Chapter V (3)

Now his mother had been woebegone since he left her and sat wailing and weeping for him; so, when she saw him come in to her, she rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy, but grief overwhelmed her, whenas she saw him fall aswoon upon the earth. However, she wasted no time in vain lamentation, but hastened to sprinkle water on his face and sought of her neighbours somewhat of perfumes, to which she made him smell. When he was a little recovered, he prayed her bring him somewhat to eat, saying to her, "O my mother, these three days past I have eaten nothing." So she arose and setting before him that which she had ready, said to him, "Rise, O my son, eat and restore thyself; and when thou art rested, tell me what hath happened to thee and what calamity hath befallen thee. I will not question thee now, because thou art weary." So, [270] when he had eaten and drunken and had refreshed himself and was rested and restored, he said to her, "Alack, mother mine, I have a sore grief against thee in that thou leftest me to yonder accursed man, who strove for my destruction. Indeed, he sought to kill me; nay, I saw death face to face from that accursed wretch, whom thou deemedst mine uncle, and but for God the Most High, who delivered me from him, [I had perished]. Marry, both I and thou, O my mother, suffered ourselves to be deluded by him after the measure of that which the accursed promised to do with me of good and of the love which he professed for me. Know, then, O my mother, that this man is an accursed Maugrabin enchanter, a liar, a deceiver, an impostor and a hypocrite; methinketh the devils that be under the earth are not his match, may God put him to shame in every book! [271] Hear, O my mother, what this accursed did; nay, all I shall tell thee is truth and soothfastness. Do but see the villain's duplicity; bethink thee of the promises he made me that he would do me all manner of good [272] and the love he professed to me, and how he did all this that he might accomplish his purpose; nay, his intent was to kill me, and praised be God for my deliverance! Hearken, O my mother, and learn what this accursed one did."

Then he told her all that had befallen him from the time of his leaving her, weeping the while for excess of joy; how the Maugrabin brought him to the hill, wherein was the treasure, and how he conjured and fumigated. "And indeed. O my mother," said he, "there overcame me exceeding fear, whenas the hill clove in sunder and the earth opened before me by his enchantments; and I quaked with terror at the voice of the thunder which I heard and the darkness which befell of his spells and fumigations, and of my dismay at these portents, I would have fled. When he saw me offer to flee, he reviled me and smote me, dealing me a buffet which caused me swoon for pain [273] but, inasmuch as the treasure was opened and he could not go down into it himself, seeing he had opened it by my means and that it was in name and not for him, he knew, being a foul sorcerer, that it might [only] be achieved through me and that this adventure was [reserved] for me. [274] Accordingly [275] he applied himself to make his peace with me, that he might send me down into the treasure, now it was opened, and attain his object by my means; and when he sent me down, he gave me a ring, which he had on his hand, and put it on my finger. So I descended into the treasure and found four chambers, all full of gold and silver and the like; but this all was nothing and the accursed one charged me take nought thereof. Thence I entered a magnificent garden, [276] all full of high trees, whose fruits ravished the wits, O my mother, for that they were all of various-coloured crystal, [277] and I fared on till I came to the pavilion [278] wherein was this lamp; whereupon I took it forthright and quenching it, poured out that which was therein."

[So saying,] he pulled out the lamp from his sleeve and showed it to his mother. Moreover, he showed her the jewels which he had brought from the garden. Now there were two great purses [279] full of these jewels, whereof not one was to be found with the kings of mankind; and Alaeddin knew not their value, but thought that they were glass or crystal. "Then, O my mother," continued he, "after I had fetched the lamp and had gone forth [the garden] and came to the door of the treasure, I cried out to the accursed Maugrabin, who feigned himself my uncle, to give me his hand and pull me up, for I was laden with things which weighed me down, so that it was not possible for me to mount alone. However, he would not give me his hand, but said to me, 'Reach me the lamp that is with thee, and after I will give thee my hand and pull thee up.' I, seeing that I had put the lamp within my sleeve and the purses atop [280] of it, could not reach it to give it to him and said to him, 'O my-uncle, I cannot give thee the lamp. When I come up, I will give it to thee.' But he would not help me up; nay, he would e'en have the lamp, and his intent was to take it from me and turn back the earth over me and destroy me, even as he did with me in the end. This, then, O my mother, was what befell me from that foul wizard." And he told her all that had passed between them from first to last and fell to reviling the Maugrabin with all rancour and heat of heart, saying, "Out on this accursed one, this foul sorcerer, this hard-hearted oppressor, this inhuman, perfidious, hypocritical villain, lacking [281] all mercy and ruth!"

When [282] Alaeddin's mother heard her son's speech and that which the accursed Maugrabin did with him, she said to him, "Yea, verily, O my son, he is a misbeliever and a hypocrite, who destroyeth folk with his sorcery; but glory [283] to God the Most High, who hath delivered thee from the perfidy and guile of this accursed sorcerer, of whom I thought that he was in very deed thine uncle." Now, Alaeddin had passed three days without sleep and found himself drowsy; so he [withdrew to his chamber and] slept. His mother did likewise and Alaeddin ceased not to sleep till next day, [284] near noontide, when he awoke and immediately sought somewhat to eat, for that he was anhungred; and his mother said to him, "O my son, I have nought to give thee to eat, for that all I had by me thou atest yesterday. But wait awhile; I have here a little yarn by me and I am going down to the market, so I may sell it and buy thee withal somewhat thou mayst eat." "O my mother," rejoined Alaeddin, "keep the yarn and sell it not; but give me the lamp which I brought home, so I may arise and sell it and with its price buy somewhat we may eat. Methinketh it will fetch more than the yarn." So she arose and fetched the lamp; but, finding it exceeding dirty, she said to him, "O my son, this lamp is dirty, and if we wash it and furbish it, it will sell for a better price." Accordingly she took a little sand and fell to scouring the lamp withal; but scarce had she begun to rub it when there appeared to her one of the Jinn, foul of favour and monstrous of make as he were of the giants, and said to her, "Say what thou wilt of me. Here am I, thy slave and the slave of whoso hath in his hand the lamp; and not I alone, but all the slaves of the wonderful lamp that is in thy hand." When she saw his frightful aspect, she trembled and fear get hold upon her and her tongue was tied, nor could she return an answer, for that she was not used to look upon apparitions like unto this; so [285] she fell down aswoon of her terror.

Now Alaeddin her son was standing afar off and he had seen the slave of the ring which he had rubbed in the treasure; so, when he heard the genie's speech to his mother, he hastened to take the lamp from her hand and said to him, "O slave of the lamp, I am hungry; my will is that thou bring me somewhat I may eat, and be it somewhat good past conceit." [286] The genie was absent the twinkling of an eye and [returning,] brought him a great costly tray of sheer silver, whereon were twelve platters of various kinds and colours [287] of rich meats and two silver cups and two flagons [288] of clarified old wine and bread whiter than snow; all which he set before him and disappeared. So Alaeddin arose and sprinkled rosewater on his mother's face and made her smell to strong [289] perfumes; whereupon she revived and he said to her, "Rise, O my mother, so we may eat of this food that God the Most High hath vouchsafed us." [290] When she saw the great silver tray, she marvelled and said to Alaeddin, "O my son, who is the generous, the bountiful one that hath sought out our hunger [291] and our poverty? Indeed, we are beholden to him. [292] Apparently the Sultan hath heard of our case and our wretchedness and hath sent us this tray." "O my mother," answered Alaeddin, "this is no time for questioning; rise, so we may eat, for we are anhungred."

So they arose and sitting down to the tray, proceeded to eat, whilst Alaeddin's mother tasted food such as she had never in all her life eaten. And they ate diligently [293] with all appetite, for stress of hunger, more by token that the food [was such as] is given to kings, nor knew they if the tray were precious or not, for that never in their lives had they seen the like of these things. When they had made an end of eating and were full (and there was left them, over and above what sufficed them, [enough] for the evening-meal and for the next day also), they arose and washing their hands, sat down to talk; whereupon Alaeddin's mother turned to her son and said to him, "O my son, tell me what befell of [294] the genie, now that, praised be God, we have eaten of His bounty and are satisfied and thou hast no pretext for saying to me, 'I am anhungred.'" So he told her all that had passed between himself and the genie, whenas she fell down aswoon of her affright; whereat exceeding wonderment took her and she said to him, "It is true, then, [295] that the Jinn appear to the sons of Adam, though I, O my son, in all my days, I have never seen them, and methinketh this is he who delivered thee, whenas thou west in the treasure." "Nay, O my mother," answered he, "this was not he; he who appeared to thee is the slave of the lamp." "How so, [296] O my son?" asked she; and he said, "This slave is other of make than that. That was the servant of the ring and this thou sawest is the slave of the lamp which was in thy hand." When [297] his mother heard this, "Well, well!" cried she. "Then the accursed who appeared to me and came nigh to kill me for affright is of the lamp?" "Ay is he," answered Alaeddin; and she said to him, "I conjure thee, O my son, by the milk thou suckedst of me, that thou cast away from thee both lamp and ring, for that they will be to us a cause of exceeding fear and I could not endure to see them [298] a second time; nay, their commerce is forbidden unto us, for that the prophet (whom God bless and keep) warneth us against them." [299] "O my mother," answered Alaeddin, "thy speech is on my head and eyes; [300] but, as for this that thou sayest, it may not be that I should cast away either the lamp or the ring; nay, thou seest that which it [301] did with us of good, whenas we were anhungred, and know, O my mother, that the lying Maugrabin enchanter, what time I went down into the treasure, sought nought of gold nor of silver, whereof the four places were full, but charged me bring him the lamp and that only, for that he knew the greatness of its virtues; [302] and except he knew it to be exceeding of might, he had not toiled and travailed and come from his land to this in quest of it, nor had he shut the treasure on me, whenas he failed of the lamp, seeing I gave it him not. Wherefore, O my mother, it behoveth us keep this lamp and guard it with all care, for that this is our support and this it is shall enrich us; and it behoveth us show it not unto any. On like wise, as for the ring, it may not be that I should put it off from my finger, forasmuch as, but for this ring, thou hadst not seen me again on life; nay, I had died under the earth within the treasure; so how can I put it off from my hand and who knoweth what may happen to me in time to come of error or calamity or shift of the shifts of mischance, from which the ring might deliver me? However, of regard for thy wish, I will lay up the lamp and let thee not see it henceforth." When his mother heard his words and pondered them, she saw them to be just and true and said to him, "O my son, do what thou wilt. For my part, I wish never to see them nor ever again to behold that loathsome aspect [303] which I saw [but now]."

Alaeddin [304] and his mother abode two days eating of the food which the genie had brought, and when it was finished and he knew that there was left them nothing to eat, he arose and taking a platter of those which the slave had brought on the tray (now they were of fine gold, but Alaeddin knew it not) went with it to the market, where a Jew, a man viler than devils themselves, accosted [305] him and he gave him the platter. When the Jew saw it, he took Alaeddin aside, so none might see him, and examining the platter, found it of fine gold, [306] but knew not if Alaeddin was ware of its worth or if he was ignorant thereof; so he said to him, "How much, O my lord, for this platter?" And Alaeddin answered him, saying, "Thou knowest how much it is worth." The Jew was perplexed how much he should give Alaeddin for the platter, by reason of his having made him an adroit answer, and bethought himself to give him little, but feared lest he should be aware of its value and debated with himself if he should give him much. Then said he in himself, "Most like he knoweth not its value;" so he brought out of his pocket a gold diner and gave it to him. When Alaeddin saw the diner in his hand, he took it and went off in haste, whereby the Jew knew that the lad was unaware of the value of the plate and repented him sore that he had given him a gold diner and not a carat of three-score: [307]

Meanwhile Alaeddin tarried not, but went forthright to the baker and bought of him bread and changed the diner; then, returning to his mother, he gave her the bread and the rest of the money and said to her, "O my mother, go and buy us what we need." So she arose and going to the market, bought all that they needed and they ate and were cheered. Then, whenassoever the price of a platter was spent, Alaeddin would take another and carry it to the Jew; on which wise the accursed Jew bought them all of him for a small matter and would fain also have reduced the price; but, since he had given him a diner the first time, he feared to offer him less, lest the lad should go and sell to another [308] and he lose that excessive profit. Accordingly, Alaeddin ceased not to sell him platter after platter till he had sold them all and there was left him only the tray whereon they had been; then, for that it was big and heavy, he went and fetched the Jew to the house and brought out to him the tray. When he saw it and noted its bigness, he gave Alaeddin ten diners, which he took, and the Jew went his way.

Alaeddin and his mother lived upon the ten diners till they came to an end; then he arose and bringing out the lamp, rubbed it, whereupon the slave of the lamp, to wit, the genie whom he had seen before, appeared to him and [309] said to him, "Seek what thou wilt, O my lord, for that I am thy slave and the slave of whoso hath with him the lamp." Quoth Alaeddin, "It is my will that thou bring me a tray of food like unto that which thou broughtest me erewhen, for that I am hungry;" and the slave brought him, in the twinkling of an eye, a tray like unto that which he had brought him before, and on it twelve magnificent platters full of rich meats, together with flagons [310] of clarified wine and bread of the finest. Now Alaeddin's mother, when she knew that her son was minded to rub the lamp, had gone out, so she might not see the genie again; but, after a little, she came in to him and seeing the tray full of silver platters, whilst the whole house reeked with the fragrance of the rich meats, marvelled and rejoiced; and Alaeddin said to her, "O my mother, thou badest me throw away the lamp. See now its uses." "O my son," answered she, "may God prosper him; [311] but fain would I not see him." Then they sat down to the tray and ate and drank till they were satisfied, laying up that which remained with them against the morrow.

Then, when that which was with them of food was finished, Alaeddin arose and taking one of the platters under his clothes, went in quest of the Jew, so he might sell it to him; but, as chance willed it, he passed by the shop of a goldsmith, an honest, pious man, who feared God. When the latter saw Alaeddin, he accosted him and said to him, "O my son, what wilt thou? This many a time have I seen thee pass hereby and betake thyself to such an one, a Jew, and I have seen thee give him certain things. Nay, methinketh even now thou hast somewhat with thee and art seeking him, so thou mayst sell it to him. But thou knowest not, O my son, that the good of the Muslims, believers in the unity of God the Most High, is lawful spoil in the eyes of Jews; nay, they still cheat the Muslims and especially this accursed one with whom thou dealest and into whose hands thou hast fallen. Wherefore, O my son, an thou have with thee aught thou wouldst sell, show it to me and fear nothing, for that, by the truth of God the Most High, I will give thee its price." Accordingly, Alaeddin brought out the platter to the old man, who took it and weighing it in his scales, said to him, "Was it the like of this thou usest to sell to the Jew?" "Ay," replied Alaeddin, "its like and its brother." "And how much," asked the goldsmith, "useth he to give thee to its price?" And Alaeddin said, "He useth to give me a diner."

When [312] the goldsmith heard this, "Out on this accursed one," cried he, "who fleeceth the servants of God the Most High!" Then he looked at Alaeddin and said to him, "O my son, this Jew is a cheat, who hath cheated thee and laughed at thee, for that the silver of this thy platter is pure and fine; and I have weighed it and find its worth threescore diners and ten; so, an it please thee take its price, take [it]." Accordingly, he counted out to him seventy diners and he took them and thanked him for his kindness, in that he had shown him the Jew's trickery. Thenceforward, whenassoever the price of one platter was spent, he would carry another to the old goldsmith, and on this wise he and his mother increased in substance; but they ceased not to live at their sufficiency, [313] midwise [betwixt rich and poor], [314] without excessive spending [315] or squandering. As for Alaeddin, he left idleness and the commerce of striplings and took to consorting with grown men; [316] nay, he would go every day to the market of the merchants and sit with the great and the small of them and question of the ways and fashions of commerce and the prices of articles of merchandise [317] and otherwhat. He used also to go to the market of the goldsmiths and the market of the jewellers, and there he would sit and look upon the different kinds of jewels and see them bought and sold; whereby he became aware that the fruits of the trees, wherewith he had filled the purses, [318] whenas he was in the treasure, were neither glass nor crystal, but jewels, and knew that he had happened upon great wealth, such as kings might nowise compass. Moreover, he noted all the jewels that were in the jewellers' market, but saw not [among] the biggest [of them] one to match with the smallest of those he had at home.

He ceased not to go daily to the market of the jewellers and to clap up acquaintance with the folk, making friends with them and questioning them of buying and selling and giving and taking and dear and cheap, till, one day of the days, he arose in the morning and donning his clothes, went forth, intending, as of wont, for the jewellers' market; but, as he went, he heard the crier proclaiming aloud on this wise, "By commandment of the Lord of Beneficence, the king of the age and monarch of the time and the tide, let all the folk shut their shops and stores and enter their houses, for that the Lady Bedrulbudour, daughter of the Sultan, purposeth to go to the bath, and whoso transgresseth the commandment, his punishment shall be death and his blood be on his own head." [319] When Alaeddin heard this proclamation, he longed to look upon the Sultan's daughter and said in himself, "All the folk talk of her grace and goodliness, and the uttermost of my desire is to see her." So [320] he cast about for a device how he might contrive to see the Lady Bedrulbudour and him-seemed he were best stand behind the door of the bath, that he might see her face, as she entered. Accordingly he betook himself to the bath, awhile in advance, and posted himself behind the door, whereas none of the folk might see him.

Presently, the Sultan's daughter came forth and went round about the city and its thoroughfares and diverted herself by viewing it; then she repaired to the bath and when she came thither, she lifted her face-veil, as she entered; whereupon her face shone out, as it were the resplendent sun or a precious pearl, and she was as saith of her one of her describers:

Who sprinkled the kohl of enchantment upon her eyes
And gathered the bloom of the rose from her cheeks, fruit-wise?
And who was it let down the curtained night of her hair
And eke through its glooms made the light of her forehead rise?

When she raised the veil from her face and Alaeddin saw her, he said, "Verily, her fashion glorifieth the Great Creator and extolled be the perfection of Him who made her and graced her with this beauty and goodliness!" And his back was cloven in sunder, [321] when he saw her; his thought was confounded and his understanding [322] dazed and the love of her gat hold upon his whole heart; so he turned back and returning home, went in to his mother, like one distraught. She bespoke him and he answered her neither yea nor nay; then she brought him the morning-meal, as he abode on this wise, and said to him, "O my son, what hath betided thee? Doth there ail thee aught? Tell me what hath befallen thee, for that, against thy wont, I bespeak thee and thou answerest me not."

Now Alaeddin had been used to think that women were all like his mother and he had heard of the beauty of the Lady Bedrulbudour, daughter of the Sultan, but had not known what beauty and grace were; so he turned to his mother and said to her, "Leave me;" but she was instant with him to come and eat. Accordingly, he came forward and ate a little; then, rising, he threw himself on his bed and lay musing till break of morn; and on this wise he abode all next day. His mother was perplexed at his case, unknowing what had befallen him, and bethought herself that belike he was sick; so she came up to him and questioned him, saying, "O my son, an thou feel aught of pain or otherwhat, tell me, that I may go fetch thee a physician, more by token there is presently in the city a physician from the land of the Arabs, whom the Sultan hath sent to bring hither, and report saith of him that he is exceeding skilful; so [tell me] if thou art sick, that I may go and call him to thee."

When [323] Alaeddin heard his mother offer to fetch him the physician, he said to her, "O my mother, I am well and not sick, but I had thought that women were all like unto thee. However, yesterday, I saw the Lady Bedrulbudour, the Sultan's daughter, as she went to the bath;" and he told her all that had happened to him, adding, "And most like thou heardest the crier proclaiming that none should open his shop nor stand in the road, so the Lady Bedrulbudour might pass to the bath; but I saw her even as she is, for that, when she came to the door of the bath, she lifted her veil, and when I noted her favour and viewed that noble form of hers, there befell me, O my mother, a passion of yearning for love of her and desire of her [324] usurped mine every part; nor can I ever more have ease, except I get her, and I purpose, therefore, to demand her of the Sultan her father in the way of law and righteousness."

When Alaeddin's mother heard her son's speech, she thought little of his wit and said to him, "O my son, the name of God encompass thee! Meseemeth thou hast lost thy wit; return to thy senses, [325] O my son, and be not like the madmen!" "Nay, O my mother," replied he, "I have not lost my wits nor am I mad; and this thy speech shall not change that which is in my mind, nor is rest possible to me except I get the darling of my heart, the lovely Lady Bedrulbudour. And my intent is to demand her of her father the Sultan." So she said to him, "O my son, my life upon thee, speak not thus, lest one hear thee and say of thee that thou art mad. Put away from thee this extravagance: [326] who shall undertake an affair like this and demand it of the Sultan? Meknoweth not how thou wilt do to make this request of the Sultan, and if thou speak sooth, [327] by whom wilt thou make it?" "O my mother," rejoined Alaeddin, "by whom [should I make] a request like this, when thou art at hand, and whom have I trustier [328] than thyself? Wherefore my intent is that thou shalt make this request for me." "O my son," quoth she, "God deliver me from this! What, have I lost my wits like thee? Put away this thought from thy mind and bethink thee who thou art, O my son,--the son of a tailor, the poorest and least of the tailors in this city, and I also am thy mother and my folk are exceeding poor; so how wilt thou dare to demand the Sultan's daughter, whom her father would not vouchsafe to marry with kings' sons and Sultans, except they were his peers in puissance and rank and noblesse; nay, were they one degree less than he, he would not give them his daughter."

Alaeddin [329] waited till his mother had made an end of her speech and said to her, "O my mother, all that thou thinkest I know; marry, I know full well that I am the son of poor folk, nor may all this thy talk anywise avail to move me from my purpose; but I beseech thee, an I be thy very son and thou love me, do me this kindness; else wilt thou lose me, for death hasteneth upon me, an I attain not my wish of the beloved of my heart. In any case, O my mother, I am thy son." When his mother heard his speech, she wept of her concern for him and said to him, "Yes, O my son, I am thy mother and thou art my son and the darling of my heart; [330] I have none other than thee and the extreme of my desire is to rejoice in thee and marry thee. So, an thou wilt, I will seek thee a bride of our own rank. But suppose [I do this], they [331] [will] ask at once an thou have craft or land or trade or garden, so thou mayst live, and what shall I answer them. And if I cannot answer poor folk like ourselves, how, O my son, shall I dare to seek the King's daughter of China, who hath none before him and none after him? Wherefore do thou ponder this matter in thine understanding. And who seeketh her? The son of a tailor. [332] Indeed, I know that, an I speak of this, it will but be for the increase of our ill luck, for that this affair will bring us in great danger with the Sultan and belike there will be death therein for thee and for me. As for me, how can I adventure upon this danger and this effrontery? Moreover, O my son, on what wise shall I demand thee his daughter of the Sultan and how shall I avail to go in to him? Nay, if they question me, what shall I answer them? Most like they will deem me a madwoman. And suppose I gain admission to the presence, what shall I take by way of offering to the Sultan's highness? It [333] is true, O my son, that the Sultan is clement and rejecteth none that cometh to him for protection or craveth a boon of him, for that he is bountiful and beneficent unto all, great and small; [334] but he bestoweth his favours upon those who are deserving thereof or who have done some feat of arms before him or have wrought for the service or defence of the realm; and thou, O my son, tell me, what hast thou done for [335] the Sultan or the realm, that thou shouldst merit of him this boon? Again, this that thou cravest is beyond thy condition; [336] so it cannot be that the king will grant thee that which thou seekest. Moreover, whoso presenteth himself before the Sultan and craveth favours of him, it behoveth him take in his hand somewhat that sorteth with the royal dignity; and as I said to thee, how canst thou presume to present thyself before the Sultan and seek of him his daughter, without aught thou mayst proffer him of that which sorteth with his rank?"

"O my mother," replied Alaeddin, "thou speakest justly and deemest that which is true, [337] and it behoveth me consider all that whereof thou mindest me; but, O my mother, the love of the Sultan's daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, hath entered into the innermost of my heart; and there can be no rest for me, except I obtain her. Moreover, thou mindest me of somewhat I had forgotten, and that a thing which emboldeneth me to seek of him his daughter by thee. Thou sayst, O my mother, that I have no gift to present to the Sultan, according to the wont of the folk, whilst in fact I have by me a gift and an offering, the like whereof methinketh no king ever possessed, no, nor aught to match therewith; for [338] thou must know, O my mother, that the fruits, which I brought in the purses [339] from the treasure and which I deemed glass or crystal, are very jewels, methinketh all the kings of the world may not compass the least of them, and I, of my companying with the jewellers, know that they are precious stones. Wherefore, an thou please, have the goodness to rise and bring me such a China dish which we have by us, [340] that I may fill it with these jewels, and thou shalt take it as a present to the Sultan. By this means I am assured that the thing will be easy to thee, and do thou stand before the Sultan and seek of him my desire; but, O my mother, an thou refuse to further me with thine endeavour for the attainment of my wish of the Lady Bedrulbudour, know that I am a dead man. Be not concerned for the gift, for these be exceeding precious jewels, and know, O my mother, that I have gone many a time to the market of the jewellers and have seen them sell jewels, that had not an hundredth part [341] of the beauty of these of ours, at exceeding high prices such as man's wit cannot conceive. When, therefore, I saw this, I said [in myself], 'Verily, the jewels that are with us are exceeding precious.' So now, O my mother, arise, as I bade thee, and fetch me the China dish whereof I bespoke thee, that we may range of these jewels therein and see how they show."

Accordingly, she arose and brought the China dish, saying in herself, "Let us see if my son's speech be true concerning these jewels or not." So she set the dish before Alaeddin and he brought out jewels of all kinds from the purses and proceeded to range them in the dish till he filled it. When it was full, his mother looked at the dish, but could not gaze fixedly thereon, for the radiance of the jewels and their lustre and the excess of their flashing; so she shut her eyes and her wit was confounded at them; yet was she not certified that their value was in very deed so great as her son had said, but bethought her that his speech might be true in that their like was not found with kings. Then Alaeddin turned to her and said, "See, O my mother, this is a magnificent present for the Sultan and I am assured that thou wilt get of him exceeding honour and that he will receive thee with all consideration. And now, O my mother, there remaineth to thee no excuse; so be good enough [342] to take this dish and go with it to the palace."

"O my son," replied she, "true it is that the present is exceedingly costly and precious and as thou sayest, none hath the like thereof; but who shall dare to come forward and seek of the Sultan his daughter Bedrulbudour? Nay, I dare not adventure myself and say to him, 'I want thy daughter,' whenas he asketh me, 'What wouldst thou?' Marry, O my son,, my tongue will be tied. And grant that Allah make [the thing] possible and I take courage and say to him, 'I desire to ally myself to thee by [marrying] thy daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour with my son Alaeddin,' they will straightway deem me mad and will put me out with ignominy and reproach; nay, I need not tell thee that by this I shall fall into danger of death, and not I only, but thou also. Withal, O my son, of regard for thy wish, needs must I take courage and go; but, O my son, if the King receive me and honour me for the gift's sake and I seek of him that which thou wilt in [343] the matter of marrying his daughter and he ask me, after the wont of the folk, what are thy possessions and thy revenues, what shall I say to him? And most like, O my son, he will ask me of this ere he ask me of thyself." And Alaeddin said to her, "Nay, it cannot be that the Sultan will ask this, whenas he seeth the jewels and their magnificence, and it booteth not to think of a thing that will not happen. Do thou but rise and seek me his daughter of him and proffer him these jewels and sit not magnifying the affair in thy thought beforehand. Moreover, O my mother, thou knowest of the lamp which is with me and which presently provideth for our livelihood; [344] nay, all that I seek of it it will bring me, and I trust by its means I shall know how to answer the Sultan, an he ask me of this."

They abode in talk of the matter all that night and when the morning morrowed, Alaeddin's mother arose and fortified her heart, more by token that her son expounded to her somewhat of the properties of the lamp and its uses, in that it would bring them all they sought. But, when he saw that she heartened herself for that which he set forth to her of its virtues, he feared lest she should talk of this to the folk, so he said to her, "O my mother, beware lest thou bespeak any of the lamp and its uses, for that this is our fortune; be careful [345] and exceed not in speech thereof to any one, lest we lose it and lose this our present prosperity, for that it is from it." [346] "Have no fear for that, O my son," answered she and rising, took the dish wherein were the jewels and wrapping it in a fine handkerchief, went forth betimes, so she might reach the Divan and enter, ere it became crowded. When she came to the palace, the Divan was not yet assembled [347] and she saw the Vizier and certain of the chiefs of the state entering the presence-chamber. After a while, the Divan being complete with the Viziers and the chiefs of the state and officers and Amirs and grandees, the Sultan appeared and the Viziers and other the officials and notables ranged themselves before him, whilst he sat down on the throne of his kingship and all who were present in the Divan stood before him, with hands clasped behind them, [348] awaiting his commandment to sit. So he bade them be seated and they all sat down, each in his several room; then the petitioners [349] presented themselves before the Sultan and each affair was decided in its course, [350] till the Divan came to an end, when the King rose and entered the palace and each went his way.

As [351] for Alaeddin's mother, having come before all, she found room to enter, but withal none bespoke her, so he should bring her in before the Sultan; wherefore she ceased not standing till the Divan broke up and the Sultan rose and entered the palace and all went their ways. When she saw the Sultan rise from his throne and enter the harem, she took her way homeward and returning on her steps, entered her house. Alaeddin, seeing her with the dish in her hand, knew that most like some mischance had betided her, but cared not to question her till she entered and setting down the dish, told him what had passed and finally said to him, "God be praised, O my son, I mustered courage to find myself a place in the Divan, albeit I could not win to speak with the Sultan to day; but to-morrow, an it please God the Most High, I will bespeak him. To-day there were many other folk, like myself, unable to get speech of the Sultan; but be easy, O my son; to-morrow I will without fail bespeak him on thy behalf, and what happened not shall happen." When Alaeddin heard his mother's words, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy, albeit, of the excess of his love and longing for the Lady Bedrulbudour, he had looked for the matter to be accomplished then and there; nevertheless, he used patience.

They slept that night and on the morrow Alaeddin's mother arose and went with the dish to the Sultan's Divan, but found it closed; so she asked the folk and they said to her, "The Sultan holdeth a Divan but thrice a week;" wherefore she was compelled [352] to return home. Then she proceeded to go every day, and whenas she found the Divan open, she would stand before the door, [353] till it broke up, when she would return home; and whiles she went and found the Divan closed. [354] On this wise she abode a week's space [355] and the Sultan saw her at each Divan; so, when she went on the last day [of the week] and stood, according to her wont, before the Divan, till it was ended, but could not muster courage to enter [356] or say aught, the Sultan arose and entering the harem, turned to his chief Vizier, who was with him, and said to him, "O Vizier, these six or seven days [357] past I have seen yonder old woman come hither at every Divan and I note that she still carrieth somewhat under her veil. [358] Hast thou any knowledge of her, O Vizier, and knowest thou what is her want?" "O our lord the Sultan," replied the Vizier, "verily women are little of wit; and most like this woman cometh to complain to thee of her husband or one of her folk," The Sultan was not content with the Vizier's reply, but bade him, an she came again to the Divan, bring her before him forthright; [359] whereupon the Vizier laid his hand on his head and answered, "Hearkening and obedience, O our lord the Sultan."

Meanwhile, [360] Alaeddin's mother, albeit she was grown exceeding weary and dejected, yet made light of all weariness, for her son's sake, and continued, as of her wont, to go every court-day and stand in the Divan before the Sultan. [361] Accordingly, one day of the days, she went to the Divan, as of her wont, and stood before the Sultan; and when he saw her, he called his Vizier and said to him, "Yonder is the woman of whom I bespoke thee yesterday; bring her now before me, so I may see what her suit is and accomplish unto her her occasion." So the Vizier arose forthright and let bring Alaeddin's mother in before the Sultan. When she came into the latter's presence, she made her obeisance to him and did him reverence, wishing him glory and continuance and eternity of prosperity and kissing the ground before him. Then said he to her, "O woman, I see thee come every day to the Divan and thou speakest not of aught. Tell me an thou have a want, that I may accomplish it unto thee;" whereupon she kissed the earth a second time and called down blessings upon him, then answered, "Ay, O King of the Age, as thy head liveth, I have indeed a want; but before all things do thou give me thine assurance, [362] so I may make bold to prefer my suit to the hearing of our lord the Sultan, for that belike Thy Grace will find it a strange one."

The Sultan, that he might learn what her suit was and for that he was of his nature exceeding clement, gave her his assurance and bidding all who were with him go out forthright, abode alone [with her], he and the Grand Vizier. Then he turned to her and said, "Tell me thy suit, and the assurance [363] of God the Most High be upon thee." Quoth she, "O King of the Age, I wish thy pardon also." And he said to her, "God pardon thee!" [364] Then said she to him, "O our lord the Sultan, I have a son, whose name is Alaeddin, and one day of the days he heard the crier proclaim that none should open his shop nor show himself in the thoroughfares of the city, [365] for that the Lady Bedrulbudour, the daughter of our lord the Sultan, was going to the bath. When my son heard this, he wished to see her; so he hid himself in a place, whence he might see her well, and this was behind the door of the bath. Accordingly, when she came up, he saw her and viewed her well, beyond his wish; and from that time till now, O King of the Age, life hath not been pleasant to him [366] and he will e'en have me seek her of Thy Grace, [367] so thou mayst marry her with him, and I cannot do away this conceit from his wit, for that the love of her hath gotten possession of his vitals, so that he saith to me, 'Know, O mother mine, that, except I attain my desire, assuredly I am a dead man.' Wherefore I crave Thy Grace's clemency and hope that thou wilt pardon me and my son this effrontery neither be wroth with us therefor."

When the King heard her story, he fell a-laughing, of his clemency, [368] and asked her, "What is that thou hast with thee and what is that bundle?" [369] Whereupon she, seeing that he was not angered at her words, but laughed, opened the handkerchief forthright and proffered him the dish of jewels. When the Sultan saw the jewels (and indeed, whenas she raised the handkerchief from them, the Divan became as it were all illumined with lamp-clusters and candlesticks), he was amazed and confounded at their radiance and fell a-marvelling at their lustre and bigness and beauty; and [370] he said, "Never saw I the like of these jewels for beauty and bigness and perfection, nor methinketh is one of them found in my treasuries." Then he turned to his Vizier and said to him, "How sayst thou, O Vizier? Sawest thou ever in thy life the like of these magnificent jewels?" "Never, O our lord the Sultan," replied the Vizier, "nor, methinketh, is the least of those which be here found in the treasuries of our lord the King." Quoth the Sultan, "Doth not he who giveth me these jewels deserve to be bridegroom to my daughter Bedrulbudour? Marry, by what I see, meseemeth none is worthier of her than he."

When the Vizier heard the Sultan's words, his tongue was tied for despite and he was overcome with exceeding chagrin, forasmuch as the King had promised him that he would marry his daughter to his son; so, after a little, he said to him, "O King of the age, Thy Grace condescended to promise me [371] that the Lady Bedrulbudour should be my son's; wherefore it behoveth thine exalted highness appoint a delay of three months, [372] and God willing, my son's present shall be greater than this." The King, for all he knew that this was a thing whereto the Vizier might not avail, no, nor the greatest King, [373] nevertheless exercised his clemency [374] and granted him the delay he sought; then, turning to the old woman, he said to her, "Go to thy son and tell him I give him [my] word that my daughter shall be in his name; [375] but needs must I take order for her equipment; [376] wherefore it behoveth him grant us a delay of three months."

Alaeddin's mother took the answer and thanked the Sultan and prayed for him, then went forth and fared homeward in haste, flying of her joy, till she came to the house and entered. Her son saw her laughing-faced and foreboded good news; more by token that she returned forthright and tarried not, as on each day past, neither brought back the dish. Accordingly he asked her and said to her, "God willing, O my mother, thou bringest me good news; the jewels and their value have wrought their work and thou wilt have found acceptance with the Sultan; yea, he will have shown thee favour and given ear unto thy suit." So she told him all that had passed and how the Sultan had received her and had marvelled, both he and his Vizier, at the size and beauty of the jewels, and how he had promised her that [quoth she] "his daughter shall be in thy name. But, O my son, ere he promised me, the Vizier whispered [377] him somewhat, whereupon he appointed me for three months hence; and I am fearful lest the Vizier be a man of evil disposition, [378] who will change the King's mind."

When [379] Alaeddin heard his mother's words and how the Sultan had appointed her for [380] three months [thence], his heart was lightened and he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said, "Since the Sultan hath promised for [381] three months [hence], true, it [382] is long, but in any case my joy is great." Then he thanked her for her kindness and the pains she had taken [383] and said to her, "By Allah, O my mother, it is as I were in a tomb and now thou hast raised me up therefrom; and I praise God the Most High, for I am presently certified that there is none richer or happier than I in the world." Then he waited till two of the three months were past, when his mother went out one day of the days, at sundown, to buy oil, and saw the markets closed and the city all decorated and the folk setting candles and flowers in their windows and saw troops, horse and foot, and mounted eunuchs drawn up in state, with cressets and lustres burning. At this wonder took her; [384]he went to an oilman's shop there open and buying oil of him, said to him, "[I conjure thee] by thy life, O uncle, tell me what is toward to-day in this city, that the folk are making this decoration and the markets [are shut] and the houses all adorned and the troops drawn up in state?" Quoth he, "O woman, methinketh thou art a stranger and art not of this city." "Nay," answered she, "but I am of this city;" and he said to her, "Thou art of this city and knowest not that this is the night of the going in of the Grand Vizier's son to the Lady Bedrulbudour, the Sultan's daughter? Nay, he is presently in the bath and yonder Amirs and troops are drawn up awaiting him, against he come forth, so they may carry him in procession to the palace of the Sultan's daughter."