87
with his hand, so he might give it him.[1] The[2] Maugrabin was instant with him to give him the lamp and was like to lose his wits for rage, seeing he attained not his object, albeit Alaeddin still promised him that he would give it him as soon as he was forth of the vault, [and that] without lying thought or ill intent. Then, when he saw that Alaeddin would not give it him, he was angry with an exceeding anger and abandoning all hope of the lamp, conjured and enchanted and cast perfumes into the midst of the fire; whereupon the slab immediately turned over[3] and shut[4] of itself by the might of his enchantments; the earth covered it like as it was before and Alaeddin abode under the ground, unable to come forth.
Thus the enchanter—forasmuch as he was a stranger and no uncle of Alaeddin, as he said, but had counterfeited himself and avouched leasing, so he might get the lamp by means of the lad, unto whom that treasure was fortuned by the stars—shut up[5] the earth upon him and
- ↑ Burton, “Forasmuch as he had placed it at the bottom of his breast-pocket and his other pockets being full of gems bulged outwards.”
- ↑ Night DXXVIII.
- ↑ Lit. “was locked,” inkefelet, but I take this to be a mistranscription of inkelebet, “was turned over.”
- ↑ Lit. “was covered over, shut like a lid” (intebeket).
- ↑ Tebbeca, i.e. caused (by his enchantments) to become covered or closed up like a lid.
