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for our livelihood;[1] nay, all that I seek of it it will bring me, and I trust by its means I shall know how to answer the Sultan, an he ask me of this.”
They abode in talk of the matter all that night and when the morning morrowed, Alaeddin’s mother arose and fortified her heart, more by token that her son expounded to her somewhat of the properties of the lamp and its uses, in that it would bring them all they sought. But, when he saw that she heartened herself for that which he set forth to her of its virtues, he feared lest she should talk of this to the folk, so he said to her, “O my mother, beware lest thou bespeak any of the lamp and its uses, for that this is our fortune; be careful[2] and exceed not in speech thereof to any one, lest we lose it and lose this our present prosperity, for that it is from it.”[3] “Have no fear for that, O my son,” answered she and rising, took the dish wherein were the jewels and
- ↑ Elladhi hu alan caïm bi-maashina. Burton, “Ere this thou hast learned, O mother mine, that the Lamp which we possess hath become to us a stable income.”
- ↑ Or “pay attention” (diri balek); see ante, pp. 78 and 81.
- ↑ Minhu. Burton translates, “for that ’tis of him,” and says, in a note, “Here the MS. text is defective, the allusion is, I suppose, to the Slave of the Lamp.” I confess I do not see the defect of which he speaks. Alaeddin of course refers to the lamp and reminds his mother that the prosperity they enjoy “is (i.e. arises) from it.”
