once make act of presence that I may become familiar with him. He
shall see naught from me save all honor and consideration, and this

night shall be the beginning of the marriage festivities. Only, as I
said to thee, let him come to me and tarry not." Thereupon Aladdin's

mother returned home with the speed of the storm winds that she
might hasten her utmost to congratulate her son, and she flew with joy

at the thought that her boy was about to become son-in-law to the
Sultan.

After her departure the King dismissed the Divan and, entering the
palace of the Princess, bade them bring the bowls and the handmaids

before him and before her, that she also might inspect them. But
when the Lady Badr al-Budur considered the jewels, she waxed

distraught and cried: "Meseemeth that in the treasuries of the world
there be not found one jewel rivaling these jewels." Then she looked

at the handmaids and marveled at their beauty and loveliness, and knew
that all this came from her new bridegroom, who had sent them in her

service. So she was gladdened, albeit she had been grieved and
saddened on account of her former husband, the Wazir's son, and she

rejoiced with exceeding joy when she gazed upon the damsels and
their charms. Nor was her sire, the Sultan, less pleased and

inspirited when he saw his daughter relieved of an her mourning and
melancholy, and his own vanished at the sight of her enjoyment. Then

he asked her: "O my daughter, do these things divert thee? Indeed I
deem that this suitor of thine be more suitable to thee than the son

of the Wazir, and right soon, Inshallah! O my daughter, thou shalt
have fuller joy with him."

Such was the case with the King, but as regards Aladdin, as soon
as he saw his mother entering the house with face laughing for

stress of joy he rejoiced at the sign of glad tidings and cried: "To
Allah alone be lauds! Perfected is an I desired." Rejoined his mother:

"Be gladdened at my good news, O my son, and hearten thy heart and
cool thine eyes for the winning of thy wish. The Sultan hath

accepted thine offering- I mean the moneys and the dower of the Lady
Badr al-Budur, who is now thine affianced bride. And this very

night, O my child, is your marriage and thy first visit to her, for
the King, that he might assure me of his word, hath proclaimed to

the world thou art his son-in-law, and promised this night to be the
night of going in. But he also said to me, 'Let thy son come hither

forthright that I may become familiar with him and receive him with
all honor and worship.' And now here am I, O my son, at the end of

my labors. Happen whatso may happen, the rest is upon thy shoulders."
Thereupon Aladdin arose and kissed his mother's hand and thanked

her, enhancing her kindly service. Then he left her and, entering
his chamber, took the lamp and rubbed it, when, lo and behold! its

slave appeared and cried: "Adsum! Ask whatso thou wantest." The
young man replied: "'Tis my desire that thou take me to a hammam whose

like is not in the world. Then fetch me a dress so costly and kingly
that no royalty ever owned its fellow." The Marid replied, "I hear and

I obey," and carried him to baths such as were never seen by the Kings
of the Chosroes, for the building was all of alabaster and camelian,

and it contained marvelous" target="_blank" title="(=marvellous) a.奇异的">marvelous limnings which captured the sight, and
the great hall was studded with precious stones. Not a soul was

therein, but when Aladdin entered, one of the Jann in human shape
washed him and bathed him to the best of his desire. Aladdin after

having been washed and bathed, left the baths and went into the
great hall, where he found that his old dress had been removed and

replaced by a suit of the most precious and princely. Then he was
served with sherbets and ambergrised coffee, and after drinking he

arose and a party of black slaves came forward and clad him in the
costliest of clothing, then perfumed and fumigated him. It is known

that Aladdin was the son of a tailor, a pauper, yet now would none
deem him to be such- nay, all would say: "This be the greatest that

is of the progeny of the kings. Praise be to Him Who changeth and
Who is not changed!"

Presently came the Jinni and, lifting him up, bore him to his
home, and asked, "O my lord, tell me, hast thou aught of need?" He

answered: "Yes, 'tis my desire that thou bring me eight and forty
Mamelukes, of whom two dozen shall forego me and the rest follow me,

the whole number with their war chargers and clothing and
accouterments. And all upon them and their steeds must be of naught

save of highest worth and the costliest, such as may not be found in
treasuries of the kings. Then fetch me a stallion fit for the riding

of the Chosroes and let his furniture, all thereof, be of gold crusted
with the finest gems. Fetch me also eight and forty thousand dinars,

that each white slave may carry a thousand gold pieces. 'Tis now my
intent to fare to the, Sultan, so delay thou not, for that without

an these requisites whereof I bespake thee I may no visit him.
Moreover, set before me a dozen slave girls unique in beauty and dight

with the most magnificent dresses, that they wend with my mother to
the royal palace, and let every handmaid be robed in raiment that

befitteth Queen's wearing." The slave replied, "To hear is to obey,"
and, disappearing for an eye twinkling, brought all he was bidden

bring, and led by hand a stallion whose rival was not amongst the
Arabian Arabs, and its saddlecloth was of splendid brocade

gold-in-wrought.
Thereupon, without stay or delay, Aladdin sent for his mother and

gave her the garments she should wear and committed to her charge
the twelve slave girls forming her suite to the palace. Then he sent

one of the Mamelukes whom the Jinni had brought to see if the Sultan
had left the seraglio or not. The white slave went forth lighter

than the lightning and, returned in like haste, said, "O my lord,
the Sultan awaiteth thee!" Hereat Aladdin arose and took horse, his

Mamelukes riding a-van and arear of him, and they were such that all
must cry, "Laud to the Lord Who created them and clothed them with

such beauty and loveliness!" And they scattered gold amongst the crowd
in front of their master, who surpassed them all in comeliness and nor

needest thou ask concerning the sons of the kings- praise be to the
Bountiful, the Eternal! All this was of the virtues of the wonderful

lamp, which whoso possessed, him it gifted with fairest favor and
finest figure, with wealth and with wisdom. The folk admired Aladdin's

liberality and exceedinggenerosity, and all were distraught seeing
his charms and elegance, his gravity and his good manners. They

glorified the Creator for this noble creation, they blessed him each
and every, and albeit they knew him for the son of Such-a-one, the

tailor, yet no man envied him- nay, all owned that he deserved his
great good fortune.

Now the Sultan had assembled the lords of the land and, informing
them of the promise he had passed to Aladdin touching the marriage

of his daughter, had bidden them await his approach and then go forth,
one and all, to meet him and greet him. Hereupon the emirs and wazirs,

the chamberlains, the nabobs and the army officers, took their
stations expecting him at the palace gate. Aladdin would fain have

dismounted at the outer entrance, but one of the nobles, whom the King
had deputed for such duty, approached him and said, "O my lord, 'tis

the royal command that thou enter riding thy steed, nor dismount
except at the Divan door." Then they all forewent him in a body and

conducted him to the appointed place, where they crowded about him,
these to hold his stirrup and those supporting him on either side

whilst others took him by the hands and helped him dismount. After
which all the emirs and nobles preceded him into the Divan and led him

close up to the royal throne.
Thereupon the Sultan came down forthright from his seat of estate

and, forbidding him to buss the carpet, embraced and kissed and seated
him to the right of and beside himself. Aladdin did whatso is suitable

in the case of the kings of salutation and offering of blessings, and
said: "O our lord the Sultan, indeed the generosity of thy Highness

demanded that thou deign vouchsafe to me the hand of thy daughter, the
Lady Badr al-Budur, albeit I undeserve the greatness of such gift, I

being but the humblest of thy slaves. I pray Allah grant thee
prosperity and perpetuance, but in very sooth, O King, my tongue is