ll circumspection into yonder vault till
thou come to the bottom thereof and thou wilt find there a place divided
into four chambers, [229] in each of which thou wilt see four jars of
gold and others of native ore and silver. Beware lest thou handle them
or take aught therefrom, but pass them by till thou come to the fourth
chamber, and let not thy clothes or thy skirts touch the jars, no, nor
the walls, and stay not one moment; for, an thou do contrary to this,
thou wilt forthright be transformed and wilt become a black stone. When
thou comest to the fourth chamber, thou wilt find there a door; open
it and speak the names which thou spokest over the slab; then enter and
thou wilt find thyself in a garden, all adorned with trees and fruits.
Thence do thou fare on some fifty cubits in the path thou wilt find
before thee and thou wilt come to a dais, [230] with [231] a stair of
some thirty steps. Above the dais thou [232] wilt find a lamp hung up;
take it and pour out the oil that is therein and put it in thy sleeve;
[233] and fear not for thy clothes therefrom, for that it [234] is not
oil. And as thou returnest, thou mayst pluck from the trees what thou
wilt, for that it is thine, what while the lamp abideth in thy hand."

When the Maugrabin had made an end of his speech, he drew from his
finger a ring and putting it on Alaeddin's finger, said to him, "And
this ring, O, my son, shall deliver thee from all hurt and all fear that
may betide thee, provided thou observe all that I have said to thee. So
now arise and go down; gird thy loins and summon up thy resolution and
fear not, for that thou art a man and not a child; and after this, O
my son, thou shalt in a little time become the richest of mankind."
So Alaeddin arose and going down into the underground, found the four
chambers and in each four jars of gold. He passed them by with all care
and precaution, even as the Maugrabin had bidden him, and entering the
garden, fared on there through till he came to the dais and mounting the
stair, entered [235] and found the lamp. So he quenched it and pouring
out the oil that was therein, put it in his sleeve; then, going down
into the garden, he fell to gazing upon its trees, whereon were birds
extolling with their songs [236] the perfection of the Great Creator,
and he had not seen them as he entered. Now the fruits of these trees
were all precious stones, each tree bearing fruit of one colour and
kind of jewel, and these fru