arge white
bread cakes on two plates, two flagons of wine, and two silver
cups. All these he placed upon a carpet, and disappeared; this
was done before Alla ad Deen's mother recovered from her swoon.
Alla ad Deen had fetched some water, and sprinkled it in her
face, to recover her: whether that or the smell of the meat
brought her to life again, it was not long before she came to
herself. "Mother," said Alla ad Deen, "do not mind this; get up,
and come and eat; here is what will put you in heart, and at the
same time satisfy my extreme hunger: do not let such delicious
meat get cold."
His mother was much surprised to see the great tray, twelve
dishes, six loaves, the two flagons and cups, and to smell the
savoury odour which exhaled from the dishes. "Child," said she,
"to whom are we obliged for this great plenty and liberality? Has
the sultan been made acquainted with our poverty, and had
compassion on us?" "It is no matter, mother," said Alla ad Deen,
"let us sit down and eat; for you have almost as much need of a
good breakfast as myself; when we have done, I will tell you."
Accordingly both mother and son sat down, and ate with the better
relish as the table was so well furnished. But all the time Alla
ad Deen's mother could not forbear looking at and admiring the
tray and dishes, though she could not judge whether they were
silver or any other metal, and the novelty more than the value
attracted her attention.
The mother and son sat at breakfast till it was dinner-time, and
then they thought it would be best to put the two meals together;
yet after this they found they should have enough left for
supper, and two meals for the next day.
When Alla ad Deen's mother had taken away and set by what was
left, she went and sat down by her son on the sofa, saying, "I
expect now that you should satisfy my impatience, and tell me
exactly what passed between the genie and you while I was in a
swoon;" which he readily complied with.
She was in as great amazement at what her son told her, as at the
appearance of the genie; and said to him, "But, son, what have we
to do with genii? I never heard that any of my acquaintance had
ever seen one. How came that vile genie to address himself to me,
and not to you, to whom he had appeared before in the cave?"
"Mother," answered Alla ad Deen, "the genie you saw is not the
one who appeared to me, though he resembles him in size; no, they
had quite different persons and habit
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