Page:The Harvard Classics Vol. 16.djvu/401

 chargers and habiliments and arms; and everything on them and their horses must be of the very costliest, such as is not in the treasuries of Kings. Then bring me a stallion fit for the Czsars, and let his housings be of gold studded over with magnificent jewels; and bring me forty-eight thousand dinars, to each memluk a thousand. For I wish to go to the Sultan's presence. So delay not, since without all these things of which I have told thee I cannot visit him. Bring me also twelve damsels; they must be of peerless beauty, and clad in the most sumptuous raiment, that they may accompany my mother to the palace of the Sultan. And let each damsel be attired like the King's ladies." And the Slave answered, "I hear and obey." And vanishing awhile, he brought him in the twinkling of an eye, all that he had commanded; and he led a steed the fellow of which did not exist among the horses of the Arabs, and his housings were of gorgeous cloth of gold.

'Ala-ed-Din sent for his mother at once, and delivered to her the twelve maidens, and gave her robes that she might be robed, when the damsels would escort her to the palace of the Sultan. And he sent one of the memluks which the Jinni had brought him to the Sultan, to ascertain whether he had come forth from his harem or not. So the memluk went quicker than lightning, and returned to him speedily, saying: "O my master, the Sultan expecteth thee." Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and mounted and the memluks rode before him and behind him. And they were such as to make all men cry: "Extolled be the Lord who created them in such perfection of beauty and grace!" And they scattered gold among the people before their master 'Ala-ed-Din, who excelled them in beauty and comeliness,and make no mention of the sons of Kings! Extolled be the Bountiful, the Eternal! And all this came by virtue of the Wonderful Lamp, which whoso possessed, it brought him beauty and loveliness and wealth and wisdom. And the people were astonished at the generosity of 'Ala-ed-Din and his excessive bounty, and were distraught as they gazed upon his beauty and comeliness and grace and courtliness. And they extolled the Compassionate for this his noble creation; and all blessed him, though they knew he was the son of Such an-one the tailor; and none was envious of him, but all pronounced him worthy of his luck.