Moreover, God (praised be his name!) hath given thee abundant wealth, and perchance thy brother may be in distress and poverty, and thou canst succour him as well as look upon him.' Therefore I arose and made ready for the journey, and recited the Fatihah, and when the Friday prayers were over, I departed and came to this city, after many troubles and difficulties, which I endured by the help of God. So I arrived here, and the day before yesterday, as I roamed about the streets, I perceived thy son 'Ala-ed-Din playing with the boys, and by Almighty God, O wife of my brother, hardly had I seen him, when my heart went out to him (for blood is loving to its like), and my heart told me that he was my brother's son. And I forgot my troubles and anxieties as soon as I saw him, and could have flown for joy, until he told me of the death of him who is gathered to the mercy of God most High; whereat I swooned for heaviness of grief and regret. But 'Ala-ed-Din hath doubtless informed thee of my tribulation. Yet am I comforted in part by this child, who hath been bequeathed to us by the departed. Verily, 'he who leaveth issue doth not die/99

And when he saw that she wept at his words, he turned to *Ala-ed~Din, to divert her from the thought of her husband; and to console her and perfect his deception, he said, "O my son 'Ala-ed-Din, what crafts has thou learned and what is thy trade ? Hast thou learned a craft to support thee withal, thyself and thy mother?" And 'Ala-ed-Din was ashamed and hung down his head in confusion, and bent it toward the ground. But his mother cried: "What then! By Allah, he knoweth nothing at all; I never saw so heedless a child as this. All the day he idleth about with the boys of the street, vagabonds like himself, and his father (O my grief!) died only of grieving over him. And I am now in woeful plight; I toil, and spin night and day to gain a couple of loaves of bread for us to eat together. This is his state, O brother-in-law; and by thy life he cometh not home save to meals, and never else. And as for me, I am minded to lock the door of my house and open not to him, but let him go and seek his own living. I am an old woman, and I have not strength to work and struggle for a livelihood like this. By Allah, I have to support him with food, when h is I who ought to be supported." And the Moor turned to 'Ala-ed-Din and said: " O son of my brother, why dost thou continue in such gracelessness ? It is shame upon thee and befitteth not men like thee. Thou art a person of sense, my boy, and the son of decent folk. It is a reproach to thee that thy mother, an aged woman, should toil for thy maintenance. And now that thou hast reached manhood, it be-hooveth thee to devise some way whereby thou mayest be able to support thyself. Look about, for God be praised, in this our city there are plenty of teachers of handicrafts; nowhere more. So choose a craft that pleaseth thee, for me to set thee up therein, so that as thou waxest older, my son, thy trade shall bring thee maintenance. If so be thy father's calling liketh thee not, choose another that thou preferrest.

Tell me, and I will help thee as best I can, my son." And when he saw that 'Ala-ed-Din was silent and answered him never a word, he knew that he did not wish any calling at all, save idling, so he said: " O son of my brother, let not my advice be irksome to thee; for if, after all, thou like not to learn a trade, I will open for thee a merchant's shop of the richest stuffs, and thou shalt be known among the people, and take and give and buy and sell and become a man of repute in the city." And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard his uncle's words, that he would make him a merchant trader, he rejoiced greatly, for he knew that merchants are well dressed and well fed. So he looked smilingly at the Moor and inclined his head to signify his content.

And when the Moorish wizard saw 'Ala-ed-Din smiling, he perceived that he was content to be made a merchant, and he said to him: " Since thou art satisfied that I make thee a merchant and open a shop for thee, O son of my brother, be a man, and, God willing, to-morrow I will take thee to the market to begin with, and get cut for thee an elegant dress such as merchants wear, and then find for thee a shop, and keep my promise to thee." Now 'Ala-ed-Din's mother had been in doubt whether the Moor were indeed her brother-in-law; but when she heard his promise to her son to open a merchant's shop for him and furnish him with goods and wares and the rest, the woman decided in her mind that this Moor was verily her brother-in-law, since no Stranger would have acted thus to her son. And she began to direct her son and bade him banish ignorance from his head and become a man, and ever obey his uncle like a son, and retrieve the time he had squandered in idling with his mates. Then she arose, and spread the table and served the supper, and they all sat down, and began to eat and drink; and the Moor discoursed to 'Ala-ed-Din on the affairs of business and the like, so that the boy did not sleep that night for joy. And when he perceived that the night had fallen, the Moor arose and went to his abode and promised them to return on the morrow to take 'Ala-ed-Din to have his merchant's clothes made.

The next day the Moor rapped at the door, and the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din arose and opened to him, but he would not enter, but only desired to take her son with him to the market. So 'Ala-ed-Din came forth to him and wished him good-day, and kissed his hand; and the Moor took him by the hand and went with him to the market, and entered a clothes-shop of all sorts of stuffs, and demanded a sumptuous suit of merchant's style. So the dealer brought out what he required ready made. And the Moor said to 'Ala-ed-Din: " Choose what pleaseth thee, my son." The boy rejoiced greatly when he understood that his uncle had given him his choice, and he picked out the suit he preferred; and the Moor paid the dealer the price on the spot. Then he took 'Ala-ed-Din to the Hammam, and they bathed, and came forth, and drank sherbet. And 'Ala-ed-Din arose and put on his new dress, rejoicing and preening; and he approached his uncle and thanked him, and kissed his hand, and acknowledged his kindness.