The wind blew fair and they sailed till they lost sight of land，when the Frank bade bring Alaeddin up out of the hold and made him smell to the counter-drug，whereupon he opened his eyes and said，Where am I？Thou art bound and in my power，'answered the Frank；and if thou hadst refused to take a hundred thousand dinars for the jewel，I would have bidden thee more.'What art thou？asked Alaeddin，and the other replied，I am a sea-captain and mean to carry thee to my mistress.'As they were talking，a ship hove in sight，with forty Muslim merchants on board；so the Frank captain gave chase and coming up with the vessel，made fast to it with grappling-irons. Then he boarded it with his men and took it and plundered it；after which he sailed on with his prize，till he reached the city of Genoa，where he repaired to the gate of a palace，that gave upon the sea，and there came forth to him a veiled damsel，who said，Hast thou brought the jewel and its owner？I have brought them both，
answered he；and she said，Then give me the jewel.'So he gave it to her and returning to the port，fired guns to announce his safe return；whereupon the King of the city，being notified of his arrival，came down to receive him and said to him，What manner of voyage hast thou had？A right prosperous one，answered the captain，and I have made prize of a ship with one-and-forty Muslim merchants.'Being them ashore，'said the King.
So he landed the merchants in irons，and Alaeddin among the rest；
and the King and the captain mounted and made the captives walk before them，till they reached the palace，where the King sat down in the audience-chamber and making the prisoners pass before him，one by one，said to the first，O Muslim，whence comest thou？From Alexandria，'answered he；whereupon the King said，O headsman，put him to death.'So the headsman smote him with the sword and cut off his head： and thus it fared with the second and the third，till forty were dead and there remained but Alaeddin，who drank the cup of his comrades anguish and said to himself，God have mercy on thee，O Alaeddin！Thou art a dead man.'Then said the King to him，And thou，what countryman art thou？I am of Alexandria，'answered Alaeddin，and the King said，O headsman，strike off his head.'So the headsman raised his arm and was about to strike，when an old woman of venerable aspect presented herself before the King，who rose to do her honour，and said to him，O King，did I not bid thee remember，when the captain came back with captives，to keep one or two for the convent，to serve in the church？O my mother，answered the King，would thou hadst come a while earlier！But take this one that is left.'So she turned to Alaeddin and said to him，Wilt thou serve in the church，or shall I let the King kill thee？
Quoth he，I will serve in the church.'So she took him and carried him forth of the palace to the church，where he said to her，What service must I do？And she answered，Thou must arise in the morning and take five mules and go with them into the forest and there cut dry firewood and split it and bring it to the convent-kitchen. Then must thou take up the carpets and sweep and wipe the stone and marble pavements and lay the carpets down again，as they were；after which thou must take two bushels and a half of wheat and sift it and grind it and knead it and make it into cracknels for the convent；and thou must take also a bushel of lentils and sift and crush and cook them. Then must thou fetch water in barrels and fill the four fountains；after which thou must take three hundred and threescore and six wooden platters and crumble the cracknels therein and pour of the lentil pottage over each and carry every monk and patriarch his platter.'Take me back to the King and let him kill me，'said Alaeddin；it were easier to me than this service.'If thou do the service that is due from thee，'replied the old woman，thou shalt escape death；
but，if thou do it not，I will let the King kill thee.'Then she went away，leaving Alaeddin heavy at heart. Now there were in the church ten blind cripples，and one of them said to him，Bring me a pot.'So he brought it him and he did his occasion therein and said，Throw away the ordure.'He did do，and the blind man said，The Messiahs blessing be upon thee，O servant of the church！'
Presently，the old woman came in and said to him，Why hast thou not done thy service？How many hands have I，'answered he，that I should suffice for all this work？Thou fool！'rejoined she.'I brought thee not hither but to work. But，'added she，giving him a wand of brass with a cross at the top，take this rod and go forth into the highway，and whomsoever thou meetest，were he governor of the ciy，say to him，'I summon thee to the service of the church，in the name of the Messiah.'And he will not refuse thee. Then make him sift the wheat and grind it and bolt it and knead it and bake it into cracknels；and if any gainsay thee，beat him and fear none.'I hear and obey，answered he and did as she said，pressing great and small into his service；nor did he leave to do thus for the space of seventeen years，till，one day，the old woman came to him，as he sat in the church，and said to him，Go forth of the convent.'
