He had, however, sufficient presence of mind to seize
the iron candlestick, and endeavoured to find some other means of escape
from the vault. At length he discovers a narrow passage, which he
follows until he reaches the surface of the earth, and looking for the
Dervish saw him not, but to his surprise found that he was close to his
mother's house. On showing his wealth to his mother, it all suddenly
vanished. But the candlestick remained. He lighted one of the branches,
upon which a dervish appeared, and after turning round an hour he threw
down an asper (about three farthings in value) and vanished. Next night
he put a lighted candle in each of the branches, when twelve dervishes
appeared, and having continued their gyrations for an hour each threw
down an asper and vanished. In this way did Abdallah and his mother
contrive to live for a time, till at length he resolved to carry the
candlestick to the good Dervish, hoping to obtain from him the treasure
which he had seen in the vault. He remembered his name and city, and on
reaching his dwelling found the Dervish living in a magnificent palace,
with fifty porters at the gate. The Dervish thus addressed Abdallah:
"Thou art an ungrateful wretch! Hadst thou known the value of the
candlestick thou wouldst never have brought it to me.
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