assembly - Not understanding instruction execution order in recursive factorial function (MIPS) -

i confused how code multiplies n each n-1 given order of sequences. let me explain how see happening , can point out i'm wrong.

if n less 0, comparison false , program returns 1(if first time has been called). if not, l1 called , gets decremented. here confused. looks fact being called again after decrement , multiplication function never takes place. in case, if n = 5, decrement until n = 0 , multiply 1 x 5 @ end.

my best guess i'm missing in terms of pushing/popping values on , off stack, haven't clue.

 fact: addi $sp, $sp, -8 # adjust stack 2 items   sw $ra, 4($sp) # save return address   sw $a0, 0($sp) # save argument n    slti $t0, $a0, 1 # test n < 1   beq $t0, $zero, l1 # if n >= 1, go l1    addi $v0, $zero, 1 # return 1   addi $sp, $sp, 8 # pop 2 items off stack   jr $ra # return instruction after jal    l1: addi $a0, $a0, -1 # n >= 1; argument gets (n – 1)  jal fact # call fact (n – 1)   lw $a0, 0($sp) # return jal: restore argument n   lw $ra, 4($sp) # restore return address   addi $sp, $sp, 8 # adjust stack pointer pop 2 items    mul $v0, $a0, $v0 # return n * fact (n – 1)    jr $ra # return caller  

edit:

here function in c taking place here:

int fact (int n) {   if (n < 1) return (1);   else return (n * fact(n – 1)); } 

lets want 3!. start of n = 3.

n < 1 not true

--> return 3 * fact(2)

back function n = 2

n < 1 not true

-> return 2* fact(1)

back function n = 1

again n<1 not true

-> return 1* fact(0)

back function n = 0

now n<1 true

return 1

---

recursions starts unwind

1 replaces fact(0) , function returns 1*1

1 replaces fact(1) in , function returns 2*fact(1) 2

2 replaces fact(2) , function returns 3*fact(2) 6

recursion ends.