good-for-nothing lads like himself. This, then, was his
case, [FN#148] and he would not obey his parents, nor would he
learn a craft. His father sickened of his grief and chagrin for
his son's perversity and died, whilst A]aeddin abode on that his
wise. When his mother saw that her husband had departed this
life [FN#149] and that her son was a scapegrace and a good-for-
nought, she sold the shop and all she found therein and fell to
spinning cotton and feeding herself and her graceless son
Alaeddin with her toil. The latter, seeing himself quit of his
father's danger, [FN#150] redoubled in his gracelessness and his
perversity and would not abide in their house save eating-whiles;
and his poor wretched mother supported him [FN#151] by the
spinning of her hands till he came to fifteen years of age.

One [FN#152] day of the days, as he sat in the street, playing
with the vagabond boys, behold, a Maugrabin [FN#153] dervish came
up and stopping to look at the lads, singled out Alaeddin from
his comrades and fell to gazing upon him and straitly considering
his favour. Now this dervish was from the land of Hither
Barbary [FN#154] and he was an enchanter who would cast mountain
upon mountain with his sorcery and was skilled to boot in
physiognomy. [FN#155] When he had well considered Alaeddin, he
said in himself, "Certes, this boy is he whom I seek and he it is
in quest of whom I came forth from my country." So he took one of
the lads apart and asked him of Alaeddin, whose son he was, and
questioned him of all his affairs; after which he went up to
Alaeddin and taking him aside, said to him, "Harkye, boy, art
thou not the son of such an one the tailor?" And he answered him,
saying "Yes, O my lord; but my father died awhile agone." When
the Maugrabin magician heard this, he threw himself upon Alaeddin