The genie disappeared, but in a moment returned with a large silver tray on which were twelve silver dishes, each containing the most delicious viands; six large white cakes lay on two silver plates; two silver flagons of wine, and two silver cups rested on the tray. All this was placed upon the carpet before Aladdin, and then the genie disappeared.
Aladdin's mother did not recover until he had sprinkled some water in her face. As she returned to consciousness he said, "Be not afraid, mother; arise and eat! Here is something to put you in heart, and at the same time satisfy my hunger."
"Child," said the mother, as she looked upon the silver dishes and smelled the savory odor from the food, "who has given us these wonderful things? Has the sultan remembered us?"
"Never mind that," said Aladdin. "Let us sit down and eat. When we have done, I will tell you."
As they ate, both looked at the dishes, but neither knew their value. They were attracted more by the novelty than by the fact that they were silver. They lingered long over their food, and after they had eaten all they could, they found that enough was left for the whole of the next day.
"Now," said the mother after she had put away the dishes and the remnants of the feast, "tell me what happened while I was in the swoon."
What her son told her amazed her as much as the appearance of the genie.
"What have we to do with genii?" said the mother, "and how came that vile one to speak to me instead of to you, whom he had seen in the cave?"
"Mother," answered Aladdin, "the genie I saw in the cave was another, the slave of the ring. The one you saw was a slave of the lamp."
"What!" cried his mother, "was it the lamp that caused that horrible genie to speak to me instead of to you? Take the lamp out of my sight and do with it what you please. If you take my advice, you will part with the lamp and the ring too, and have nothing to do with genii, who, as our Prophet has told us, are only devils."