Chapter 9

When [429] Alaeddin heard his mother's speech, he laughed and said, "O my mother, thou sayest we have no answer to make him and deemest the thing exceeding hard; but now be good enough to rise [430] and fetch us somewhat to eat, and after we have dined, thou shalt (an it please the Compassionate) see the answer. The Sultan like thyself, thinketh he hath sought of me an extraordinary matter, so he may divert me from the Lady Bedrulbudour; but the fact is that he seeketh a thing less than I had looked for. But go now and buy us somewhat we may eat and leave me to fetch thee the answer." Accordingly, she arose and went out to buy her need from the market, so she might make ready the morning-meal; whilst Alaeddin entered his chamber and taking the lamp, rubbed it. The genie immediately appeared to him and said, "Seek what thou wilt, O my lord;" whereupon quoth Alaeddin, "I seek the Sultan's daughter in marriage and he requireth of me forty dishes of pure gold, each ten pounds in weight and full of the jewels which be in the garden of the treasure, the forty dishes to be borne by forty slave girls and each slave-girl to be accompanied by a male slave; wherefore I will have thee bring me this, all of it." "Hearkening and obedience, O my lord," replied the genie and disappearing, was absent awhile, then returned with the forty slave-girls, each attended by a male slave and bearing on her head a dish of pure gold, full of precious jewels. So he brought them before Alaeddin and said to him, "Here is that which thou soughtest. Tell me an thou need thing or service other than this." Quoth Alaeddin, "I need nothing [more]; if I need aught, I will summon thee and tell thee."

Accordingly, the genie vanished and after a little, Alaeddin's mother returned and entering the house, saw the slaves and slave-girls; whereat she marvelled and said, "All this is of the Lamp; God continue it unto my son!" Then, before she put off her veil, Alaeddin said to her, "O my mother, this is thy time, ere the Sultan enter his palace [and withdraw] to his harem. Take him what he seeketh, and that forthright, so he may know that I can avail unto that which he requireth, ay, and more, and that he was deluded by the Vizier; albeit he thought to baffle me, he and his Vizier." Then he arose and opening the house-door, let out the damsels and the slaves, pair by pair, each damsel with a slave by her side, so that they filled the street. His mother forewent them and the people of the quarter, when they saw that rare and magnificent sight, stood looking and marvelling and gazing upon the faces of the slave-girls and their grace and goodliness [and their apparel], for that they were clad in clothes all inwoven with gold and studded with jewels; nay, the least one's clothes of them were worth thousands. Moreover they looked at the dishes [431] and saw flashing therefrom a radiance that outshone the light of the sun, albeit each dish was covered with a piece of brocade, gold-inwrought and studded eke with precious jewels. Alaeddin's [432] mother fared on and the damsels and slaves followed after her, in all fair ordinance and disposition, whilst the folk stood to gaze on the beauty of the slave-girls and extolled the perfection of the Almighty Creator, till she reached the palace and entered it with them.

When the eunuchs and chamberlains and captains of the guard saw them, wonder took them and they were breathless for amaze at this sight, the like whereof they had never in their lives seen, and especially at the slave girls, each one of whom would ravish the wit of an anchorite. Withal, the chamberlains and captains of the Sultan's guards were all of them sons of grandees and Amirs; and they marvelled yet more at the damsels' costly raiment and the dishes which they bore on their heads and on which they might not open their eyes, [433] for the excess of their flashing and radiance. Then the guards [434] entered and told the Sultan, who bade bring them before him forthright into the Divan. So Alaeddin's mother entered with them and when they came before the Sultan, they all did obeisance to him with the utmost courtliness and gravity and invoked on him glory and prosperity; then, raising the dishes from their heads, they set them down before him and stood with their hands clasped behind them, after they had removed the covers.

The Sultan wondered with an exceeding wonderment and was confounded at the beauty of the girls and their loveliness, which overpassed description; his wit was bewildered, when he saw the golden dishes, full of jewels that dazzled the sight, and he was amazed at this marvel, so that he became as one dumb, unable to speak aught, of the excess of his wonderment; nay, his wit was the more perplexed, forasmuch as this had all been accomplished in an hour's time. Then he bade carry the slave-girls and their burdens to the pavilion of the Lady Bedrulbudour; so the damsels took up the dishes and entered; whereupon Alaeddin's mother came forward and said to the Sultan, "O my lord, this is no great matter for the Lady Bedrulbudour's exalted rank; nay, she deserveth manifold this." So the Sultan turned to the Vizier and said to him, "How sayst thou, O Vizier? He that can in so short a time avail unto riches like these, is he not worthy to be the Sultan's son-in-law and to have his daughter to bride?" Now the Vizier marvelled at the greatness of these riches yet more than the Sultan, but envy was killing him and waxed on him more and more, when he saw that the Sultan was content with the bride-gift [435] and the dowry; withal he could not gainstand the [manifest] truth and say to the Sultan, "He is not worthy;" so he cast about to work upon him by practice, that he might hinder him from giving his daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour to Alaeddin, and accordingly said to him, [436] "O my lord, all the treasures of the world were not worth a paring of thy daughter Bedrulbudour's nails; indeed, Thy Highness overrateth this upon her." [437]

When [438] the Sultan heard the Vizier's words, he knew that this his speech arose from the excess of his envy; so he turned to Alaeddin's mother and said to her, "O woman, go to thy son and tell him that I accept of him the marriage-gift and abide by my promise to him and that my daughter is his bride and he my son-in-law; so bid him come hither, that I may make acquaintance with him. There shall betide him from me nought but all honour and consideration and this night shall be the beginning of the bridal festivities. But, as I said to thee, let him come hither to me without delay." So she returned home swiftlier than the wind, [439] of her haste to bring her son the good news; and she was like to fly for joy at the thought that her son was to become the Sultan's son-in-law. As soon as she had taken her leave, the Sultan bade break up the Divan and entering the Lady Bedrulbudour's pavilion, commanded to bring the damsels and the dishes before his daughter and himself, so she should see them. So they brought them and when the Lady Bedrulbudour saw the jewels, she was amazed and said, "Methinketh there is not one of these jewels found in the treasuries of the world." Then she looked at the damsels and marvelled at their beauty and grace and knew that this was all from her new bridegroom and that he had proffered it to her service. So she rejoiced, albeit she had been sad and sorry for her [whilom] bridegroom the Vizier's son,--she rejoiced, [I say], with an exceeding joy, when she saw the jewels and the beauty of the damsels, and was cheered; whilst her father rejoiced exceedingly in her joy, in that he saw her put off chagrin and dejection. Then he said to her, "O my daughter Bedrulbudour, doth this please thee? Indeed, methinketh this thy bridegroom is goodlier [440] than the Vizier's son, and God willing, O my daughter, thou shalt rejoice with him abundantly." [441]

So much for the Sultan and as for Alaeddin, when his mother came to the house and entered and he saw her laughing of the excess of her joy, he foreboded good news and said, "To God Everlasting [442] be praise! Accomplished is that which I sought." And she said to him, "Glad tidings, O my son! Let thy heart rejoice and thine eye be solaced in the attainment of thy desire, for that the Sultan accepteth thine offering, to wit, the bride gift and the dowry of the Lady Bedrulbudour, and she is thy bride and this, O my son, is the night of your [443] bridal and thy going in to the Lady Bedrulbudour. Nay, the Sultan, that he might certify me of his word, proclaimed thee his son-in-law before the folk and declared that this should be the wedding-night; but he said to me, 'Let thy son come hither to me, so I may make acquaintance with him, and I will receive him with all honour and worship.' And now, O my son, my office [444] is ended, whatsoever remaineth is a matter for thee." [445]

Alaeddin kissed his mother's hand and thanked her amain for her kindness; [446] then he arose and entering his chamber, took the lamp and rubbed it; whereupon the genie presented himself and said to him, "Here am I; seek what thou wilt." Quoth Alaeddin, "My will is that thou take me to a bath, whose like is not in the world, and fetch me a suit of royal raiment and exceeding costly, such as no king can boast." "Hearkening and obedience," replied the Marid and taking him up, brought him intro a bath, never saw King nor Kisra [447] its like, for it was of alabaster and agate and full of marvellous limnings that ravished the sight, and therein was a saloon all embossed with precious jewels. None was there; but, when Alaeddin entered, there came in to him one of the Jinn in human semblance and washed him and bathed him to the utmost of the wish: after [448] which he went forth the bath to the outer saloon, where he found his clothes taken away and in their stead a suit of the richest royal apparel. Then sherbets were brought him and coffee with ambergris and he drank and arose; whereupon there came to him a troop of slaves and clad him in those [449] sumptuous clothes [450] and he dressed and perfumed himself with essences and sweet-scented smoke. [451] Now thou knowest [452] that Alaeddin was the son of a poor man, a tailor: yet now none had thought it, [453] but had said, "This is the chiefest of the sons of the kings," extolled be the perfection of Him who changeth and is not changed!

Then the slave of the lamp came to him and taking him up, set him down in his house and said to him, "O my lord, dost thou need aught?" "Yes," answered Alaeddin; "I will have thee bring me eight-and-forty mamelukes, [454] four-and-twenty to walk before me and four-and-twenty to walk behind me, with their horses and clothes and arms, and let all that is upon them and their horses be of stuffs costly and precious exceedingly, such as are not found in kings' treasuries. Then bring me a stallion fit for the riding of the Chosroes and be his trappings all of gold, embossed with noble jewels; and bring me eight-and-forty thousand diners, in each mameluke's hand a thousand, for that I purpose presently to visit the Sultan; wherefore delay thou not on me, since I cannot go thither without all that whereof I have bespoken thee. Bring me also twelve slave-girls, who must be unique in loveliness and clad in the richest of raiment, so they may attend my mother to the Sultan's palace, and let each slave-girl have with her a suit of apparel fit for the wearing of kings' wives." [455]

"Hearkening and obedience," replied the genie and disappearing, brought him in the twinkling of an eye all that he had commanded him withal, whilst in his hand he held a stallion, whose like is not among the horses of the Arabs of the Arabs, [456] with housings of the richest stuffs brocaded with gold; whereupon Alaeddin called his mother forthright and delivered her the twelve slave-girls and gave her the [twelve] suits, [457] so she might dress herself [458] and go with them to the Sultan's palace. Then he despatched one of the mamelukes thither, to see an the Sultan were come forth of the harem or not; so he went and returning, swiftlier than lightning, said to him, "O my lord, the Sultan awaiteth thee." Accordingly he arose and mounting, [set forth], whilst the mamelukes rode before him and after him, (extolled be the perfection of the Lord who created them with [459] that which clothed them of beauty and grace!), strewing gold upon the folk before their lord Alaeddin, who overpassed them all of his grace and goodliness, and ask thou not of kings' sons, [460] extolled be the perfection of the Giver, the Eternal! Now all this was of the virtue of the wonderful lamp, [461] which gifted whoso possessed it with goodliness and grace and wealth and wisdom.

The folk marvelled at Alaeddin's bounty and at the excess of his munificence and were amazed when they saw that which graced him of beauty and goodliness and his courtliness and dignity; yea, they extolled the perfection of the Compassionate One for this His noble creature and all of them great and small [462] called down blessings on him, albeit they knew him for the son of such an one the tailor; yet none envied him, but all said, "He is deserving." So [463] he fared on his way, with the mamelukes before him and behind him, scattering gold upon the folk, till he came to the palace.

Now the Sultan had summoned to his presence the chiefs of his state and telling them that he had passed his word for the marriage of his daughter to Alaeddin, bade them await the latter, commanding them that, when he came, they should all go out to meet him; moreover, he assembled the amirs and viziers and chamberlains and guards and captains of the troops and they were all awaiting Alaeddin at the door of the palace. When he arrived, he would have dismounted at the door, but there came up to him one of the Amirs, whom the Sultan had deputed to that office, and said to him, "O my lord, the commandment is that thou enter, riding on thy charger, so thou mayst alight at the door of the Divan." So they all forewent him and he entered till they brought him to the door of the Divan. There sundry of them came forward and held his stirrup, whilst some supported him on both sides and other some took him by the hand, and so they dismounted him. Then the Amirs and officers of state forewent him and brought him into the Divan, till he drew near the Sultan's throne; whereupon the latter came down forthright from his seat and embracing him, hindered him from kissing the carpet and seated him beside himself on his right hand. Alaeddin did that which behoveth and befitteth unto kings of obeisance and invocation and said to him, "O our lord the Sultan, thy Grace's munificence hath vouchsafed [464] to accord me the Lady Bedrulbudour thy daughter, albeit I am unworthy of this great favour, for that I am of the lowliest of thy slaves; wherefore I beseech God that He keep and continue thee. Indeed, O King, my tongue faileth to thank thee [as were behoving] for the greatness of this boon, overpassing its competence, [465] wherewith thou hast favoured me, and I beseech Thy Grace to vouchsafe me ground, such as is meet, so I may build thereon a palace that shall be fit for the Lady Bedrulbudour."

The Sultan was amazed when he saw Alaeddin in this regal array and beheld his grace and goodliness and the mamelukes standing in attendance upon him in all their comeliness and fair favour; yea, and his wonderment redoubled when Alaeddin's mother came up attired in rich and costly raiment, as she were a queen, and he saw twelve slave-girls in her service, preceding her, their hands clasped behind their backs, with all worship and observance. Moreover, he noted Alaeddin's eloquence and the elegance of his speech and was amazed thereat, he and all who were present with him in the Divan, whilst fire was kindled in the Vizier's heart for envy of Alaeddin, so that he was like to die. Then, after the Sultan had heard Alaeddin's compliment and had seen the greatness of his quality and his modesty and eloquence, he strained him to his bosom and kissed him, saying, "It irketh me, O my son, that I have not known thee [466] before to-day." So, [467] when he saw Alaeddin on this fashion, he rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and at once bade the music [468] and the drums [469] strike up; then, rising, he took him by the hand and carried him into the palace, where the evening-meal had been made ready and the servants set the tables. There he sat down and seated Alaeddin on his right hand; whereupon the viziers and chiefs of the state and the grandees of the realm sat also, each in his several room, whilst the drums beat and they held high festival in the palace. [470]

The Sultan proceeded to make familiar with Alaeddin and to talk with him, and Alaeddin answered him with all courtliness and fluency, as he had been bred in kings' palaces or as he were their constant associate; [471] and the more the talk was prolonged between them, the more gladness and joy redoubled on the Sultan for that which he heard of the goodliness of Alaeddin's answers and the sweetness of his speech. Then, when they had eaten and drunken and the tables were removed, the Sultan bade fetch the Cadis and the witnesses; so they came and knotted the knot and wrote the writ [of marriage] between Alaeddin and the Lady Bedrulbudour. Therewith Alaeddin arose and would have taken leave; but the Sultan laid hold on him and said to him, "Whither away, O my son? The bride-feast is toward and the bride present; the knot is knotted and the writ written." "O my lord the king," answered Alaeddin, "I would fain build the Lady Bedrulbudour a palace, besorting her rank and station, and it may not be that I should go in to her without this; but, God willing, the building shall, by the diligent endeavour of thy slave and by Thy Grace's auspice, [472] be right speedily despatched. Indeed, I long for present enjoyment of the Lady Bedrulbudour; but it behoveth me [first] apply myself to that which is incumbent on me for her service." [473] Quoth the Sultan, "O my son, look thyself out the ground which thou deemest apt to thine end and take it. All is in thy hand; [474], but here before my palace is a spacious piece of ground, which meseemeth were best; so, if it please thee, build thou the palace thereon." And Alaeddin answered him, saying, "Indeed, it is my utmost desire to be near Thy Grace."

Then he took leave of the Sultan and going forth, mounted and rode, with his mamelukes before him and behind him, whilst the folk all prayed for him and said, "By Allah, he is deserving!" till he came to his house and alighting from his stallion, entered his chamber and rubbed the lamp; whereupon the genie stood before him and said to him, "Seek what thou wilt, O my lord" Quoth Alaeddin, "I desire of thee an important service, to wit, that thou build me with all speed a palace before that of the Sultan, which shall be marvellous in its building, never saw kings its like, and be it complete with all its requisites of kingly and magnificent furniture and so forth." "Hearkening and obedience," replied the genie and [475] disappeared; but, before the dawn broke, he came to Alaeddin and said to him, "O my lord, the palace is finished to the utmost of the wish; wherefore, an thou wouldst see it, arise forthright and look on it." So Alaeddin arose and the genie carried him, in the twinkling of an eye, to the palace, which when he saw, he was amazed at its building, for that all its stones were of jade and alabaster and porphyry and mosaic. The genie carried him into a treasury full of all manner of gold and silver and precious jewels past count or reckoning, price or estimation; then he brought him into another place, where he saw all the requisites of the table, platters and spoons and ewers and basins and cups, of gold and silver, and thence to the kitchen, where he found cooks, [476] with their cooking-gear and utensils, all on like wise of gold and silver. Moreover, he brought him into a place, which he found full of coffers overflowing with royal raiment, such as ravished the wit, gold-inwoven stuffs, Indian and Chinese, and brocades, and he showed him also many other places, all full of that which beggareth description, till at last he brought him into a stable, wherein were horses whose like is not found with the kings of the world; and therewithin he showed him a storehouse, full of housings and saddles of price, all broidered with pearls and precious stones and so forth.

Alaeddin was amazed and bewildered at the greatness of these riches, whereunto the mightiest king in the world might not avail, and all the work of one night; more by token that the palace was full of slaves and slave girls such as would bewitch a saint with their loveliness. But the most marvellous of all was that he saw in the palace an upper hall [477] and [478] a belvedere [479] with four-and-twenty oriels, all wroughten of emeralds and rubies and other jewels, and of one of these oriels the lattice-work was by his desire left unfinished, [480] so the Sultan should fail of its completion. When he had viewed the palace, all of it, he rejoiced and was exceeding glad; then he turned to the genie and said to him, "I desire of thee one thing which is lacking and whereof I had forgotten to bespeak thee." Quoth the slave, "Seek what thou wilt, O my lord;" and Alaeddin said to him, "I will have thee bring me a carpet Of fine brocade, all inwoven with gold, and spread it from my palace to that of the Sultan, so the Lady Bedrulbudour, whenas she cometh hither, may walk thereon and not upon the earth." So the genie was absent a little and returning, said to him, "O my lord, that which thou soughtest of me is here." Therewithal he took him and showed him the carpet, which ravished the wit, and it was spread from the Sultan's palace to that of Alaeddin; then taking him up, he set him down in his own house.