its were of all colours, green and white and
yellow and red and what not else of colours. Their glitterance outshone
the rays of the sun in its forenoon splendour and the bigness of each
jewel overpassed description; suffice it that not one of them might be
found with the greatest of the kings of the world, [237] no, nor a gem
half the bigness of the smallest that was there.

Alaeddin [238] entered among the trees and proceeded to gaze upon them
and upon these things which amazed the sight and ravished the sense
and observing them, saw that, instead of fruits, they bore magnificent
jewels from the mines, emeralds and diamonds and rubies and pearls and
topazes [239] and the like of precious stones, such as confounded the
wit. Now, for that this was a thing Alaeddin had never in his life seen,
neither was he of ripe age, so he should know the value of these jewels,
by reason of his being yet a young lad, he thought that they were all
glass or crystal; so he gathered of them what filled his sleeves [240]
and fell to looking an they were grapes or figs and the like of fruits
that might be eaten or not; but, finding them like glass, he proceeded
to gather in his sleeve [241] of every kind that was upon the trees,
albeit he knew not jewels nor their worth, saying in himself, since he
had been baulked in his intent of eating, "I will gather of these fruits
of glass and will play with them at home." Accordingly he proceeded to
pluck and put in his pockets [242] and his sleeves [243] till he filled
them; after which he filled his girdle with the fruits and girt himself
withal; in fine, he carried off as much as he might, purposing to lay
them up with him in the house by way of ornament, for that he thought
them glass, as I have said. Then he quickened his pace, of his fear of
his uncle the Maugrabin, and hastened through the four chambers and the
[outer] vault nor looked, as he returned, at the jars of gold, albeit he
might now have taken of them. [244]

When he came to the stair [245] and ascended it and there remained to
him but a small matter, to wit, the last step, which was much higher
than the others, he could not avail to mount it of himself, having
regard to that which he was carrying; so he said to the Maugrabin, "O
my uncle, give me thy hand and help me up." Quoth he, "O my son, give
me the lamp and lighten thyself; maybe it is that which hindereth thee."
"Nay, O my uncle," answered Alaeddin, "the lamp hindereth me nou