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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

Being, however, a good Moslem who professed the unity of the
Godhead, he feared Allah in his soul, and standing upon the margin, he
prepared to perform the wuzu ablution.
But as he was bailing up the water in his right hand and rubbing his
fingers, it so chanced that he also rubbed the ring. Hereat its
Marid appeared, and said to him: "Adsum! Thy thrall between thy
hands is come. Ask of me whatso thou wantest." Seeing the Marid,
Aladdin rejoiced with exceeding joy and cried: "O Slave, I desire of
thee that thou bring before me my pavilion and therein my wife, the
Lady Badr al-Budur, together with all and everything it containeth."
"O my lord," replied the Marid, "'tis right hard upon me that thou
demandest a service whereto I may not avail. This matter dependeth
upon the Slave of the Lamp, nor dare I even attempt it." Aladdin
rejoined: "Forasmuch as the matter is beyond thy competence, I require
it not of thee, but at least do thou take me up and set me down beside
my pavilion in what land soever that may be." The slave exclaimed,
"Hearing and obeying, O my lord," and uplifting him high in air,
within the space of an eye glance set him down beside his pavilion
in the land of Africa, and upon a spot facing his wife's apartment.


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