upon his cheek.

Alaeddin was astonished at the Maugrabin's behaviour; so he asked him
and said to him, "What is the cause of thy weeping, O my lord, and
whence knewest thou my father?" The Maugrabin answered him, in a
mournful, broken voice, [156] saying, "How, O my son, canst thou ask me
this question, after telling me that thy father, my brother, is dead,
for thy father was [indeed] my brother [157] and I am newly come from my
country and was rejoicing exceedingly, after this my strangerhood, of my
expectation that I should see him and solace myself with him; [158] and
now thou tellest me that he is dead! Marry, blood discovered unto me
that [159] thou wast the son of my brother, and indeed I knew thee from
amongst all the lads; although thy father, when I left him, was not yet
married. And [160] now, O my son Alaeddin," continued he, "I have lost
my consolation [161] and my joy in thy father, my brother, whom I had
hoped, after my strangerhood, to see ere I died; but separation hath
afflicted me in him [162] and there is no fleeing from that which is
[163] nor is there any resource against the ordinance of God the Most
High."

Then he took Alaeddin and said to him, "O my son, I have no comfort
[163] but in thee [164] and thou art [to me] in the stead of thy father,
since thou art his successor and whoso leaveth [a successor] is not
dead, O my son." With this he put his hand [to his pocket] and bringing
out ten diners, gave them to Alaeddin, saying, "O my son, where is your
house and where is thy mother, my brother's wife?" So Alaeddin took him
and showed him the way to their house; and the magician said to him, "O
my son, take these monies and give them to thy mother and salute her
on my behalf and tell her that thine uncle is come back from his
strangerhood; and God willing, to-morrow I will come visit you, so I
may salute her and look upon the house wherein my brother dwelt and see
where his tomb is." [165] Alaeddin kissed his hand and hastened home,
running in his joy, to his mother and entered, contrary to his wont, for
that he was not used to go in to her save at eating-times. So he went in
to her, rejoicing, and said to her, "O my mother, I bring thee glad news
of my uncle, in that he is come back from his absence, and he saluteth
thee." "O my son," quoth she, "meseemeth thou makest mock of me. Who is
thine uncle and whence hast thou an uncle on life?" And he said to her,
"O my mother, why didst thou tell me