and distance from him.  And at last my longings drave me home-wards until I resolved upon travelling to the region which was the falling-place of my head[FN#74] and my homestead, to the end that I might again see my brother.  Then Quoth I to myself, ’O man,[FN#75] how long wilt thou wander like a wild Arab from thy place of birth and native stead?  Moreover, thou hast one brother and no more; so up with thee and travel and look upon him[FN#76] ere thou die; for who wotteth the woes of the world and the changes of the days?  ’Twould be saddest regret an thou lie down to die without beholding thy brother and Allah (laud be to the Lord!) hath vouchsafed thee ample wealth; and belike he may be straitened and in poor case, when thou wilt aid thy brother as well as see him.’  So I arose at once and equipped me for wayfare and recited the Fatihah; then, whenas Friday prayers ended, I mounted and travelled to this town, after suffering manifold toils and travails which I patiently endured whilst the Lord (to whom be honour and glory!) veiled me with the veil of His protection.  So I entered and whilst wandering about the streets, the day before yesterday, I beheld my brother’s son Alaeddin disporting himself with the boys and, by God the Great, O wife of my brother, the moment I saw him this heart of mine went forth to him (for blood yearneth unto blood!), and my soul felt and informed me that he was my very nephew.  So I forgot all my travails and troubles at once on sighting him and I was like to fly for joy; but, when he told me of the dear one’s departure to the ruth of Allah Almighty, I fainted for stress of distress and disappointment.  Perchance, however, my nephew hath informed thee of the pains which prevailed upon me; but after a fashion I am consoled by the sight of Alaeddin the legacy bequeathed to us by him who hath found mercy for that ’whoso leaveth issue is not wholly dead.’"[FN#77]—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

       When it was the Five Hundred and Nineteenth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and good will.”—­It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that the Maghrabi, the Magician, said to Alaeddin’s mother, “Whoso leaveth issue is not wholly dead.”  And when he looked at his sister-in-law she wept at these his words; so he turned to the lad that he might cause her forget the mention of her mate, as a means of comforting her and also of completing his deceit, and asked him, saying, “O my son Alaeddin what hast thou learned in the way of work and what is thy business?  Say me, hast thou mastered any craft whereby to earn a livelihood for thyself and for thy mother?” The lad was abashed and put to shame and he hung down his head and bowed his brow groundwards; but his parent spake out, “How, forsooth?  By Allah, he knoweth nothing at all, a child so ungracious as this