The Maghrabi replied, “O my nephew, thou art to me as my own child and even dearer, for being my brother’s son and for my having none other kith and kin except thyself; and thou, O my child, art my heir and successor.”  So saying, he went up to Alaeddin and kissed him and said, “For whom do I intend these my labours?  Indeed, each and every are for thy sake, O my son, to the end that I may leave thee a rich man and one of the very greatest.  So gainsay me not in all I shall say to thee, and now go up to yonder ring and uplift it as I bade thee.”  Alaeddin answered, “O uncle mine, this ring is over heavy for me:  I cannot raise it single-handed, so do thou also come forward and lend me strength and aidance towards uplifting it, for indeed I am young in years.”  The Moorman replied, “O son of my brother, we shall find it impossible to do aught if I assist thee, and all our efforts would be in vain.  But do thou set thy hand upon the ring and pull it up, and thou shalt raise the slab forth-right, and in very sooth I told thee that none can touch it save thyself.  But whilst haling at it cease not to pronounce thy name and the names of thy father and mother, so ’twill rise at once to thee nor shalt thou feel its weight.”  Thereupon the lad mustered up strength and girt the loins of resolution and did as the Maroccan had bidden him, and hove up the slab with all ease when he pronounced his name and the names of his parents, even as the Magician had bidden him.  And as soon as the stone was raised he threw it aside.—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

      When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-fifth 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 after Alaeddin had raised the slab from over the entrance to the Hoard there appeared before him a Sardab, a souterrain, whereunto led a case of some twelve stairs and the Maghrabi said, “O Alaeddin, collect thy thoughts and do whatso I bid thee to the minutest detail nor fail in aught thereof.  Go down with all care into yonder vault until thou reach the bottom and there shalt thou find a space divided into four halls,[FN#88] and in each of these thou shalt see four golden jars[FN#89] and others of virgin or and silver.  Beware, however, lest thou take aught therefrom or touch them, nor allow thy gown or its skirts even to brush the jars or the walls.  Leave them and fare forwards until thou reach the fourth hall without lingering for a single moment on the way; and, if thou do aught contrary thereto thou wilt be at once transformed and become a black stone.  When reaching the fourth hall thou wilt find therein a door which do thou open, and pronouncing the names thou spakest over the slab, enter there through into a garden adorned everywhere with fruit-bearing trees.  This thou must traverse by a path thou wilt see in front of thee measuring some fifty cubits long, beyond which thou wilt come upon an open saloon[FN#90] and therein a ladder of some thirty rungs.  And thou shalt also see hanging from its ceiling”—­ And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.