Page:Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp.djvu/209

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embossed with precious jewels. None was there; but, when Alaeddin entered, there came in to him one of the Jinn in human semblance and washed him and bathed him to the utmost of the wish; after[1] which he went forth the bath to the outer saloon, where he found his clothes taken away and in their stead a suit of the richest royal apparel. Then sherbets were brought him and coffee with ambergris and he drank and arose; whereupon there came to him a troop of slaves and clad him in those[2] sumptuous clothes[3] and he dressed and perfumed himself with essences and sweet-scented smoke.[4] Now thou knowest[5] that Alaeddin was the son of a poor man, a tailor: yet now none had thought it,[6] but had said, “This is the chiefest of the sons of the kings,” extolled be the perfection of Him who changeth and is not changed!

Then the slave of the lamp came to him and taking him up, set him down in his house and said to him, “O my lord, dost thou need aught?” “Yes,” answered Alaeddin;

  1. Night DLXI.
  2. Lit. “the.”
  3. Burton, “the costliest of clothes.”
  4. Generally that of aloes-wood.
  5. Quoth Shehrzad to Shehriyar.
  6. Yetsunnuhu; quære a clerical error for yentsuruhu (“had seen him”)?