ts ravished the wits, O my mother, for that they were all of
various-coloured crystal, [277] and I fared on till I came to the
pavilion [278] wherein was this lamp; whereupon I took it forthright and
quenching it, poured out that which was therein."

[So saying,] he pulled out the lamp from his sleeve and showed it to his
mother. Moreover, he showed her the jewels which he had brought from
the garden. Now there were two great purses [279] full of these jewels,
whereof not one was to be found with the kings of mankind; and Alaeddin
knew not their value, but thought that they were glass or crystal.
"Then, O my mother," continued he, "after I had fetched the lamp and had
gone forth [the garden] and came to the door of the treasure, I cried
out to the accursed Maugrabin, who feigned himself my uncle, to give me
his hand and pull me up, for I was laden with things which weighed me
down, so that it was not possible for me to mount alone. However, he
would not give me his hand, but said to me, 'Reach me the lamp that
is with thee, and after I will give thee my hand and pull thee up.'
I, seeing that I had put the lamp within my sleeve and the purses atop
[280] of it, could not reach it to give it to him and said to him, 'O
my-uncle, I cannot give thee the lamp. When I come up, I will give it
to thee.' But he would not help me up; nay, he would e'en have the lamp,
and his intent was to take it from me and turn back the earth over me
and destroy me, even as he did with me in the end. This, then, O my
mother, was what befell me from that foul wizard." And he told her all
that had passed between them from first to last and fell to reviling
the Maugrabin with all rancour and heat of heart, saying, "Out on this
accursed one, this foul sorcerer, this hard-hearted oppressor, this
inhuman, perfidious, hypocritical villain, lacking [281] all mercy and
ruth!"

When [282] Alaeddin's mother heard her son's speech and that which the
accursed Maugrabin did with him, she said to him, "Yea, verily, O my
son, he is a misbeliever and a hypocrite, who destroyeth folk with his
sorcery; but glory [283] to God the Most High, who hath delivered thee
from the perfidy and guile of this accursed sorcerer, of whom I thought
that he was in very deed thine uncle." Now, Alaeddin had passed three
days without sleep and found himself drowsy; so he [withdrew to his
chamber and] slept. His mother did likewise and Alaeddin ceased not to
sleep till next day, [284