him the lamp and was like to lose his wits for rage, seeing he
attained not his object, albeit Alaeddin still promised him that
he would give it him as soon as he was forth of the vault, [and
that] without lying thought or ill intent. Then, when he saw that
Alaeddin would not give it him, he was angry with an exceeding
anger and abandoning all hope of the lamp, conjured and enchanted
and cast perfumes into the midst of the fire; whereupon the slab
immediately turned over [FN#250] and shut [FN#251] of itself by the
might of his enchantments; the earth covered it like as it was
before and Alaeddin abode under the ground, unable to come forth.

Thus the enchanter--forasmuch as he was a stranger and no uncle of
Alaeddin, as he said, but had counterfeited himself and avouched
leasing, so he might get the lamp by means of the lad, unto whom
that treasure was fortuned by the stars-shut up [FN#252] the earth
upon him and left him to die of hunger. Now this accursed
Maugrabin wizard was from the city of Africa [FN#253] in Hither
Barbary and had from his childhood been addicted to magic and all
the occult arts, for which the city in question is renowned. He
ceased not from his tenderest years to study and learn in his
native land Africa till he became versed in all sciences, and of
the much skill and proficiency which he acquired, by dint of
study and application for the space of forty years, in the matter
of incantations and conjurations, it was discovered to
him, [FN#254] one day of the days, that among the uttermost of the
cities of China was a city called El Kelaas and in this city a
vast treasure, the like whereof no king of the kings of the world
ever possessed; but the rarest [was] that in this treasure
[was] [FN#255] a wonderful lamp, [FN#256] whereat if one should
come, there might no man be found on earth richer than he,