Chapter 8

When [379] Alaeddin heard his mother's words and how the Sultan had appointed her for [380] three months [thence], his heart was lightened and he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said, "Since the Sultan hath promised for [381] three months [hence], true, it [382] is long, but in any case my joy is great." Then he thanked her for her kindness and the pains she had taken [383] and said to her, "By Allah, O my mother, it is as I were in a tomb and now thou hast raised me up therefrom; and I praise God the Most High, for I am presently certified that there is none richer or happier than I in the world." Then he waited till two of the three months were past, when his mother went out one day of the days, at sundown, to buy oil, and saw the markets closed and the city all decorated and the folk setting candles and flowers in their windows and saw troops, horse and foot, and mounted eunuchs drawn up in state, with cressets and lustres burning. At this wonder took her; [384]he went to an oilman's shop there open and buying oil of him, said to him, "[I conjure thee] by thy life, O uncle, tell me what is toward to-day in this city, that the folk are making this decoration and the markets [are shut] and the houses all adorned and the troops drawn up in state?" Quoth he, "O woman, methinketh thou art a stranger and art not of this city." "Nay," answered she, "but I am of this city;" and he said to her, "Thou art of this city and knowest not that this is the night of the going in of the Grand Vizier's son to the Lady Bedrulbudour, the Sultan's daughter? Nay, he is presently in the bath and yonder Amirs and troops are drawn up awaiting him, against he come forth, so they may carry him in procession to the palace of the Sultan's daughter."

When Alaeddin's mother heard this, she was troubled and perplexed in her wit how she should do to acquaint her son with this woeful news, for that the poor wretch was counting the hours till the three months should be ended. So she returned home forthright and going in to Alaeddin, said to him, "O my son, I have news to tell thee, but it irketh me for thy chagrin therefrom." Quoth he, "Speak; what is the news?" And she said to him, "The Sultan hath gone from his promise to thee in the matter of his daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, for that this very night the Vizier's son goeth in to her; and indeed methought at the time, [385] O my son, the Vizier would change the Sultan's mind, even as I told thee that he bespoke him privily before me." "How knewest thou this," asked Alaeddin, "that the Vizier's son goeth in this night to the Lady Bedrulbudour?" So she told him all she had seen of the decorations in the city, whenas she went to buy the oil, and how the eunuchs and chiefs of the state were drawn up awaiting the Vizier's son, against he should come forth of the bath, for that this was the night of his going in. When Alaeddin heard this, he fell into a fever of chagrin; [386] but presently he bethought him of the lamp and rejoiced and said to his mother, "By thy life, O my mother, methinketh the Vizier's son shall not rejoice in her, as thou deemest. But now leave us be with this talk and go lay us the evening-meal, so we may sup; then, when I shall have passed a while in my chamber, all shall yet be well."

Accordingly, [387] after he had supped, he went into his chamber and locking the door on himself, fetched the lamp and rubbed it; whereupon the genie at once appeared to him and said, "Seek what thou wilt, for I am thy slave and the slave of whoso hath in his hand the lamp, I and all the slaves of the lamp." And Alaeddin said to him, "Harkye, I sought of the Sultan to marry his daughter, and he appointed me for [388] three months' time; however, he abode not by his promise, but gave her to the Vizier's son, and the latter purposeth to go in [to her] this night. Wherefore I do presently command thee, as thou art a loyal servant of the lamp, that this night, whenas thou seest the bride and bridegroom abed together, thou take them up in their bed [and bring them] hither. This is what I seek of thee." "Hearkening and obedience," answered the genie, "and if thou have a service [to require of me] other than this, command me whatsoever thou seekest." And Alaeddin said to him, "I have no present requirement save that whereof I have bespoken thee." So the slave disappeared and Alaeddin returned to finish his supper [389] with his mother.

When he deemed it time for the genie's coming, he arose and entered his chamber; and after a little, the Marid appeared with the bridal pair in their bed; whereat Alaeddin rejoiced with exceeding great joy and said to the slave, "Bear this gallowsbird hence and couch him in the house of easance." [390] The genie accordingly took up the bridegroom and couched him in the draught-house; moreover, ere he left him, he blew on him a blast wherewith he dried him up, and the Vizier's son abode in woeful case. Then he returned to Alaeddin and said to him, "An thou need otherwhat, tell me." And Alaeddin said to him, "Return in the morning, so thou mayst take them [back] to their place." "Hearkening and obedience," answered the genie and was gone; whereupon Alaeddin arose,--and indeed he had scarce believed that the thing should succeed with him,--and when he saw the Lady Bedrulbudour in his house, he entreated her with respect, albeit he had long burned for love of her, and said to her, "O princess of the fair, think not that I have brought thee hither to soil shine honour. God forbid! Nay, it was that I might not let others [391] enjoy thee, for that thy father the Sultan gave me his word upon thee; so be thou in peace and assurance." As [392] for the princess, when she found herself in that mean dark; house and heard Alaeddin's words, fear and trembling get hold upon her and she was confounded and could return him no answer. Then he arose and putting off his clothes, placed a sword between himself and her and lay down by her side in the bed, without treason; [393] it sufficed him to prevent [the consummation of] her marriage with the Vizier's son. Nevertheless, the Lady Bedrulbudour passed the sorriest of nights, never in her life had she known a worse; whilst the Vizier's son lay in the draught-house and dared not stir for fear of the genie.

When it was morning, the genie presented himself before Alaeddin, without his rubbing the lamp, and said to him, "O my lord, an thou wish aught, command me withal, so I may do it on my head and eyes." And Alaeddin bade him go carry the bride and bridegroom to their own place. The genie did his bidding in the twinkling of an eye and laying the Vizier's son with the Lady Bedrulbudour, took them up and set them down in their place in the palace, without their seeing any one; but they were like to die of fright, when they felt themselves carried from place to place. Hardly had the genie set them down and gone out when the Sultan came to visit his daughter; and when the Vizier's son heard the door open, he straightway sprang out of bed, knowing that none might enter but the Sultan, and donned his clothes, [394] albeit this irked him sore, for that he would fain have warmed himself a little, having had no time [to do so] since he left the draught-house. The [395] Sultan came in to his daughter and kissing her between the eyes, gave her good-morrow and asked her of her bridegroom and if she was content with him; but she returned him no answer and looked at him with a dejected air. [396] He bespoke her several times, but she was silent and answered him not a word; so he went out from her and going in to the Queen, told her what had passed between himself and the Lady Bedrulbudour.

The Queen, so she might not leave the Sultan angry with the Lady Bedrulbudour, said to him, "O King of the Age, this is the wont of most brides, on their wedding-day, to be shamefast and show somewhat of coyness. So be not vexed with her and after a day or two she will return to herself and proceed to speak with the folk; but now, O King of the Age, shame hindereth her from speaking. However, I purpose to go to her and see her." Accordingly she arose and donning her clothes, repaired to her daughter's apartment. Then, going up to her, she gave her good-morrow and kissed her between the eyes; but the Lady Bedrulbudour returned her no manner of answer and the Queen said in herself, "Needs must some strange thing have befallen her, to trouble her thus." So she asked her, saying, "O my daughter, what is the cause of this thy behaviour? Tell me what aileth thee, that I come to thee and give thee good-morrow and thou returnest me no answer."

The Lady Bedrulbudour raised her head and said to her, "Blame me not, O my mother; indeed, it behoved me receive thee with all reverence and worship, since thou honourest me by coming to me; but I beseech thee hear the cause of this my case and see how this night I have passed hath been for me the sorriest of nights. Hardly had we lain down, O my mother, when one, whose fashion I know not, took up the bed and transported us to a place dark, foul [397] and mean." Then she told her mother the queen all that had betided her that night and how they had taken her bridegroom, leaving her alone, and how after a little there came another youth and lay down in the place of her bridegroom, putting a sword between himself and her; "and in the morning" [quoth she] "he who had brought us thither returned and taking us up, carried us back to our place here: and hardly had he brought us hither and left us when my father the Sultan entered and I had neither heart nor tongue to answer him for stress of fright and trembling which possessed me. And belike my father is vexed with me; wherefore I prithee, O my mother, tell him the cause of this my case, so he be not wroth with me for my failure to answer him neither blame me, but excuse me."

When [398] the queen heard the princess's story, she said to her, "O my daughter, beware of [399] telling this tale before any, lest they [400] say, 'Verily the Sultan's daughter hath lost her wits.' Marry, thou diddest well in that thou acquaintedst not thy father with this; and beware, yea [again I say,] beware, O my daughter, of telling him thereof." "O my mother," rejoined the Lady Bedrulbudour, "indeed, I bespoke thee in sober earnest and have not lost my wits; nay, this is what happened to me, and an thou believe it not from me, ask my bridegroom." Quoth the queen, "Rise, O my daughter, and put away these illusions from thy thought; nay, don thy clothes and see the rejoicing that is toward in the town on thine account and the festivities that they celebrate in the kingdom for thy sake and hear the drums and the singing and look upon the decorations, all in honour of thy nuptials, O my daughter." Accordingly, she summoned the tirewomen, who dressed the Lady Bedrulbudour and busked her; whilst the Queen went in to the Sultan and told him that there had that night betided the princess a dream and illusions, saying, "BIame her not for her failure to answer thee." Moreover, she sent for the Vizier's son privily and questioned him of the affair, whether the Lady Bedrulbudour's speech was true or not; but he, of his fear to lose his bride, lest she should go from his hand, said to her, "O my lady, I know nothing of that which thou sayest;" wherefore the queen was certified that there had betided her daughter illusions and a dream.

The wedding rejoicings continued all that day, with dancing-women and singing-women, and all the instruments of mirth and minstrelsy were smitten, whilst the queen and the Vizier and his son were exceeding assiduous in keeping up the festivities, so the Lady Bedrulbudour should rejoice and her chagrin be dispelled; nay, they left nought that day of that which exciteth unto liesse but they did it before her, so she should leave what was in her mind and be cheered. But all this had no effect on her and she was silent and thoughtful and confounded at that which had befallen her that night. True, the Vizier's son had fared worse than she, for that he was couched in the draught-house; but he belied [401] the matter and put away that tribulation from his thought, of his fear lest he should lose his bride and his rank, [402] more by token that all the folk envied him his lot, for the much increase of honour it brought him, as also for the exceeding beauty and loveliness of the Lady Bedrulbudour.

As for Alaeddin, he went out that day and saw the rejoicings toward in the city and the palace and fell a-laughing, especially when he heard the folk speak of the honour which had betided the Vizier's son and the greatness of his good luck, in that he was become the Sultan's son-in-law, and the exceeding pomp used in his marriage and bridal festivities; and he said in himself, "Ye know not, good simple folk that ye are, [403] what befell him last night, that ye envy him." Then, when the night came in and it was the season of sleep, Alaeddin arose and entering his chamber, rubbed the lamp, whereupon the genie appeared to him forthright and [404] he bade him bring the princess and her bridegroom, as on the past night, ere the Vizier's son should take her maidenhead. The genie delayed not, but was absent a little while; and when it was the appointed time, he returned with the bed and therein the Lady Bedrulbudour and the Vizier's son. With the latter he did as he had done the past night, to wit, he took him and couched him in the draught-house, where he deft him parched for excess of fright and dismay; whilst Alaeddin arose and placing the sword between himself and the Lady Bedrulbudour, lay down and slept till the morning, when the genie appeared and restored the twain to their place, leaving Alaeddin full of joy at [the discomfiture of] the Vizier's son.

When the Sultan arose in the morning, he bethought himself to visit his daughter Bedrulbudour and see an she should do with him as she had done on the past day; so, as soon as he awoke from his sleep, he rose and donning his clothes, went to his daughter's chamber and opened the door. Whereupon the Vizier's son arose forthright and coming down from the bed, fell to donning his clothes, with ribs cracking for cold; for that, when the Sultan entered, it was no great while since the genie had brought them back. The Sultan went up to his daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, as she lay abed, and raising the curtain, gave her good morning and kissed her between the eyes and asked her how she did. She frowned and returned him no answer, but looked at him sullenly, as she were in sorry case. He was wroth with her, for that she made him no answer, and thought that something had betided her; so he drew the sword and said to her, "What hath befallen thee? Either thou shalt tell me what aileth thee or I will do away thy life this very moment. Is this the respect that is due to my rank and the honour in which thou holdest me, that I bespeak thee and thou answerest me not a word?"

When the Lady Bedrulbudour knew that her father was angry and saw the naked sword in his hand, she was like to swoon for fear; [405] so she raised her head and said to him, "Dear [406] my father, be not wroth with me, neither be thou hasty in thine anger, for that I am excusable in that which thou hast seen from me. [407] Do but hearken what hath betided me and I am well assured that, whenas thou hearest my story of that which hath happened to me these two nights past, thou wilt excuse me and Thy Grace will be moved to compassion upon me, as I know from thy love for me." [408] Then she acquainted him with all that had befallen her and said to him, "O my father, an thou believe me not, ask my bridegroom and he will resolve Thy Grace of everything, albeit I know not what they did with him, when they took him from my side, nor where they set him." When [409] the Sultan heard his daughter's story, he was sore concerned and his eyes brimmed with tears; then, sheathing the sword and coming up to her, he kissed her and said to her, "O my daughter, why didst thou not tell me yesterday, so I might have warded off from thee the torment and affright which have befallen thee this night? But no matter; arise and put away from thee this thought, and to-night I will set over thee those who shall guard thee, so there shall not again befall thee that which befell yesternight." Then he returned to his pavilion and sent at once for the Vizier, who came and stood before him, awaiting his commands; and the Sultan said to him, "O Vizier, how deemest thou of this affair? Most like thy son hath told thee what happened to him and to my daughter." "O King of the Age," answered the Vizier, "I have not seen my son or yesterday or to-day." Whereupon the Sultan acquainted him with all that his daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour had told him and said to him, "It is now my will that thou enquire of thy son the truth of the case, for it may be my daughter knoweth not for fright what happened to her, though methinketh her tale is all true." So the Vizier arose and sending for his son, asked him of all that the Sultan had told him, if it were true or not. Whereupon, "O my father the Vizier," replied the youth, "[God] preserve the Lady Bedrulbudour from leasing! [410] Indeed, all she saith is true and these two nights past have been for us the sorriest of nights, instead of being nights of pleasance and delight. Marry, that which befell me was yet worse, for that, instead of sleeping with my bride in bed, I lay in the draught-house, a place dark and frightful, noisome of smell and accursed, and my ribs were straitened [411] with cold." Brief, he told the Vizier all that had befallen him and ultimately said to him; "Dear [412] my father, I beseech thee speak with the Sultan that he release me from this marriage. True, it is great honour for me to be the Sultan's son-in-law, more by token that the love of the Lady Bedrulbudour hath gotten possession of my vitals, but I cannot avail to endure one more night like the two that are past."

When [413] the Vizier heard his son's words, he grieved and was exceeding chagrined, for that he had thought to greaten his son and advance him by making him the King's son-in-law; so he bethought himself and was perplexed anent the matter and what was to do therein; [414] and indeed it irked him sore that the marriage should be dissolved, for that he had long besought [415] the Ten [416] that he might compass the like of that affair; [417] so he said to his son, "Have patience, O my son, so we may see [how it will be] to-night, and we will set over you guards to guard you; but do not thou let slip this great honour, for that it hath fallen to none other than thyself." Therewith he left him and returning to the Sultan, told him that the Lady Bedrulbudour's story was true; whereupon quoth the Sultan, "Since the case is thus, we need no wedding-festivities." [418] And he bade forthright break off the rejoicings and the marriage was dissolved. The folk and the people of the city marvelled at this strange thing, especially when they saw the Vizier and his son go forth the palace in a pitiable plight for stress of chagrin and despite, and they fell to asking, "What hath happened and why is the marriage avoided and the rejoicings broken off?" But none knew what was to do save Alaeddin, the suitor, [419] who laughed in his sleeve. So the marriage was annulled; but the Sultan had forgotten his promise to Alaeddin's mother and never again bethought him thereof, neither he nor the Vizier; nor knew they whence came that which had happened.

Alaeddin waited till the three months had elapsed, after which the Sultan had promised that he would marry him to his daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, then despatched his mother to the Sultan to require him of the performance of his promise. So she repaired to the palace and when the Sultan came to the Divan and saw her standing before him, he remembered his promise to her, that after three months he would marry his daughter to her son, and turning to the Vizier, said to him, "O Vizier, yonder is the woman who presented us with the jewels and we gave her our word that after three months [we would marry our daughter to her son]. Bring her before me forthright." So the Vizier went and brought Alaeddin's mother before the Sultan; and when she came into the presence, she made her obeisance to him and prayed God to vouchsafe him glory and endurance of prosperity. The Sultan asked her if she had a need, and she said to him, "O King of the Age, the three months are ended, after which thou didst promise me thou wouldst marry my son Alaeddin to thy daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour." The Sultan was perplexed at this her claim, more by token that he saw her in poor case, as she were the meanest of the folk; but the present which she had made him was exceeding magnificent [and indeed] beyond price; [420] so he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "How deemest thou? What shall we do? [421] It is true I gave her my word, but meseemeth they are poor folk and not of the chiefs of the people."

The [422] Vizier, who was like to die of envy and chagrin for that which had befallen his son, said in himself, "How shall one like this marry the Sultan's daughter and my son lose this honour?" So he said to the Sultan, [423] "O my lord, it is an easy matter to rid ourselves of [424] this vagabond, [425] for that it would not beseem Thy Grace to give thy daughter to a man like this, of whom it is not known what he is." Quoth the Sultan, "On what wise shall we rid ourselves of this man, seeing I have given him my word and a King's word is his bond?" "O my lord," answered the Vizier, "my counsel is that thou require of him forty dishes of pure virgin gold, full of jewels, such as she [426] brought thee the other day, [427] and forty slave-girls to bear the dishes and forty black slaves." "By Allah, O Vizier," rejoined the Sultan, "'thou speakest rightly; for that this is a thing to which he may not avail and so we shall be rid of him by [fair] means." [428] So he said to Alaeddin's mother, "Go and tell thy son that I abide by the promise which I made him, but an if he avail unto my daughter's dowry; to wit, I require of him forty dishes of pure gold, which must all be full of jewels [such as] thou broughtest me [erst], together with forty slave-girls to carry them and forty male slaves to escort and attend them. If, then; thy son avail unto this, I will marry him to my daughter."

Alaeddin's mother returned home, shaking her head and saying, "Whence shall my poor son get these dishes of jewels? Supposing, for the jewels and the dishes, that he return to the treasure and gather the whole from the trees,--and withal methinketh not it is possible to him; but say that he fetch them,--whence [shall he get] the slaves and slave-girls?" And she gave not over talking to herself till she reached the house, where Alaeddin awaited her, and when she came in to him, she said to him, "O my son, said I not to thee, 'Think not to attain to the Lady Bedrulbudour'? Indeed, this is a thing that is not possible unto folk like ourselves." Quoth he, "Tell me what is the news." And she said to him, "O my son, the Sultan received me with all courtesy, according to his wont, and meseemeth he meant fairly by us, but [for] thine accursed enemy the Vizier; for that, after I had bespoken the Sultan in thy name, even as thou badest me, reminding him that the term for which he had appointed us was past and saying to him, 'If Thy Grace would vouchsafe to give commandment for the marriage of thy daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour with my son Alaeddin,'--he turned to the Vizier and spoke to him. The Vizier replied to him in a whisper and after that the Sultan returned me an answer." Then she told him what the Sultan required of him and added, "O my son, he would fain have present answer of thee; but methinketh we have no answer to give him."