am hungry; my will is that thou bring me somewhat I may eat, and
be it somewhat good past conceit." [FN#286] The genie was absent
the twinkling of an eye and [returning,] brought him a great
costly tray of sheer silver, whereon were twelve platters of
various kinds and colours [FN#287] of rich meats and two silver
cups and two flagons [FN#288] of clarified old wine and bread
whiter than snow; all which he set before him and disappeared. So
Alaeddin arose and sprinkled rosewater on his mother's face and
made her smell to strong [FN#289] perfumes; whereupon she revived
and he said to her, "Rise, O my mother, so we may eat of this
food that God the Most High hath vouchsafed us." [FN#290] When she
saw the great silver tray, she marvelled and said to Alaeddin, "O
my son, who is the generous, the bountiful one that hath sought
out our hunger [FN#291] and our poverty? Indeed, we are beholden
to him. [FN#292] Apparently the Sultan hath heard of our case and
our wretchedness and hath sent us this tray." "O my mother,"
answered Alaeddin, "this is no time for questioning; rise, so we
may eat, for we are anhungred."

So they arose and sitting down to the tray, proceeded to eat,
whilst Alaeddin's mother tasted food such as she had never in all
her life eaten. And they ate diligently [FN#293] with all
appetite, for stress of hunger, more by token that the food [was
such as] is given to kings, nor knew they if the tray were
precious or not, for that never in their lives had they seen the
like of these things. When they had made an end of eating and
were full (and there was left them, over and above what sufficed
them, [enough] for the evening-meal and for the next day also),
they arose and washing their hands, sat down to talk; whereupon
Alaeddin's mother turned to her son and said to him, "O my son,