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what befell me from that foul wizard.” And he told her all that had passed between them from first to last and fell to reviling the Maugrabin with all rancour and heat of heart, saying, “Out on this accursed one, this foul sorcerer, this hard-hearted oppressor, this inhuman, perfidious, hypocritical villain, lacking[1] all mercy and ruth!”
When[2] Alaeddin’s mother heard her son’s speech and that which the accursed Maugrabin did with him, she said to him, “Yea, verily, O my son, he is a misbeliever and a hypocrite, who destroyeth folk with his sorcery; but glory[3] to God the Most High, who hath delivered thee from the perfidy and guile of this accursed sorcerer, of whom I thought that he was in very deed thine uncle.” Now, Alaeddin had passed three days without sleep and found himself drowsy; so he [withdrew to his chamber and] slept. His mother did likewise and Alaeddin ceased not to sleep till next day,[4] near noontide, when he awoke and immediately sought somewhat to eat, for that he was anhungred; and his mother said to him, “O my son, I have nought to give thee to eat, for that all I had by me
