Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/345

315 admonition and beg God the Most High to remove the wicked from us and stablish us in His obedience and in the observance of the law of His Prophet, on whom be peace and salvation!’

Ali and his wife and children were now in all delight of life and gladness; and he opened him a shop in the merchants’ bazaar and stocking it with jewels and precious metals, sat therein with his children and servants. He soon became the most considerable of the merchants of Baghdad, and his report reached the King of that city, who sent a messenger to command his attendance. So he took four trays of red gold and filling them with jewels and precious metals, such as no king possessed, went up to the palace and presenting himself before the prince, kissed the earth before him and wished him continuance of glory and prosperity, in the best words he could command. ‘O merchant,’ said the King, ‘thou honourest our city with thy presence;’ and Ali rejoined, saying, ‘O King of the age, thy slave hath brought thee a present and hopes for acceptance thereof from thy favour.’ So saying, he laid the four trays before the King, who uncovered them and seeing that they contained jewels, whose like he possessed not and whose worth equalled treasuries of money, said, ‘O merchant, thy present is accepted, and so God please, we will requite thee with its like.’ And Ali kissed his hands and went away. Then the King called his grandees and said to them, ‘How many kings have sought my daughter in marriage?’ ‘Many,’ answered they. ‘Hath any of them given me the like of this gift?’ asked he. ‘Not one,’ replied they; ‘for that none of them hath its like;’ and he said, ‘I have consulted God the Most High, as to marrying my daughter to this merchant. What say ye?’ ‘Be it as thou deemest,’ answered they. Then he bade the eunuch carry the four trays into his