seen but the place where the fire had been, by which he could
nearly judge the situation of the cave. Then turning himself
towards the town, he perceived it at a distance in the midst of
the gardens that surrounded it, and saw the way by which the
magician had brought him. Returning God thanks to find himself
once more in the world, he made the best of his way home. When he
got within his mother's door, the joy to see her and his weakness
for want of sustenance for three days made him faint, and he
remained for a long time as dead. His mother, who had given him
over for lost, seeing him in this condition, omitted nothing to
bring him to himself. As soon as he recovered, the first words he
spoke, were, "Pray, mother, give me something to eat, for I have
not put a morsel of anything into my mouth these three days." His
mother brought what she had, and set it before him. "My son,"
said she, "be not too eager, for it is dangerous; eat but little
at a time, and take care of yourself. Besides, I would not have
you talk; you will have time enough to tell me what has happened
to you when you are recovered. It is a great comfort to me to see
you again, after the affliction I have been in since Friday, and
the pains I have taken to learn what was become of you."

Alla ad Deen took his mother's advice, and ate and drank
moderately. When he had done, "Mother," said he to her, "I cannot
help complaining of you, for abandoning me so easily to the
discretion of a man who had a design to kill me and who at this
very moment thinks my death certain. You believed he was my
uncle, as well as I; and what other thoughts could we entertain
of a man who was so kind to me, and made such advantageous
proffers? But I must tell you, mother, he is a rogue and a cheat,
and only made me those promises to accomplish my death; but for
what reason neither you nor I can guess. For my part, I can
assure you, I never gave him any cause to justify the least ill
treatment from him. You shall judge yourself, when you have heard
all that passed from the time I left you, till he came to the
execution of his wicked design."

Alla ad Deen then related to his mother all that had happened to
him from the Friday, when the magician took him to see the
palaces and gardens about the town, and what fell out in the way,
till they came to the place between the two mountains where the
great prodigy was to be performed; how, with incense which the
magician threw into th