Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp [3]
the
Sultan felt less inclined than ever to keep his word, and asked
his Vizier's advice, who counselled him to set so high a value on
the Princess that no man living would come up to it. The Sultan
than turned to Aladdin's mother, saying: "Good woman, a sultan
must remember his promises, and I will remember mine, but your
son must first send me forty basins of gold brimful of jewels,
carried by forty black slaves, led by as many white ones,
splendidly dressed. Tell him that I await his answer." The
mother of Aladdin bowed low and went home, thinking all was lost.
She gave Aladdin the message adding, "He may wait long enough for
your answer!" "Not so long, mother, as you think," her son replied.
"I would do a great deal more than that for the Princess."
He summoned the genie, and in a few moments the eighty slaves arrived,
and filled up the small house and garden. Aladdin made them to set
out to the palace, two by two, followed by his mother. They were so
richly dressed, with such splendid jewels, that everyone crowded
to see them and the basins of gold they carried on their heads.
They entered the palace, and, after kneeling before the Sultan,
stood in a half-circle round the throne with their arms crossed,
while Aladdin's mother presented them to the Sultan. He hesitated
no longer, but said: "Good woman, return and tell your son that I
wait for him with open arms." She lost no time in telling Aladdin,
bidding him make haste. But Aladdin first called the genie.
"I want a scented bath," he said, "a richly embroidered habit,
a horse surpassing the Sultan's, and twenty slaves to attend me.
Besides this, six slaves, beautifully dressed, to wait on my mother;
and lastly, ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses." No sooner said
then done. Aladdin mounted his horse and passed through the streets,
the slaves strewing gold as they went. Those who had played with
him in his childhood knew him not, he had grown so handsome.
When the sultan saw him he came down from his throne, embraced him,
and led him into a hall where a feast was spread, intending
to marry him to the Princess that very day. But Aladdin refused,
saying, "I must build a palace fit for her," and took his leave.
Once home, he said to the genie: "Build me a palace of the finest
marble, set with jasper, agate, and other precious stones. In the
middle you shall build me a large hall with a dome, its four walls
of massy gold and silver, each side having six windows, whose lattices,
all except one which is to be left unfinished, must be set with diamonds
and rubies. There must be stables and horses and grooms and slaves;
go and see about it!"
The palace was finished the next day, and the genie carried him
there and showed him all his orders faithfully carried out, even
to the laying of a velvet carpet from Aladdin's palace to the Sultan's.
Aladdin's mother then dressed herself carefully, and walked to the
palace with her slaves, while he followed her on horseback.
The Sultan sent musicians with trumpets and cymbals to
meet them, so that the air resounded with music and cheers.
She was taken to the Princess, who saluted her and treated her with
great honour. At night the princess said good-bye to her father,
and set out on the carpet for Aladdin's palace, with his mother
at her side, and followed by the hundred slaves. She was charmed
at the sight of Aladdin, who ran to receive her. "Princess," he
said, "blame your beauty for my boldness if I have displeased you."
She told him that, having seen him, she willingly obeyed
her father in this matter. After the wedding had taken place,
Aladdin led her into the hall, where a feast was spread, and she
supped with him, after which they danced till midnight.
Next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace. On
entering the hall with the four-and-twenty windows with their
rubies, diamonds and emeralds, he cried, "It
Sultan felt less inclined than ever to keep his word, and asked
his Vizier's advice, who counselled him to set so high a value on
the Princess that no man living would come up to it. The Sultan
than turned to Aladdin's mother, saying: "Good woman, a sultan
must remember his promises, and I will remember mine, but your
son must first send me forty basins of gold brimful of jewels,
carried by forty black slaves, led by as many white ones,
splendidly dressed. Tell him that I await his answer." The
mother of Aladdin bowed low and went home, thinking all was lost.
She gave Aladdin the message adding, "He may wait long enough for
your answer!" "Not so long, mother, as you think," her son replied.
"I would do a great deal more than that for the Princess."
He summoned the genie, and in a few moments the eighty slaves arrived,
and filled up the small house and garden. Aladdin made them to set
out to the palace, two by two, followed by his mother. They were so
richly dressed, with such splendid jewels, that everyone crowded
to see them and the basins of gold they carried on their heads.
They entered the palace, and, after kneeling before the Sultan,
stood in a half-circle round the throne with their arms crossed,
while Aladdin's mother presented them to the Sultan. He hesitated
no longer, but said: "Good woman, return and tell your son that I
wait for him with open arms." She lost no time in telling Aladdin,
bidding him make haste. But Aladdin first called the genie.
"I want a scented bath," he said, "a richly embroidered habit,
a horse surpassing the Sultan's, and twenty slaves to attend me.
Besides this, six slaves, beautifully dressed, to wait on my mother;
and lastly, ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses." No sooner said
then done. Aladdin mounted his horse and passed through the streets,
the slaves strewing gold as they went. Those who had played with
him in his childhood knew him not, he had grown so handsome.
When the sultan saw him he came down from his throne, embraced him,
and led him into a hall where a feast was spread, intending
to marry him to the Princess that very day. But Aladdin refused,
saying, "I must build a palace fit for her," and took his leave.
Once home, he said to the genie: "Build me a palace of the finest
marble, set with jasper, agate, and other precious stones. In the
middle you shall build me a large hall with a dome, its four walls
of massy gold and silver, each side having six windows, whose lattices,
all except one which is to be left unfinished, must be set with diamonds
and rubies. There must be stables and horses and grooms and slaves;
go and see about it!"
The palace was finished the next day, and the genie carried him
there and showed him all his orders faithfully carried out, even
to the laying of a velvet carpet from Aladdin's palace to the Sultan's.
Aladdin's mother then dressed herself carefully, and walked to the
palace with her slaves, while he followed her on horseback.
The Sultan sent musicians with trumpets and cymbals to
meet them, so that the air resounded with music and cheers.
She was taken to the Princess, who saluted her and treated her with
great honour. At night the princess said good-bye to her father,
and set out on the carpet for Aladdin's palace, with his mother
at her side, and followed by the hundred slaves. She was charmed
at the sight of Aladdin, who ran to receive her. "Princess," he
said, "blame your beauty for my boldness if I have displeased you."
She told him that, having seen him, she willingly obeyed
her father in this matter. After the wedding had taken place,
Aladdin led her into the hall, where a feast was spread, and she
supped with him, after which they danced till midnight.
Next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace. On
entering the hall with the four-and-twenty windows with their
rubies, diamonds and emeralds, he cried, "It