It chanced one day that he fell in with Ahmed Kemakim and clapping up an acquaintance with him，accompanied him to the tavern，where Ahmed took out the lantern he had stolen from the Khalif and fell to plying the wine-cup by its light，till he became drunken. Presently Aslan said to him，O Captain，give me yonder lantern；but he replied，I cannot give it thee.'Why not？asked Aslan. Because，'answered Ahmed，lives have been lost for it.'Whose life？asked Aslan；and Ahmed said，There came hither a man named Alaeddin Abou est Shamat，who was made Captain of the Sixty and lost his life through this lantern.'
Quoth Aslan，And how was that？Know，'replied Ahmed Kemakim，that thou hadst an elder brother by name Hebezlem Bezazeh，for whom，when he became apt for marriage，thy father would have bought a slave-girl named Jessamine.'And he went on to tell him the whole story of Hebezlems illness and what befell Alaeddin，undeserved. When Aslan heard this，he said in himself，Most like this slave-girl was my mother Jessamine and my father was no other than Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat.'So he went out from him，sorrowful，and met Ahmed ed Denef，who exclaimed at sight of him，Glory be to Him to whom none is like！'At what dost thou marvel，O my chief？asked Hassan Shouman. At the make of yonder boy Aslan，'replied Ed Denef；for he is the likest of all creatures to Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat.'Then he called Aslan and said to him，What is thy mothers name？She is called the damsel Jessamine，'answered Aslan；and Ed Denef said，Harkye，Aslan，take heart and be of good cheer，for thy father was none other than Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat： but，O my son，go thou in to thy mother and question her of thy father.'I hear and obey，answered he，and going in to his mother，said to her，Who is my father？Quoth she，The Amir Khalid is thy father.'Not so，rejoined he，my father was none other than Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat.'At this，she wept and said，Who told thee this？Ahmed ed Denef，the Captain of the Guard，'answered he；so she told him the whole story，saying，O my son，the truth can no longer be hidden： know that Alaeddin was indeed thy father，but it was the Amir Khalid who reared thee and adopted thee as his son. And now，O my son，when thou seest Ahmed ed Denef，so thou say to him，'I conjure thee，by Allah，O my chief，avenge me on the murderer of my father Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat！'So he went out from her and betaking himself to Ahmed ed Denef，kissed his hand. Quoth Ed Denef，What ails thee，O Aslan？And he answered，I know now for certain that I am the son of Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat and I would have thee avenge me of my fathers murderer.'And who was thy fathers murderer？asked Ed Denef. Ahmed Kemakim the arch-thief，'replied Aslan. Who told thee this？said Ed Denef，and Aslan answered，I saw in his hand the lantern hung with jewels，that was lost with the rest of the Khalifs gear，and asked him to give it me；but he refused，saying，'Lives have been lost on account of this，'and told me how it was he who had broken into the palace and stolen the goods and hidden them in my fathers house.'Then said Ed Denef，When thou seest the Amir Khalid don his harness of war，beg him to equip thee like himself and take thee with him. Then do thou some feat of prowess before the Khalif and he will say to thee，'Ask a boon of me，O Aslan.'And do thou answer，'I ask of thee that thou avenge me of my fathers murderer.'If he say，'Thy father is alive and is the Amir Khalid，the Chief of the Police，'answer thou，'My father was Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat，and the Amir Khalid is only my father by right of fosterage and adoption.'Then tell him all that passed between thee and Ahmed Kemakim and say，'O Commander of the Faithful，order him to be searched and I will bring the lantern forth of his bosom.'I hear and obey，'answered Aslan and returning to the Amir Khalid，found him making ready to repair to the Divan and said to him，I would fain have thee arm and harness me like thyself and carry me to the Divan.'So he equipped him and carried him to the Divan，with Ahmed Kemakim at his stirrup. Then the Khalif sallied forth of Baghdad with his retinue and let pitch tents and pavilions without the city；
whereupon the troops divided into two parties and fell to playing at ball and striking it with the mall from one to the other. Now there was among the troops a spy，who had been hired to kill the Khalif；so he took the ball and smiting it with the mall，drove it straight at the Khalifs face；but Aslan interposed and catching it in mid-volley，drove it back at him who smote it，so that it struck him between the shoulders and he fell to the ground. The Khalif exclaimed，God bless thee，O Aslan！'and they all dismounted and sat on chairs. Then the Khalif bade bring the smiter of the ball before him and said to him，Who moved thee to do this thing and art thou friend or foe？Quoth he，I am a foe and it was my purpose to kill thee.'And wherefore？asked the Khalif. Art thou not an （orthodox） Muslim？No，'replied the spy；I am a Shiyaite.'So the Khalif bade put him to death and said to Aslan，Ask a boon of me.'Quoth he，I ask of thee that thou avenge me of my fathers murderer.'Thy father is alive，
answered the Khalif；and there he stands.'And who is he？
asked Aslan. The Khalif replied，He is the Amir Khalid，Chief of the Police.'O Commander of the Faithful，'rejoined Aslan，he is no father of mine，save by right of fosterage；my father was none other than Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat.'Then thy father was a traitor，'said the Khalif. God forbid，O Commander of the Faithful，'replied Aslan，that the Faithful should be a traitor！
But how did he wrong thee？Quoth the Khalif，He stole my royal habit and what was therewith.'O Commander of the Faithful，rejoined Aslan，God forfend that my father should be a traitor！
