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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"


Go down with all care into yonder vault until thou reach the bottom,
and there shalt thou find a space divided into four halls, and in each
of these thou shalt see four golden jars and others of virgin or and
silver. Beware, however, lest thou take aught therefrom or touch them,
nor allow thy gown or its skirts even to brush the jars or the
walls. Leave them and fare forward until thou reach the fourth hall,
without lingering for a single moment on the way. And if thou do aught
contrary thereto, thou wilt at once be transformed and become a
black stone. When reaching the fourth hall, thou wilt find therein a
door, which do thou open, and pronouncing the names thou spakest
over the slab, enter therethrough into a garden adorned everywhere
with fruit-bearing trees. This thou must traverse by a path thou wilt
see in front of thee measuring some fifty cubits long beyond which
thou wilt come upon an open saloon, and herein a ladder of some thirty
rungs. Thou shalt there find a lamp hanging from its ceiling, so mount
the ladder and take that lamp and place it in thy breast pocket
after pouring out its contents.


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