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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

Then will I show thee, O son of my brother, matters
beyond the range of matter." Now when the lad heard these words, he
longed to look upon what his uncle was about to do and, forgetting his
fatigue, he rose forthright and fell to gathering small wood chips and
dry sticks, and continued until the Moorman cried to him, "Enough, O
son of my brother!"
Presently the magician brought out from his breast pocker a
casket, which he opened, and drew from it all he needed of incense.
Then he fumigated and conjured and adjured, muttering words none might
understand. And the ground straightway clave asunder after thick gloom
and quake of earth and bellowings of thunder. Hereat Aladdin was
startled and so affrighted that he tried to fly, but when the
African magician saw his design, he waxed wroth with exceeding
wrath, for that without the lad his work would profit him naught,
the hidden hoard which he sought to open being not to be opened save
by means of Aladdin. So, noting this attempt to run away, the magician
arose, and raising his hand, smote Aladdin on the head a buffet so
sore that well-nigh his back teeth were knocked out, and he fell
swooning to the ground.


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