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lamp, rubbed it, whereupon the slave of the lamp, to wit, the genie whom he had seen before, appeared to him and[1] said to him, “Seek what thou wilt, O my lord, for that I am thy slave and the slave of whoso hath with him the lamp.” Quoth Alaeddin, “It is my will that thou bring me a tray of food like unto that which thou broughtest me erewhen, for that I am hungry;” and the slave brought him, in the twinkling of an eye, a tray like unto that which he had brought him before, and on it twelve magnificent platters full of rich meats, together with flagons[2] of clarified wine and bread of the finest. Now Alaeddin’s mother, when she knew that her son was minded to rub the lamp, had gone out, so she might not see the genie again; but, after a little, she came in to him and seeing the tray full of silver platters, whilst the whole house reeked with the fragrance of the rich meats, marvelled and rejoiced; and Alaeddin said to her, “O my mother, thou badest me throw away the lamp. See now its uses.” “O my son,” answered she, “may God prosper him;[3] but fain would I not see him.” Then they sat down to the tray and ate and drank till they were
