dig and to delve; nor had he worked a long while[FN#19] ere, lo
and behold! there appeared to him a ring bedded in a marble slab.
He removed the stone and saw a ladder-like flight of steps
whereby he descended until he found a huge souterrain all
pillar'd and propped with columns of marble and alabaster. And
when he entered the inner recesses he saw within the cave-like
souterrain a pavilion which bewildered his wits, and inside the
same stood eight jars[FN#20] of green jasper. So he said in his
mind, "What may be these jars and what may be stored
therein?"--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the full Five Hundredth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy,
tell us one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the
waking hours of this our night," and quoth Shahrazad:--It hath
reached me, O King of the Age, that when Zayn al-Asnam saw the
jars, he came forwards and unlidding them found each and every
full of antique[FN#21] golden pieces; so he hent a few in hand
seen and going to his mother gave of them to her saying, "Hast
thou seen, O my mother?" She marvelled at the matter and made
answer, "Beware, O my son, of wasting this wealth as thou
dissipatedst otheraforetime;" whereupon her son sware to her an
oath saying, "Have no care, O my mother, nor be thy heart other
than good before me; and I desire that thou also find
satisfaction in mine actions." Presently she arose and went forth
with him, and the twain descended into the cavern-like souterrain
and entered the pavilion, where the Queen saw that which
wildereth the wits; and she made sure with her own eyes that the