“Well, my friend, and what do you think now?  Have you ever heard of anyone who has suffered more, or had more narrow escapes than I have?  Is it not just that I should now enjoy a life of ease and tranquillity?”

Hindbad drew near, and kissing his hand respectfully, replied, “Sir, you have indeed known fearful perils; my troubles have been nothing compared to yours.  Moreover, the generous use you make of your wealth proves that you deserve it.  May you live long and happily in the enjoyment of it.”

Sindbad then gave him a hundred sequins, and henceforward counted him among his friends; also he caused him to give up his profession as a porter, and to eat daily at his table that he might all his life remember Sindbad the Sailor.

ALADDIN’S WONDERFUL LAMP

There once lived a poor tailor, who had a son called Aladdin, a careless, idle boy, who would do nothing but play all day long in the streets with little idle boys like himself.  This so grieved the father that he died; yet, in spite of his mother’s tears and prayers, Aladdin did not mend his ways.  One day, when he was playing in the streets as usual, a stranger asked him his age, and if he were not the son of Mustapha the tailor.

“I am, sir,” replied Aladdin; “but he died a long while ago.”

On this the stranger, who was a famous African magician, fell on his neck and kissed him, saying:  “I am your uncle, and knew you from your likeness to my brother.  Go to your mother and tell her I am coming.”

Aladdin ran home, and told his mother of his newly-found uncle.

“Indeed, child,” she said, “your father had a brother, but I always thought he was dead.”

However, she prepared supper, and bade Aladdin seek his uncle, who came laden with wine and fruit.  He presently fell down and kissed the place where Mustapha used to sit, bidding Aladdin’s mother not to be surprised at not having seen him before, as he had been forty years out of the country.  He then turned to Aladdin and asked him his trade, at which the boy hung his head, while his mother burst into tears.  On learning that Aladdin was idle and would learn no trade, he offered to take a shop for him and stock it with merchandise.  Next day he bought Aladdin a fine suit of clothes, and took him all over the city, showing him the sights, and brought him home at nightfall to his mother, who was overjoyed to see her son so fine.

Next day the magician led Aladdin into some beautiful gardens a long way outside the city gates.  They sat down by a fountain, and the magician pulled a cake from his girdle, which he divided between them.  They then journeyed onwards till they almost reached the mountains.  Aladdin was so tired that he begged to go back, but the magician beguiled him with pleasant stories, and led him on in spite of himself.

At last they came to two mountains divided by a narrow valley.