it, nor may any of mortal birth save thyself set foot within this

enchanted treasury which hath been kept for thee. But 'tis needful
that thou learn of me all wherewith I would charge thee, nor gainsay

e'en a single syllable of my words. All this, O my child, is for thy
good, the hoard being of immense value, whose like the kings of the

world never accumulated, and do thou remember that 'tis for thee and
me."

So poor Aladdin forgot his fatigue and buffet and tear-shedding, and
he was dumbed and dazed at the Maghrabi's words and rejoiced that he

was fated to become rich in such measure that not even the sultans
would be richer than himself. Accordingly he cried: "O my uncle, bid

me do all thou pleasest, for I will be obedient unto thy bidding." 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 Aladdin and kissed him and
said: "For whom do I intend these my labors? 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."
Aladdin answered: "O uncle mine, this ring is overheavy for me. I

cannot raise it single-handed, so do thou also come forward and lend
me strength and aidance toward 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 forthright, 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 Moroccan 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 there appeared before him a

sardab, a souterrain, whereunto led a case of some twelve stairs,
and the Maghrabi said: "O Aladdin, 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, and in each
of these thou shalt see four golden jars 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 forward until thou reach the fourth hall,
without lingering for a single moment on the way. And if thou do aught

contrary thereto, thou wilt at once be transformed and become a
black stone. When reaching the fourth hall, thou wilt find herein" target="_blank" title="ad.在那里，在其中">therein a

door, which do thou open, and pronouncing the names thou spakest
over the slab, enter therethrough 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, and herein a ladder of some thirty
rungs. Thou shalt there find a lamp hanging from its ceiling, so mount

the ladder and take that lamp and place it in thy breast pocket
after pouring out its contents. Nor fear evil from it for thy clothes,

because its contents are not common oil. And on return thou art
allowed to pluck from the trees whoso thou pleasest, for all is

thine so long as the lamp is in thy hand."
Now when the Moorman ended his charge to Aladdin, he drew off a seal

ring and put it upon the lad's forefinger, saying: "O my son, verily
this signet shall free thee from all hurt and fear which may

threaten thee, but only on condition that thou bear in mind all I have
told thee. So arise straightway and go down the stairs,

strengthening thy purpose and girding the loins of resolution.
Moreover, fear not, for thou art now a man and no longer a child.

And in shortest time, O my son, thou shalt will thee immense riches
and thou shalt become the wealthiest of the world."

Accordingly, Aladdin arose and descended into the souterrain,
where he found the four jars, each containing four jars of gold, and

these he passed by as the Moroccan had bidden him, with the utmost
care and caution. Thence he fared into the garden and walked along its

length until he entered the saloon, where he mounted the ladder and
took the lamp, which he extinguished, pouring out the oil which was

herein" target="_blank" title="ad.在那里，在其中">therein, and placed it in his breast pocket. Presently, descending the
ladder, he returned to the garden, where he fell to gazing at the

trees, whereupon sat birds glorifying with loud voices their Great
Creator. Now he had not observed them as he went in, but all these

trees bare for fruitage costly gems. Moreover, each had its own kind
of growth and jewels of its peculiar sort and these were of every

color, green and white, yellow, red, and other such brilliant hues,
and the radiance flashing from these gems paled the rays of the sun in

forenoon sheen. Furthermore the size of each stone so far surpassed
description that no King of the Kings of the World owned a single

gem equal to the larger sort, nor could boast of even one half the
size of the smaller kind of them. Aladdin walked amongst the trees and

gazed upon them and other things which surprised the sight and
bewildered the wits, and as he considered them, he saw that in lieu of

common fruits the produce was of mighty fine jewels and precious
stones, such as emeralds and diamonds, rubies, spinels, and balases,

pearls and similar gems, astounding the mentalvision of man.
And forasmuch as the lad had never beheld things like these during

his born days, nor had reached those years of discretion which would
teach him the worth of such valuables (he being still but a little

lad), he fancied that all these jewels were of glass or crystal. So he
collected them until he had filled his breast pockets, and began to

certify himself if they were or were not common fruits, such as
grapes, figs, and suchlike edibles. But seeing them of glassy

substance, he, in his ignorance of precious stones and their prices,
gathered into his breast pockets every kind of growth the trees

afforded, and having failed of his purpose in finding them food, he
said in his mind, "I will collect a portion of these glass fruits

for playthings at home." So he fell to plucking them in quantities and
cramming them in his pokes and breast pockets till these were

stuffed full. After which he picked others which he placed in his
waist shawl and then, girding himself therewith, carried off all he

availed to, purposing to place them in the house by way of ornaments
and, as hath been mentioned, never imagining that they were other than

glass.
Then he hurried his pace in fear of his uncle, the Maghrabi, until

he had passed through the four halls and lastly on his return
reached the souterrain, where he cast not a look at the jars of

gold, albeit he was able and allowed to take of the contents on his
way back. But when he came to the souterrain stairs and clomb the

steps till naught remained but the last, and finding this higher
than an the others, he was unable alone and unassisted, burthened

moreover as he was, to mount it. So he said to the Maghrabi, "O my
uncle, lend me thy hand and aid me to climb." But the Moorman

answered: "O my son, give me the lamp and lighten thy load. Belike
'tis that weighteth thee down." The lad rejoined: "O my uncle, 'tis

not the lamp downweigheth me at all, but do thou lend me a hand, and
as soon as I reached ground I will give it to thee." Hereat the

Moroccan, the magician, whose only object was the lamp and none other,
began to insist upon Aladdin giving it to him at once. But the lad

(forasmuch as he had placed it at the bottom of his breast pocket
and his other pouches, being full of gems, bulged outward) could not

reach it with his fingers to hand it over, so the wizard after much
vain persistency in requiring what his nephew was unable to give

fell to raging with furious rage and to demanding the lamp, whilst
Aladdin could not get at it. Yet had the lad promised truthfully

that he would give it up as soon as he might reach ground, without
lying thought or ill intent. But when the Moorman saw that he would

not hand it over, he waxed wroth with wrath exceeding and cut off
all his hopes of winning it. So he conjured and adjured and cast