day would never break. [FN#206] So, when he heard a knocking at the door, he went out at once in haste, like a spark of fire, and opening, found his uncle the Maugrabin.  The latter embraced him and kissed him and took him by the hand, saying, “O son of my brother, to-day I will show thee a thing such as thou never sawest in thy life.”  Then they went off together and the Maugrabin fell to making merry with [FN#207] Alaeddin and amusing him with familiar talk.  They went forth the gate of the city and the Maugrabin proceeded to walk with him among the gardens and to show him the fine pleasaunces and marvellous high-builded palaces; and whenassoever they looked upon a garden or a palace [FN#208] or a pavilion, [FN#209] he would stand and say to Alaeddin, “Doth this please thee, O my son Alaeddin?”

Alaeddin was like to fly for joy, inasmuch as he saw that which he had never in his life seen, and they gave not over walking and gazing till they were weary, when they entered a fine garden there, that cheered the heart and brightened the eye with its springs [FN#210] welling up among flowers and its waters issuing from the mouths of lions of brass like unto gold, and sitting down by a lake, rested awhile.  As for Alaeddin, he rejoiced and was exceeding glad and fell a-jesting with the Mangrabin and making merry with him, as he were his uncle in very deed.  Then the latter arose and loosing his girdle, brought out therefrom a bag full of victual and fruit and the like and said to Alaeddin, “O son of my brother, thou art maybe anhungred; come, eat what thou wilt.”  So Alaeddin proceeded to eat and the Maugrabin with him and they were gladdened and refreshed and their souls were cheered.  Then said the Maugrabin, “Rise, O my son, an thou be rested, so we may walk a little and fare onward.” [FN#211] So Alaeddin arose and the Maugrabin walked on with him from garden to garden till they had passed them all and came to a high mountain. [FN#212]

Now Alaeddin had never gone forth the gate of the city nor in all his life had he walked the like of that walk; so he said to the Maugrabin, “O my uncle, whither are we going?  See, we have left all the gardens behind us and are come to the foot of a mountain. [FN#213] If the way be [yet] far, I have no strength left me for walking, for that I am worn out with fatigue and there remain no more gardens before us; so let us turn back and return to the city.”  “O my son,” replied the Maugrabin, “this is the way and the gardens are not yet at an end, for we are going [FN#214] to view a garden, whose like is not with the kings and compared with which all these which thou hast seen are as nothing.  So gird up thy loins [FN#215] for walking; praised be God, thou art a man.”  And he fell to amusing him with fair words and telling him rare stories, true and false, till they reached the place at which this Maugrabin enchanter aimed and in quest whereof he was come from Barbary [FN#216] to the land of China;