
be, O my son?" "This be a slave of sort and shape other than he.
That was the familiar of the ring, and this his fellow thou sawest was
the Slave of the Lamp thou hendest in hand." And when his parent heard
these words she cried: "There! there! So this accursed, who showed
himself to me and went nigh unto killing me with affright, is attached
to the lamp." "Yes," he replied, and she rejoined: "Now I conjure
thee, O my son, by the milk wherewith I suckled thee, to throw away
from thee this lamp and this ring, because they can cause us only
extreme terror, and I especially can never a-bear a second glance at
them. Moreover, all intercourse with them is unlawful, for that the
Prophet (whom Allah save and assain!) warned us against them with
threats."

He replied: "Thy commands, O my mother, be upon my head and mine
eyes, but as regards this saying thou saidest, 'tis impossible that
I part or with lamp or with ring. Thou thyself hast seen what good the
slave wrought us whenas we were famishing, and know, O my mother, that
the Maghrabi, the liar, the magician, when sending me down into the
hoard, sought nor the silver nor the gold wherewith the four halls
were fulfilled, but charged me to bring him only the lamp (naught
else), because in very deed he had learned its priceless value. And
had he not been certified of it, he had never endured such toil and
trouble, nor had he traveled from his own land to our land in search
thereof, neither had he shut me up in the treasury when he despaired
of the lamp which I would not hand to him. Therefore it besitteth
us, O my mother, to keep this lamp and take all care thereof, nor
disclose its mysteries to any, for this is now our means of livelihood
and this it is shall enrich us. And likewise as regards the ring, I
will never withdraw it from my finger, inasmuch as but for this thou
hadst nevermore seen me on life- nay, I should have died within the
hoard underground. How then can I possibly remove it from my finger?
And who wotteth that which may betide me by the lapse of time, what
trippings or calamities or injurious mishaps wherefrom this ring may
deliver me? However, for regard to thy feelings I will stow away the
lamp, nor ever suffer it to be seen of thee hereafter." Now when his
mother heard his words and pondered them, she knew they were true
and said to him: "Do, O my son, whatso thou willest. For my part, I
wish never to see them nor ever sight that frightful spectacle I
erst saw."

Aladdin and his mother continued eating of the meats brought them by
the Jinni for two full told days till they were finished. But when
he learned that nothing of food remained for them, he arose and took a
platter of the platters which the slave had brought upon the tray. Now
they were all of the finest gold, but the lad knew naught thereof,
so he bore it to the bazaar and there, seeing a man which was a Jew, a
viler than the Satans, offered it to him for sale. When the Jew espied
it, he took the lad aside that none might see him, and he looked at
the platter and considered it till he was certified that it was of
gold refined. But he knew not whether Aladdin was acquainted with
its value or he was in such matters a raw laddie, so he asked him,
"For how much, O my lord, this platter?" and the other answered, "Thou
wottest what be its worth." The Jew debated with himself as to how
much he should offer, because Aladdin had returned him a craftsmanlike
reply, and he thought of the smallest valuation. At the same time he
feared lest the lad, haply knowing its worth, should expect a
considerable sum. So he said in his mind, "Belike the fellow is an
ignoramus in such matters, nor is ware of the price of the platter."
Whereupon he pulled out of his pocket a dinar, and Aladdin eyed the
gold piece lying in his palm and, hastily taking it, went his way,
whereby the Jew was certified of his customer's innocence of all
such knowledge, and repented with entire repentance that he had
given him a golden dinar in lieu of a copper carat, a
bright-polished groat.

However, Aladdin made no delay, but went at once to the baker's,
where he bought him bread and changed the ducat. Then, going to his
mother, he gave her the scones and the remaining small coin and
said, "O my mother, hie thee and buy thee all we require." So she
arose and walked to the bazaar and laid in the necessary stock,
after which they ate and were cheered. And whenever the price of the
platter was expended, Aladdin would take another and carry it to the
accursed Jew, who brought each and every at a pitiful price; and
even this he would have minished but, seeing how he had paid a dinar
for the first, he feared to offer a lesser sum, lest the lad go and
sell to some rival in trade and thus he lose his usurious gains. Now
when all the golden platters were sold, there remained only the silver
tray whereupon they stood, and for that it was large and weighty,
Aladdin brought the Jew to his house and produced the article when the
buyer, seeing its size, gave him ten dinars, and these being accepted,
went his ways.

Aladdin and his mother lived upon the sequins until they were spent,
then he brought out the lamp and rubbed it, and straightway appeared
the slave who had shown himself aforetime. And said the lad: "I desire
that thou bring me a tray of food like unto that thou broughtest me
erewhiles, for indeed I am famisht." Accordingly, in the glance of
an eye the slave produced a similar tray supporting twelve platters of
the most sumptuous, furnished with requisite cates, and thereon
stood clean bread and sundry glass bottles of strained wine. Now
Aladdin's mother had gone out when she knew he was about to rub the
lamp, that she might not again look upon the Jinni; but after a
while she returned, and when she sighted the tray covered with
silvern platters and smelt the savor of the rich meats diffused over
the house, she marveled and rejoiced. Thereupon quoth he: "Look, O
my mother! Thou badest me throw away the lamp. See now its virtues,"
and quoth she, "O my son, Allah increase his weal, but I would not
look upon him." Then the lad sat down with his parent to the tray
and they ate and drank until they were satisfied, after which they
removed what remained for use on the morrow.

As soon as the meats had been consumed, Aladdin arose and stowed
away under his clothes a platter of the platters and went forth to
find the Jew, purposing to sell it to him, but by fiat of Fate he
passed by the shop of an ancient jeweler, an honest man and a pious
who feared Allah. When the Sheikh saw the lad, he asked him, saying:
"O my son, what dost thou want? For that times manifold have I seen
thee passing hereby and having dealings with a Jewish man, and I
have espied thee handing over to him sundry articles. Now also I fancy
thou hast somewhat for sale and thou seekest him as a buyer thereof.
But thou wottest not, O my child, that the Jews ever hold lawful to
them the good of Moslems, the confessors of Allah Almighty's unity,
and always defraud them, especially this accursed Jew with whom thou
hast relations and into whose hands thou hast fallen. If then, O my
son, thou have aught thou wouldest sell, show the same to me and never
fear, for I will give thee its full price, by the truth of Almighty
Allah."

Thereupon Aladdin brought out the platter, which when the ancient
goldsmith saw, he took and weighed it in his scales and asked the lad,
saying, "Was it the fellow of this thou soldest to the Jew?" "Yes, its
fellow and its brother," he answered, and quoth the old man, "What
price did he pay thee?" Quoth the lad, "One dinar." The ancient
goldsmith, hearing from Aladdin how the Jew used to give only one
dinar as the price of the platter, cried, "Ah! I take refuge from this
accursed who cozeneth the servants of Allah Almighty!" Then, looking
at the lad, he exclaimed: "O my son, verily yon tricksy Jew hath
cheated thee and laughed at thee, this platter being pure silver and
virginal. I have weighed it and found it worth seventy dinars, and, if
thou please to take its value,-take it." Thereupon the Sheikh
counted out to him seventy gold pieces, which he accepted, and
presently thanked him for his kindness in exposing the Jew's
rascality.

And after this, whenever the price of a platter was expended, he
would bring another, and on such wise he and his mother were soon in
better circumstances. Yet they ceased not to live after their olden
fashion as middle-class folk, without spending on diet overmuch or
squandering money. But Aladdin had now thrown off the ungraciousness
of his boyhood. He shunned the society of scapegraces and he began
to frequent good men and true, repairing daily to the market street of
the merchants and there companying with the great and small of them,
asking about matters of merchandise and learning the price of
investments and so forth. He likewise frequented the bazaars of the
goldsmiths and the jewelers, where he would sit and divert himself
by inspecting their precious stones and by noting how jewels were sold
and bought therein. Accordingly, he presently became ware that the
tree truits wherewith he had filled his pockets what time he entered
the enchanged treasury were neither glass nor crystal, but gems rich
and rare, and he understood that he had acquired immense wealth such
as the kings never can possess. He then considered all the precious
stones which were in the jewelers' quarter, but found that their
biggest was not worth his smallest.

On this wise he ceased not every day repairing to the bazaar and
making himself familiar with the folk and winning their loving will,
and inquiring anent selling and buying, giving and taking, the dear
and the cheap, until one day of the days when, after rising at dawn
and donning his dress he went forth, as was his wont, to the jewelers'
bazaar and as he passed along it he heard the crier crying as follows:
"By command of our magnificent master, the King of the Time and the
Lord of the Age and the Tide, let all the folk lock up their shops and
stores and retire within their houses, for that the Lady Badr
al-Budur, daughter of the Sultan, designeth to visit the hammam. And
whoso gainsayeth the order shall be punished with death penalty, and
be his blood upon his own neck!" But when Aladdin heard the
proclamation, he longed to look upon the King's daughter and said in
his mind, "Indeed all the lieges talk of her beauty and loveliness,
and the end of my desires is to see her." Then Aladdin fell to
contriving some means whereby he might look upon the Princess Badr
al-Budur, and at last judged best to take his station behind the
hammam door, whence he might see her face as she entered. Accordingly,
without stay or delay he repaired to the baths before she was expected
and stood a-rear of the entrance, a place whereat none of the folk
happened to be looking.

Now when the Sultan's daughter had gone the rounds of the city and
its main streets and had solaced herself by sight-seeing, she
finally reached the hammam, and whilst entering she raised her veil
and Aladdin saw her favor, he said: "In very truth her fashion
magnifieth her Almighty Fashioner, and glory be to Him Who created her
and adorned her with this beauty and loveliness." His strength was
struck down from the moment he saw her and his thoughts were
distraught. His gaze was dazed, the love of her gat hold of the
whole of his heart, and when he returned home to his mother, he was as
one in ecstasy. His parent addressed him, but he neither replied nor
denied, and, when she set before him the morning meal he continued
in like case, so quoth she: "O my son, what is't may have befallen
thee? Say me, doth aught ail thee? Let me know what ill hath betided
thee, for, unlike thy custom, thou speakest not when I bespeak
thee." Thereupon Aladdin (who used to think that all women resembled
his mother and who, albeit he had heard of the charms of Badr
al-Budur, daughter of the Sultan, yet knew not what "beauty" and
"loveliness" might signify) turned to his parent and exclaimed, "Let
me be!" However, she persisted in praying him to come forward and eat,
so he did her bidding, but hardly touched food. After which he lay
at full length on his bed all the night through in cogitation deep
until morning morrowed.

The same was his condition during the next day, when his mother
was perplexed for the case of her son and unable to learn what had
happened to him. So, thinking that belike he might be ailing, she drew
near him and asked him, saying: "O my son, an thou sense aught of pain
or suchlike, let me know, that I may fare forth and fetch thee the
physician. And today there be in this our city a leech from the land
of the Arabs whom the Sultan hath sent to summon, and the bruit abroad
reporteth him to be skillful exceedingly. So, an be thou ill, let me
go and bring him to thee." Aladdin, hearing his parent's offer to
summon the mediciner, said: "O my mother, I am well in body and on
no wise ill. But I ever thought that all women resembled thee until
yesterday, when I beheld the Lady Badr al-Budur, daughter of the
Sultan, as she was faring for the baths."

Then he related to her all and everything that had happened to
him, adding: "Haply thou also hast heard the crier a-crying: 'Let no
man open shop or stand in street that the Lady Badr al-Budur may
repair to the hammam without eye seeing her.' But I have looked upon
her even as she is, for she raised her veil at the door, and when I
viewed her favor and beheld that noble work of the Creator, a sore fit
of ecstasy, O my mother, fell upon me for love of her, and firm
resolve to win her hath opened its way into every limb of me, nor is
repose possible for me except I win her. Wherefor I purpose asking her
to wife from the Sultan, her sire, in lawful wedlock." When
Aladdin's mother heard her son's words, she belittled his wits and
cried: "O my child, the name of Allah upon thee! Meseemeth thou hast
lost thy senses. But be thou rightly guided, O my son, nor be thou
as the men Jinn-maddened!" He replied: "Nay, O mother of mine, I am
not out of my mind, nor am I of the maniacs, nor shall this thy saying
alter one jot of what is in my thoughts. For rest is impossible to
me until I shall have won the dearling of my heart's core, the
beautiful Lady Badr al-Budur. And now I am resolved to ask her of
her sire the Sultan."

She rejoined: "O my son, by my life upon thee, speak not such
speech, lest any overhear thee and say thou be insane. So cast away
from thee such nonsense! Who shall undertake a matter like this, or
make such request to the King? Indeed, I know not how, supposing thy
speech to be soothfast, thou shalt manage to crave such grace of the
Sultan, or through whom thou desirest to propose it." He retorted:
"Through whom shall I ask it, O my mother, when thou art present?
And who is there fonder and more faithful to me than thyself? So my
design is that thou thyself shalt proffer this my petition." Quoth
she: "O my son, Allah remove me far therefrom! What! Have I lost my
wits, like thyself? Cast the thought away, and a long way, from thy
heart. Remember whose son thou art, O my child, the orphan boy of a
tailor, the poorest and meanest of the tailors toiling in this city;
and I, thy mother, am also come of pauper folk and indigent. How
then durst thou ask to wife the daughter of the Sultan, whose sire
would not deign marry her with the sons of the kings and the
sovereigns, except they were his peers in honor and grandeur and
majesty, and were they but one degree lower, he would refuse his
daughter to them." Aladdin took patience until his parent had said her
say, when quoth he: "O my mother, everything thou hast called to
mind is known to me. Moreover, 'tis thoroughly well known to me that I
am the child of pauper parents, withal do not these words of thee
divert me from my design at all, at all. Nor the less do I hope of
thee, an I be thy son and thou truly love me, that thou grant me
this favor. Otherwise thou wilt destroy me, and present death hovereth
over my head except I win my will of heart's dearling. And I, O my
mother, am in every case thy child."

Hearing these words, his parent wept of her sorrow for him and said:
"O my child! Yes, in very deed I am thy mother, nor have I any son
or life's blood of my liver except thyself, and the end of my wishes
is to give thee a wife and rejoice in thee. But suppose that I would
seek a bride of our likes and equals, her people will at once ask an
thou have any land or garden, merchandise or handicraft, wherewith
thou canst support her, and what is the reply I can return? Then, if I
cannot possibly answer the poor like ourselves, how shall I be bold
enough, O my son, to ask for the daughter of the Sultan of China land,
who hath no peer or behind or before him? Therefore do thou weigh this
matter in thy mind. Also who shall ask her to wife for the son of a
snip? Well indeed I wot that my saying aught of this kind will but
increase our misfortunes, for that it may be the cause of our
incurring mortal danger from the Sultan- peradventure even death for
thee and me.

"And, as concerneth myself, how shall I venture upon such rash
deed and perilous, O my son? And in what way shall I ask the Sultan
for his daughter to be thy wife, and indeed how ever shall I even
get access to him? And should I succeed therein, what is to be my
answer an they ask me touching thy means? Haply the King will hold
me to be a madwoman. And lastly, suppose that I obtain audience of the
Sultan, what offering is there I can submit to the King's majesty?
'Tis true, O my child, that the Sultan is mild and merciful, never
rejecting any who approach him to require justice or ruth or
protection, nor any who pray him for a present, for he is liberal
and lavisheth favor upon near and far. But he dealeth his boons to
those deserving them, to men who have done some derring-do in battle
under his eyes or have rendered as civilians great service to his
estate. But thou! Do thou tell me what feat thou hast performed in his
presence or before the public that thou meritest from him such
grace? And secondly, this boon thou ambitionest is not for one of
our condition, nor is it possible that the King grant to thee the
bourne of thine aspiration. For whoso goeth to the Sultan and
craveth of him a favor, him it besitteth to take in hand somewhat that
suiteth the royal majesty, as indeed I warned thee aforetime. How,
then, shalt thou risk thyself to stand before the Sultan and ask his
daughter in marriage when thou hast with thee naught to offer him of
that which beseemeth his exalted station?"

Hereto Aladdin replied: "O my mother, thou speakest to the point and
hast reminded me aright, and 'tis meet that I revolve in mind the
whole of thy remindings. But, O my mother, the love of Princess Badr
al-Budur hath entered into the core of my heart, nor can I rest
without I win her. However, thou hast also recalled to me a matter
which I forgot, and 'tis this emboldeneth me to ask his daughter of
the King. Albeit thou, O my mother, declarest that I have no gift
which I can submit to the Sultan, as is the wont of the world, yet
in very sooth I have an offering and a present whose equal, O my
mother, I hold none of the kings to possess- no, even aught like it.
Because verily that which I deemed glass or crystal was nothing but
precious stones, and I hold that all the kings of the world have never
possessed anything like one of the smallest thereof. For by
frequenting the jeweler folk I have learned that they are the
costliest gems, and these are what I brought in my pockets from the
hoard, whereupon, an thou please, compose thy mind.

"We have in our house a bowl of China porcelain, so arise thou and
fetch it, that I may fill it with these jewels, which thou shalt carry
as a gift to the King, and thou shalt stand in his presence and
solicit him for my requirement. I am certified that by such means
the matter will become easy to thee, and if thou be unwilling, O my
mother, to strive for the winning of my wish as regards the Lady
Badr al-Budur, know thou that surely I shall die. Nor do thou
imagine that this gift is of aught save the costliest of stones, and
be assured, O my mother, that in my many visits to the jewelers'
bazaar I have observed the merchants selling for sums man's judgment
may not determine jewels whose beauty is not worth one quarter-carat
of what we possess, seeing which I was certified that ours are
beyond all price. So arise, O my mother, as I bade thee, and bring
me the porcelain bowl aforesaid, that I may arrange therein some of
these gems, and we will see what semblance they show."

So she brought him the china bowl, saying in herself, "I shall
know what to do when I find out if the words of my child concerning
these jewels be soothfast or not." And she set it before her son,
who pulled the stones out of his pockets and disposed them in the
bowl, and ceased not arranging therein gems of sorts till such time as
he had filled it. And when it was brimful, she could not fix her
eyes firmly upon it; on the contrary, she winked and blinked for the
dazzle of the stones and their radiance and excess of lightninglike
glance, and her wits were bewildered thereat. Only she was not
certified of their value being really of the enormous extent she had
been told. Withal she reflected that possibly her son might have
spoken aright when he declared that their like was not to be found
with the kings. Then Aladdin turned to her and said: "Thou
hast-seen, O my mother, that this present intended for the Sultan is
magnificent, and I am certified that it will procure for thee high
honor with him, and that he will receive thee with all respect. And
now, O my mother, thou hast no excuse, so compose thy thoughts and
arise. Take thou this bowl, and away with it to the palace."

His mother rejoined: "O my son, 'tis true that the present is
highpriced exceedingly and the costliest of the costly, also that
according to thy word none owneth its like. But who would have the
boldness to go and ask the Sultan for his daughter, the Lady Badr
al-Budur? I indeed dare not say to him, 'I want thy daughter!' when he
shall ask me, 'What is thy want?' For know thou, O my son, that my
tongue will be tied. And granting that Allah assist me and I
embolden myself to say to him, 'My wish is to become a connection of
thine through the marriage of thy daughter the Lady Badr al-Budur,
to my son Aladdin,' they will surely decide at once that I am demented
and will thrust me forth in disgrace and despised. I will not tell
thee that I shall thereby fall into danger of death, for 'twill not be
I only, but thou likewise. However, O my son, of my regard for thine
inclination I needs must embolden myself and hie thither. Yet, O my.
child, if the King receive me and honor me on account of the gift
and inquire of me what thou desirest, and in reply I ask of him that
which thou desirest in the matter of thy marriage with his daughter,
how shall I answer him and he ask me, as is man's wont, 'What
estates hast thou, and what income?' And perchance, O my son, he
will question me of this before questioning me of thee."

Aladdin replied: "'Tis not possible that the Sultan should make such
demand what time he considereth the jewels and their magnificence, nor
is it meet to think of such things as these, which may never occur.
Now do thou but arise and set before him this present of precious
stones and ask of him his daughter for me, and sit not yonder making
much of the difficulty in thy fancy. Ere this thou hast learned, O
mother mine, that the lamp which we possess hath become to us a stable
income, and that whatso I want of it the same is supplied to me. And
my hope is that by means thereof I shall learn how to answer the
Sultan should he ask me of that thou sayest." Then Aladdin and his
mother fell to talking over the subject all that night long, and
when morning morrowed, the dame arose and heartened her heart,
especially as her son had expounded to her some little of the powers
of the lamp and the virtues thereof; to wit, that it would supply
all they required of it. Aladdin, however, seeing his parent take
courage when he explained to her the workings of the lamp, feared lest
she might tattle to the folk thereof, so he said to her: "O my mother,
beware how thou talk to any of the properties of the lamp and its
profit, as this is our one great good. Guard thy thoughts lest thou
speak overmuch concerning it before others, whoso they be. Haply we
shall lose it and lose the boon fortune we possess and the benefits we
expect, for that 'tis of him." His mother replied, "Fear not therefor,
O my son," and she arose and took the bowl full of jewels, which she
wrapped up in a fine kerchief, and went forth betimes that she might
reach the Divan ere it became crowded.

When she passed into the palace, the levee not being fully attended,
she saw the wazirs and sundry of the lords of the land going into
the presence room, and after a short time, when the Divan was made
complete by the Ministers and high officials and chieftains and
emirs and grandees, the Sultan appeared, and the wazirs made their
obeisance and likewise did the nobles and the notables. The King
seated himself upon the throne of his kingship, and all present at the
levee stood before him with crossed arms awaiting his commandment to
sit, and when they received it, each took his place according to his
degree. Then the claimants came before the Sultan, who delivered
sentence, after his wonted way, until the Divan was ended, when the
King arose and withdrew into the palace and the others all went
their ways. And when Aladdin's mother saw the throne empty and the
King passing into his harem, she also wended her ways and returned
home. But as soon as her son espied her, bowl in hand, he thought that
haply something untoward had befallen her, but he would not ask of
aught until such time as she had set down the bowl, when she
acquainted him with that had occurred and ended by adding:
"Alhamdolillah- laud to the Lord!- O my child, that I found courage
enough and secured for myself standing place in the levee this day.
And, albe' I dreaded to bespeak the King yet (Inshallah!) on the
morrow I will address him. Even today were many who, like myself,
could not get audience of the Sultan. But be of good cheer, O my
son, and tomorrow needs must I bespeak him for thy sake, and what
happened not may happen." When Aladdin heard his parent's words, he
joyed with excessive joy, and, although he expected the matter to be
managed hour by hour, for excess of his love and longing to the Lady
Badr al-Budur, yet he possessed his soul in patience.

They slept well that night, and betimes next morning the mother of
Aladdin arose and went with her bowl to the King's Court, which she
found closed. So she asked the people and they told her that the
Sultan did not hold a levee every day, but only thrice in the
sennight, wherefor she determined to return home. And after this,
whenever she saw the Court open she would stand before the King
until the reception ended, and when it was shut she would go to make
sure thereof, and this was the case for the whole month. The Sultan
was wont to remark her presence at every levee, but on the last day
when she took her station, as was her wont, before the Council, she
allowed it to close, and lacked boldness to come forward and speak
even a syllable. Now as the King, having risen, was making for his
harem accompanied by the Grand Wazir, he turned to him and said: "O
Wazir, during the last six or seven levee days I see yonder old
woman present herself at every reception, and I also note that she
always carrieth a something under her mantilla. Say me, hast thou, O
Wazir, any knowledge of her and her intention?" "O my lord the
Sultan," said the other, "verily women be weakly of wits, and haply
this goodwife cometh hither to complain before thee against her
goodman or some of her people." But this reply was far from satisfying
the Sultan- nay, he bade the Wazir, in case she should come again,
set her before him, and forthright the Minister placed hand on head
and exclaimed, "To hear is to obey, O our lord the Sultan!"

Now one day of the days, when she did according to her custom, the
Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him and said to
his Grand Wazir: "This be the very woman whereof I spake to thee
yesterday, so do thou straightway bring her before me, that I may
see what be her suit and fulfill her need." Accordingly the Minister
at once introduced her, and when in the presence she saluted the
King by kissing her finger tips and raising them to her brow, and,
praying for the Sultan's glory and continuance and the permanence of
his prosperity, bussed ground before him. Thereupon quoth he: "O
woman, for sundry days I have seen thee attend the levee sans a word
said, so tell me an thou have any requirement I may grant." She kissed
ground a second time and after blessing him, answered: "Yea, verily,
as thy head liveth, O King of the Age, I have a want. But first of all
do thou deign grant me a promise of safety, that I may prefer my
suit to the ears of our lord the Sultan, for haply thy Highness may
find it a singular." The King, wishing to know her need, and being a
man of unusual mildness and clemency, gave his word for her immunity
and bade forthwith dismiss all about him, remaining without other
but the Grand Wazir. Then he turned toward his suppliant and said:
"Inform me of thy suit. Thou hast the safeguard of Allah Almighty." "O
King of the Age," replied she, "I also require of thee pardon," and
quoth he, "Allah pardon thee even as I do."

Then quoth she: "O our lord the Sultan, I have a son, Aladdin hight,
and he, one day of the days, having heard the crier commanding all men
to shut shop and shun the streets for that the Lady Badr al-Budur,
daughter of the Sultan, was going to the hammam, felt an
uncontrollable longing to look upon her, and hid himself in a stead
whence he could sight her right well, and that place was behind the
door of the baths. When she entered, he beheld her and considered
her as he wished, and but too well, for since the time he looked
upon her, O King of the Age, unto this hour, life hath not been
pleasant to him. And he hath required of me that I ask her to wife for
him from thy Highness, nor could I drive this fancy from his mind,
because love of her hath mastered his vitals and to such degree that
he said to me, 'Know thou, O mother mine, that an I win not my wish
surely I shall die.' Accordingly I hope that thy Highness will deign
be mild and merciful and pardon this boldness on the part of me and my
child and refrain to punish us therefor."

When the Sultan heard her tale, he regarded her with kindness and,
laughing aloud, asked her, "What may be that thou carriest, and what
be in yonder kerchief?" And she, seeing the Sultan laugh in lieu of
waxing wroth at her words, forthright opened the wrapper and set
before him the bowl of jewels, whereby the audience hall was illumined
as it were by lusters and candelabra. And he was dazed and amazed at
the radiance of the rare gems, and he fell to marveling at their
size and beauty and excellence and cried: "Never at all until this day
saw I anything like these jewels for size and beauty and excellence,
nor deem I that there be found in my Treasury a single one like them."
Then he turned to his Minister and asked: "What sayest thou, O
Wazir? Tell me, hast thou seen in thy time such mighty fine jewels
as these?" The other answered: "Never saw I such, O our lord the
Sultan, nor do I think that there be in the treasures of my lord the
Sultan the fellow of the least thereof." The King resumed: "Now indeed
whoso hath presented to me such jewels meriteth to become bridegroom
to my daughter, Badr al-Budur, because, as far as I see, none is
more deserving of her than he." When the Wazir heard the Sultan's
words, he was tongue-tied with concern, and he grieved with sore
grief, for the King had promised to give the Princess in marriage to
his son. So after a little while he said: "O King of the Age, thy
Highness deigned promise me that the Lady Badr al-Budur should be
spouse to my son, so 'tis but right that thine Exalted Highness
vouchsafe us a delay of three months, during which time, Inshallah! my
child may obtain and present an offering yet costlier than this."
Accordingly the King, albeit he knew that such a thing could not be
done, or by the Wazir or by the greatest of his grandees, yet of his
grace and kindness granted him the required delay.

Then he turned to the old woman, Aladdin's mother, and said: "Go
to thy son and tell him I have pledged my word that my daughter
shall be in his name. Only 'tis needful that I make the requisite
preparations of nuptial furniture for her use, and 'tis only meet that
he take patience for the next three months." Receiving this reply,
Aladdin's mother thanked the Sultan and blessed him, then, going forth
in hottest haste, as one flying for joy, she went home. And when her
son saw her entering with a smiling face, he was gladdened at the
sip of good news, especially because she had returned without delay,
as on the past days, and had not brought back the bowl. Presently he
asked her saying: "Inshallah, thou bearest me, O my mother, glad
tidings, and peradventure the jewels and their value have wrought
their work, and belike thou hast been kindly received by the King
and he hath shown thee grace and hath given ear to thy request?" So
she told him the whole tale, how the Sultan had entreated her well and
had marveled at the extraordinary size of the gems and their
surpassing water, as did also the Wazir, adding: "And he promised that
his daughter should be thine. Only, O my child, the Wazir spake of a
secret contract made with him by the Sultan before he pledged
himself to me and, after speaking privily, the King put me off to
the end of three months. Therefore I have become fearful lest the
Wazir be evilly disposed to thee, and perchance he may attempt to
change the Sultan's mind."

When Aladdin heard his mother's words and how the Sultan had
promised him his daughter, deferring, however, the wedding until after
the third month, his mind was gladdened and he rejoiced exceedingly
and said: Inasmuch as the King hath given his word after three
months (well, it is a long time!), at all events my gladness is mighty
great." Then he thanked his parent, showing her how her good work
had exceeded her toil and travail, and said to her: "By Allah, O my
mother, hitherto I was as 'twere in my grave and therefrom thou hast
withdrawn me. And I praise Allah Almighty because I am at this
moment certified that no man in the world is happier than I, or more
fortunate." Then he took patience until two of the three months had
gone by.

Now one day of the days his mother fared forth about sundown to
the bazaar that she might buy somewhat of oil, and she found all the
market shops fast shut and the whole city decorated, and the folk
placing waxen tapers and flowers at their casements. And she beheld
the soldiers and household troops and agas riding in procession, and
flambeaux and lusters flaming and flaring, and she wondered at the
marvelous sight and the glamour of the scene. So she went in to an
ouman's store which stood open still and bought her need of him and
said: "By thy life, O uncle, tell me what be the tidings in town
this day, that people have made all these decorations and every
house and market street are adorned and the troops all stand on
guard?" The oilman asked her, "O woman, I suppose thou art a stranger,
and not one of this city?" and she answered, "Nay, I am thy
townswoman." He rejoined: "Thou a townswoman, and yet wottest not that
this very night the son of the Grand Wazir goeth in to the Lady Badr
al-Budur, daughter of the Sultan! He is now in the hammam, and all
this power of soldiery is on guard and standing under arms to await
his coming forth, when they will bear him in bridal procession to the
palace, where the Princess expecteth him."

As the mother of Aladdin heard these words, she grieved and was
distraught in thought and perplexed how to inform her son of this
sorrowful event, well knowing that the poor youth was looking, hour by
hour, to the end of the three months. But she returned straightway
home to him, and when she entered she said, "O my son, I would give
thee certain tidings, yet hard to me will be the sorrow they shall
occasion thee." He cried, "Let me know what be thy news," and she
replied: "Verily the Sultan hath broken his promise to thee in the
matter of the Lady Badr al-Budur, and this very night the Grand
Wazir's son goeth in to her. And for some time, O my son, I have
suspected that the Minister would change the King's mind, even as I
told thee how he had spoken privily to him before me." Aladdin
asked: "How learnedst thou that the Wazir's son is this night to pay
his first visit to the Princess?" So she told him the whole tale,
how when going to buy oil she had found the city decorated and the
eunuch officials and lords of the land with the troops under arms
awaiting the bridegroom from the baths, and that the first visit was
appointed for that very night.

Hearing this, Aladdin was seized with a fever of jealousy brought on
by his grief. However, after a short while he remembered the lamp and,
recovering his spirits, said: "By thy life, O my mother, do thou
believe that the Wazir's son will not enjoy her as thou thinkest.
But now leave we this discourse, and arise thou and serve up supper,
and after eating let me retire to my own chamber and all will be
well and happy." After he had supped Aladdin retired to his chamber
and, locking the door, brought out the lamp and rubbed it, whenas
forthright appeared to him its familiar, who said: "Ask whatso thou
wantest, for I am thy slave and slave to him who holdeth the lamp in
hand, I and all the Slaves of the Lamp." He replied: "Hear me! I
prayed the Sultan for his daughter to wife and he plighted her to me
after three months, but he hath not kept his word- nay, he hath given
her to the son of the Wazir, and this very night the bridegroom will
go in to her. Therefore I command thee (an thou be a trusty servitor
to the lamp), when thou shalt see bride and bridegroom bedded together
this night, at once take them up and bear them hither abed. And this
be what I want of thee." The Marid replied, "Hearing and obeying,
and if thou have other service but this, do thou demand of me all thou
desirest." Aladdin rejoined, "At the present time I require naught
save that I bade thee do."

Hereupon the slave disappeared and Aladdin returned to pass the rest
of the evening with his mother. But at the hour when he knew that
the servitor would be coming, he arose and retired to his chamber, and
after a little while, behold, the Marid came, bring to him the newly
wedded couple upon their bridal bed. Aladdin rejoiced to see them with
exceeding joy, then he cried to the slave, "Carry yonder gallowsbird
hence and lay him at full length in the privy." His bidding was done
straightway, but before leaving him, the slave blew upon the
bridegroom a blast so cold that it shriveled him, and the plight of
the Wazir's son became piteous. Then the servitor, returning to
Aladdin, said to him, "An thou require aught else, inform me thereof,"
and said the other, "Return a-morn, that thou mayest restore them to
their stead," whereto, "I hear and obey," quoth the Marid, and
evanished.

Presently Aladdin arose, hardly believing that the affair had been
such a success for him, but whenas he looked upon the Lady Badr
al-Budur lying under his own roof, albeit he had long burned with
her love, yet he preserved respect for her and said: "O Princess of
fair ones, think not that I brought thee hither to minish thy honor.
Heaven forfend! Nay, 'twas only to prevent the wrong man enjoying
thee, for that thy sire, the Sultan, promised thee to me. So do thou
rest in peace." When the Lady Badr al-Budur, daughter of the Sultan,
saw herself in that mean and darksome lodging, and heard Aladdin's
words, she was seized with fear and trembling and waxed clean
distraught, nor could she return aught of reply. Presently the youth
arose, and stripping off his outer dress, placed a scimitar between
them and lay upon the bed beside the Princess. And he did no villain
deed, for it sufficed him to prevent the consummation of her
nuptials with the Wazir's son. On the other hand, the Lady Badr
al-Budur passed a night the evilest of all nights, nor in her born
days had she seen a worse. And the same was the case with the
Minister's son, who lay in the chapel of ease and who dared not stir
for the fear of the Jinni which overwhelmed him.

As soon as it was morning the slave appeared before Aladdin
without the lamp being rubbed, and said to him: "O my lord, an thou
require aught, command me therefor, that I may do it upon my head
and mine eyes." Said the other: "Go, take up and carry the bride and
bridegroom to their own apartment." So the servitor did his bidding in
an eye glance and bore away the pair and placed them in the palace
as whilom they were and without their seeing anyone. But both died
of affright when they found themselves being transported from stead to
stead. And the Marid had barely time to set them down and wend his
ways ere the Sultan came on a visit of congratulation to his daughter.
And when the Wazir's son heard the doors thrown open, he sprang
straightway from his couch and donned his dress, for he knew that none
save the King could enter at that hour. Yet it was exceedingly hard
for him to leave his bed, wherein he wished to warm himself a trifle
after his cold night in the watercloset which he had lately left.
The Sultan went in to his daughter, Badr al-Budur, and, kissing her
between the eyes, gave her good morning and asked her of her
bridegroom and whether she was pleased and satisfied with him. But she
returned no reply whatever and looked at him with the eye of anger,
and although he repeated his words again and again, she held her
peace, nor bespake him with a single syllable.

So the King quitted her and, going to the Queen, informed her of
what had taken place, between him and his daughter, and the mother,
unwilling to leave the Sultan angered with their child, said to him:
"O King of the Age, this be the custom of most newly married
couples, at least during their first days of marriage, for that they
are bashful and somewhat coy. So deign thou excuse her, and after a
little while she will again become herself and speak with the folk
as before, whereas now her shame, O King of the Age, keepeth her
silent. However, 'tis my wish to fare forth and see her." Thereupon
the Queen arose and donned her dress, then, going to her daughter,
wished her good morning and kissed her between the eyes. Yet would the
Princess make no answer at all, whereat quoth the Queen to herself:
"Doubtless some strange matter hath occurred to trouble her with
such trouble as this." So she asked her, saying: "O my daughter,
what hath caused this thy case? Let me know what hath betided thee
that when I come and give thee good morniing, thou hast not a word
to say to me." Thereat the Lady Badr al-Budur raised her head and
said: "Pardon me, O my mother, 'twas my duty to meet thee with all
respect and worship, seeing that thou hast honored me by this visit.
However, I pray thee to hear the cause of this my condition and see
how the night I have just spent hath been to me the evilest of the
nights. Hardly had we lain down, O my mother, than one whose form I
wot not uplifted our bed and transported it to a darksome place,
fulsome and mean."

Then the Princess related to the Queen Mother all that had
befallen her that night- how they had taken away her bridegroom,
leaving her lone and lonesome, and how after a while came another
youth who lay beside her in lieu of her bridegroom, after placing
his scimitar between her and himself. "And in the morning," she
continued, "he who carried us off returned and bore us straight back
to our own stead. But at once when he arrived hither he left us, and
suddenly my sire, the Sultan, entered at the hour and moment of our
coming and I had nor heart nor tongue to speak him withal, for the
stress of the terror and trembling which came upon me. Haply such lack
of duty may have proved sore to him, so I hope, O my mother, that thou
wilt acquaint him with the cause of this my condition, and pardon me
for not answering him and blame me not, accept my excuses."

When the Queen heard these words of Princess Badr al-Budur, she said
to her: "O my child, compose thy thoughts. An thou tell such tale
before any, haply shall he say, 'Verily, the Sultan's daughter hath
lost her wits.' And thou hast done right well in not choosing to
recount thine adventure to thy father, and beware, and again I say
beware, O my daughter, lest thou inform him thereof." The Princess
replied: "O my mother, I have spoken to thee like one sound in senses,
nor have I lost my wits. This be what befell me, and if thou believe
it not because coming from me, ask my bridegroom." To which the
Queen replied: "Rise up straightway, O my daughter, and banish from
thy thoughts such fancies as these. And robe thyself and come forth to
glance at the bridal feasts and festivities they are making in the
city for the sake of thee and thy nuptials, and listen to the drumming
and the singing and look at the decorations all intended to honor
thy marriage, O my daughter."

So saying, the Queen at once summoned the tirewoman, who dressed and
prepared the Lady Badr al-Budur, and presently she went in to the
Sultan and assured him that their daughter had suffered during all her
wedding night from swevens and nightmare, and said to him, "Be not
severe with her for not answering thee." Then the Queen sent privily
for the Wazir's son and asked of the matter, saying, "Tell me, are
these words of the Lady Badr al-Budur soothfast or not?" But he, in
his fear of losing his bride out of hand, answered, "O my lady, I have
no knowledge of that whereof thou speakest." Accordingly the mother
made sure that her daughter had seen visions and dreams. The
marriage feasts lasted throughout that day with almes and singers
and the smiting of all manner instruments of mirth and merriment,
while the Queen and the Wazir and his son strave right strenuously
to enhance the festivities that the Princess might enjoy herself.
And that day they left nothing of what exciteth to pleasure
unrepresented in her presence, to the end that she might forget what
was in her thoughts and derive increase of joyance.

Yet did naught of this take any effect upon her- nay, she sat in
silence, sad of thought, sore perplexed at what had befallen her
during the last night. It is true that the Wazir's son had suffered
even more he had passed his sleeping hours lying in the watercloset.
He, however had falsed the story and had cast out remembrance of the
night, in the first place for his fear of losing his bride and with
her the honor of a connection which brought him such excess of
consideration and for which men envied him so much, and secondly, on
account of the wondrous loveliness of the Lady Badr al-Budur and her
marvelous beauty.

Aladdin also went forth that day and looked at the merrymakings,
which extended throughout the city as well as the palace, and he
fell a-laughing, especially when he heard the folk prating of the high
honor which had accrued to the son of the Wazir and the prosperity
of his fortunes in having become son-in-law to the Sultan, and the
high consideration shown by the wedding fetes. And he said in his
mind: "Indeed ye wot not, O ye miserables, what befell him last night,
that ye envy him!" But after darkness fell and it was time for
sleep, Aladdin arose and, retiring to his chamber, rubbed the lamp,
whereupon the slave incontinently appeared and was bidden to bring him
the Sultan's daughter, together with her bridegroom, as on the past
night, ere the Wazir's son could abate her maidenhead. So the Marid
without stay or delay evanished for a little while until the appointed
time, when he returned carrying the bed whereon lay the Lady Badr
al-Budur and the Wazir's son. And he did with the bridegroom as he had
done before; to wit, he took him and laid him at full length in the
jakes and there left him dried-up for excess of fear and trembling.
Then Aladdin arose and, placing the scimitar between himself and the
Princess, lay down beside her, and when day broke the slave restored
the pair to their own place, leaving Aladdin filled with delight at
the state of the Minister's son.

Now when the Sultan woke up a-morn, he resolved to visit his
daughter and see if she would treat him as on the past day. So,
shaking off his sleep, he sprang up and arrayed himself in his
raiment, and going to the apartment of the Princess, bade open the
door. Thereat the son of the Wazir arose forthright and came down from
his bed and began donning his dress whilst his ribs were wrung with
cold. For when the King entered the slave had but just brought him
back. The Sultan, raising the arras, drew near his daughter as she lay
abed and gave her good morning. Then, kissing her between the eyes, he
asked her of her case. But he saw her looking sour and sad, and she
answered him not at all only glowering at him as one in anger, and her
plight was pitiable. Hereat the Sultan waxed wroth with her for that
she would not reply, and he suspected that something evil had befallen
her, whereupon he bared his blade and cried to her, brand in hand,
saying: "What be this hath betided thee? Either acquaint me with
what happened or this very moment I will take thy life! Is such
conduct the token of honor and respect I expect of thee, that I
address thee and thou answerest me not a word?"

When the Lady Badr al-Budur saw her sire in high dudgeon and the
naked glaive in his grip, she was freed from her fear of the past,
so she raised her head and said to him: "O my beloved father, be not
wroth with me, nor be hasty in thy hot passion, for I am excusable
in what thou shalt see of my case. So do thou lend an ear to what
occurred to me, and well I wot that after hearing my account of what
befell to me during these two last nights, thou wilt pardon me, and
thy Highness will be softened to pitying me even as I claim of thee
affection for thy child." Then the Princess informed her father of all
that had betided her, adding: "O my sire, an thou believe me not,
ask my bridegroom and he will recount to thy Highness the whole
adventure. Nor did I know either what they would do with him when they
bore him away from my side or where they would place him." When the
Sultan heard his daughter's words, he was saddened and his eyes
brimmed with tears, then he sheathed his saber and kissed her, saying:
"O my daughter, wherefore didst thou not tell me what happened on
the past night, that I might have guarded thee from this torture and
terror which visited thee a second time? But now 'tis no matter.
Rise and cast out all such care, and tonight I will set a watch to
ward thee, nor shall any mishap again make thee miserable."

Then the Sultan returned to his palace and straightway bade summon
the Grand Wazir and asked him as he stood before him in his service:
"O Wazir, how dost thou look upon this matter? Haply thy son hath
informed thee of what occurred to him and to my daughter." The
Minister replied, "O King of the Age, I have not seen my son or
yesterday or today." Hereat the Sultan told him all that had afflicted
the Princess, adding: "'Tis my desire that thou at once seek tidings
of thy son concerning the facts of the case. Peradventure of her
fear my daughter may not be fully aware of what really befell her,
withal I hold all her words to be truthful." So the Grand Wazir arose,
and going forth, bade summon his son and asked him anent all his
lord had told him whether it be true or untrue. The youth replied:
"O my father the Wazir, Heaven forbid that the Lady Badr al-Budur
speak falsely. Indeed all she said was sooth, and these two nights
proved to us the evilest of our nights instead of being nights of
pleasure and marriage joys. But what befell me was the greater evil,
because instead of sleeping abed with my bride, I lay in the wardrobe,
a black hole, frightful, noisome of stench, truly damnable, and my
ribs were bursten with cold." In fine, the young man told his father
the whole tale, adding as he ended it: "O dear father mine, I
implore thee to speak with the Sultan that he may set me free from
this marriage. Yes, indeed 'tis a high honor for me to be the Sultan's
son-in-law, and especially the love of the Princess hath gotten hold
of my vitals, but I have no strength left to endure a single night
like unto these two last."

The Wazir, hearing the words of his son, was saddened and
sorrowful exceedingly, for it was his desire to advance and promote
his child by making him son-in-law to the Sultan. So he became
thoughtful and perplexed about the affair and the device whereby to
manage it, and it was sore grievous for him to break off the marriage,
it having been a rare enjoyment to him that he had fallen upon such
high good fortune. Accordingly he said: "Take patience, O my son,
until we see what may happen this night, when we will set watchmen
to ward you. Nor do thou give up the exalted distinction which hath
fallen to none save to thyself." Then the Wazir left him and,
returning to the sovereign, reported that all told to him by the
Lady Badr al-Budur was a true tale. Whereupon quoth the Sultan, "Since
the affair is on this wise, we require no delay," and he at once
ordered all the rejoicings to cease and the marriage to be broken off.
This caused the folk and the citizens to marvel at the matter,
especially when they saw the Grand Wazir and his son leaving the
palace in pitiable plight for grief and stress of passion, and the
people fell to asking, "What hath happened, and what is the cause of
the wedding being made null and void?"

Nor did any know aught of the truth save Aladdin, the lover who
claimed the Princess's hand, and he laughed in his sleeve. But even
after the marriage was dissolved, the Sultan forgot nor even
recalled to mind his promise made to Aladdin's mother, and the same
was the case with the Grand Wazir, while neither had any inkling of
whence befell them that which had befallen. So Aladdin patiently
awaited the lapse of the three months after which the Sultan had
pledged himself to give him to wife his daughter. But soon as ever the
term came, he sent his mother to the Sultan for the purpose of
requiring him to keep his covenant. So she went to the palace, and
when the King appeared in the Divan and saw the old woman standing
before him, he remembered his promise to her concerning the marriage
after a term of three months, and he turned to the Minister and
said: "O Wazir, this be the ancient dame who presented me with the
jewels and to whom we pledged our word that when the three months
had elapsed we would summon her to our presence before all others." So
the Minister went forth and fetched her, and when she went in to the
Sultan's presence she saluted him and prayed for his glory and
permanence of prosperity. Hereat the King asked her if she needed
aught, and she answered: "O King of the Age, the three months' term
thou assignedst to me is finished, and this is thy time to my son
Aladdin with thy daughter, the Lady Badr al-Budur."

The Sultan was distraught at this demand, especially when he saw the
old woman's pauper condition, one of the meanest of her kind, and
yet the offering she had brought to him was of the most magnificent,
far beyond his power to pay the price. Accordingly he turned to the
Grand Wazir and said: "What device is there with thee? In very sooth I
did pass my word, yet meseemeth that they be pauper folk, and not
persons of high condition." The Grand Wazir, who was dying of envy and
who was especially saddened by what had befallen his son, said to
himself, "How shall one like this wed the King's daughter and my son
lose this highmost honor?" Accordingly he answered his sovereign,
speaking privily: "O my lord, 'tis an easy matter to keep off a poor
devil such as this, for he is not worthy that thy Highness give his
daughter to a fellow whom none knoweth what he may be." "By what
means," inquired the Sultan, "shall we put off the man when I
pledged my promise, and the word of the kings is their bond?"
Replied the Wazir: "O my lord, my rede is that thou demand of him
forty platters made of pure sand gold and full of gems (such as the
woman brought thee aforetime), with forty white slave girls to carry
the platters and forty black eunuch slaves." The King rejoined: "By
Allah, O Wazir, thou hast spoken to the purpose, seeing that such
thing is not possible, and by this way we shall be freed."

Then quoth he to Aladdin's mother: "Do thou go and tell thy son that
I am a man of my word even as I plighted it to him, but on condition
that he have power to pay the dower of my daughter. And that which I
require of him is a settlement consisting of twoscore platters of
virgin gold, all brimming with gems the like of those thou
broughtest to me, and as many white handmaids to carry them and
twoscore black eunuch slaves to serve and escort the bearers. An thy
son avail hereto, I will marry him with my daughter." Thereupon she
returned home wagging her head and saying in her mind: "Whence can
my poor boy procure these platters and such jewels? And granted that
he return to the enchanted treasury and pluck them from the
trees- which, however, I hold impossible- yet given that he bring
them, whence shall he come by the girls and the blacks?" Nor did she
leave communing with herself till she reached her home, where she
found Aladdin awaiting her, and she lost no time in saying: "O my son,
did I not tell thee never to fancy that thy power would extend to
the Lady Badr al-Budur, and that such a matter is not possible to folk
like ourselves?"

"Recount to me the news," quoth he, so quoth she: "O my child,
verily the Sultan received me with all honor according to his
custom, and meseemeth his intentions toward us be friendly. But
thine enemy is that accursed Wazir, for after I addressed the King
in thy name as thou badest me say, 'In very sooth the promised term is
past,' adding, "Twere well an thy Highness would deign issue
commandment for the espousals of thy daughter the Lady Badr al-Budur
to my son Aladdin,' he turned to and addressed the Minister, who
answered privily, after which the Sultan gave me his reply." Then
she enumerated the King's demand and said: "O my son, he indeed
expecteth of thee an instant reply, but I fancy that we have no answer
for him." When Aladdin heard these words, he laughed and said: "O my
mother, thou affirmest that we have no answer and thou deemest the
case difficult exceedingly, but compose thy thoughts and arise and
bring me somewhat we may eat. And after we have dined, an the
Compassionate be willing, thou shalt see my reply. Also the Sultan
thinketh like thyself that he hath demanded a prodigious dower in
order to divert me from his daughter, whereas the fact is that he hath
required of me a matter far less than I expected. But do thou fare
forth at once and purchase the provision and leave me to procure
thee a reply."

So she went out to fetch her needful from the bazaar and Aladdin
retired to his chamber and, taking the lamp, rubbed it, when
forthright appeared to him its slave and said, "Ask, O my lord, whatso
thou wantest." The other replied: "I have demanded of the Sultan his
daughter to wife, and he hath required of me forty bowls of purest
gold each weighing ten pounds and all to be filled with gems such as
we find in the gardens of the hoard; furthermore, that they be borne
on the heads of as many white handmaids, each attended by her black
eunuch slave, also forty in full rate. So I desire that thou bring all
these into my presence." "Hearkening and obeying, O my lord," quoth
the slave and, disappearing for the space of an hour or so,
presently returned bringing the platters and jewels, handmaids and
eunuchs. Then, setting them before him, the Marid cried: "This be what
thou demandest of me. Declare now an thou want any matter or service
other than this." Aladdin rejoined: "I have need of naught else, but
an I do, I will summon thee and let thee know."

The slave now disappeared, and after a little while, Aladdin's
mother returned home, and on entering the house, saw the blacks and
the handmaids. Hereat she wondered and exclaimed, "All this proceedeth
from the lamp which Allah perpetuate to my son!" But ere she doffed
her mantilla Aladdin said to her: "O my mother, this be thy time.
Before the Sultan enter his seraglio palace do thou carry to him
what he required, and wend thou with it at once, so may he know that I
avail to supply all he wanteth and yet more. Also that he is
beguiled by his Grand wazir, and the twain imagined vainly that they
would baffle me." Then he arose forthright and opened the house
door, when the handmaids and blackamoors paced forth in pairs, each
girl with her eunuch besider her, until they crowded the quarter,
Aladdin's mother foregoing them. And when the folk of that ward
sighted such mighty fine sight and marvelous spectacle, all stood at
gaze and they considered the forms and figures of the handmaids,
marveling at their beauty and loveliness, for each and every wore
robes inwrought with gold and studded with jewels, no dress being
worth less than a thousand dinars. They stared as intently at the
bowls, and albeit these were covered with pieces of brocade, also
orfrayed and dubbed with precious stones, yet the sheen outshot from
them dulled the shine of sun.

Then Aladdin's mother walked forward and all the handmaids and
eunuchs paced behind her in the best of ordinance and disposition, and
the citizens gathered to gaze at the beauty of the damsels, glorifying
God the Most Great, until the train reached the palace and entered
it accompanied by the tailor's widow. Now when the agas and
chamberlains and army officers beheld them, all were seized with
surprise, notably by seeing the handmaids, who each and every would
ravish the reason of an anchorite. And albeit the royal chamberlains
and officials were men of family, the sons of grandees and emirs,
yet they could not but especially wonder at the costly dresses of
the girls and the platters borne upon their heads, nor could they gaze
at them open-eyed by reason of the exceeding brilliance and
radiance. Then the nabobs went in and reported to the King, who
forthright bade admit them to the presence chamber, and Aladdin's
mother went in with them.

When they stood before the Sultan, all saluted him with every sign
of respect and worship and prayed for his glory and prosperity. Then
they set down from their heads the bowls at his feet and, having
removed the brocade covers, rested with arms crossed behind them.
The Sultan wondered with exceeding wonder, and was distraught by the
beauty of the handmaids and their loveliness, which passed praise. And
his wits were wildered when he considered the golden bowls brimful
of gems which captured man's vision, and he was perplexed at the
marvel until he became like the dumb, unable to utter a syllable for
the excess of his wonder. Also his sense was stupefied the more when
he bethought him that within an hour or so all these treasures had
been collected. Presently he commanded the slave girls to enter,
with what loads they bore, the dower of the Princess, and when they
had done his bidding, Aladdin's mother came forward and said to the
Sultan: "O my lord, this be not much wherewith to honor the Lady
Badr al-Budur, for that she meriteth these things multiplied times
manifold."

Hereat the sovereign turned to the Minister and asked: "What
sayest thou, O Wazir? Is not he who could produce such wealth in a
time so brief, is he not, I say, worthy to become the Sultan's
son-in-law and take the King's daughter to wife?" Then the Minister
(although he marveled at these riches even more than did the
Sultan), whose envy was killing him and growing greater hour by
hour, seeing his liege lord satisfied with the moneys and the dower
and yet being unable to fight against fact, made answer, "'Tis not
worthy of her." Withal he fell to devising a device against the
King, that he might withhold the Lady Badr al-Budur from Aladdin,
and accordingly he continued: "O my liege, the treasures of the
universe all of them are not worth a nail paring of thy daughter.
Indeed thy Highness hath prized these things overmuch in comparison
with her."

When the King heard the words of his Grand Wazir, he knew that the
speech was prompted by excess of envy, so, turning to the mother of
Aladdin, he said: "O woman, go to thy son and tell him that I have
accepted of him the dower and stand to my bargain, and that my
daughter be his bride and he my son-in-law. Furthermore, bid him at
once make act of presence that I may become familiar with him. He
shall see naught from me save all honor and consideration, and this
night shall be the beginning of the marriage festivities. Only, as I
said to thee, let him come to me and tarry not." Thereupon Aladdin's
mother returned home with the speed of the storm winds that she
might hasten her utmost to congratulate her son, and she flew with joy
at the thought that her boy was about to become son-in-law to the
Sultan.

After her departure the King dismissed the Divan and, entering the
palace of the Princess, bade them bring the bowls and the handmaids
before him and before her, that she also might inspect them. But
when the Lady Badr al-Budur considered the jewels, she waxed
distraught and cried: "Meseemeth that in the treasuries of the world
there be not found one jewel rivaling these jewels." Then she looked
at the handmaids and marveled at their beauty and loveliness, and knew
that all this came from her new bridegroom, who had sent them in her
service. So she was gladdened, albeit she had been grieved and
saddened on account of her former husband, the Wazir's son, and she
rejoiced with exceeding joy when she gazed upon the damsels and
their charms. Nor was her sire, the Sultan, less pleased and
inspirited when he saw his daughter relieved of an her mourning and
melancholy, and his own vanished at the sight of her enjoyment. Then
he asked her: "O my daughter, do these things divert thee? Indeed I
deem that this suitor of thine be more suitable to thee than the son
of the Wazir, and right soon, Inshallah! O my daughter, thou shalt
have fuller joy with him."

Such was the case with the King, but as regards Aladdin, as soon
as he saw his mother entering the house with face laughing for
stress of joy he rejoiced at the sign of glad tidings and cried: "To
Allah alone be lauds! Perfected is an I desired." Rejoined his mother:
"Be gladdened at my good news, O my son, and hearten thy heart and
cool thine eyes for the winning of thy wish. The Sultan hath
accepted thine offering- I mean the moneys and the dower of the Lady
Badr al-Budur, who is now thine affianced bride. And this very
night, O my child, is your marriage and thy first visit to her, for
the King, that he might assure me of his word, hath proclaimed to
the world thou art his son-in-law, and promised this night to be the
night of going in. But he also said to me, 'Let thy son come hither
forthright that I may become familiar with him and receive him with
all honor and worship.' And now here am I, O my son, at the end of
my labors. Happen whatso may happen, the rest is upon thy shoulders."

Thereupon Aladdin arose and kissed his mother's hand and thanked
her, enhancing her kindly service. Then he left her and, entering
his chamber, took the lamp and rubbed it, when, lo and behold! its
slave appeared and cried: "Adsum! Ask whatso thou wantest." The
young man replied: "'Tis my desire that thou take me to a hammam whose
like is not in the world. Then fetch me a dress so costly and kingly
that no royalty ever owned its fellow." The Marid replied, "I hear and
I obey," and carried him to baths such as were never seen by the Kings
of the Chosroes, for the building was all of alabaster and camelian,
and it contained marvelous limnings which captured the sight, and
the great hall was studded with precious stones. Not a soul was
therein, but when Aladdin entered, one of the Jann in human shape
washed him and bathed him to the best of his desire. Aladdin after
having been washed and bathed, left the baths and went into the
great hall, where he found that his old dress had been removed and
replaced by a suit of the most precious and princely. Then he was
served with sherbets and ambergrised coffee, and after drinking he
arose and a party of black slaves came forward and clad him in the
costliest of clothing, then perfumed and fumigated him. It is known
that Aladdin was the son of a tailor, a pauper, yet now would none
deem him to be such- nay, all would say: "This be the greatest that
is of the progeny of the kings. Praise be to Him Who changeth and
Who is not changed!"

Presently came the Jinni and, lifting him up, bore him to his
home, and asked, "O my lord, tell me, hast thou aught of need?" He
answered: "Yes, 'tis my desire that thou bring me eight and forty
Mamelukes, of whom two dozen shall forego me and the rest follow me,
the whole number with their war chargers and clothing and
accouterments. And all upon them and their steeds must be of naught
save of highest worth and the costliest, such as may not be found in
treasuries of the kings. Then fetch me a stallion fit for the riding
of the Chosroes and let his furniture, all thereof, be of gold crusted
with the finest gems. Fetch me also eight and forty thousand dinars,
that each white slave may carry a thousand gold pieces. 'Tis now my
intent to fare to the, Sultan, so delay thou not, for that without
an these requisites whereof I bespake thee I may no visit him.
Moreover, set before me a dozen slave girls unique in beauty and dight
with the most magnificent dresses, that they wend with my mother to
the royal palace, and let every handmaid be robed in raiment that
befitteth Queen's wearing." The slave replied, "To hear is to obey,"
and, disappearing for an eye twinkling, brought all he was bidden
bring, and led by hand a stallion whose rival was not amongst the
Arabian Arabs, and its saddlecloth was of splendid brocade
gold-in-wrought.

Thereupon, without stay or delay, Aladdin sent for his mother and
gave her the garments she should wear and committed to her charge
the twelve slave girls forming her suite to the palace. Then he sent
one of the Mamelukes whom the Jinni had brought to see if the Sultan
had left the seraglio or not. The white slave went forth lighter
than the lightning and, returned in like haste, said, "O my lord,
the Sultan awaiteth thee!" Hereat Aladdin arose and took horse, his
Mamelukes riding a-van and arear of him, and they were such that all
must cry, "Laud to the Lord Who created them and clothed them with
such beauty and loveliness!" And they scattered gold amongst the crowd
in front of their master, who surpassed them all in comeliness and nor
needest thou ask concerning the sons of the kings- praise be to the
Bountiful, the Eternal! All this was of the virtues of the wonderful
lamp, which whoso possessed, him it gifted with fairest favor and
finest figure, with wealth and with wisdom. The folk admired Aladdin's
liberality and exceeding generosity, and all were distraught seeing
his charms and elegance, his gravity and his good manners. They
glorified the Creator for this noble creation, they blessed him each
and every, and albeit they knew him for the son of Such-a-one, the
tailor, yet no man envied him- nay, all owned that he deserved his
great good fortune.

Now the Sultan had assembled the lords of the land and, informing
them of the promise he had passed to Aladdin touching the marriage
of his daughter, had bidden them await his approach and then go forth,
one and all, to meet him and greet him. Hereupon the emirs and wazirs,
the chamberlains, the nabobs and the army officers, took their
stations expecting him at the palace gate. Aladdin would fain have
dismounted at the outer entrance, but one of the nobles, whom the King
had deputed for such duty, approached him and said, "O my lord, 'tis
the royal command that thou enter riding thy steed, nor dismount
except at the Divan door." Then they all forewent him in a body and
conducted him to the appointed place, where they crowded about him,
these to hold his stirrup and those supporting him on either side
whilst others took him by the hands and helped him dismount. After
which all the emirs and nobles preceded him into the Divan and led him
close up to the royal throne.

Thereupon the Sultan came down forthright from his seat of estate
and, forbidding him to buss the carpet, embraced and kissed and seated
him to the right of and beside himself. Aladdin did whatso is suitable
in the case of the kings of salutation and offering of blessings, and
said: "O our lord the Sultan, indeed the generosity of thy Highness
demanded that thou deign vouchsafe to me the hand of thy daughter, the
Lady Badr al-Budur, albeit I undeserve the greatness of such gift, I
being but the humblest of thy slaves. I pray Allah grant thee
prosperity and perpetuance, but in very sooth, O King, my tongue is
helpless to thank thee for the fullness of the favor, passing all
measure, which thou hast bestowed upon me. And I hope of thy Highness
that thou wilt give me a piece of ground fitted for a pavilion which
shall besit thy daughter, the Lady Badr al-Budur." The Sultan was
struck with admiration when he saw Aladdin in his princely suit and
looked upon him and considered his beauty and loveliness, and noted
the Mamelukes standing to serve him in their comeliness and seemlihed.
And still his marvel grew when the mother of Aladdin approached him in
costly raiment and sumptuous, clad as though she were a queen, and
when he gazed upon the twelve handmaids standing before her with
crossed arms and with all worship and reverence doing her service. He
also considered the eloquence of Aladdin and his delicacy of speech,
and he was astounded thereat, he and all his who were present at the
levee.

Thereupon fire was kindled in the Grand Wazir's heart for envy of
Aladdin until he was like to die. And it was worse when the Sultan,
after hearing the youth's succession of prayers and seeing his high
dignity of demeanor, respectful withal, and his eloquence and elegance
of language, clasped him to his bosom and kissed him and cried, "Alas,
O my son, that I have not enjoyed thy converse before this day!" He
rejoiced in him with mighty great joy and straightway bade the music
and the bands strike up. Then he arose and taking the yotith, led
him into the palace, where supper had been prepared, and the eunuchs
at once laid the tables. So the sovereign sat down and seated his
son-in-law on his right side, and the wazirs and high officials and
lords of the land took places each according to his degree,
whereupon the bands played and a mighty fine marriage feast was
dispread in the palace. The King now applied himself to making
friendship with Aladdin and conversed with the youth, who answered him
with all courtesy and eloquence, as though he had been bred in the
palaces of the kings or he had lived with them his daily life. And the
more the talk was prolonged between them, the more did the Sultan's
pleasure and delight increase, hearing his son-in-law's readiness of
reply and his sweet flow of language.

But after they had eaten and drunken and the trays were removed, the
King bade summon the kazis and witnesses, who presently attended and
knitted the knot and wrote out the contract writ between Aladdin and
the Lady Badr al-Budur. And presently the bridegroom arose and would
have fared forth, when his father-in-law withheld him and asked:
"Whither away, O my child? The bride fetes have begun and the marriage
is made and the tie is tied and the writ is written." He replied: "O
my lord the King, 'tis my desire to edify, for the Lady Badr al-Budur,
a pavilion befitting her station and high degree, nor can I visit
her before so doing. But, Inshallah! the building shall be finished
within the shortest time, by the utmost endeavor of thy slave and by
the kindly regard of thy Hihgness. And although I do (yes indeed!)
long to enjoy the society of the Lady Badr al-Budur, yet 'tis
incumbent of me first to serve her, and it becometh me to set about
the work forthright." "Look around thee, O my son," replied the
Sultan, "for what ground thou deemest suitable to thy design, and do
thou take all things into thy hands. But I deem the best for thee will
be yonder broad plain facing my palace, and if it please thee, build
thy pavilion thereupon." "And this," answered Aladdin, "is the sum
of my wishes, that I may be near-hand to thy Highness.

So saying, he farewelled the King and took horse, with his Mamelukes
riding before him and behind him, and all the world blessed him and
cried, "By Allah he is deserving," until such time as he reached his
home. Then he alighted from his stallion and repairing to his chamber,
rubbed the lamp and behold, the slave stood before him and said, "Ask,
O my lord, whatso thou wantest," and Aladdin rejoined: "I require thee
of a service grave and important which thou must do for me, and 'tis
that thou build me with all urgency a pavillion fronting the palace of
the Sultan. And it must be a marvel for it shall be provided with
every requisite, such as royal furniture and so forth." The slave
replied, "To hear is to Obey," and evanished, and before the next dawn
brake returned to Aladdin and said: "O my lord, the pavilion is
finished to the fullest of thy fancy, and if thou wouldst inspect
it, arise forthright and fare with me."

Accordingly he rose up, and the slave carried him in the space of an
eye glance to the pavilion, which when looked upon it struck him
with surprise at such building, all its stones being of jasper and
alabaster, Sumaki marble and mosaicwork. Then the slave led him into
the treasury, which was full of all manner of gold and silver and
costly gems, not to be counted or computed, priced or estimated.
Thence to another place, where Aladdin saw all requisites for the
table, plates and dishes, spoons and ladles, basins and covers, cups
and tasses, the whole of precious metal. Thence to the kitchen,
where they found the kitcheners provided with their needs and
cooking batteries, likewise golden and silvern. Thence to a
warehouse piled up with chests full-packed of royal raiment, stuffs
that captured the reason, such as gold-wrought brocades from India and
China and kimcobs or orfrayed cloths. Thence to many apartments
replete with appointments which beggar description. Thence to the
stables containing coursers whose like was not to be met with
amongst the kings of the universe. And lastly they went to the harness
rooms all hung with housings, costly saddles, and other furniture,
everywhere studded with pearls and precious stones. And all this was
the work of one night.

Aladdin was wonder-struck and astounded by that magnificent
display of wealth, which not even the mightiest monarch on earth could
produce, and more so to see his pavilion fully provided with eunuchs
and handmaids whose beauty would reduce a saint. Yet the Prime
marvel of the pavilion was an upper kiosque or belvedere of four and
twenty windows all made of emeralds and rubies and other gems, and one
window remained unfinished at the requirement of Aladdin, that the
Sultan might prove him impotent to complete it. When the youth had
inspected the whole edifice, he was pleased and gladdened exceedingly.
Then, turning to the slave, he said: "I require of thee still one
thing which is yet wanting and whereof I had forgotten to tell
thee." "Ask, O my lord, thy want," quoth the servitor, and quoth the
other: "I demand of thee a carpet of the primest brocade all
gold-inwrought which, when unrolled and outstretched, shall extend
hence to the Sultan's palace, in order that the Lady Badr al-Budur
may, when coming hither, pace upon it and not tread common earth." The
slave departed for a short while and said on his return, "O my lord,
verily that which thou demandest is here." Then he took him and showed
him a carpet, which wildered the wits, and it extended from palace
to pavillion. And after this the servitor bore off Aladdin and set him
down in his own home.

Now day was brightening, so the Sultan rose from his sleep and
throwing open the casement, looked out and espied opposite his
palace a palatial pavilion ready edified. Thereupon he fell to rubbing
his eyes and opening them their widest and considering the scene,
and he soon was certified that the new edifice was mighty fine, and
grand enough to bewilder the wits. Moreover, with amazement as great
he saw the carpet dispread between palace and pavilion. Like their
lord, also the royal doorkeepers and the household, one and all,
were dazed and amazed at the spectacle. Meanwhile the Wazir came in,
and as he entered, espied the newly builded pavilion and the carpet,
whereat he also wondered. And when he went in to the Sultan, the twain
fell to talking on this marvelous matter with great surprise at a
sight which distracted the gazer and attracted the heart. They said
finally, "In very truth, of this pavilion we deem that none of the
royalties could build its fellow," and the King, turning to the
Minister, asked him: "Hast thou seen now that Aladdin is worthy to
be the husband of the Princess, my daughter? Hast thou looked upon and
considered this right royal building, this magnificence of opulence,
which thought of man cannot contain?" But the Wazir in his envy of
Aladdin replied: "O King of the Age, indeed this foundation and this
building and this opulence may not be save by means of magic, nor
can any man in the world, be he the richest in good or the greatest in
governance, avail to found and finish in a single night such edifice
as this." The Sultan rejoined: "I am surprised to see in thee how thou
dost continually harp on evil opinion of Aladdin, but I hold that 'tis
caused by thine envy and jealousy. Thou wast present when I gave him
the ground at his own prayer for a place whereon he might build a
pavilion wherein to lodge my daughter, and I myself favored him with a
site for the same, and that too before thy very face. But however that
be, shall one who could send me as dower for the Princess such store
of such stones whereof the kings never obtained even a few, shall
he, I say, be unable to edify an edifice like this?" When the Wazir
heard the Sultan's words, he knew that his lord loved Aladdin
exceedingly, so his envy and malice increased. only, as he could do
nothing against the youth, he sat silent, and impotent to return a
reply.

But Aladdin, seeing that it was broad day and the appointed time had
come for his repairing to the Place (where his wedding was being
celebrated and the emirs and wazirs and grandees were gathered
together about the Sultan to be present at the ceremony), arose and
rubbed the lamp, and when its slave appeared and said, "O my lord, ask
whatso thou wantest, for I stand before thee and at thy service," said
he: "I mean forthright to seek the palace, this day being my wedding
festival, and I want thee to supply me with ten thousand dinars."
The slave evanished for an eye twinkling and returned bringing the
moneys, when Aladdin took horse with his Mamelukes a-van and arear and
passed on his way, scattering as he went gold pieces upon the lieges
until all were fondly affected toward him and his dignity was
enhanced. But when he drew near the palace, and the emirs and agas and
army officers who were standing to await him noted his approach,
they hastened straightway to the King and gave him the tidings
thereof, whereupon the Sultan rose and met his son-in-law and, after
embracing and kissing him, led him, still holding his hand, into his
own apartment, where he sat down and seated him by his right side.

The city was all decorated and music rang through the palace and the
singers sang until the King bade bring the noon meal, when the eunuchs
and Mamelukes hastened to spread the tables and trays which are such
as are served to the kings. Then the Sultan and Aladdin and the
lords of the land and the grandees of the realm took their seats and
ate and drank until they were satisfied. And it was a mighty fine
wedding in city and palace, and the high nobles all rejoiced therein
and the commons of the kingdom were equally gladdened, while the
governors of provinces and nabobs of districts flocked from far
regions to witness Aladdin's marriage and its processions and
festivities. The Sultan also marveled in his mind to look at Aladdin's
mother and recall to mind how she was wont to visit him in pauper
plight while her son could command an this opulence and
magnificence. And when the spectators who crowded the royal palace
to enjoy the wedding feasts looked upon Aladdin's pavilion and
beauties of the building, they were seized with an immense surprise,
that so vast an edifice as this could be reared on high during a
single night, and they blessed the youth and cried: "Allah gladden
him: By Allah, he deserveth all this! Allah bless his days!"

When dinner was done, Aladdin rose and, farewelling the Sultan, took
horse with his Mamelukes and rode to his own pavilion, that he might
prepare to receive therein his bride, the Lady Badr al-Budur. And as
he passed, all the folk shouted their good wishes with one voice and
their words were: "Allah gladden thee! Allah increase thy glory! Allah
grant thee length of life!" while immense crowds of people gathered to
swell the marriage procession, and they conducted him to his new home,
he showering gold upon them during the whole time. When he reached his
pavilion, he dismounted and walked in and sat him down on the divan,
whilst his Mamelukes stood before him with arms afolded. Also after
a short delay they brought him sherbets, and when these were drunk, he
ordered his white slaves and handmaids and eunuchs and all who were in
the pavilion to make ready for meeting the Lady Badr al-Budur.
Moreover, as soon as midafternoon came and the air had cooled and
the great heat of the sun was abated, the Sultan bade his army
officers and emirs and wazirs go down into the maydan plain, whither
he likewise rode. And Aladdin also took horse with his Mamelukes, he
mounting a stallion whose like was not among the steeds of the, Arab
al-Arba, and he showed his horsemanship in the hippodrome, and so
played with the jarid that none could withstand him, while his bride
sat gazing upon him from the latticed balcony of her bower and, seeing
in him such beauty and cavalarice, she fell headlong in love of him
and was like to fly for joy. And after they had ringed their horses on
the maydan and each had displayed whatso he could of horsemanship,
Aladdin proving himself the best man of all, they rode in a body to
the Sultan's palace and the youth also returned to his own pavilion.

But when it was evening, the wazirs and nobles took the bridegroom
and, falling in, escorted him to the royal hamman (known as the
Sultani), when he was bathed. and perfumed. As soon as he came out
he donned a dress more magnificent than the former and took horse with
the emirs and the soldier officers riding before him and forming a
grand cortege, wherein four of the wazirs bore naked swords round
about him. All the citizens and the strangers and the troops marched
before him in ordered throng carrying wax candles and kettledrums
and pipes and other instruments of mirth and merriment, until they
conducted him to his pavilion. Here he alighted and, walking in,
took his seat and seated the wazirs and emirs who had escorted him,
and the Mamelukes brought sherbets and sugared drinks, which they also
passed to the people who had followed in his train. It was a world
of folk whose tale might not be told. Withal Aladdin bade his
Mamelukes stand without the pavilion doors and shower gold upon the
crowd.

When the Sultan returned from the maydan plain to his palace, he
ordered the household, men as well as women, straightway to form a
cavalcade for his daughter, with all ceremony, and bear her to her
bridegroom's pavilion. So the nobles and soldier officers who had
followed and escorted the bridegroom at once mounted, and the
handmaids and eunuchs went forth with wax candles and made a mighty
fine procession for the Lady Badr al-Budur, and they paced on
preceding her till they entered the pavilion of Aladdin, whose
mother walked beside the bride. In front of the Princess also fared
the wives of the wazirs and emirs, grandees and notables, and in
attendance on her were the eight and forty slave girls presented to
her aforetime by her bridegroom, each hending in hand a huge cierge
scented with camphor and ambergris and set in a candlestick of
gem-studded gold. And reaching Aladdin's pavilion, they led her to her
bower in the upper story and changed her robes and enthroned her.
Then, as soon as the displaying was ended, they accompanied her to
Aladdin's apartments, and presently he paid her the first visit. Now
his mother was with the bride, and when the bridegroom came up and did
off her veil, the ancient dame fell to considering the beauty of the
Princess and her loveliness, and she looked around at the pavilion,
which was all litten up by gold and gems besides the manifold
candelabra of precious metals encrusted with emeralds and jacinths, so
she said in her mind: "Once upon a time I thought the Sultan's
palace mighty fine, but this pavilion is a thing apart. Nor do I
deem that any of the greatest kings of Chosroes attained in his day to
aught like thereof. Also am I certified that all the world could not
build anything evening it." Nor less did the Lady Badr al-Budur fall
to gazing at the pavilion and marveling for its magnificence.

Then the tables were spread and they all ate and drank and were
gladdened after which fourscore damsels came before them, each holding
in hand an instrument of mirth and merriment. Then they deftly moved
their finger tips and touched the strings, smiting them into song most
musical most melancholy, till they rent the hearts of the hearers.
Hereat the Princess increased in marvel, and quoth she to herself, "In
all my life ne'er heard I songs like these," till she forsook food,
the better to listen. And at last Aladdin poured out for her wine
and passed it to her with his own hand. So great joy and jubilee
went round amongst them, and it was a notable night, such a one as
Iskandar, Lord of the Two Horns, had never spent in his time. When
they had finished eating and drinking and the tables were removed from
before them, Aladdin arose and went in to his bride.

As soon as morning morrowed he left his bed, and the treasurer
brought him a costly suit and a mighty fine, of the most sumptuous
robes worn by the kings. Then, after drinking coffee flavored with
ambergris, he ordered the horses be saddled and, mounting with his
Mamelukes before and behind him, rode to the Sultan's palace, and on
his entering its court the eunuchs went in and reported his coming
to their lord. When the Sultan heard of Aladdin's approach, he rose up
forthright to receive him and embraced and kissed him as though he
were his own son. Then, seating him on his right, he blessed and
prayed for him, as did the wazirs and emirs, the lords of the land and
the grandees of the realm. Presently the King commanded bring the
morning meal, which the attendants served up, and all broke their fast
together, and when they had eaten and drunken their sufficiency and
the tables were removed by the eunuchs, Aladdin turned to the Sultan
and said: "O my lord, would thy Highness deign honor me this day at
dinner in the house of the Lady Badr al-Budur, thy beloved daughter,
and come accompanied by all thy Ministers and grandees of the
reign?" The King replied (and he was delighted with his son-in-law),
"Thou art surpassing in liberality, O my son!"

Then he gave orders to all invited and rode forth with them (Aladdin
also riding beside him) till they reached the pavilion, and as he
entered it and considered its construction, its architecture and its
stonery, all jasper and camelian, his sight was dazed and his wits
were amazed at such grandeur and magnificence of opulence. Then,
turning to the Minister, he thus addressed him: "What sayest thou?
Tell me, hast thou seen in all thy time aught like this amongst the
mighties of earth's monarchs for the abundance of gold and gems we are
now beholding?" The Grand Wazir replied: "O my lord the King, this
be a feat which cannot be accomplished by might of monarch amongst
Adam's sons, nor could the collected peoples of the universal world
build a palace like unto this,- nay, even builders could not be found
to make aught resembling it, save (as I said to thy Highness) by force
of sorcery." These words certified the King that his Minister spake
not except in envy and jealousy of Aladdin, and would stablish in
the royal mind that all this splendor was not made of man, but by
means of magic and with the aid of the black art. So quoth he to
him: "Suffice thee so much, O Wazir. Thou hast none other word to
speak, and well I know what cause urgeth thee to say this say."

Then Aladdin preceded the Sultan till he conducted him to the
upper kiosque, where he saw its skylights, windows, and latticed
casements and jalousies wholly made of emeralds and rubies and other
costly gems, whereat his mind was perplexed and his wits were
bewildered and his thoughts were distraught. Presently he took to
strolling round the kiosque and solacing himself with these sights
which captured the vision, till he chanced to cast a glance at the
window which Aladdin by design had left unwrought and not finished
like the rest. And when he noted its lack of completion, he cried,
"Woe and wellaway for thee, O window, because of thine
imperfection," and, turning to his Minister, he asked, "Knowest thou
the reason of leaving incomplete this window and its framework?" The
Wazir said: "O my lord, I conceive that the want of finish in this
window resulteth from thy Highness having pushed on Aladdin's
marriage, and he lacked the leisure to complete it." Now at that
time Aladdin had gone in to his bride, the Lady Badr al-Budur, to
inform her of her father's presence, and when he returned, the King
asked him: "O my son, what is the reason why the window of this
kiosque was not made perfect?" "O King of the Age, seeing the
suddenness of my wedding," answered he, "I failed to find artists
for finishing it." Quoth the Sultan, "I have a mind to complete it
myself," and quoth Aladdin: "Allah perpetuate thy glory, O thou the
King. So shall thy memory endure in thy daughter's pavilion."

The Sultan forthright bade summon jewelers and goldsmiths, and
ordered them he supplied from the treasury with all their needs of
gold and gems and noble ores, and when they were gathered together, he
commanded them to complete the work still wanting in the kiosque
window. Meanwhile the Princess came forth to meet her sire, the
Sultan, who noticed as she drew near her smiling face, so he
embraced her and kissed her, then led her to the pavilion, and all
entered in a body. Now this was the time of the noonday meal and one
table had been spread for the sovereign, his daughter, and his
son-in-law and a second for the wazirs, the lords of the land, the
grandees of the realm, the chief officers of the host, the
chamberlains and the nabobs. The King took seat between the Princess
and her husband, and when he put forth his hand to the food and tasted
it, he was struck with surprise by the flavor of the dishes and
their savory and sumptuous cooking. Moreover, there stood before him
the fourscore damsels, each and every saying to the full moon, "Rise
that I may seat myself in thy stead!" All held instruments of mirth
and merriment, and they tuned the same and deftly moved their finger
tips and smote the srings into song most musical, most melodious,
which expanded the mourner's heart. Hereby the Sultan was gladdened,
and time was good to him, and for high enjoyment he exclaimed, "In
very sooth the thing is beyond the compass of King and Caesar."

Then they fell to eating and drinking, and the cup went round
until they had drunken enough, when sweetmeats and fruits of sorts and
other such edibles were served, the dessert being laid out in a
different salon, whither they removed and enjoyed of these pleasures
their sufficiency. Presently the Sultan arose that he might see if the
produce of his jewelers and goldsmiths favored that of the pavilion.
So he went upstairs to them and inspected their work and how they had
wrought, but he noted a mighty great difference, and his men were
far from being able to make anything like the rest of Aladdin's
pavilion. They informed him how all the gems stored in the lesser
Treasury had been brought to them and used by them, but that the whole
had proved insufficient. Wherefor he bade open the greater Treasury,
and gave the workmen all they wanted of him. Moreover, he allowed
them, an it sufficed not, to take the jewels wherewith Aladdin had
gifted him. They carried off the whole and pushed on their labors, but
they found the gems fail them, albeit had they not finished half the
part wanting to the kiosque window. Herewith the King commanded them
to seize all the precious stones owned by the wazirs and grandees of
the realm, but although they did his bidding, the supply still fell
short of their requirements.

Next morning Aladdin arose to look at the jewelers' work and
remarked that they had not finished a moiety of what was wanting to
the kiosque window. So he at once ordered them to undo all they had
done and restore the jewels to their owners. Accordingly they pulled
out the precious stones and sent the Sultan's to the Sultan and the
wazirs' to the wazirs. Then the jewelers went to the King and told him
of what Aladdin had bidden, so he asked them: "What said he to you,
and what was his reason, and wherefore was he not content that the
window be finished, and why did he undo the work ye wrought?" They
answered, "O our lord, we know not at all, but he bade us deface
whatso we had done." Hereupon the Sultan at once called for his horse,
and mounting, took the way pavillonward, when Aladdin, after
dismissing the goldsmiths and jewelers had retired into his closet and
had rubbed the lamp. Hereat straightway its servitor appeared to him
and said: "Ask whatso thou wantest. Thy slave is between thy hands,"
and said Aladdin, "'Tis my desire that thou finish the window which
was left unfinished." The Marid replied, "On my head be it, and also
upon mine eyes!" Then he vanished, and after a little while
returned, saying, "O my lord, verily that thou commandedst me do is
completed." So Aladdin went upstairs to the kiosque and found the
whole window in wholly finished state, and whilst he was he was
still considering it, behold, a castrato came in to him and said: "O
my lord, the Sultan hath ridden forth to visit thee and is passing
through the pavilion gate."

So Aladdin at once went down and received his father-in-law. The
Sultan, on sighting his son-in-law, cried to him: "Wherefore, O my
child, hast thou wrought on this wise and sufferedst not the
jewelers to complete the kiosque window, leaving in the pavilion an
unfinished place?" Aladdin replied: "O King of the Age, I left it
not imperfect save for a design of mine own, nor was I incapable of
perfecting it, nor could I purpose that thy Highness should honor me
with visiting a pavilion wherein was aught of deficiency. And that
thou mayest know I am not unable to make it perfect, let thy
Highness deign walk upstairs with me and see if anything remain to
be done therewith or not." So the Sultan went up with him and,
entering the kiosque, fell to looking right and left, but he saw no
default at all in any of the windows- nay, he noted that all were
perfect. So he marveled at the sight and embraced Aladdin and kissed
him, saying: "O my son, what be this singular feat? Thou canst work in
a single night what in months the jewelers could not do. By Allah, I
deem thou hast nor brother nor rival in this world." Quoth Aladdin:
"Allah prolong thy life and preserve thee to perpetuity! Thy slave
deserveth not this encomium." And quoth the King: "By Allah, O my
child, thou meritest all praise for a feat whereof all the artists
of the world were incapable." Then the Sultan came down and entered
the apartments of his daughter, the Lady Badr al-Budur, to take rest
beside her, and he saw her joyous exceedingly at the glory and
grandeur wherein she was. Then, after reposing awhile, he returned
to his palace.

Now Aladdin was wont every day to thread the city streets with his
Mamelukes riding a-van and arear of him showering rightward and
leftward gold upon the folk, and all the world, stranger and neighbor,
far and near, were fulfilled of his love for the excess of his
liberality and generosity. Moreover, he increased the pensions of
the poor Religious and the paupers, and he would distribute alms to
them with his own hand, by which good deed he won high renown
throughout the realm and most of the lords of the land and emirs would
eat at his table, and men swore not at all save by his precious
life. Nor did he leave faring to the chase and the maydan plain and
the riding of horses and playing at javelin play in presence of the
Sultan. And whenever the Lady Badr al-Budur beheld him disporting
himself on the backs of steeds, she loved him much the more, and
thought to herself that Allah had wrought her abundant good by causing
to happen whatso happened with the son of the Wazir and by
preserving her virginity intact for her true bridegroom, Aladdin.
Aladdin won for himself day by day a fairer fame and a rarer report,
while affection for him increased in the hearts of all the lieges
and he waxed greater in the eyes of men.

Moreover, it chanced that in those days certain enemies took horse
and attacked the Sultan, who armed and accoutered an army to repel
them and made Aladdin commander thereof. So he marched with his men,
nor ceased marching until he drew near the foe, whose forces were
exceeding many, and presently when the action began, he bared his
brand and charged home upon the enemy. Then battle and slaughter
befell and violent was the hurly-burly, but at last Aladdin broke
the hostile host and put all to flight, slaying the best part of
them and pillaging their coin and cattle, property and possessions,
and he despoiled them of spoils that could not be counted nor
computed. Then he returned victorious after a noble victory and
entered the capital, which had decorated herself in his honor, of
her delight in him. And the Sultan went forth to meet him and giving
him joy, embraced him and kissed him. And throughout the kingdom was
held high festival with great joy and gladness. Presently the
sovereign and his son-in-law repaired to the pavilion, where they were
met by the Princess Badr al-Budur, who rejoiced in her husband and,
after kissing him between the eyes, led him to her apartments. After a
time the Sultan also came and they sat down while the slave girls
brought them sherbets and confections, which they ate and drank.
Then the Sultan commanded that the whole kingdom be decorated for
the triumph of his son-in-law and his victory over the invader, and
the subjects and soldiery and all the people knew only Allah in Heaven
and Aladdin on earth, for that their love, won by his liberality,
was increased by his noble horsemanship and his successful battling
for the country and putting to flight the foe.

Such then was the high fortune of Aladdin, but as regards the
Maghrabi, the magician, after returning to his native country he
passed all this space of time in bewailing what he had borne of toil
and travail to will the lamp, and mostly that his trouble had gone
vain and that the morsel when almost touching his lips had flown
from his grasp. He pondered all this and mourned and reviled Aladdin
for the excess of his rage against him, and at times he would exclaim:
"For this bastard's death underground I am well satisfied, and hope
only that some time or other I may obtain the lamp, seeing how 'tis
yet safe." Now one day of the days he struck a table of sand and
dotted down the figures and carefully considered their consequence,
then he transferred them to paper that he might study them and make
sure of Aladdin's destruction and the safety of the lamp preserved
beneath the earth. Presently he firmly stablished the sequence of
the figures, mothers as well as daughters, but still he saw not the
lamp. Thereupon rage overrode him and he made another trial to be
assured of Aladdin's death, but he saw him not in the enchanted
treasure.

Hereat his wrath still grew, and it waxed greater when he
ascertained that the youth had issued from underground and was now
upon earth's surface alive and alert. Furthermore, that he had
become owner of the lamp, for which he had himself endured such toil
and travail and troubles as man may not bear save for so great an
object. Accordingly quoth he to himself: "I have suffered sore pains
and penalties which none else could have endured for the lamp's sake
in order that other than that I may carry it off, and this accursed
hath taken it without difficulty. And who knoweth an he wot the
virtues of the lamp, than whose owner none in the world should be
wealthier? There is no help but that I work for his destruction." He
then struck another geomantic table and, examining the figures, saw
that the lad had won for himself unmeasurable riches and had wedded
the daughter of his King, so of his envy and jealousy he was fired
with the flame of wrath, and rising without let or stay, he equipped
himself and set forth for China land, where he arrived in due season.

Now when he had reached the King's capital wherein was Aladdin, he
alighted at one of the khans, and when he had rested from the
weariness of wayfare, he donned his dress and went down to wander
about the streets, where he never passed a group without hearing
them prate about the pavilion and its grandeur and vaunt the beauty of
Aladdin and his lovesomeness, his liberality and generosity, his
fine manners and his good morals. Presently he entered an
establishment wherein men were drinking a certain warm beverage, and
going up to one of those who were loud in their lauds, he said to him,
"O fair youth, who may be the man ye describe and commend?"
"Apparently thou art a foreigner, O man," answered the other, "and
thou comest from a far country. But even this granted, how happeneth
it thou hast not heard of the Emir Aladdin, whose renown, I fancy,
hath filled the universe, and whose pavilion, known by report to far
and near, is one of the wonders of the world? How, then, never came to
thine ears aught of this or the name of Aladdin (whose glory and
enjoyment Our Lord increase!) and his fame?" The Moorman replied: "The
sum of my wishes is to look upon this pavilion, and if thou wouldest
do me a favor, prithee guide me thereunto, for I am a foreigner."
The man rejoined, "To hear is to obey," and, foregoing him, pointed
out Aladdin's pavilion, whereupon the Moroccan fell to considering it,
and at once understood that it was the work of the lamp. So he
cried: "Ah! Ah! needs must I dig a pit for this accursed, this son
of a snip, who could not earn for himself even an evening meal. And if
the Fates abet me, I will assuredly destroy his life and send his
mother back to spinning at her wheel, e'en as she was wont erewhiles
to do."

So saying, he returned to his caravanserai in a sore state of
grief and melancholy and regret bred by his envy and hate of
Aladdin. He took his astrological gear and geomantic table to discover
where might he the lamp, and he found that it was in the pavilion
and not upon Aladdin's person. So he rejoiced thereat with joy
exceeding and exclaimed: "Now indeed 'twill he an easy task to take
the life of this accursed and I see my way to getting the lamp."
Then he went to a coppersmith and said to him: "Do thou make me a
set of lamps, and take from me their full price and more, only I would
have thee hasten to finish them." Replied the smith, "Hearing and
obeying," and fell a-working to keep his word. And when they were
ready, the Moorman paid him what price he required, then, taking them,
he carried them to the khan and set them in a basket. Presently he
began wandering about the highways and market streets of the capital
crying aloud: "Ho! Who will exchange old lamps for new lamps?" But
when the folk heard him cry on this wise, they derided him and said,
"Doubtless this man is Jinnmad, for that he goeth about offering new
for old." And a world followed him, and the children of the quarter
caught him up from place to place, laughing at him the while, nor
did he forbid them or care for their maltreatment. And he ceased not
strolling about the streets till he came under Aladdin's pavilion,
where he shouted with his loudest voice, and the boys screamed at him:
"A madman! A madman!"

Now Destiny had decreed that the Lady Badr al-Budur be sitting in
her kiosque, whence she heard one crying like a crier, and the
children bawling at him. Only she understood not what was going on, so
she gave orders to one of her slave girls, saying, "Go thou and see
who 'tis that crieth, and what be his cry." The girl fared forth and
looked on, when she beheld a man crying, "Ho! Who will exchange old
lamps for new lamps?" and the little ones pursuing and laughing at
him. And as loudly laughed the Princess when this strange case was
told to her. Now Aladdin had carelessly left the lamp in his
pavilion without hiding it and locking it up in his strongbox, and one
of the slave girls who had seen it said: "O my lady, I think to have
noticed in the apartment of my lord Aladdin an old lamp, so let us
give it in change for a new lamp to this man, and see if his cry he
truth or lie." Whereupon the Princess said to the slave girl, "Bring
the old lamp which thou saidst to have seen in thy lord's apartment."

Now the Lady Badr al-Budur knew naught of the lamp and of the
specialities thereof which had raised Aladdin, her spouse, to such
high degree and grandeur, and her only end and aim was to understand
by experiment the mind of a man who would give in exchange the new for
the old. So the handmaid fared forth and went up to Aladdin's
apartment and returned with the lamp to her lady, who, like all the
others, knew nothing of the Maghrabi's cunning tricks and his crafty
device. Then the Princess bade an aga of the eunuchry go down and
barter the old lamp for a new lamp. So he obeyed her bidding and,
after taking a new lamp from the man, he returned and laid it before
his lady, who looking at it and seeing that it was brand-new, fell
to laughing at the Moorman's wits.

But the Moroccan, when he held the article in hand and recognized it
for the lamp of the enchanted treasury, at once placed it in his
breast pocket and left all the other lamps to the folk who were
bartering, of him. Then he went forth running till he was clear of the
city, when he walked leisurely over the level grounds, and he took
patience until night fell on him in desert ground, where was none
other but himself. There he brought out the lamp, when suddenly
appeared to him the Marid, who said: "Adsum! Thy slave between thy
hands is come. Ask of me whatso thou wantest." "'Tis my desire," the
Moorman replied, "that thou upraise from its present place Aladdin's
pavilion, with its inmates and all that be therein, not forgetting
myself, and set it down upon my own land, Africa. Thou knowest my
town, and I want the building placed in the gardens hard by it." The
Marid slave replied: "Hearkening and obedience. Close thine eyes and
open thine eyes, whenas thou shalt find thyself together with the
pavilion in thine own country." This was done, and in an eye twinkling
the Moroccan and the pavilion, with all therein, were transported to
the African land.

Such then was the work of the Maghrabi, the magician, but now let us
return to the Sultan and his son-in-law. It was the custom of the
King, because of his attachment to and his affection for his daughter,
every morning when he had shaken off sleep to open the latticed
casement and look out therefrom, that he might catch sight of her
abode. So that day he arose and did as he was wont. But when he drew
near the latticed casement of his palace and looked out at Aladdin's
pavilion, he saw naught- nay, the site was smooth as a well-trodden
highway and like unto what it had been aforetime, and he could find
nor edifice nor offices. So astonishment clothed him as with a
garment, and his wits were wildered and he began to rub his eyes, lest
they he dimmed or darkened, and to gaze intently. But at last he was
certified that no trace of the pavilion remained, nor sign of its
being, nor wist he the why and the wherefore of its disappearance.
So his surprise increased and he smote hand upon hand and the tears
trickled down his cheeks over his beard, for that he knew not what had
become of his daughter.

Then he sent out officials forthright and summoned the Grand
Wazir, who at once attended, and seeing him in this piteous plight,
said: "Pardon, O King of the Age, may Allah avert from thee every ill!
Wherefore art thou in such sorrow?" Exclaimed the sovereign,
"Methinketh thou wettest not my case." And quoth the Minister: "Oh
no wise, O our lord. By Allah, I know of it nothing at all." "Then,"
resumed the Sultan, "'tis manifest thou hast not looked this day in
the direction of Aladdin's pavilion." "True, O my lord," quoth the
Wazir. "It must still be locked and fast shut," and quoth the King:
"Forasmuch as thou hast no inkling of aught, arise and look out at the
window and see Aladdin's pavilion, whereof thou sayest 'tis locked and
fast shut." The Minister obeyed his bidding, but could not see
anything, or pavilion or other place. So with mind and thoughts sore
perplexed he returned to his liege lord, who asked him: "Hast now
learned the reason of my distress, and noted yon locked-up palace
and fast shut?" Answered the Wazir: "O King of the Age, erewhile I
represented to thy Highness that this pavilion and these matters be
all magical." Hereat the Sultan, fired with wrath, cried, "Where be
Aladdin?" and the Minister replied, "He hath gone a-hunting," when the
King commanded without stay or delay sundry of his agas and army
officers to go and bring to him his son-in-law chained and with
pinioned elbows.

So they fared forth until they found Aladdin, when they said to him:
"O our lord Aladdin, excuse us, nor be thou wroth with us, for the
King hath commanded that we carry thee before him pinioned and
fettered, and we hope pardon from thee, because we are under the royal
orders which we cannot gainsay." Aladdin, hearing these words, was
seized with surprise, and not knowing the reason of this, remained
tonguetied for a time, after which he turned to them and asked: "O
assembly, have you naught of knowledge concerning the motive of the
royal mandate? Well I wot my soul to be innocent, and that I never
sinned against King or against kingdom." "O our lord," answered
they, "we have no inkling whatever." So Aladdin alighted from his
horse and said to them: "Do ye whatso the Sultan bade you do, for that
the King's command is upon the head and the eyes." The agas, having
bound Aladdin in bonds and pinioned his elbows behind his back,
haled him in chains and carried him into the city. But when the lieges
saw him pinioned and ironed, they understood that the Sultan
purposed to strike off his head, and forasmuch as he was loved of them
exceedingly, all gathered together and seized their weapons, then,
swarming out of their houses, followed the soldiery to see what was to
do. And when the troops arrived with Aladdin at the palace, they
went in and informed the Sultan of this, whereat he forthright
commanded the sworder to cut off the head of his son-in-law.

Now as soon as the subjects were aware of this order, they
barricaded the gates and closed the doors of the palace and sent a
message to the King saying: "At this very moment we will level thine
abode over the heads of all it containeth, and over thine own, if
the least hurt or harm befall Aladdin." So the Wazir went in and
reported to the Sultan: "O King of the Age, thy commandment is about
to seal the roll of our lives, and 'twere more suitable that thou
pardon thy son-in-law, lest there chance to us a sore mischance, for
that the lieges do love him far more than they love us." Now the
Sworder had already dispread the carpet of blood and, having seated
Aladdin thereon, had bandaged his eyes. Moreover, he had walked
round him three several times awaiting the last orders of his lord,
when the King looked out of the window and saw his subjects, who had
suddenly attacked him, swarming up the walls intending to tear them
down. So forthright he bade the Sworder stay his hand from Aladdin and
commanded the crier fare forth to the crowd and cry aloud that he
had pardoned his son-in-law and received him back into favor.

But when Aladdin found himself free and saw the Sultan seated on his
throne, he went up to him and said: "O my lord, inasmuch as thy
Highness hath favored me throughout my life, so of thy grace now deign
let me know the how and the wherein I have sinned against thee." "O
traitor," cried the King, "unto this present I knew not any sin of
thine." Then, turning to the Wazir, he said: "Take him and make him
look out at the window, and after let him tell us where be his
pavilion." And when the royal order was obeyed, Aladdin saw the
place level as a well-trodden road, even as it had been ere the base
of the building was laid, nor was there the faintest trace of edifice.
Hereat he was astonished and perplexed, knowing not what had occurred.
But when he returned to the presence, the King asked him: "What is
it thou hast seen? Where is thy pavilion, and where is my daughter,
the core of my heart, my only child, than whom I have none other?"
Aladdin answered, "O King of the Age, I wot naught thereof nor aught
of what hath befallen," and the Sultan rejoined: "Thou must know, O
Aladdin, I have pardoned thee only that thou go forth and look into
this affair and inquire for me concerning my daughter. Nor do thou
ever show thyself in my presence except she be with thee, and if
thou bring her not, by the life of my head I will cut off the head
of thee." The other replied: "To hear is to obey. Only vouchsafe me
a delay and respite of some forty days, after which, an I produce
her not, strike off my head and do with me whatso thou wishest." The
Sultan said to Aladdin: "Verily, I have granted thee thy request, a
delay of forty days. But think not thou canst fly from my hand, for
I would bring thee back even if thou wert above the clouds instead
of being only upon earth's surface." Replied Aladdin: "O my lord the
Sultan, as I said to thy Highness, an I fail to bring her within the
term appointed, I will present myself for my head to he stricken off."

Now when the folk and the lieges all saw Aladdin at liberty, they
rejoiced with joy exceeding and were delighted for his release, but
the shame of his treatment and bashfulness before his friends and
the envious exultation of his foes had bowed down Aladdin's head. So
he went forth a wandering through the city ways, and he was
perplexed concerning his case and knew not what had befallen him. He
lingered about the capital for two days, in saddest state, wotting not
what to do in order to find his wife and his pavilion, and during this
time sundry of the folk privily brought him meat and drink. When the
two days were done, he left the city to stray about the waste and open
lands outlying the walls, without a notion as to whither he should
wend. And he walked on aimlessly until the path led him beside a
river, where, of the stress of sorrow that overwhelmed him, he
abandoned himself to despair and thought of casting himself into the
water. Being, however, a good Moslem who professed the unity of the
Godhead, he feared Allah in his soul, and standing upon the margin, he
prepared to perform the wuzu ablution.

But as he was bailing up the water in his right hand and rubbing his
fingers, it so chanced that he also rubbed the ring. Hereat its
Marid appeared, and said to him: "Adsum! Thy thrall between thy
hands is come. Ask of me whatso thou wantest." Seeing the Marid,
Aladdin rejoiced with exceeding joy and cried: "O Slave, I desire of
thee that thou bring before me my pavilion and therein my wife, the
Lady Badr al-Budur, together with all and everything it containeth."
"O my lord," replied the Marid, "'tis right hard upon me that thou
demandest a service whereto I may not avail. This matter dependeth
upon the Slave of the Lamp, nor dare I even attempt it." Aladdin
rejoined: "Forasmuch as the matter is beyond thy competence, I require
it not of thee, but at least do thou take me up and set me down beside
my pavilion in what land soever that may be." The slave exclaimed,
"Hearing and obeying, O my lord," and uplifting him high in air,
within the space of an eye glance set him down beside his pavilion
in the land of Africa, and upon a spot facing his wife's apartment.

Now this was at fall of night, yet one look enabled him to recognize
his home, whereby his cark and care were cleared away and he recovered
trust in Allah after cutting off all his hope to look upon his wife
once more. Then he fell to pondering the secret and mysterious
favors of the Lord (glorified he His omnipotence!), and how after
despair had mastered him the ring had come to gladden him, and how
when all his hopes were cut off, Allah had deigned bless him with
the services of its slave. So he rejoiced and his melancholy left him.
Then, as he had passed four days without sleep for the excess of his
cark and care and sorrow and stress of thought, he drew near his
pavilion and slept under a tree hard by the building, which (as we
mentioned) had been set down amongst the gardens outlying the city
of Africa. He slumbered till morning showed her face, and when
awakened by the warbling of the small birds, he arose and went down to
the bank of the river which flowed thereby into the city, and here
he again washed hands and face and after finished his wuzu ablution.
Then he prayed the dawn prayer, and when he had ended his orisons he
returned and sat down under the windows of the Princess's bower.

Now the Lady Badr al-Budur, of her exceeding sorrow for severance
from her husband and her sire, the Sultan, and for the great mishap
which had happened to her from the Maghrabi, the magician, the
accursed, was wont to rise during the murk preceding dawn and to sit
in tears, inasmuch as she could not sleep o' nights and had forsworn
meat and drink. Her favorite slave girl would enter her chamber at the
hour of prayer salutation in order to dress her, and this time, by
decree of Destiny, when she threw open the window to let her lady
comfort and console herself by looking upon the trees and rills, and
she herself peered out of the lattice, she caught sight of her
master sitting below, and informed the Princess of this, saying: "O my
lady! O my lady! Here's my lord Aladdin seated at the foot of the
wall!" So her mistress arose hurriedly and gazing from the casement,
saw him, and her husband, raising his head, saw her, so she saluted
him and he saluted her, both being like to fly for joy. Presently
quoth she, "Up and come in to me by the private postern, for now the
accursed is not here," and she gave orders to the slave girl, who went
down and opened for him. Then Aladdin passed through it and was met by
his wife, when they embraced and exchanged kisses with all delight
until they wept for overjoy.

After this they sat down, and Aladdin said to her: "O my lady,
before all things 'tis my desire to ask thee a question. 'Twas my wont
to place an old copper lamp in such a part of my pavilion. What became
of that same?" When the Princess heard these words, she sighed and
cried, "O my dearling, 'twas that very lamp which garred us fall
into this calamity!" Aladdin asked her, "How befell the affair?" and
she answered by recounting to him all that passed, first and last,
especially how they had given in exchange an old lamp for a new
lamp, adding: "And next day we hardly saw one another at dawn before
we found ourselves in this land, and he who deceived us and took the
lamp by way of barter informed me that he had done the deed by might
of his magic and by means of the lamp; that he is a Moorman from
Africa; and that we are now in his native country."

When the Lady Badr al-Budur ceased speaking, Aladdin resumed:
"Tell me the intent of this accursed in thy respect, also what he
sayeth to thee and what he his will of thee." She replied: "Every
day he cometh to visit me once and no more. He would woo me to his
love, and he sueth that I take him to spouse in lieu of thee and
that I forget thee and he consoled for the loss of thee. And he
telleth me that the Sultan, my sire, hath cut off my husband's head,
adding that thou, the son of pauper parents, wast by him enriched. And
he sootheth me with talk, but he never seeth aught from me save
weeping and wailing, nor hath he heard from me one sugar-sweet
word." Quoth Aladdin: "Tell me where he hath placed the lamp, an
thou know anything thereof," and quoth she: "He beareth it about on
his body alway, nor is it possible that he leave it for a single hour.
Moreover, once when he related what I have now recounted to thee, he
brought it out of his breast pocket and allowed me to look upon it."
When Aladdin heard these words, he joyed with exceeding joy and
said: "O my lady, do thou lend ear to me. 'Tis my design to go from
thee forthright and to return only after doffing this my dress, so
wonder not when thou see me changed, but direct one of thy women to
stand by the private postern alway, and whenever she espy me coming,
at once to open. And now I will devise a device whereby to slay this
damned loon."

Herewith he arose and, issuing from the pavilion door, walked till
he met on the way a fellah, to whom he said, "O man, take my attire
and give me thy garments." But the peasant refused, so Aladdin
stripped him of his dress perforce and donned it, leaving to the man
his own rich gear by way of gift. Then he followed the highway leading
to the neighboring city and entering it, went to the perfumers'
bazaar, where he bought of one some rarely potent bhang, the son of
a minute, paying two dinars for two drachms thereof, and he returned
in disguise by the same road till he reached the pavilion. Here the
slave girl opened to him the private postern, wherethrough he went
in to the Lady Badr al-Budur, and said: "Hear me! I desire of thee
that thou dress and dight thyself in thy best and thou cast off all
outer show and semblance of care. Also when the accursed, the
Maghrabi, shall visit thee, do thou receive him with a 'Welcome and
fair welcome,' and meet him with smiling face and invite him to come
and sup with thee. Moreover, let him note that thou hast forgotten
Aladdin, thy beloved, likewise thy father, and that thou hast
learned to love him with exceeding love, displaying to him all
manner joy and pleasure. Then ask him for wine, which must be red, and
pledge him to his secret in a significant draught. And when thou
hast given him two or three cups full and hast made him wax
careless, then drop these drops into his cup and fill it up with wine.
No sooner shall he drink of it than he will fall upon his back
senseless as one dead." Hearing these words, the Princess exclaimed:
"'Tis exceedingly sore to me that I do such deed, withal must I do
it that we escape the defilement of this accursed who tortured me by
severance from thee and from my sire. Lawful and right therefore is
the slaughter of this accursed."

Then Aladdin ate and drank with his wife what hindered his hunger,
then, rising without stay or delay, fared forth the pavilion. So the
Lady Badr al-Budur summoned the tirewoman, who robed and arrayed her
in her finest raiment and adorned her and perfumed her. And as she
was thus, behold, the accursed Maghrabi entered. He joyed much
seeing her in such case and yet more when she confronted him, contrary
to her custom, with a laughing face, and his love longing increased,
and his desire to have her. Then she took him and, seating him
beside her, said: "O my dearling, do thou (an thou be willing) come to
me this night and let us sup together. Sufficient to me hath been my
sorrow, for were I to sit mourning through a thousand years or even
two thousand, Aladdin would not return to me from the tomb. And I
depend upon thy say of yesterday; to wit, that my sire, the Sultan,
slew him in his stress of sorrow for serverance from me.

"Nor wonder thou an I have changed this day from what I was
yesterday, and the reason thereof is I have determined upon taking
thee to friend and playfellow in lieu of and succession to Aladdin,
for that now I have none other man but thyself. So I hope for thy
presence this night, that we may sup together and we may carouse and
drink somewhat of wine each with other, and especially 'tis my
desire that thou cause me taste the wine of thy natal soil, the
African land, because belike 'tis better than aught of the wine of
China we drink. I have with me some wine, but 'tis the growth of my
country and I vehemently wish to taste the wine produced by thine."

When the Maghrabi saw the love lavisht upon him by the Lady Badr
al-Budur, and noted her change from the sorrowful, melancholy woman
she was wont to be, he thought that she had cut off her hope of
Aladdin, and he joyed exceedingly and said to her: "I hear and obey, O
my lady, whatso thou wishest and all thou biddest. I have at home a
jar of our country wine, which I have carefully kept and stored deep
in earth for a space of eight years, and I will now fare and fill from
it our need and will return to thee in all haste." But the Princess,
that she might wheedle him the more and yet more, replied: "O my
darling, go not thou, leaving me alone, but send one of the eunuchs to
fill for us thereof, and do thou remain sitting beside me, that I
may find in thee my consolation." He rejoined: "O my lady, none
wotteth where the jar be buried save myself, nor will I tarry from
thee." So saying, the Moorman went out, and after a short time he
brought back as much wine as they wanted, whereupon quoth the Princess
to him: "Thou hast been at pains and trouble to serve me, and I have
suffered for thy sake, O my beloved." Quoth he: "On no wise, O eyes of
me. I hold myself enhonored by thy service."

Then the Lady Badr al-Budur sat with him at table, and the twain
fell to eating, and presently the Princess expressed a wish to
drink, when the handmaid filled her a cup forthright and then
crowned another for the Moroccan. So she drank to his long life and
his secret wishes, and he also drank to her life. Then the Princess,
who was unique in eloquence and delicacy of speech, fell to making a
cup companion of him and beguiled him by addressing him in the
sweetest terms of hidden meaning. This was done only that he might
become more madly enamored of her, but the Maghrabi thought that it
resulted from her true inclination for him, nor knew that it was a
snare set up to slay him. So his longing for her increased, and he was
dying of love for when he saw her address him in such tenderness of
words and thoughts, and his head began to swim and an the world seemed
as nothing in his eyes. But when they came to the last of the supper
and the wine had mastered his brains and the Princess saw this in him,
she said: "With us there be a custom throughout our country, but I
know not an it be the usage of yours or not." The Moorman replied,
"And what may that be?" So she said to him: "At the end of supper each
lover in turn taketh the cup of the beloved and drinketh it off."
And at once she crowned one with wine and bade the handmaid carry to
him her cup, wherein the drink was blended with the bhang.

Now she had taught the slave girl what to do, and all the
handmaids and eunuchs in the pavilion longed for the sorcerer's
slaughter and in that matter were one with the Princess. Accordingly
the damsel handed him the cup and he, when he heard her words and
saw her drinking from his cup and passing hers to him and noted all
that show of love, fancied himself Iskandar, Lord of the Two Horns.
Then said she to him, the while swaying gracefully to either side
and putting her hand within his hand: "O my life, here is thy cup with
me and my cup with thee, and on this wise do lovers drink from each
other's cups." Then she bussed the brim and drained it to the dregs,
and again she kissed its lip and offered it to him. Thereat he flew
for joy and, meaning to do the like, raised her cup to his mouth and
drank off the whole contents, without considering whether there was
therein aught harmful or not. And forthright he rolled upon his back
in deathlike condition and the cup dropped from his grasp, whereupon
the Lady Badr al-Budur and the slave girls ran hurriedly and opened
the pavilion door to their lord Aladdin, who, disguised as a fellah,
entered therein.

He went up to the apartment of his wife, whom he found still sitting
at table, and facing her lay the Maghrabi as one slaughtered. So he at
once drew near to her and kissed her and thanked her for this. Then,
rejoicing with joy exceeding, he turned to her and said: "Do thou with
thy handmaids betake thyself to the inner rooms and leave me alone for
the present, that I may take counsel touching mine affair." The
Princess hesitated not but went away at once, she and her women.
Then Aladdin arose, and after locking the door upon them, walked up to
the Moorman and put forth his hand to his breast pocket and thence
drew the lamp, after which he unsheathed his sword and slew the
villain. Presently he rubbed the lamp and the Marid slave appeared and
said: "Adsum, O my lord! What is it thou wantest?" "I desire of thee,"
said Aladdin, "that thou take up my pavilion from this country and
transport it to the land of China and there set it down upon the
site where it was whilom, fronting the palace of the Sultan." The
Marid replied, "Hearing and obeying, O my lord."

Then Aladdin went and sat down with his wife and throwing his arms
round her neck, kissed her and she kissed him, and they set in
converse what while the Jinni transported the pavilion and all therein
to the place appointed. Presently Aladdin bade the handmaids spread
the table before him, and he and the Lady Badr al-Budur took seat
thereat and fell to eating and drinking, in all joy and gladness, till
they had their sufficiency, when, removing to the chamber of wine
and cup converse, they sat there and caroused in fair companionship
and each kissed other with all love liesse. The time had been long and
longsome since they enjoyed aught of pleasure, so they ceased not
doing, thus until the wine sun arose in their heads and sleep gat hold
of them, at which time they went to their bed in all ease and comfort.
Early on the next morning Aladdin woke and awoke his wife, and the
slave girls came in and donned her dress and prepared her and
adorned her whilst her husband arrayed himself in his costliest
raiment, and the twain were ready to fly for joy at reunion after
parting. Moreover, the Princess was especially joyous and gladsome
because on that day she expected to see her beloved father.

Such was the case of Aladdin and the Lady Badr al-Budur, but as
regards the Sultan, after he drove away his son-in-law he never ceased
to sorrow for the loss of his daughter, and every hour of every day he
would sit and weep for her as women weep, because she was his only
child and he had none other to take to heart. And as he shook off
sleep morning after morning he would hasten to the window and throw it
open and peer in the direction where formerly stood Aladdin's pavilion
and pour forth tears until his eyes were dried up and their lids
were ulcered. Now on that day he arose at dawn and, according to his
custom, looked out, when lo and behold! he saw before him an
edifice, so he rubbed his eyes and considered it curiously, when he
became certified that it was the pavilion of his son-in-law. So he
called for a horse without let or delay, and as soon as his beast
was saddled, he mounted and made for the place, and Aladdin, when he
saw his father-in-law approaching, went down and met him halfway,
then, taking his hand, aided him to step upstairs to the apartment
of his daughter. And the Princess, being as earnestly desirous to
see her sire, descended and greeted him at the door of the staircase
fronting the ground-floor hall. Thereupon the King folded her in his
arms and kissed her, shedding tears of joy, and she did likewise, till
at last Aladdin led them to the upper saloon, where they took seats
and the Sultan fell to asking her case and what had betided her.

The Lady Badr al-Budur began to inform the Sultan of all which had
befallen her, saying: "O my father, I recovered not life save
yesterday when I saw my husband, and he it was who freed me from the
thraldom of that Maghrabi, that magician, that accursed, than whom I
believe there be none viler on the face of earth. And but for my
beloved, I had never escaped him, nor hadst thou seen me during the
rest of my days. But mighty sadness and sorrow gat about me, O my
father, not only for losing thee but also for the loss of a husband
under whose kindness I shall be all the length of my life, seeing that
he freed me from that fulsome sorcerer." Then the Princess began
repeating to her sire everything that happened to her, and relating to
him how the Moorman had tricked her in the guise of a lamp-seller
who offered in exchange new for old, how she had given him the lamp
whose worth she knew not, and how she had bartered it away only to
laugh at the lampman's folly.

"And next morning, O my father," she continued, "we found
ourselves and whatso the pavilion contained in Africa land, till
such time as my husband came to us and devised a device whereby we
escaped. And had it not been for Aladdin's hastening to our aid, the
accursed was determined to enjoy me perforce." Then she told him of
the bhang drops administered in wine to the African and concluded:
"Then my husband returned to me, and how I know not, but we were
shifted from Africa land to this place." Aladdin in his turn recounted
how, finding the wizard dead-drunken, he had sent away his wife and
her women from the poluted place into the inner apartments; how he had
taken the lamp from the sorcerer's breast pocket, whereto he was
directed by his wife; how he had slaughtered the villain; and
finally how, making use of the lamp, he had summoned its slave and
ordered him to transport the pavilion back to its proper site,
ending his tale with: "And, if thy Highness have any doubt anent my
words, arise with me and look upon the accursed magician." The King
did accordingly and, having considered the Moorman, bade the carcass
be carried away forthright and burned and its ashes scattered in air.

Then he took to embracing Aladdin and, kissing him, said: "Pardon
me, O my son, for that I was about to destroy thy life through the
foul deeds of this damned enchanter, who cast thee into such pit of
peril. And I may be excused, O my child, for what I did by thee,
because I found myself forlorn of my daughter, my only one, who to
me is dearer than my very kingdom. Thou knowest how the hearts of
parents yearn unto their offspring, especially when like myself they
have but one and none other to love." And on this wise the Sultan took
to excusing himself and kissing his son-in-law. Aladdin said to the
Sultan: "O King of the time, thou didst naught to me contrary to
Holy Law, and I also sinned not against thee, but all the trouble came
from that Maghrabi, the impure, the magician." Thereupon the Sultan
bade the city be decorated, and they obeyed him and held high feast
and festivities. He also commanded the crier to cry about the
streets saying: "This day is a mighty great fate, wherein public
rejoicings must be held throughout the realm, for a full month of
thirty days, in honor of the Lady Badr al-Budur and her husband
Aladdin's return to their home."

On this wise befell it with Aladdin and the Maghrabi, but withal the
King's son-in-law escaped not wholly from the accursed, albeit the
body had been burnt and the ashes scattered in air. For the villain
had a brother yet more villainous than himself, and a greater adept in
necromancy, geomancy, and astromancy. And even as the old saw saith,
"A bean and 'twas split," so each one dwelt in his own quarter of
the globe that he might fill it with his sorcery, his fraud, and his
treason. Now one day of the days it fortuned that the Moorman's
brother would learn how it fared with him, so he brought out his
sandboard and dotted it and produced the figures which, when he had
considered and carefully studied them, gave him to know that the man
he sought was dead and housed in the tomb. So he grieved and was
certified of his disease, but he dotted a second time seeking to learn
the manner of the death and where it bad taken place. So he found that
the site was the China land and that the mode was the foulest of
slaughter. Furthermore, that he who did him die was a young man
Aladdin hight. Seeing this, he straightway arose and equipped
himself for wayfare, then he set out and cut across the wilds and
wolds and heights for the space of many a month until he reached China
and the capital of the Sultan wherein was the slayer of his brother.

He alighted at the so-called strangers' khan and, hiring himself a
cell, took rest therein for a while, then he fared forth and
wandered about the highways that he might discern some path which
would aid him unto the winning of his ill-minded wish; to wit, of
wreaking upon Aladdin blood revenge for his brother. Presently he
entered a coffeehouse, a fine building which stood in the market place
and which collected a throng of folk to play, some at the mankalah,
others at the backgammon, and others at the chess and what not else.
There he sat down and listened to those seated beside him, and they
chanced to be conversing about an ancient dame and a holy, by name
Fatimah, who dwelt away at her devotions in a hermitage without the
town, and this she never entered save only two days each month. They
mentioned also that she had performed many saintly miracles, which
when the Maghrabi, the necromancer, heard he said in himself: "Now
have I found that which I sought. Inshallah- God willing- by means of
this crone will I will to my wish."

The necromancer went up to the folk who were talking of the miracles
performed by the devout old woman and said to one of them: "O my
uncle, I heard you an chatting about the prodigies of a certain
saintess named Fatimah. Who is she, and where may be her abode?"
"Marvelous!" exclaimed the man. "How canst thou be in our city and yet
never have heard about the miracles of the Lady Fatimah? Evidently,
O thou poor fellow, thou art a foreigner, since the fastings of this
devotee and her asceticism in worldly matters and the beauties of
her piety never came to thine ears." The Moorman rejoined: "'Tis true,
O my lord. Yes, I am a stranger, and came to this your city only
yesternight. And I hope thou wilt inform me concerning the saintly
miracles of this virtuous woman and where may be her wone, for that
I have fallen into a calamity, and 'tis my wish to visit her and crave
her prayers, so haply Allah (to Whom be honor and glory!) will,
through her blessings, deliver me from mine evil." Hereat the man
recounted to him the marvels of Fatimah, the devotee, and her piety
and the beauties of her worship, then, taking him by the hand, went
with him without the city and showed him the way to her abode, a
cavern upon a hillock's head. The necromancer acknowledged his
kindness in many words and, thanking him for his good offices,
returned to his cell in the caravanserai.

Now by the fiat of Fate on the very next day Fatimah came down to
the city, and the Maghrabi, the necromancer, happened to leave his
hostelry a-morn, when he saw the folk swarming and crowding. Wherefore
he went up to discover what was to do, and found the devotee
standing a-middlemost the throng, and all who suffered from pain or
sickness flocked to her soliciting a blessing, and praying for her
prayers, and each and every she touched became whole of his illness.
The Moroccan, the necromancer, followed her about until she returned
to her antre. Then, awaiting till the evening evened, he arose and
repaired to a vintner's store, where he drank a cup of wine. After
this he fared forth the city, and finding the devotee's cavern,
entered it and saw her lying prostrate with her back upon a strip of
matting. So he came forward and mounted upon her belly, then he drew
his dagger and shouted at her, and when she awoke and opened her eyes,
she espied a Moorish man with an unsheathed poniard sitting upon her
middle as though about to kill her.

She was troubled and sore terrified, but he said to her: "Hearken!
And thou cry out or utter a word, I will slay thee at this very
moment. Arise now and do all I bid thee." Then he sware to her an oath
that if she obeyed his orders, whatever they might be, he would not do
her die. So saying, he rose up from off her and Fatimah also arose,
when he said to her, "Give me thy gear and take thou my habit,"
whereupon she gave him her clothing and head fillets, her face
kerchief and her mantilla. Then quoth he, "'Tis also requisite that
thou anoint me with somewhat shall make the color of my face like unto
thine." Accordingly she went into the inner cavern, and bringing out a
gallipot of ointment, spread somewhat thereof upon her palm and with
it besmeared his face until its hue favored her own. Then she gave him
her staff and, showing him how to walk and what to do when he
entered the city, hung her rosary around his neck. Lastly she handed
to him a mirror and said, "Now look! Thou differest from me in
naught," and he saw himself Fatimah's counterpart as thou she had
never gone or come. But after obtaining his every object he falsed his
oath and asked for a cord, which she brought to him. Then he seized
her and strangled her in the cavern, and presently, when she was dead,
haled the corpse outside and threw it into a pit hard by and went back
to sleep in her cavern. And when broke the day, he rose, and repairing
to the town, took his stand under the walls of Aladdin's pavilion.

Hereupon flocked the folk about him, all being certified that he was
Fatimah, the devotee, and he fell to doing whatso she was wont to
do. He laid hands on these in pain and recited for those a chapter
of the Koran and made orisons for a third. Presently the thronging
of the folk and the clamoring of the crowd were heard by the Lady Badr
al-Budur, who said to her handmaidens. "Look what is to do, and what
he the cause of this turmoil!" Thereupon the aga of the eunuchry fared
forth to see what might be the matter and, presently returning,
said: "O my lady, this clamor is caused by the Lady Fatimah, and if
thou be pleased to command, I will bring her to thee. So shalt thou
gain through her a blessing." The Princess answered: "Go bring her,
for since many a day I am always hearing of her miracles and her
virtues, and I do long to see her and get a blessing by her
intervention, for the folk recount her manifestations in many cases of
difficulty."

The aga went forth and brought in the Moroccan, the necromancer,
habited in Fatimah's clothing, and when the wizard stood before the
Lady Badr al-Budur, he began at first sight to bless her with a string
of prayers, nor did any one of those present doubt at all but that
he was the devotee herself. The Princess arose and salaamed to him,
then, seating him beside her, said: "O my Lady Fatimah, 'tis my desire
that thou abide with me alway, so might I be blessed through thee, and
also learn of thee the paths of worship and piety and follow thine
example making for salvation." Now all this was a foul deceit of the
accursed African, and he designed furthermore to complete his guile,
so he continued: "O my Lady, I am a poor woman and a religious that
dwelleth in the desert, and the like of me deserveth not to abide in
the palaces of the kings." But the Princess replied: "Have no care
whatever, O my Lady Fatimah. I will set apart for thee an apartment of
my pavilion that thou mayest worship therein, and none shall ever come
to trouble thee. Also thou shalt avail to worship Allah in my place
better than in thy cavern." The Moroccan rejoined: "Hearkening and
obedience, O my lady. I will not oppose thine order, for that the
commands of the children of the kings may not be gainsaid nor
renounced. Only I hope of thee that my eating and my drinking and
sitting may be within my own chamber, which shall be kept wholly
private. Nor do I require or desire the delicacies of diet, but do
thou favor me by sending thy handmaid every day with a bit of bread
and a sup of water, and, when I feel fain of food, let me eat by
myself in my own room."

Now the accursed hereby purposed to avert the danger of haply
raising his face kerchief at mealtimes, when his intent might be
baffled by his beard and mustachios discovering him to be a man. The
Princess replied: "O my Lady Fatimah, be of good heart, naught shall
happen save what thou wishest. But now arise and let me show thee
the apartment in the palace which I would prepare for thy sojourn with
us." The Lady Badr al-Budur arose, and taking the necromancer who
had disguised himself as the devotee, ushered him in to the place
which she had kindly promised him for a home, and said: "O my Lady
Fatimah, here thou shalt dwell with every comfort about thee and in
all privacy and repose, and the place shall be named after thy
name." Whereupon the Maghrabi acknowledged her kindness and prayed for
her. Then the Princess showed him the jalousies and the jeweled
kiosque with its four and twenty windows, and said to him, "What
thinkest thou, O my Lady Fatimah, of this marvelous pavilion?" The
Moorman replied: "By Allah, O my daughter, 'tis indeed passing fine
and wondrous exceedingly, nor do I deem that its fellow is to be found
in the whole universe. But alas for the lack of one thing which
would enhance its beauty and decoration!" The Princess asked her: "O
my Lady Fatimah, what lacketh it, and what be this thing would add
to its adornment? Tell me thereof, inasmuch as I was wont to believe
it wholly perfect." The Moroccan answered: "O my lady, all it
wanteth is that there he hanging from the middle of the dome the egg
of a fowl called the roc, and were this done, the pavilion would
lack its peer all the world over." The Princess asked, "What he this
bird, and where can we find her egg?" and the Moroccan answered, "O my
lady, the roc is indeed a giant fowl which carrieth off camels and
elephants in her pounces and flieth away with them, such is her
stature and strength. Also this fowl is mostly found in Mount Kaf, and
the architect who built this pavilion is able to bring thee one of her
eggs."

They then left such talk, as it was the hour for the noonday meal,
and when the handmaid had spread the table, the Lady Badr alBudur sent
down to invite the accursed African to eat with her. But he accepted
not, and for a reason he would on no wise consent- nay, he rose and
retired to the room which the Princess had assigned to him and whither
the slave girls carried his dinner. Now when evening evened, Aladdin
returned from the chase and met his wife, who salaamed to him, and
he clasped her to his bosom and kissed her. Presently, looking at
her face, he saw thereon a shade of sadness, and he noted that,
contrary to her custom, she did not laugh, so he asked her: "What hath
betided thee, O my dearling? Tell me, hath aught happened to trouble
thy thoughts?" "Nothing whatever," answered she. "But, O my beloved, I
fancied that our pavilion lacked naught at all. However, O eyes of me,
O Aladdin, were the dome of the upper story hung with an egg of the
fowl called roc, there would be naught like it in the universe." Her
husband rejoined: "And for this trifle thou art saddened, when 'tis
the easiest of all matters to me! So cheer thyself, and whatever
thou wantest, 'tis enough thou inform me thereof, and I will bring
it from the abysses of the earth in the quickest time and at the
earliest hour."

Aladdin, after refreshing the spirits of his Princess by promising
her all she could desire, repaired straightway to his chamber and
taking the lamp, rubbed it, when the Marid appeared without let or
delay saying, "Ask whatso thou wantest." Said the other: "I desire
thee to fetch me an egg of the bird roc, and do thou hang it to the
dome crown of this my pavilion." But when the Marid heard these words,
his face waxed fierce and he shouted with a mighty loud voice and a
frightful, and cried: "O denier of kindly deeds, sufficeth it not
for thee that I and all the Slaves of the Lamp are ever at thy
service, but thou must also require me to bring thee our Liege Lady
for thy pleasure, and hang her up at thy pavilion dome for the
enjoyment of thee and thy wife? Now, by Allah, ye deserve, thou and
she, that I reduce you to ashes this very moment and scatter you
upon the air. But inasmuch as ye twain be ignorant of this matter,
unknowing its inner from its outer significance, I will pardon you,
for indeed ye are but innocents. The offense cometh from that accursed
necromancer, brother to the Maghrabi, the magician, who abideth here
representing himself to be Fatimah, the devotee, after assuming her
dress and belongings and murthering her in the cavern. Indeed he
came hither seeking to slay thee by way of blood revenge for his
brother, and 'tis he who taught thy wife to require this matter of
me."

So saying, the Marid evanished. But when Aladdin heard these
words, his wits fled his head and his joints trembled at the Marid's
terrible shout. But he empowered his purpose and, arising
forthright, issued from his chamber and went into his wife's. There he
affected an ache of head, for that he knew how famous was Fatimah
for the art and mystery of healing all such pains. And when the Lady
Badr alBudur saw him sitting hand to head and complaining of unease,
she asked him the cause and he answered, "I know of none other save
that my head acheth exceedingly." Hereupon she straightway bade summon
Fatimah, that the devotee might impose her hand upon his head, and
Aladdin asked her, "Who may this Fatimah be?" So she informed him that
it was Fatimah, the devotee, to whom she had given a home in the
pavilion. Meanwhile the slave girls had fared forth and summoned the
Maghrabi, and when the accursed made act of presence, Aladdin rose
up to him and, acting like one who knew naught of his purpose,
salaamed to him as though he had been the real Fatimah and, kissing
the hem of his sleeve, welcomed him and entreated him with honor,
and said: "O my Lady Fatimah, I hope thou wilt bless me with a boon,
for well I wot thy practice in the healing of pains. I have gotten a
mighty ache in my head." The Moorman, the accursed, could hardly
believe that he heard such words, this being all that he desired.
The necromancer, habited as Fatimah, the devotee, came up to Aladdin
that he might place hand upon his head and heal his ache. So he
imposed one hand and, putting forth the other under his gown, drew a
dagger wherewith to slay him. But Aladdin watched him and, taking
patience till he had wholly unsheathed the weapon, seized him with a
forceful grip and, wrenching the dagger from his grasp, plunged it
deep into his heart.

When the Lady Badr al-Budur saw him do on this wise, she shrieked
and cried out: "What hath this virtuous and holy woman done that
thou hast charged thy neck with the heavy burthen of her blood shed
wrongfully? Hast thou no fear of Allah that thou killest Fatimah, this
saintly woman, whose miracles are far-famed?" "No," replied Aladdin,
"I have not killed Fatimah. I have slain only Fatimah's slayer, he
that is the brother of the Maghrabi, the accursed, the magician, who
carried thee off by his black art and transported my pavilion to the
Africa land. And this damnable brother of his came to our city and
wrought these wiles, murthering Fatimah and assuming her habit, only
that he might avenge upon me his brother's blood. And he also 'twas
who taught thee to require of me a roc's egg, that my death might
result from such requirement. But an thou doubt my speech, come
forward and consider the person I have slain." Thereupon Aladdin
drew aside the Moorman's face kerchief and the Lady Badr al-Budur
saw the semblance of a man with a full heard that well-nigh covered
his features.

She at once knew the truth, and said to her husband, "O my
beloved, twice have I cast thee into death risk!" But he rejoined: "No
harm in that, O my lady. By the blessing of your loving eyes, I accept
with all joy all things thou bringest me." The Princess, hearing these
words, hastened to fold him in her arms and kissed him, saying: "O
my dearling, all this is for my love to thee and I knew naught
thereof, but indeed I do not deem lightly of thine affection." So
Aladdin kissed her and strained her to his breast, and the love
between them waxed but greater. At that moment the Sultan appeared,
and they told him all that had happened, showing him the corpse of the
Maghrabi, the necromancer, when the King commanded the body to be
burned and the ashes scattered on air, even as had befallen the
wizard's brother.

And Aladdin abode with his wife, the Lady Badr al-Budur, in all
pleasure and joyaunce of life, and thenceforward escaped every danger,
and after a while, when the Sultan deceased, his son-in-law was seated
upon the throne of the kingdom. And he commanded and dealt justice
to the lieges so that all the folk loved him, and he lived with his
wife in all solace and happiness until there came to him the Destroyer
of delights and the Severer of societies.

And a tale is also told about

              ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES


IN days of yore and in times and tides long gone before, there dwelt
in a certain town of Persia two brothers, one named Kasim and the
other Ali Baba, who at their father's demise had divided the little
wealth he had left to them with equitable division, and had lost no
time in wasting and spending it all. The elder, however, presently
took to himself a wife, the daughter of an opulent merchant, so that
when his father-in-law fared to the mercy of Almighty Allah, he became
owner of a large shop filled with rare goods and costly wares and of a
storehouse stocked with precious stuffs, likewise of much gold that
was buried in the ground. Thus was he known throughout the city as a
substantial man. But the woman whom Ali Baba had married was poor
and needy. They lived, therefore, in a mean hovel, and Ali Baba eked
out a scanty livelihood by the sale of fuel which he daily collected
in the jungle and carried about the town to the bazaar upon his
three asses.

Now it chanced one day that Ali Baba had cut dead branches and dry
fuel sufficient for his need, and had placed the load upon his beasts,
when suddenly he espied a dust cloud spiring high in air to his
right and moving rapidly toward him, and when he closely considered
it, he descried a troop of horsemen riding on amain and about to reach
him. At this sight he was sore alarmed, and fearing lest perchance
they were a band of bandits who would slay him and drive off his
donkeys, in his affright he began to run. But forasmuch as they were
near-hand and he could not escape from out the forest, he drove his
animals laden with the fuel into a byway of the bushes and swarmed
up a thick trunk of a huge tree to hide himself therein. And he sat
upon a branch whence he could descry everything beneath him whilst
none below could catch a glimpse of him above, and that tree grew
close beside a rock which towered high abovehead.

The horsemen, young, active, and doughty riders, came close up to
the rock face and all dismounted, whereat Ali Baba took good note of
them, and soon he was fully persuaded by their mien and demeanor
that they were a troop of highwaymen who, having fallen upon a
caravan, had despoiled it and carried off the spoil and brought
their booty to this place with intent of concealing it safely in
some cache. Moreover, he observed that they were forty in number.
Ali Baba saw the robbers, as soon as they came under the tree, each
unbridle his horse and hobble it. Then all took off their
saddlebags, which proved to he full of gold and silver. The man who
seemed to he the captain presently pushed forward, load on shoulder,
through thorns and thickets, till he came up to a certain spot,
where he uttered these strange words: "Open, Sesame!" And forthwith
appeared a wide doorway in the face of the rock. The robbers went
in, and last of all their chief, and then the portal shut of itself.

Long while they stayed within the cave whilst Ali Baba was
constrained to abide perched upon the tree, reflecting that if he came
down, peradventure the band might issue forth that very moment and
seize him and slay him. At last he had determined to mount one of
the horses and driving on his asses, to return townward, when suddenly
the portal flew open. The robber chief was first to issue forth, then,
standing at the entrance, he saw and counted his men as they came out,
and lastly he spake the magical words, "Shut, Sesame!" whereat the
door closed of itself. When all had passed muster and review, each
slung on his saddlebags and bridled his own horse, and as soon as
ready they rode off, led by the leader, in the direction whence they
came. Ali Baba remained still perched on the tree and watched their
departure, nor would he descend until what time they were clean gone
out of sight, lest perchance one of them return and look around and
descry him.

Then he thought within himself: "I too will try the virtue of
those magical words and see if at my bidding the door will open and
close." So he called out aloud, "Open, Sesame!" And no sooner had he
spoken than straightway the portal flew open and he entered within. He
saw a large cavern and a vaulted, in height equaling the stature of
a full-grown man, and it was hewn in the live stone and, lighted up
with light that came through air holes and bull's-eyes in the upper
surface of the rock which formed the roof. He had expected to find
naught save outer gloom in this robbers' den, and he was surprised
to see the whole room filled with bales of all manner stuffs, and
heaped up from sole to ceiling with camelloads of silks and brocades
and embroidered cloths and mounds on mounds of varicolored carpetings.
Besides which, he espied coins golden and silvern without measure or
account, some piled upon the ground and others bound in learthern bags
and sacks. Seeing these goods and moneys in such abundance, Ali Bab
determined in his mind that not during a few years only but for many
generations thieves must have stored their gains and spoils in this
place.

When he stood within the cave, its door had closed upon him, yet
he was not dismayed, since he had kept in memory the magical words,
and he took no heed of the precious stuffs around him, but applied
himself only and wholly to the sacks of ashrafis. Of these he
carried out as many as he judged sufficient burthen for the beasts,
then he loaded them upon his animals, and covered his plunder with
sticks and fuel, so none might discern the bags but might think that
he was carrying home his usual ware. Lastly he called out, "Shut,
Sesame!" and forthwith the door closed, for the spell so wrought
that whensoever any entered the cave, its portal shut of itself behind
him, and as he issued therefrom, the same would neither open nor close
again till he had pronounced the words "Shut, Sesame!" Presently,
having laden his asses, Ali Baba urged them before him with all
speed to the city and reaching home, he drove them into the yard, and,
shutting close the outer door, took down first the sticks and fuel and
after the bags of gold, which he carried in to his wife.

She felt them, and finding them full of coin, suspected that Ali
Baba had been robbing, and fell to berating and blaming him for that
he should do so ill a thing. Quoth Ali Baba to his wife, "Indeed I
am no robber, and rather do thou rejoice with me at our good fortune."
Hereupon he told her of his adventure, and began to pour the gold from
the bags in heaps before her, and her sight was dazzled by the sheen
and her heart delighted at his recital and adventures. Then she
began counting the gold, whereat quoth Ali Baba: "O silly woman, how
long wilt thou continue turning over the coin? Now let me dig a hole
wherein to hide this treasure, that none may know its secret." Quoth
she: "Right is thy rede! Still would I weigh the moneys and have
some inkling of their amount," and he replied, "As thou pleasest,
but see thou tell no man." So she went off in haste to Kasim's home to
borrow weights and scales wherewith she might balance the ashrafis and
make some reckoning of their value. And when she could not find Kasim,
she said to his wife, "Lend me, I pray thee, thy scales for a moment."
Replied her sister-in-law, "Hast thou need of the bigger balance or
the smaller?" and the other rejoined, "I need not the large scales,
give me the little," and her sister-in-law cried, "Stay here a
moment whilst I look about and find thy want."

With this pretext Kasim's wife went aside and secretly smeared wax
and suet over the pan of the balance, that she might know what thing
it was Ali Baba's wife would weigh, for she made sure that whatso it
be, some bit thereof would stick to the wax and fat. So the woman took
this opportunity to satisfy her curiosity, and Ali Baba's wife,
suspecting naught thereof, carried home the scales and began to
weigh the gold, whilst Ali Baba ceased not digging. And when the money
was weighed, they twain stowed it into the hole, which they
carefully filled up with earth. Then the good wife took back the
scales to her kinswoman, all unknowing that an ashrafi had adhered
to the cup of the scales. But when Kasim's wife espied the gold
coin, she fumed with envy and wrath, saying to herself: "So ho! They
borrowed my balance to weigh out ashrafis?" And she marveled greatly
whence so poor a man as Ali Baba had gotten such store of wealth
that he should he obliged to weigh it with a pair of scales.

Now after long pondering the matter, when her husband returned
home at eventide, she said to him: "O man, thou deemest thyself a
wight of wealth and substance, but lo! thy brother Ali Baba is an emir
by the side of thee, and richer far than thou art. He hath such
heaps of gold that he must needs weigh his moneys with scales,
whilst thou, forsooth, art satisfied to count thy coin." "Whence
knowest thou this?" asked Kasim. And in answer his wife related all
anent the pair of scales, and how she found an ashrafi stuck to
them, and shewed him the gold coin, which bore the mark and
superscription of some ancient king. No sleep had Kasim all that night
by reason of his envy and jealousy and covetise, and next morning he
rose betimes and going to Ali Baba, said: "O my brother, to all
appearance thou art poor and needy, but in effect thou hast a store of
wealth so abundant that perforce thou must weigh thy gold with
scales." Quoth Ali Baba: "What is this thou sayest? I understand
thee not. Make clear thy purport." And quoth Kasim, with ready rage:
"Feign not that thou art ignorant of what I say, and think not to
deceive me." Then, showing him the ashrafi, he cried: "Thousands of
gold coins such as these thou hast put by, and meanwhile my wife found
this one stuck to the cup of the scales." Then Ali Baba understood how
both Kasim and his wife knew that he had store of ashrafis, and said
in his mind that it would not avail him to keep the matter hidden, but
would rather cause ill will and mischief, and thus he was induced to
tell his brother every whit concerning the bandits and also of the
treasure trove in the cave.

When he had heard the story, Kasim exclaimed: "I would fain learn of
thee the certainty of the place where thou foundest the moneys, also
the magical words whereby the door opened and closed. And I forewarn
thee, an thou tell me not the whole truth, I will give notice of those
ashrafis to the wah, then shalt thou forfeit all thy wealth and he
disgraced and thrown into gaol." Thereupon Ali Baba told him his tale,
not forgetting the magical words, and Kasim, who kept careful heed
of all these matters, next day set out, driving ten mules he had
hired, and readily found the place which Ali Baba had described to
him. And when he came to the aforesaid rock and to the tree whereon
Ali Baba had hidden himself, and he had made sure of the door he cried
in great joy, "Open, Sesame!" The portal yawned wide at once and Kasim
went within and saw the piles of jewels and treasures lying ranged all
around, and as soon as he stood amongst them the door shut after
him, as wont to do. He walked about in ecstasy marveling at the
treasures, and when weary of admiration, he gathered together bags
of ashrafis, a sufficient load for his ten mules, and placed them by
the entrance in readiness to he carried outside and set upon the
beasts. But by the will of Allah Almighty he had clean forgotten the
cabalistic words, and cried out, "Open, Barley!" Whereat the door
refused to move. Astonished and confused beyond measure, he named
the names of all manner of grains save sesame, which had slipped
from his memory as though he had never heard the word, whereat in
his dire distress he heeded not the ashrafis that lay heaped at the
entrance, and paced to and fro, backward and forward, within the cave,
sorely puzzled and perplexed. The wealth whose sight had erewhile
filled his heart with joy and gladness was now the cause of bitter
grief and sadness.

It came to pass that at noontide the robbers, returning by that way,
saw from afar some mules standing beside the entrance, and much they
marveled at what had brought the beasts to that place, for inasmuch as
Kasim by mischance had faded to tether or hobble them, they had
strayed about the jungle and were browsing hither and thither.
However, the thieves paid scant regard to the estrays, nor cared
they to secure them, but only wondered by what means they had wandered
so far from the town. Then, reaching the cave, the captain and his
troop dismounted, and going up to the door, repeated the formula,
and at once it flew open.

Now Kasim had heard from within the cave the horse hoofs drawing
nigh and yet nigher, and he fell down to the ground in a fit of
fear, never doubting that it was the clatter of the banditti who would
slaughter him without fail. Howbeit, he presently took heart of grace,
and at the moment when the door flew open he rushed out hoping to make
good his escape. But the unhappy ran full tilt against the captain,
who stood in front of the band, and felled him to the ground,
whereupon a robber standing near his chief at once bared his brand and
with one cut clave Kasim clean in twain. Thereupon the robbers
rushed into the cavern, and put back as they were before the bags of
ashrafis which Kasim had heaped up at the doorway ready for taking
away, nor recked they aught of those which Ali Baba had removed, so
dazed and amazed were they to discover by what means the strange man
had effected an entrance. All knew that it was not possible for any to
drop through the skylights, so tall and steep was the rock's face,
withal slippery of ascent, and also that none could enter by the
portal unless he knew the magical words whereby to open it. However,
they presently quartered the dead body of Kasim and hung it to the
door within the cavern, two parts to the right jamb and as many to the
left, that the sight might be a warning of approaching doom for all
who dared enter the cave. Then, coming out, they closed the hoard door
and rode away upon their wonted work.

Now when night fell and Kasim came not home, his wife waxed uneasy
in mind, and running round to Ali Baba, said: "O my brother, Kasim
hath not returned. Thou knowest whither he went, and sore I fear me
some misfortune hath betided him." Ali Baba also divined that a mishap
had happened to prevent his return. Not the less, however, he strove
to comfort his sister-in-law with words of cheer, and said: "O wife of
my brother, Kasim haply exerciseth discretion and, avoiding the
city, cometh by a roundabout road and will he here anon. This I do
believe is the reason why he tarrieth." Thereupon, comforted in
spirit, Kasim's wife fared homeward and sat awaiting her husband's
return, but when half the night was spent and still he came not, she
was as one distraught. She feared to cry aloud for her grief, lest
haply the neighbors, hearing her, should come and learn the secret, so
she wept in silence and upbraiding herself, fell to thinking:
"Wherefore did I disclose this secret to him and beget envy and
jealousy of Ali Baba? This be the fruit thereof, and hence the
disaster that hath come down upon me."

She spent the rest of the night in bitter tears, and early on the
morrow hied in hottest hurry to Ali Baba and prayed that he would go
forth in quest of his brother. So he strove to console her, and
straightway set out with his asses for the forest. Presently, reaching
the rock, he wondered to see stains of blood freshly shed, and not
finding his brother or the ten mules, he forefelt a calamity from so
evil a sign. He then went to the door and saying, "Open, Sesame!" he
pushed in and saw the dead body of Kasim, two parts hanging to the
right and the rest to the left of the entrance. Albeit he was
affrighted beyond measure of affright, he wrapped the quarters in
two cloths and laid them upon one of his asses, hiding them
carefully with sticks and fuel that none might see them. Then he
placed the bags of gold upon the two other animals and likewise
covered them most carefully, and when all was made ready he closed the
cave door with the magical words, and set him forth wending homeward
with all ward and watchfulness. The asses with the load of ashrafis he
made over to his wife, and bade her bury the bags with diligence,
but he told her not the condition in which he had come upon his
brother Kasim. Then he went with the other ass- to wit, the beast
whereon was laid the corpse- to the widow's house and knocked gently
at the door.

Now Kasim had a slave girl shrewd and sharp-witted, Morgiana
hight. She as softly undid the bolt and admitted Ali Baba and the
ass into the courtyard of the house, when he let down the body from
the beast's back and said: "O Morgiana, haste thee and make thee ready
to perform the rites for the burial of thy lord. I now go to tell
the tidings to thy mistress, and I will quickly return to help thee in
this matter." At that instant Kasim's widow, seeing her
brother-in-law, exclaimed: "O Ali Baba, what news bringest thou of
my spouse? Alas! I see grief tokens written upon thy countenance.
Say quickly what hath happened." Then he recounted to her how it had
fared with her husband and how he had been slain by the robbers and in
what wise he had brought home the dead body. Ali Baba pursued: "O my
lady, what was to happen hath happened, but it behooveth us to keep
this matter secret, for that our lives depend upon privacy." She
wept with sore weeping and made answer: "It hath fared with my husband
according to the fiat of Fate, and now for thy safety's sake I give
thee my word to keep the affair concealed." He replied: "Naught can
avail when Allah hath decreed. Rest thee in patience until the days of
thy widowhood be accomplisht, after which time I will take thee to
wife, and thou shalt live in comfort and happiness. And fear not
lest my first spouse vex thee or show aught of jealousy, for that
she is kindly and tender of heart." The widow, lamenting her loss
noisily, cried, "Be it as e'en thou please."

Then Ali Baba farewelled her, weeping and wailing for her husband,
and joining Morgiana, took counsel with her how to manage the burial
of his brother. So, after much consultation and many warnings, he left
the slave girl and departed home driving his ass before him. As soon
as Ali Baba had fared forth Morgiana went quickly to a druggist's
shop, and that she might the better dissemble with him and not make
known the matter, she asked of him a drug often administered to men
when diseased with dangerous distemper. He gave it saying: "Who is
there in thy house that lieth so in as to require this medicine?"
and said she: "My master Kasim is sick well nigh unto death. For
many days he hath nor spoken nor tasted aught of food, so that
almost we despair of his life." Next day Morgiana went again and asked
the druggist for more of medicine and essences such as are adhibited
to the sick when at door of death, that the moribund may haply rally
before the last breath. The man gave the potion and she, taking it,
sighed aloud and wept, saying: "I fear me he may not have strength
to drink this draught. Methinks all will be over with him ere I return
to the house."

Meanwhile Ali Baba was anxiously awaiting to hear sounds of
wailing and lamentation in Kasim's home, that he might at such
signal hasten thither and take part in the ceremonies of the
funeral. Early on the second day Morgiana went with veiled face to one
Baba Mustafa, a tailor well shotten in years whose craft was to make
shrouds and cerecloths, and as soon as she saw him open his shop she
gave him a gold piece and said, "Do thou bind a bandage over thine
eyes and come along with me." Mustafa made as though he would not
go, whereat Morgiana placed a second gold coin in his palm and
entreated him to accompany her. The tailor presently consented for
greed of gain, so, tying a kerchief tightly over his eyes, she led him
by the hand to the house wherein lay the dead body of her master.
Then, taking off the bandage in the darkened room, she bade him sew
together the quarters of the corpse, limb to its limb, and casting a
cloth upon the body, said to the tailor: "Make haste and sew a
shroud according to the size of this dead man, and I will give thee
therefor yet another ducat." Baba Mustafa quickly made the cerecloth
of fitting length and breadth, and Morgiana paid him the promised
ashrafi, then, once more bandaging his eyes, led him back to the place
whence she had brought him. After this she returned hurriedly home and
with the help of Ali Baba washed the body in warm water and donning
the shroud, laid the corpse upon a clean place ready for burial.

This done, Morgiana went to the mosque and gave notice to an imam
that a funeral was awaiting the mourners in a certain household, and
prayed that he would come to read the prayers for the dead, and the
imam went back with her. Then four neighbors took up the bier and bore
it on their shoulders and fared forth with the imam and others who
were wont to give assistance at such obsequies. After the funeral
prayers were ended four other men carried off the coffin, and Morgiana
walked before it bare of head, striking her breast and weeping and
wailing with exceeding loud lament, whilst Ali Baba and the
neighbors came behind. In such order they entered the cemetery and
buried him, then, leaving him to Munkar and Nakir- the Questioners of
the Dead- all wended their ways. Presently the women of the quarter,
according to the custom of the city, gathered together in the house of
mourning and sat an hour with Kasim's widow comforting and
condoling, presently leaving her somewhat resigned and cheered. Ali
Baba stayed forty days at home in ceremonial lamentation for the
loss of his brother, so none within the town save himself and his wife
(Kasim's widow) and Morgiana knew aught the secret. And when the forty
days of mourning were ended Ali Baba removed to his own quarters all
the property belonging to the deceased and openly married the widow.
Then he appointed his nephew, his brother's eldest son, who had
lived a long time with a wealthy merchant and was perfect of knowledge
in all matters of trade, such as selling and buying, to take charge of
the defunct's shop and to carry on the business.

It so chanced one day when the robbers, as was their wont, came to
the treasure cave that they marveled exceedingly to find nor sign
nor trace of Kasim's body, whilst they observed that much of gold
had been carried off. Quoth the captain: "Now it behooveth us to
make inquiry in this matter, else shall we suffer much of loss, and
this our treasure, which we and our forefathers have amassed during
the course of many years, will little by little be wasted and
spoiled." Hereto all assented and with single mind agreed that he whom
they had slain had knowledge of the magical words whereby the door was
made to open; moreover, that someone besides him had cognizance of the
spell and had carried off the body, and also much of gold. Wherefore
they needs must make diligent research and find out who the man ever
might be. They then took counsel and determined that one amongst them,
who should be sagacious and deft of wit, must don the dress of some
merchant from foreign parts, then, repairing to the city, he must go
about from quarter to quarter and from street to street and learn if
any townsman had lately died, and if so where he wont to dwell, that
with this clue they might be enabled to find the wight they sought.
Hereat said one of the robbers: "Grant me leave that I fare and find
out such tidings in the town and bring thee word anon, and if I fail
of my purpose I hold my life in forfeit."

Accordingly that bandit, after disguising himself by dress, pushed
at night into the town, and next morning early he repaired to the
market square and saw that none of the shops had yet been opened
save only that of Baba Mustafa, the tailor, who, thread and needle
in hand, sat upon his working stool. The thief bade him good day and
said: "'Tis yet dark. How canst thou see to sew?" Said the tailor:
"I perceive thou art a stranger. Despite my years, my eyesight is so
keen that only yesterday I sewed together a dead body whilst sitting
in a room quite darkened." Quoth the bandit thereupon to himself, "I
shall get somewhat of my want from this snip," and to secure a further
clue he asked: "Meseemeth thou wouldst jest with me, and thou
meanest that a cerecloth for a corpse was stitched by thee and that
thy business is to sew shrouds." Answered the tailor: "It mattereth
not to thee. Question me no more questions."

Thereupon the robber placed an ashrafi in his hand and continued: "I
desire not to discover aught thou hidest, albeit my breast, like every
honest man's, is the grave of secrets, and this only would I learn
of thee- in what house didst thou do that job? Canst thou direct me
thither, or thyself conduct me thereto?" The tailor took the gold with
greed and cried: "I have not seen with my own eyes the way to that
house. A certain bondswoman led me to a place which I know right well,
and there she bandaged my eyes and guided me to some tenement and
lastly carried me into a darkened room where lay the dead body
dismembered. Then she unbound the kerchief and bade me sew together
first the corpse and then the shroud, which having done, she again
blindfolded me and led me back to the stead whence she had brought
me and left me there. Thou seest then I am not able to tell thee where
thou shalt find the house." Quoth the robber: "Albeit thou knowest not
the dwelling whereof thou speakest, still canst thou take me to the
place where thou wast blindfolded. Then I will bind a kerchief over
thine eyes and lead thee as thou wast led. On this wise perchance thou
mayest hit upon the site. An thou wilt do this favor by me, see,
here another golden ducat is thine." Thereupon the bandit slipped a
second ashrafi into the tailor's palm, and Baba Mustafa thrust it with
the first into his pocket. Then, leaving his shop as it was, he walked
to the place where Morgiana had tied the kerchief around his eyes, and
with him went the robber, who, after binding on the bandage, led him
by the hand.

Baba Mustafa, who was clever and keen-witted, presently striking the
street whereby he had fared with the handmaid, walked on counting step
by step, then, halting suddenly, he said, "Thus far I came with
her," and the twain stopped in front of Kasim's house, wherein now
dwelt his brother Ali Baba. The robber then made marks with white
chalk upon the door, to the end that he might readily find it at
some future time, and removing the bandage from the tailor's eyes,
said: "O Baba Mustafa, I thank thee for this favor, and Almighty Allah
guerdon thee for thy goodness. Tell me now, I pray thee, who
dwelleth in yonder house?" Quoth he: "In very sooth I wot not, for I
have little knowledge concerning this quarter of the city." And the
bandit, understanding that he could find no further clue from the
tailor, dismissed him to his shop with abundant thanks, and hastened
back to the tryst place in the jungle where the band awaited his
coming.

Not long after, it so fortuned that Morgiana, going out upon some
errand, marveled exceedingly at seeing the chalk marks showing white
in the door. She stood awhile deep in thought, and presently divined
that some enemy had made the signs that he might recognize the house
and play some sleight upon her lord. She therefore chalked the doors
of all her neighbors in like manner and kept the matter secret,
never entrusting it or to master or to mistress. Meanwhile the
robber told his comrades his tale of adventure and how he had found
the clue, so the captain and with him all the band went one after
other by different ways till they entered the city, and he who had
placed the mark on Ali Baba's door accompanied the chief to point
out the place. He conducted him straightway to the house and shewing
the sign exclaimed, "Here dwelleth he of whom we are in search!" But
when the captain looked around him, he saw that all the dwellings bore
chalk marks after like fashion, and he wondered, saying: "By what
manner of means knowest thou which house of all these houses that bear
similar signs is that whereof thou spokest?" Hereat the robber guide
was confounded beyond measure of confusion, and could make no
answer. Then with an oath he cried: "I did assuredly set a sign upon a
door, but I know not whence came all the marks upon the other
entrances, nor can I say for a surety which it was I chalked."
Thereupon the captain returned to the market place and said to his
men: "We have toiled and labored in vain, nor have we found the
house we went forth to seek. Return we now to the forest, our
rendezvous. I also will fare thither."

Then all trooped off and assembled together within the treasure
cave, and when the robbers had all met, the captain judged him
worthy of punishment who had spoken falsely and had led them through
the city to no purpose. So he imprisoned him in presence of them
all, and then said he: "To him amongst you will I show special favor
who shall go to town and bring me intelligence whereby we may lay
hands upon the plunderer of our property." Hereat another of the
company came forward and said, "I am ready to go and inquire into
the case, and 'tis I who will bring thee to thy wish." The captain,
after giving him presents and promises, dispatched him upon his
errand, and by the decree of Destiny, which none may gainsay, this
second robber went first to the house of Baba Mustafa the tailor, as
had done the thief who had foregone him. In like manner he also
persuaded the snip with gifts of golden coin that he be led
hood-winked, and thus too he was guided to Ali Baba's door. Here,
noting the work of his predecessor, he affixed to the jamb a mark with
red chalk, the better to distinguish it from the others, whereon still
showed the white. Then hied he back in stealth to his company.

But Morgiana on her part also descried the red sign on the entrance,
and with subtle forethought marked all the others after the same
fashion, nor told she any what she had done. Meanwhile the bandit
rejoined his band and vauntingly said: "O our captain, I have found
the house and thereon put a mark whereby I shall distinguish it
clearly from all its neighbors." But, as aforetime, when the troop
repaired thither, they saw each and every house marked with signs of
red chalk. So they returned disappointed and the captain, waxing
displeased exceedingly and distraught, clapped also this spy into
gaol. Then said the chief to himself: "Two men have failed in their
endeavor and have met their rightful meed of punishment, and I trow
that none other of my band will essay to follow up their research.
So I myself will go and find the house of this wight."

Accordingly he fared along, aided by the tador Baba Mustafa, who had
gained much gain of golden pieces in this matter, he hit upon the
house of Ali Baba. And here he made no outward show or sign, but
marked it on the tablet of his heart and impressed the picture upon
the page of his memory. Then, returning to the jungle, he said to
his men: "I have full cognizance of the place and have limned it
clearly in my mind, so now there will be no difficulty in finding
it. Go forth straightway and buy me and bring hither nineteen mules,
together with one large leathern jar of mustard oil and seven and
thirty vessels of the same kind clean empty. Without me and the two
locked up in gaol ye number thirty-seven souls, so I will stow you
away armed and accoutered each within his jar and will load two upon
each mule, and upon the nineteenth mule there shall be a man in an
empty jar on one side and on the other the jar full of oil. I for my
part, in guise of an oil merchant, will drive the mules into the town,
arriving at the house by night, and will ask permission of its
master to tarry there until morning. After this we shall seek occasion
during the dark hours to rise up and fall upon him and slay him."
Furthermore, the captain spake, saying: "When we have made an end of
him we shall recover the gold and treasure whereof he robbed us and
bring it back upon the mules."

This counsel pleased the robbers, who went forthwith and purchased
mules and huge leathern jars, and did as the captain had bidden
them. And after a delay of three days, shortly before nightfall they
arose, and oversmearing all the jars with oil of mustard, each hid him
inside an empty vessel. The chief then disguised himself in trader's
gear and placed the jars upon the nineteen mules; to wit, the
thirty-seven vessels, in each of which lay a robber armed and
accoutered, and the one that was full of oil. This done, he drove
the beasts before him, and presently he reached Ali Baba's place at
nightfall, when it chanced that the housemaster was strolling after
supper to and fro in front of his home. The captain saluted him with
the salaam and said: "I come from such-and-such a village with oil,
and ofttimes have I been here a-selling oil, but now to my grief I
have arrived too late and I am sore troubled and perplexed as to where
I shall spend the night. An thou have pity on me, I pray thee grant
that I tarry here in thy courtyard and ease the mules by taking down
the jars and giving the beasts somewhat of fodder." Albeit Ali Baba
had heard the captain's voice when perched upon the tree and had
seen him enter the cave, yet by reason of the disguise he knew him not
for the leader of the thieves, and granted his request with hearty
welcome and gave him full license to halt there for the night. He then
pointed out an empty shed wherein to tether the mules, and bade one of
the slave boys go fetch grain and water. He also gave orders to the
slave girl Morgiana, saying: "A guest hath come hither and tarrieth
here tonight. Do thou busy thyself with all speed about his supper and
make ready the guest bed for him."

Presently, when the captain had let down all the jars and had fed
and watered his mules, Ali Baba received him with all courtesy and
kindness, and summoning Morgiana, said in his presence: "See thou fail
not in service of this our stranger, nor suffer him to lack for aught.
Tomorrow early I would fare to the hammam and bathe, so do thou give
my slave boy Abdullah a suit of clean white clothes which I may put on
after washing. Moreover, make thee ready a somewhat of broth
overnight, that I may drink it after my return home." Replied she,
"I will have all in readiness as thou hast bidden." So Ali Baba
retired to his rest, and the captain, having supped, repaired to the
shed and saw that all the mules had their food and drink for the
night, and finding utter privacy, whispered to his men who were in
ambush: "This night at midnight, when ye hear my voice, do you quickly
open with your sharp knives the leathern jars from top to bottom,
and issue forth without delay." Then, passing through the kitchen,
he reached the chamber wherein a bed had been dispread for him,
Morgiana showing the way with a lamp. Quoth she, "An thou need aught
beside, I pray thee command this thy slave, who is ever ready to
obey thy say!" He made answer, "Naught else need I." Then, putting out
the light, he lay down on the bed to sleep awhile ere the time came to
rouse his men and finish off the work.

Meanwhile Morgiana did as her master had bidden her. She first
took out a suit of clean white clothes and made it over to Abdullah,
who had not yet gone to rest. Then she placed the pigskin upon the
hearth to boil the broth and blew the fire till it burnt briskly.
After a short delay she needs must see an the broth be boiling, but by
that time all the lamps had gone out and she found that the oil was
spent and that nowhere could she get a light. The slave boy Abdullah
observed that she was troubled and perplexed hereat, and quoth he to
her: "Why make so much ado? In yonder shed are many jars of oil. Go
now and take as much soever as thou listest." Morgiana gave thanks
to him for his suggestion, and Abdullah, who was lying at his ease
in the hall, went off to sleep so that he might wake betimes and serve
Ali Baba in the bath. So the handmaiden rose, and with oil can in hand
walked to the shed where stood the leathern jars all ranged in rows.

Now as she drew nigh unto one of the vessels, the thief who was
hidden therein, hearing the tread of footsteps, bethought him that
it was of his captain, whose summons he awaited, so he whispered,
"Is it now time for us to sally forth?" Morgiana started back
affrighted at the sound of human accents, but inasmuch as she was bold
and ready of wit, she replied, "The time is not yet come," and said to
herself: "These jars are not full of oil, and herein I perceive a
manner of mystery. Haply the oil merchant hatcheth some treacherous
plot against my lord, so Allah, the Compassionating, the
Compassionate, protect us from his snares!" Wherefore she answered
in a voice made like to the captain's, "Not yet, the time is not
come." Then she went to the next jar and returned the same reply to
him who was within, and soon to all the vessels, one by one. Then said
she in herself: "Laud to the Lord! My master took this fellow in
believing him to he an oil merchant, but lo! he hath admitted a band
of robbers, who only await the signal to fall upon him and plunder the
place and do him die."

Then passed she on to the furthest jar and, finding it brimming with
oil, filled her can. and returning to the kitchen, trimmed the lamp
and lit the wicks. Then, bringing forth a large caldron, she set it
upon the fire, and filling it with oil from out the jar, heaped wood
upon the hearth and fanned it to a fierce flame, the readier to boil
its contents. When this was done, she bailed it out in potfuls and
poured it seething hot into the leathern vessels, one by one, while
the thieves, unable to escape, were scalded to death and every jar
contained a corpse. Thus did this slave girl by her subtle wit make
a clean end of all, noiselessly and unknown even to the dwellers in
the house. Now when she had satisfied herself that each and every of
the men had been slain, she went back to the kitchen and, shutting
to the door, sat brewing Ali Baba's broth.

Scarce had an hour passed before the captain woke from sleep and,
opening wide his window, saw that all was dark and silent. So he
clapped his hands as a signal for his men to come forth, but not a
sound was heard in return. After a while he clapped again and called
aloud, but got no answer, and when he cried out a third time without
reply, he was perplexed and went out to the shed wherein stood the
jars. He thought to himself: "Perchance all are fallen asleep,
whenas the time for action is now at hand, so I must e'en awaken
them without stay or delay." Then, approaching the nearest jar, he was
startled by a smell of oil and seething flesh, and touching it
outside, he felt it reeking hot. Then, going to the others one by one,
he found all in like condition. Hereat he knew for a surety the fate
which had betided his band and, fearing for his own safety, he clomb
onto the wall, and thence dropping into a garden, made his escape in
high dudgeon and sore disappointment. Morgiana awaited awhile to see
the Captain return from the shed but he came not, whereat she knew
that he had scaled the wall and had taken to flight, for that the
street door was double-locked. And the thieves being all disposed of
on this wise, Morgiana laid her down to sleep in perfect solace and
ease of mind.

When two hours of darkness yet remained, Ali Baba awoke and went
to the hammam, knowing naught of the night adventure, for the
gallant slave girl had not aroused him, nor indeed had she deemed such
action expedient, because had she sought an opportunity of reporting
to him her plan, she might haply have lost her chance and spoiled
the project. The sun was high over the horizon when Ali Baba walked
back from the baths, and he marveled exceedingly to see the jars still
standing under the shed, and said: "How cometh it that he, the oil
merchant, my guest, hath not carried to the market his mules and
jars of oil?" She answered: "Allah Almighty vouchsafe to thee sixscore
years and ten of safety! I will tell thee in privacy of this
merchant."
So Ali Baba went apart with his slave girl, who, taking him without
the house, first locked the court door, then, showing him a jar, she
said, "Prithee look into this and see if within there be oil or
aught else."

Thereupon, peering inside it, he perceived a man, at which sight
he cried aloud and fain would have fled in his fright. Quoth Morgiana:
"Fear him not. This man hath no longer the force to work thee harm, he
lieth dead and stone-dead." Hearing such words of comfort and
reassurance, Ali Baba asked: "O Morgiana, what evils have we
escaped, and by what means hath this wretch become the quarry of
Fate?" She answered: "Alhamdolillah- praise be to Almighty Allah!- I
will inform thee fully of the case. But hush thee, speak not aloud,
lest haply the neighbors learn the secret and it end in our confusion.
Look now into all the jars, one by one from first to last." So Ali
Baba examined them severally and found in each a man fully armed and
accoutered, and all lay scalded to death. Hereat, speechless for sheer
amazement, he stared at the jars, but presently, recovering himself,
he asked, "And where is he, the oil merchant?" Answered she: "Of him
also I will inform thee. The villain was no trader, but a traitorous
assassin whose honeyed words would have ensnared thee to thy doom. And
now I will tell thee what he was and what hath happened, but meanwhile
thou art fresh from the hammam and thou shouldst first drink
somewhat of this broth for thy stomach's and thy health's sake." So
Ali Baba went within and Morgiana served up the mess, after which
quoth her master: "I fain would hear this wondrous story. Prithee tell
it to me, and set my heart at ease." Hereat the handmaid fell to
relating whatso had betided in these words:

"O my master, when thou badest me boil the broth and retiredst to
rest, thy slave in obedience to thy command took out a suit of clean
white clothes and gave it to the boy Abdullah, then kindled the fire
and set on the broth. As soon as it was ready I had need to light a
lamp so that I might see to skim it, but all the oil was spent, and,
learning this, I told my want to the slave boy Abdullah, who advised
me to draw somewhat from the jars which stood under the shed.
Accordingly I took a can and went to the first vessel, when suddenly I
heard a voice within whisper with all caution, 'Is it now time for
us to sally forth?' I was amazed thereat, and judged that the
pretended merchant had laid some plot to slay thee, so I replied, 'The
time is not yet come.' Then I went to the second jar and heard another
voice, to which I made the like answer, and so on with all of them.
I now was certified that these men awaited only some signal from their
chief, whom thou didst take to guest within thy walls supposing him to
he a merchant in oil, and that after thou receivedst him hospitably
the miscreant had brought these men to murther thee and to plunder thy
good and spoil thy house.

"But I gave him no opportunity to will his wish. The last jar I
found full of od, and taking somewhat therefrom, I lit the lamp. Then,
putting a large caldron upon the fire, I filled it up with oil which I
brought from the jar and made a fierce blaze under it, and when the
contents were seething hot, I took out sundry cansful with intent to
scald them all to death, and going to each jar in due order, I
poured within them, one by one, boiling oil. On this wise having
destroyed them utterly, I returned to the kitchen, and having
extinguished the lamps, stood by the window watching what might
happen, and how that false merchant would act next. Not long after I
had taken my station, the robber captain awoke and ofttimes signaled
to his thieves. Then, getting no reply, he came downstairs and went
out to the jars, and finding that all his men were slain, he fled
through the darkness, I know not whither. So when he had clean
disappeared I was assured that, the door being double-locked, he had
scaled the wall and dropped into the garden and made his escape.
Then with my heart at rest I slept."

And Morgiana, after telling her story to her master, presently
added: "This is the whole truth I have related to thee. For some
days indeed have I had inkling of such matter, but withheld it from
thee, deeming it inexpedient to risk the chance of its meeting the
neighbors' ears. Now, however, there is no help but to tell thee
thereof. One day as I came to the house door I espied thereon a
white chalk mark, and on the next day a red sign beside the white. I
knew not the intent wherewith the marks were made, nevertheless I
set others upon the entrances of sundry neighbors, judging that some
enemy had done this deed, whereby to encompass my master's
destruction. Therefore I made the marks on all the other doors in such
perfect conformity with those I found that it would be hard to
distinguish amongst them. Judge now and see if these signs and all
this villainy be not the work of the bandits of the forest, who marked
our house that on such wise they might know it again. Of these forty
thieves there yet remain two others concerning whose case I know
naught, so beware of them, but chiefly of the third remaining
robber, their captain, who fled hence alive. Take good heed and be
thou cautious of him, for shouldst thou fall into his hands, he will
in no wise spare thee, but will surely murther thee. I will do all
that lieth in me to save from hurt and harm thy life and property, nor
shall thy slave be found wanting in any service to my lord."

Hearing these words, Ali Baba rejoiced with exceeding joyance and
said to her: "I am well pleased with thee for this thy conduct, and
say me what wouldst thou have me do in thy behalf. I shall not fail to
remember thy brave deed so long as breath in me remaineth." Quoth she:
"It behooveth us before all things forthright to bury these bodies
in the ground, that so the secret be not known to anyone." Hereupon
Ali Baba took with him his slave boy Abdullah into the garden and
there under a tree they dug for the corpses of the thieves a deep
pit in size proportionate to its contents, and they dragged the bodies
(having carried off their weapons) to the fosse and threw them in.
Then, covering up the remains of the seven and thirty robbers, they
made the ground appear level and clean as it wont to be. They also hid
the leathern jars and the gear and arms, and presently Ali Baba sent
the mules by ones and twos to the bazaar and sold them all with the
able aid of his slave boy Abdullah. Thus the matter was hushed up, nor
did it reach the ears of any. However, Ali Baba ceased not to be ill
at ease, lest haply the captain or the surviving two robbers should
wreak their vengeance on his head. He kept himself private with all
caution, and took heed that none learn a word of what had happened and
of the wealth which he had carried off from the bandits' cave.

Meanwhile the captain of the thieves, having escaped with his
life, fled to the forest in hot wrath and sore irk of mind, and his
senses were scattered and the color of his visage vanished like
ascending smoke. Then he thought the matter over again and again,
and at last he firmly resolved that he needs must take the life of Ali
Baba, else he would lose all the treasure which his enemy, by
knowledge of the magical words, would take away and turn to his own
use. Furthermore, he determined that he would undertake the business
singlehanded; and that after getting rid of Ali Baba, he would
gather together another band of banditti and would pursue his career
of brigandage, as indeed his forebears had done for many
generations. So he lay down to rest that night, and rising early in
the morning, donned a dress of suitable appearance, then, going to the
city, alighted at a caravanserai, thinking to himself: "Doubtless
the murther of so many men hath reached the wali's ears, and Ali
Baba hath been seized and brought to justice, and his house is leveled
and his good is confiscated. The townfolk must surely have heard
tidings of these matters." So he straightway asked of the keeper of
the khan, "What strange things have happened in the city during the
last few days?" And the other told him all that he had seen and heard,
but the captain could not learn a whit of that which most concerned
him. Hereby he understood that Ali Baba was ware and wise, and that he
had not only carried away such store of treasure, but he had also
destroyed so many lives and withal had come off scatheless.
Furthermore, that he himself must needs have all his wits alert not to
fall into the hands of his foe and perish.

With this resolve the captain hired a shop in the bazaar, whither he
bore whole bales of the finest stuffs and goodly merchandise from
his forest treasure house, and presently he took his seat within the
store and fell to doing merchant's business. By chance his place
fronted the booth of the defunct Kasim, where his son, Ali Baba's
nephew, now traded, and the captain, who called himself Khwajah Hasan,
soon formed acquaintance and friendship with the shopkeepers around
about him and treated all with profuse civilities. But he was
especially gracious and cordial to the son of Kasim, a handsome
youth and a well-dressed, and ofttimes he would sit and chat with
him for a long while. A few days after, it chanced that Ali Baba, as
he was sometimes wont to do, came to see his nephew, whom he found
sitting in his shop. The captain saw and recognized him at sight,
and one morning he asked the young man, saying, "Prithee tell me, who
is he that ever and anon cometh to thee at thy place of sale?" Whereto
the youth made answer, "He is my uncle, the brother of my father."
Whereupon the captain showed him yet greater favor and affection,
the better to deceive him for his own devices, and gave him presents
and made him sit at meat with him and fed him with the daintiest of
dishes.

Presently Ali Baba's nephew bethought him it was only right and
proper that he also should invite the merchant to supper, but
whereas his own house was small, and he was straitened for room and
could not make a show of splendor, as did Khwajah Hasan, he took
counsel with his uncle on the matter. Ali Baba replied to his
nephew: "Thou sayest well. It behooveth thee to entreat thy friend
in fairest fashion even as he hath entreated thee. On the morrow,
which is Friday, shut thy shop, as do all merchants of repute. Then,
after the early meal, take Khwajah Hasan to smell the air, and as thou
walkest lead him hither unawares. Meanwhile I will give orders that
Morgiana shall make ready for his coming the best of viands and all
necessaries for a feast. Trouble not thyself on any wise, but leave
the matter in my hands." Accordingly on the next day- to wit,
Friday- the nephew of Ali Baba took Khwajah Hasan to walk about the
garden, and as they were returning he led him by the street wherein
his uncle dwelt. When they came to the house, the youth stopped at the
door and knocking, said: "O my lord, this is my second home. My
uncle hath heard much of thee and of thy goodness meward, and desireth
with exceeding desire to see thee, so shouldst thou consent to enter
and visit him, I shall be truly glad and thankful to thee." Albeit
Khwajah Hasan rejoiced in heart that he had thus found means whereby
he might have access to his enemy's house and household, and
although he hoped soon to attain his end by treachery, yet he
hesitated to enter in and stood to make his excuses and walk away.

But when the door was opened by the slave porter, Ali Baba's
nephew seized his companion's hand and after abundant persuasion led
him in, whereat he entered with great show of cheerfulness as though
much pleased and honored. The housemaster received him with all
favor and worship and asked him of his welfare, and said to him: "O my
lord, I am obliged and thankful to thee for that thou hast shewn favor
to the son of my brother, and I perceive that thou regardest him
with an affection even fonder than my own." Khwajah Hasan replied with
pleasant words and said: "Thy nephew vastly taketh my fancy and in him
I am well pleased, for that although young in years yet he hath been
endued by Allah with much of wisdom."

Thus they twain conversed with friendly conversation, and
presently the guest rose to depart and said: "O my lord, thy slave
must now farewell thee, but on some future day- Inshallah- he will
again wait upon thee." Ali Baba, however, would not let him leave, and
asked: "Whither wendest thou, O my friend? I would invite thee to my
table, and I pray thee sit at meat with us and after hie thee home
in peace. Perchance the dishes are not as delicate as those whereof
thou art wont to eat, still deign grant me this request, I pray
thee, and refresh thyself with my victual." Quoth Khwajah Hasan: "O
lord, I am beholden to thee for thy gracious invitation, and with
pleasure would I sit at meat with thee, but for a special reason
must I needs excuse myself. Suffer me therefore to depart, for I may
not tarry longer, nor accept thy gracious offer." Hereto the host made
reply: "I pray thee, O my lord, tell me what may be the reason so
urgent and weighty." And Khwajah Hasan answered: "The cause is this. I
must not, by order of the physician who cured me lately of my
complaint, eat aught of food prepared with salt." Quoth Ali Baba:
"An this be all, deprive me not, I pray thee, of the honor thy company
will confer upon me. As the meats are not yet cooked, I will forbid
the kitchener to make use of any salt. Tarry here awhile, and I will
return anon to thee." So saying, Ali Baba went in to Morgiana and bade
her not put salt into any one of the dishes, and she, while busied
with her cooking, fell to marveling greatly at such order and asked
her master, "Who is he that eateth meat wherein is no salt?" He
answered: "What to thee mattereth it who he may be? Only do thou my
bidding." She rejoined: "'Tis well. All shall be as thou wishest." But
in mind she wondered at the man who made such strange request, and
desired much to look upon him.

Wherefore, when all the meats were ready for serving up, she
helped the slave boy Abdullah to spread the table and set on the meal,
and no sooner did she see Khwajah Hasan than she knew who he was,
albeit he had disguised himself in the dress of a stranger merchant.
Furthermore, when she eyed him attentively, she espied a dagger hidden
under his robe. "So ho!" quoth she to herself. "This is the cause
why the villain eateth not of salt, for that he seeketh an opportunity
to slay my master, whose mortal enemy he is. Howbeit I will be
beforehand with him and dispatch him ere he find a chance to harm my
lord." Now when Ali Baba and Khwajah Hasan had eaten their
sufficiency, the slave boy Abdullah brought Morgiana word to serve the
dessert, and she cleared the table and set on fruit fresh and dried in
salvers, then she placed by the side of Ali Baba a small tripod for
three cups with a flagon of wine, and lastly she went off with the
slave boy Abdullah into another room, as though she would herself
eat supper. Then Khwajah Hasan- that is, the captain of the
robbers- perceiving that the coast was clear, exulted mightily,
saying to himself: "The time hath come for me to take full
vengeance. With one thrust of my dagger I will dispatch this fellow,
then escape across the garden and wend my ways. His nephew will not
adventure to stay my hand, for an he do but move a finger or toe
with that intent, another stab with settle his earthly account.
Still must I wait awhile until the slave boy and the cookmaid shall
have eaten and lain down to rest them in the kitchen."

Morgiana, however, watched him wistfully and divining his purpose,
said in her mind: "I must not allow this villain advantage over my
lord, but by some means I must make void his project and at once put
an end to the life of him." Accordingly the trusty slave girl
changed her dress with all haste and donned such clothes as dancers
wear. She veiled her face with a costly kerchief, around her head
she bound a fine turban, and about her middle she tied a waistcloth
worked with gold and silver, wherein she stuck a dagger whose hilt was
rich in filigree and jewelry. Thus disguised, she said to the slave
boy Abdullah: "Take now thy tambourine, that we may play and sing
and dance in honor of our master's guest." So he did her bidding and
the twain went into the room, the lad playing and the lass
following. Then, making a low congee, they asked leave to perform
and disport and play, and Ali Baba gave permission, saying, "Dance now
and do your best that this our guest may he mirthful and merry." Quoth
Khwajah Hasan, "O my lord, thou dost indeed provide much pleasant
entertainment."

Then the slave boy Abdullah, standing by, began to strike the
tambourine whilst Morgiana rose up and showed her perfect art and
pleased them vastly with graceful steps and sportive motion. And
suddenly, drawing the poniard from her belt, she brandished it and
paced from side to side, a spectacle which pleased them most of all.
At times also she stood before them, now clapping the sharp-edged
dagger under armpit and then setting it against her breast. Lastly she
took the tambourine from the slave boy Abdullah, and still holding the
poniard in her right, she went round for largess as is the custom
amongst merrymakers. First she stood before Ali Baba, who threw a gold
coin into the tambourine, and his nephew likewise put in an ashrafi.
Then Khwajah Hasan, seeing her about to approach him, fell to
pulling out his purse, when she heartened her heart, and quick as
the blinding levin she plunged the dagger into his vitals, and
forthwith the miscreant fell back stone-dead.

Ali Baba was dismayed, and cried in his wrath: "O unhappy, what is
this deed thou hast done to bring about my ruin?" But she replied:
"Nay, O my lord, rather to save thee and not to cause thee harm have I
slain this man. Loosen his garments and see what thou wilt discover
thereunder." So Ali Baba searched the dead man's dress and found
concealed therein a dagger.

Then said Morgiana: "This wretch was thy deadly enemy. Consider
him well. He is none other than the oil merchant, the captain of the
band of robbers. Whenas he came hither with intent to take thy life,
he would not eat thy salt, and when thou toldest me that he wished not
any in the meat, I suspected him, and at first sight I was assured
that he would surely do thee die. Almighty Allah he praised, 'tis even
as I thought." Then Ali Baba lavished upon her thanks and
expressions of gratitude, saying, "Lo, these two times hast thou saved
me from his hand," and falling upon her neck, he cried: "See, thou art
free, and as reward for this thy fealty I have wedded thee to my
nephew." Then, turning to the youth, he said: "Do as I bid thee and
thou shalt prosper. I would that thou marry Morgiana, who is a model
of duty and loyalty. Thou seest now yon Khwajah Hasan sought thy
friendship only that he might find opportunity to take my life, but
this maiden with her good sense and her wisdom hath slain him and
saved us."

Ali Baba's nephew straightway consented to marry Morgiana. After
which the three, raising the dead body, bore it forth with all heed
and vigilance and privily buried it in the garden, and for many
years no one know aught thereof. In due time Ali Baba married his
brother's son to Morgiana with great pomp, and spread a bride feast in
most sumptuous fashion for his friends and neighbors, and made merry
with them and enjoyed singing and all manner of dancing and
amusements. He prospered in every undertaking and Time smiled upon him
and a new source of wealth was opened to him.

For fear of the thieves he had not once visited the jungle cave
wherein lay the treasure since the day he had carried forth the corpse
of his brother Kasim. But some time after, he mounted his hackney
one morning and journeyed thither, with all care and caution, till
finding no signs of man or horse, and reassured in his mind, he
ventured to draw near the door. Then, alighting from his beast, he
tied it up to a tree, and going to the entrance, pronounced the
words which he had not forgotten, "Open, Sesame!" Hereat, as was its
wont, the door flew open, and entering thereby he saw the goods and
hoard of gold and silver untouched and lying as he had left them. So
he felt assured that not one of all the thieves remained alive, and
that save himself there was not a soul who knew the secret of the
place. At once he bound in his saddlecloth a load of ashrafis such
as his horse could bear and brought it home, and in after days he
showed the hoard to his sons and sons' sons and taught them how the
door could he caused to open and shut. Thus Ali Baba and his household
lived all their lives in wealth and joyance in that city where erst he
had been a pauper, and by the blessing of that secret treasure he rose
to high degree and dignities.
CONCLUSION

                          CONCLUSION


NOW during this time Scheherazade had borne the King three boy
children, so when she had made an end of the story, she rose to her
feet and kissing ground before him, said, "O King of the Time and
unique one of the Age and the Tide, I am thine handmaid, and these
thousand nights and a night have I entertained thee with stories of
folk gone before and admonitory instances of the men of yore. May I
then make bold to crave a boon of thy Highness?" He replied, "Ask, O
Scheherazade, and it shall be granted to thee." Whereupon she cried
out to the nurses and the eunuchs, saying, "Bring me my children."
So they brought them to her in haste, and they were three boy
children, one walking, one crawling, and one suckling. She took
them, and setting them before the King, again kissed the ground and
said: "O King of the Age, these are thy children, and I crave that
thou release me from the doom of death, as a dole to these infants.
For an thou kill me, they will become motherless and will find none
among women to rear them as they should he reared."

When the King heard this, he wept, and straining the boys to his
bosom, said: "By Allah, O Scheherazade, I pardoned thee before the
coming of these children, for that I found thee chaste, pure,
ingenuous, and pious! Allah bless thee and thy father and thy mother
and thy root and thy branch! I take the Almighty to witness against me
that I exempt thee from aught that can harm thee." So she kissed his
hands and feet and rejoiced with exceeding joy, saying, "The Lord make
thy life long and increase thee in dignity and majesty!" presently
adding: "Thou marveledst at that which befell thee on the part of
women; yet there betided the Kings of the Chosroes before thee greater
mishaps and more grievous than that which hath befallen thee; and
indeed I have set forth unto thee that which happened to caliphs and
kings and others with their women, but the relation is longsome and
hearkening groweth tedious, and in this is all-sufficient warning
for the man of wits and admonishment for the wise."

Then she ceased to speak, and when King Shahryar heard her speech
and profited by that which she said, he summoned up his reasoning
powers and cleansed his heart and caused his understanding revert
and turned to Allah Almighty and said to himself: "Since there
befell the Kings of the Chosroes more than that which hath befallen
me, never whilst I live shall I cease to blame myself for the past. As
for this Scheherazade, her like is not found in the lands, so praise
be to Him who appointed her a means for delivering His creatures
from oppression and slaughter!" Then he arose from his seance and
kissed her head, whereat she rejoiced, she and her sister Dunyazade,
with exceeding joy.

When the morning morrowed, the king went forth and sitting down on
the throne of the kingship, summoned the lords of his land,
whereupon the chamberlains and nabobs and captains of the host went in
to him and kissed ground before him. He distinguished the Wazir,
Scheherazade's sire, with special favor and bestowed on him a costly
and splendid robe of honor and entreated him with the utmost kindness,
and said to him: "Allah protect thee for that thou gavest me to wife
thy noble daughter, who hath been the means of my repentance from
slaying the daughters of folk. Indeed I have found her pure and pious,
chaste and ingenuous, and Allah hath vouchsafed me by her three boy
children, wherefore praised be He for his passing favor." Then he
bestowed robes of honor upon his wazirs and emirs and chief
officers, and he set forth to them briefly that which had betided
him with Scheherazade and how he had turned from his former ways and
repented him of what he had done and purposed to take the Wazir's
daughter, Scheherazade, to wife and let draw up the marriage
contract with her. When those who were present heard this, they kissed
the ground before him and blessed him and his betrothed
Scheherazade, and the Wazir thanked her. Then Shahryar made an end
of his sitting in all weal, whereupon the folk dispersed to their
dwelling places and the news was bruited abroad that the King purposed
to marry the Wazir's daughter, Scheherazade.

Then he proceeded to make ready the wedding gear, and presently he
sent after his brother, King Shah Zaman, who came, and King Shahryar
went forth to meet him with the troops. Furthermore, they decorated
the city after the goodliest fashion, and diffused scents from censers
and burnt aloes wood and other perfumes in all the markets and
thoroughfares, and rubbed themselves with saffron, what while the
drums beat and the flutes and pipes sounded and mimes and
mountebanks played and plied their arts and the King lavished on
them gifts and largess. And in very deed it was a notable day. When
they came to the palace, King Shahryar commanded to spread the
tables with beasts roasted whole and sweetmeats and all manner of
viands, and bade the crier cry to the folk that they should come up to
the Divan and eat and drink, and that this should be a means of
reconciliation between him and them. So high and low, great and small,
came up unto him, and they abode on that wise, eating and drinking
seven days with their nights.

Then the King shut himself up with his brother and related to him
that which had betided him with the Wazir's daughter, Scheherazade,
during the past three years, and told him what he had heard from her
of proverbs and parables, chronicles and pleasantries, quips and
jests, stories and anecdotes, dialogues and histories and elegies
and other verses. Whereat King Shah Zaman marveled with the
uttermost marvel and said: "Fain would I take her younger sister to
wife, so we may be two brothers german to two sisters german, and
they on like wise be sisters to us; for that the calamity which befell
me was the cause of our discovering that which befell thee, and all
this time of three years past I have taken no delight in woman, save
that I lie each night with a damsel of my kingdom, and every morning
I do her to death. But now I desire to marry thy wife's sister,
Dunyazade."

When King Shahryar heard his brother's words, he rejoiced with joy
exceeding and arising forthright, went in to his wife, Scheherazade,
and acquainted her with that which his brother purposed, namely that
he sought her sister, Dunyazade in wedlock, whereupon she answered: "O
King of the Age, we seek of him one condition; to wit, that he take up
his abode with us, for that I cannot brook to be parted from my sister
an hour, because we were brought up together and may not endure
separation each from other. If he accept this pact, she is his
handmaid." King Shahryar returned to his brother and acquainted him
with that which Scheherazade had said, and he replied: "Indeed, this
is what was in my mind, for that I desire nevermore to be parted
from thee one hour. As for the kingdom, Allah the Most High shall send
to it whomso He chooseth, for that I have no longer a desire for the
kinship." When King Shahryar heard his brother's words, he rejoiced
exceedingly and said: "Verily, this is what I wished, O my brother. So
Alhamdolillah- praised be Allah- who hath brought about union between
us."

Then he sent after the kazis and ulema, captains and notables, and
they married the two brothers to the two sisters. The contracts were
written out and the two Kings bestowed robes of honor of silk and
satin on those who were present, whilst the city was decorated and the
rejoicings were renewed. The King commanded each emir and wazir and
chamberlain and nabob to decorate his palace, and the folk of the city
were gladdened by the presage of happiness and contentment. King
Shahryar also bade slaughter sheep and set up kitchens and made
bride feasts and fed all comers, high and low; and he gave alms to the
poor and needy and extended his bounty to great and small. Then the
eunuchs went forth, that they might perfume the hammam for the brides,
so they scented it with rose-water and willow-flower water and pods of
musk and fumigated it with Kakili eagle wood and ambergris. Then
Scheherazade entered, she and her sister Dunyazade, and they
cleansed their heads and clipped their hair.

When they came forth of the hammam bath, they donned raiment and
ornaments such as men were wont prepare for the Kings of the Chosroes;
and among Scheherazade's apparel was a dress purfled with red gold and
wrought with counterfeit presentments of birds and beasts. And the two
sisters encircled their necks with necklaces of jewels of price, in
the like whereof Iskandar rejoiced not, for therein were great
jewels such as amazed the wit and dazzled the eye. And the imagination
was bewildered at their charms, for indeed each of them was brighter
than the sun and the moon. Before them they lighted brilliant
flambeaux of wax in candelabra of gold, but their faces outshone the
flambeaux, for that they had eyes sharper than unsheathed swords and
the lashes of their eyelids bewitched all hearts. Their cheeks were
rosy red and their necks and shapes gracefully swayed and their eyes
wantoned like the gazelle's. And the slave girls came to meet them
with instruments of music. Then the two Kings entered the hammam bath,
and when they came forth, they sat down on a couch set with pearls and
gems, whereupon the two sisters came up to them and stood between
their hands, as they were moons, bending and leaning from side to side
in their beauty and loveliness.

Presently they brought forward Scheherazade and displayed her, for
the first dress, in a red suit, whereupon King Shahryar rose to look
upon her and the wits of all present, men and women, were bewitched
for that she was even as saith of her one of her describers:

   A sun on wand in knoll of sand she showed,
   Clad in her cramoisy-hued chemisette.
   Of her lips' honeydew she gave me drink
   And with her rosy cheeks quencht fire she set.

Then they attired Dunyazade in a dress of blue brocade and she
became as she were the full moon when it shineth forth. So they
displayed her in this, for the first dress, before King Shah Zaman,
who rejoiced in her and well-nigh swooned away for love longing and
amorous desire. Yea, he was distraught with passion for her whenas
he saw her, because she was as saith of her one of her describers in
these couplets:

   She comes appareled in an azure vest,
   Ultramarine as skies are deckt and dight.
   I view'd th' unparalleled sight, which showed my eyes
   A summer moon upon a winter night.

Then they returned to Scheherazade and displayed her in the second
dress, a suit of surpassing goodliness, and veiled her face with her
hair like a chin veil. Moreover, they let down her side locks, and she
was even as saith of her one of her describers in these couplets:

   O hail to him whose locks his cheeks o'ershade,
   Who slew my life by cruel hard despite.
   Said I, "Hast veiled the morn in night?" He said,
   "Nay I but veil moon in hue of night."

Then they displayed Dunyazade in a second and a third and a fourth
dress, and she paced forward like the rising sun, and swayed to and
fro in the insolence of beauty, and she was even as saith the poet
of her in these couplets:

   The sun of beauty she to all appears
   And, lovely coy, she mocks all loveliness.
   And when he fronts her favor and her smile
   A-morn, the sun of day in clouds must dress.

Then they displayed Scheherazade in the third dress and the fourth and
the fifth, and she became as she were a ban branch snell or a
thirsting gazelle, lovely of face and perfect in attributes of
grace, even as saith of her one in these couplets:

   She comes like fullest moon on happy night,
   Taper of waist with shape of magic might.
   She hath an eye whose glances quell mankind,
   And ruby on her cheeks reflects his light.
   Enveils her hips the blackness of her hair-
   Beware of curls that bite with viper bite!
   Her sides are silken-soft, that while the heart
   Mere rock behind that surface 'scapes our sight.
   From the fringed curtains of her eyne she shoots
   Shafts that at furthest range on mark alight.

Then they returned to Dunyazade and displayed her in the fifth dress
and in the sixth, which was green, when she surpassed with her
loveliness the fair of the four quarters of the world, and outvied
with the brightness of her countenance the full moon at rising tide,
for she was even as saith of her the poet in these couplets:

  A damsel 'twas the tirer's art had decked with snare and sleight,
  And robed with rays as though the sun from her had borrowed light.
  She came before us wondrous clad in chemisette of green,
  As veiled by his leafy screen Pomegranate hides from sight.
  And when he said, "How callest thou the fashion of thy dress?"
  She answered us in pleasant way with double meaning dight:
  "We call this garment crevecoeur, and rightly is it hight,
  For many a heart wi' this we brake and harried many a sprite."

Then they displayed Scheherazade in the sixth and seventh dresses
and clad her in youth's clothing, whereupon she came forward swaying
from side to side and coquettishly moving, and indeed she ravished
wits and hearts and ensorceled all eyes with her glances. She shook
her sides and swayed her haunches, then put her hair on sword hilt and
went up to King Shahryar, who embraced her as hospitable host
embraceth guest, and threatened her in her ear with the taking of
the sword, and she was even as saith of her the poet in these words:

   Were not the murk of gender male,
   Than feminines surpassing fair,
   Tirewomen they had grudged the bride,
   Who made her beard and whiskers wear!

Thus also they did with her sister Dunyazade, and when they had made
an end of the display, the King bestowed robes of honor on all who
were present and sent the brides to their own apartments. Then
Scheherazade went in to King Shahryar and Dunyazade to King, Shah
Zaman, and each of them solaced himself with the company of his
beloved consort and the hearts of the folk were comforted.

When morning morrowed, the Wazir came in to the two Kings and kissed
ground before them, wherefore they thanked him and were large of
bounty to him. Presently they went forth and sat down upon couches
of kingship, whilst all the wazirs and emirs and grandees and lords of
the land presented themselves and kissed ground. King Shahryar ordered
them dresses of honor and largess, and they prayed for the
permanence and prosperity of the King and his brother.

Then the two sovereigns appointed their sire-in-law, the Wazir, to
be Viceroy in Samarkand, and assigned him five of the chief emirs to
accompany him, charging them attend him and do him service. The
Minister kissed the ground and prayed that they might be vouchsafed
length of life. Then he went in to his daughters, whilst the eunuchs
and ushers walked before him, and saluted them and farewelled them.
They kissed his hands and gave him joy of the kingship and bestowed on
him immense treasures, after which he took leave of them and setting
out, fared days and nights till he came near Samarkand, where the
townspeople met him at a distance of three marches and rejoiced in him
with exceeding joy. So he entered the city and they decorated the
houses, and it was a notable day. He sat down on the throne of his
kingship and the wazirs did him homage and the grandees and emirs of
Samarkand, and all prayed that he might be vouchsafed justice and
victory and length of continuance. So he bestowed on them robes of
honor and entreated them with distinction, and they made him Sultan
over them.

As soon as his father-in-law had departed for Samarkand, King
Shahryar summoned the grandees of his realm and made them a stupendous
banquet of all manner of delicious meats and exquisite sweetmeats.
He also bestowed on them robes of honor and guerdoned them, and
divided the kingdoms between himself and his brother in their
presence, whereat the folk rejoiced. Then the two Kings abode, each
ruling a day in turn, and they were ever in harmony each with other,
while on similar wise their wives continued in the love of Allah
Almighty and in thanksgiving to Him. And the peoples and the provinces
were at peace and the preachers prayed for them from the pulpits,
and their report was bruited abroad and the travelers bore tidings
of them to all lands.

In due time King Shahryar summoned chroniclers and copyists and bade
them write all that had betided him with his wife, first and last.
So they wrote this and named it The Stories of the Thousand Nights and
a Night. The book came to thirty volumes, and these the King laid up
in his treasury. And the two brothers abode with their wives in all
pleasaunce and solace of life and its delights, for that indeed
Allah the Most High had chanced their annoy into joy, and on this wise
they continued till there took them the Destroyer of delights and
the Severer of societies, the Desolator of dwelling places and Gamerer
of graveyards, and they were translated to the ruth of Almighty Allah.
Their houses fell waste and their palaces lay in ruins and the kings
inherited their riches.

Then there reigned after them a wise ruler, who was just,
keen-witted, and accomplished, and loved tales and legends, especially
those which chronicle the doings of sovereigns and sultans, and he
found in the treasury these marvelous stories and wondrous
histories, contained in the thirty volumes aforesaid. So he read in
them a first book and a second and a third and so on to the last of
them, and each book astounded and delighted him more than that which
preceded it, till he came to the end of them. Then he admired whatso
he had read therein of description and discourse and rare traits and
anecdotes and moral instances and reminiscences, and bade the folk
copy them and dispread them over all lands and climes, wherefore their
report was bruited abroad and the people named them The Marvels and
Wonders of the Thousand Nights and a Night. This is all that hath come
down to us of the origin of this book, and Allah is All-knowing. So
Glory he to Him Whom the shifts of Time waste not away, nor doth aught
of chance or change affect His sway, Whom one case diverteth not
from other case and Who is sole in the attributes of perfect grace.
And prayer and peace he upon the Lord's Pontiff and Chosen One among
His creatures, our lord MOHAMMED, the Prince of mankind, through
whom we supplicate Him for a goodly and a godly


                             FINIS