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[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[1] 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[2] 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[3] to the land of China; whereupon, “O son of my brother,” quoth he to Alaeddin, “sit and rest thee; this is the place for which we were making; and now, please God, I will show thee marvellous things, the like whereof no one in the world hath seen, nor hath any looked upon that which thou art about to behold. But[4] do thou, after thou art rested, arise and seek sticks and grass and reeds and such like matters as are small and
- ↑ Raïhhin, a vulgarism of frequent occurrence in this story.
- ↑ Shudd heilek.
- ↑ Lit. the land of the West (biladu ’l gherb); see ante, p. 57, notes.
- ↑ Night DXXIII.
