Page:The Harvard Classics Vol. 16.djvu/396

 of jewels? Suppose he return to the Treasury and gather these jewels and bowls from the trees, yet with all this,and I do not think he can, but say that he acquire them,whence will he get the maids and slaves?" And she ceased not to commune with herself until she arrived at her house, where 'Ala-ed-Din was expecting her. And when she came in, she said: "O my son, did I not tell thee not to think that thou couldst attain to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and that such a thing was not possible for people like us?" And he said to her: "Explain to me what tidings there be." And she said: "O my son, verily the Sultan received me with all honour, as is his wont, and it is evident to me that his intentions towards us are benevolent. But thy enemy is the accursed Wezir; for after I had spoken to the Sultan, according to thy tongue (as thou saidst, 'Verily the time is come for which thou didst covenant'), and after I had said to him, 'Verily it behoves thy Felicity to order the wedding of thy daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to my son 'Ala-ed-Din,' he turned to the Wezir and spake to him; and he answered him secretly; and after-ward the Sultan gave me his answer." Then she told 'Ala-ed-Din what the Sultan required, and said to him: "O my son, verily he requireth of thee an immediate reply, and methinks we have no answer for him."

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of his mother, he laughed and said: "O my mother, thou sayest that we have no answer for him, and considerest the affair exceeding hard; but compose thy mind, and arise, bring me something to eat, and after we have eaten, if the Compassionate please, thou shalt see my answer. And the Sultan like thee, thinketh he hath required an enormous thing, in order to keep me from the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; though really he hath asked a smaller thing than I expected. But do thou arise, and fetch me somewhat to eat, and trust me to provide the answer for thee." So his mother arose and went forth to fetch what was needed from the market to prepare dinner. And 'Ala-ed-Din went into his cham- ber, and took the Lamp and rubbed it, and immediately there ap- peared to him the Slave, who said: "O my master, ask what thou desirest." And 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "I have demanded the daughter of the Sultan in marriage, and the Sultan hath required of me forty bowls of pure gold, each weighing ten pounds, and they