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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

And when he came round a little, he prayed her to bring
him somewhat of food saying, "O my mother, 'tis now three days since I
ate anything at all." Thereupon she arose and brought him what she had
by her, then, setting it before him, said: "Come forward, O my son.
Eat and be cheered, and when thou shalt have rested, tell me what hath
betided and affected thee, O my child. At this present I will not
question thee, for thou art aweary in very deed." Aladdin ate and
drank and was cheered, and after he had rested and had recovered
spirits he cried:
"Ah, O my mother, I have a sore grievance against thee for leaving
me to that accursed wight who strave to compass my destruction and
designed to take my life. Know thou that I beheld death with mine
own eyes at the hand of this damned wretch, whom thou didst to be my
uncle, and had not Almighty Allah rescued me from him, I and thou, O
my mother, had been cozened by the excess of this accursed's
promises to work my welfare, and by the great show of affection
which he manifested to us. Learn, O my mother, that this fellow is a
sorcerer, a Moorman, an accursed, a liar, a traitor, a hypocrite,
nor deem I that the devils under the earth are damnable as he.


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