ssoever they looked upon a garden or a
palace [208] or a pavilion, [209] he would stand and say to Alaeddin,
"Doth this please thee, O my son Alaeddin?"

Alaeddin was like to fly for joy, inasmuch as he saw that which he had
never in his life seen, and they gave not over walking and gazing till
they were weary, when they entered a fine garden there, that cheered
the heart and brightened the eye with its springs [210] welling up among
flowers and its waters issuing from the mouths of lions of brass like
unto gold, and sitting down by a lake, rested awhile. As for Alaeddin,
he rejoiced and was exceeding glad and fell a-jesting with the Mangrabin
and making merry with him, as he were his uncle in very deed. Then the
latter arose and loosing his girdle, brought out therefrom a bag full
of victual and fruit and the like and said to Alaeddin, "O son of
my brother, thou art maybe anhungred; come, eat what thou wilt." So
Alaeddin proceeded to eat and the Maugrabin with him and they were
gladdened and refreshed and their souls were cheered. Then said the
Maugrabin, "Rise, O my son, an thou be rested, so we may walk a little
and fare onward." [211] So Alaeddin arose and the Maugrabin walked on
with him from garden to garden till they had passed them all and came to
a high mountain. [212]

Now Alaeddin had never gone forth the gate of the city nor in all his
life had he walked the like of that walk; so he said to the Maugrabin,
"O my uncle, whither are we going? See, we have left all the gardens
behind us and are come to the foot of a mountain. [213] If the way be
[yet] far, I have no strength left me for walking, for that I am worn
out with fatigue and there remain no more gardens before us; so let us
turn back and return to the city." "O my son," replied the Maugrabin,
"this is the way and the gardens are not yet at an end, for we are going
[214] to view a garden, whose like is not with the kings and compared
with which all these which thou hast seen are as nothing. So gird up thy
loins [215] for walking; praised be God, thou art a man." And he fell
to amusing him with fair words and telling him rare stories, true and
false, till they reached the place at which this Maugrabin enchanter
aimed and in quest whereof he was come from Barbary [216] to the land of
China; whereupon, "O son of my brother," quoth he to Alaeddin, "sit and
rest thee; this is the place for which we were making; and now, please
God, I will show thee marvello