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fear and I could not endure to see them[1] a second time; nay, their commerce is forbidden unto us, for that the prophet (whom God bless and keep) warneth us against them.”[2] “O my mother,” answered Alaeddin, “thy speech is on my head and eyes;[3] but, as for this that thou sayest, it may not be that I should cast away either the lamp or the ring; nay, thou seest that which it[4] did with us of good, whenas we were anhungred, and know, O my mother, that the lying Maugrabin enchanter, what time I went down into the treasure, sought nought of gold nor of silver, whereof the four places were full, but charged me bring him the lamp and that only, for that he knew the greatness of its virtues;[5] and except he knew it to be exceeding of might, he had not toiled and travailed and come from his land to this in quest of it, nor had he shut the treasure on me, whenas he failed of the lamp,
- ↑ i.e. the Jinn of the lamp and the ring.
- ↑ Apparently referring to chap. xxiii, verses 99, l00, of the Koran, “Say, ‘Lord, I take refuge in Thee from the suggestions of the devils, and I take refuge in thee, Lord, that (i.e. lest) they appear!’” Mohammed is fabled by Muslim theologians to have made a compact with the Jinn that they should not enter the houses of the faithful unless expressly summoned.
- ↑ i.e. “I am, in general, ready to obey all thy commandments.”
- ↑ i.e. the lamp.
- ↑ Lit. “uses,” “advantages” (menafi).
