Page:Fairy tales from the Arabian nights.djvu/443

 large silver basin on his head, and twelve covered plates of the same metal, which contained excellent meats; six large white loaves on two other plates, two bottles of wine, and two silver cups in his hands. All these things he placed upon a table, and disappeared; and all this was done before Aladdin's mother came out of her swoon.

Aladdin went and fetched some water, and threw it on her face, to recover her. Whether that or the smell of the meats the genie procured brought her to life again, it was not long before she came to herself. 'Mother,' said Aladdin, 'do not mind this; it is nothing at all; get up, and come and eat; do not let such fine meat get cold, but fall to.'

His mother was very much surprised to see the great basin, twelve plates, six loaves, and the two bottles and cups, and to smell the delicious odour which exhaled from the plates. 'Child,' said she to Aladdin, 'to whom are we indebted for this great plenty? Has the sultan been made acquainted with our poverty, and had compassion on us?'

'It is no matter, mother,' said Aladdin; 'let us sit down and eat; for you are in almost as much need of a good breakfast as myself; when we have done, I will tell you.' Accordingly both mother and son sat down, and ate with first-rate appetites. But all the time Aladdin's mother could not forbear looking at and admiring the basin and plates, though she could not well tell whether they were silver or any other metal, so little accustomed were she and her son to see such things.

In short, the mother and son sat at breakfast till it was dinnertime, and then they thought it would be best to put the two meals together; yet after this they found they should have enough left for supper, and two meals for the next day.

When Aladdin's mother had taken away and set by what was left, she went and sat down by her son on the sofa. 'Aladdin,' said she, 'I expect now that you should tell me exactly what passed between the genie and you while I was in a swoon'; which he at once complied with.

She was in as great amazement at what her son told her as at the appearance of the genie; and said to him, 'But, son, what