and found himself drowsy; so he [withdrew to his chamber and] slept.  His mother did likewise and Alaeddin ceased not to sleep till next day, [FN#284] near noontide, when he awoke and immediately sought somewhat to eat, for that he was anhungred; and his mother said to him, “O my son, I have nought to give thee to eat, for that all I had by me thou atest yesterday.  But wait awhile; I have here a little yarn by me and I am going down to the market, so I may sell it and buy thee withal somewhat thou mayst eat.”  “O my mother,” rejoined Alaeddin, “keep the yarn and sell it not; but give me the lamp which I brought home, so I may arise and sell it and with its price buy somewhat we may eat.  Methinketh it will fetch more than the yarn.”  So she arose and fetched the lamp; but, finding it exceeding dirty, she said to him, “O my son, this lamp is dirty, and if we wash it and furbish it, it will sell for a better price.”  Accordingly she took a little sand and fell to scouring the lamp withal; but scarce had she begun to rub it when there appeared to her one of the Jinn, foul of favour and monstrous of make as he were of the giants, and said to her, “Say what thou wilt of me.  Here am I, thy slave and the slave of whoso hath in his hand the lamp; and not I alone, but all the slaves of the wonderful lamp that is in thy hand.”  When she saw his frightful aspect, she trembled and fear get hold upon her and her tongue was tied, nor could she return an answer, for that she was not used to look upon apparitions like unto this; so [FN#285] she fell down aswoon of her terror.

Now Alaeddin her son was standing afar off and he had seen the slave of the ring which he had rubbed in the treasure; so, when he heard the genie’s speech to his mother, he hastened to take the lamp from her hand and said to him, “O slave of the lamp, I am hungry; my will is that thou bring me somewhat I may eat, and be it somewhat good past conceit.” [FN#286] The genie was absent the twinkling of an eye and [returning,] brought him a great costly tray of sheer silver, whereon were twelve platters of various kinds and colours [FN#287] of rich meats and two silver cups and two flagons [FN#288] of clarified old wine and bread whiter than snow; all which he set before him and disappeared.  So Alaeddin arose and sprinkled rosewater on his mother’s face and made her smell to strong [FN#289] perfumes; whereupon she revived and he said to her, “Rise, O my mother, so we may eat of this food that God the Most High hath vouchsafed us.” [FN#290] When she saw the great silver tray, she marvelled and said to Alaeddin, “O my son, who is the generous, the bountiful one that hath sought out our hunger [FN#291] and our poverty?  Indeed, we are beholden to him. [FN#292] Apparently the Sultan hath heard of our case and our wretchedness and hath sent us this tray.”  “O my mother,” answered Alaeddin, “this is no time for questioning; rise, so we may eat, for we are anhungred.”