how he conjured and fumigated. "And indeed. O my mother," said
he, "there overcame me exceeding fear, whenas the hill clove in
sunder and the earth opened before me by his enchantments; and I
quaked with terror at the voice of the thunder which I heard and
the darkness which befell of his spells and fumigations, and of
my dismay at these portents, I would have fled. When he saw me
offer to flee, he reviled me and smote me, dealing me a buffet
which caused me swoon for pain [FN#273] but, inasmuch as the
treasure was opened and he could not go down into it himself,
seeing he had opened it by my means and that it was in name and
not for him, he knew, being a foul sorcerer, that it might [only]
be achieved through me and that this adventure was [reserved] for
me. [FN#274] Accordingly [FN#275] he applied himself to make his
peace with me, that he might send me down into the treasure, now
it was opened, and attain his object by my means; and when he
sent me down, he gave me a ring, which he had on his hand, and
put it on my finger. So I descended into the treasure and found
four chambers, all full of gold and silver and the like; but this
all was nothing and the accursed one charged me take nought
thereof. Thence I entered a magnificent garden, [FN#276] all full
of high trees, whose fruits ravished the wits, O my mother, for
that they were all of various-coloured crystal, [FN#277] and I
fared on till I came to the pavilion [FN#278] wherein was this
lamp; whereupon I took it forthright and quenching it, poured out
that which was therein."

[So saying,] he pulled out the lamp from his sleeve and showed it
to his mother. Moreover, he showed her the jewels which he had
brought from the garden. Now there were two great purses [FN#279]
full of these jewels, whereof not one was to be found with the