took it in his hand, looked for the part where his mother had rubbed it
with the sand, and rubbed it also, when the genie immediately appeared,
and said: "What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave,
and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their hands; I, and the
other slaves of the lamp." "I am hungry," said Aladdin; "bring me
something to eat." The genie disappeared, and presently returned with a
tray, and the same number of covered dishes as before, set them down,
and vanished.
Aladdin's mother, knowing what her son was going to do, went out about
some business, on purpose to avoid being in the way when the genie came;
and when she returned, was almost as much surprised as before at the
prodigious effect of the lamp. However, she sat down with her son, and
when they had eaten as much as they liked, she set enough by to last
them two or three days.
As soon as Aladdin found that their provisions were expended, he took
one of the dishes, and went to look for his Jew again; but passing by
the shop of a goldsmith, who had the character of a very fair and honest
man, the goldsmith perceiving him, called to him, and said: "My lad, I
have often observed you go by, loaded as you are at present, and talk
with such a Jew, and then come back again empty-handed. I imagine that
you carry something which you sell to him; but perhaps you do not know
that he is the greatest rogue even among the Jews, and that nobody of
prudence will have anything to do with him. If you will shew me what you
now carry, and it is to be sold, I will give you the full worth of it;
or I will direct you to other merchants who will not cheat you."
The hopes of getting more money for his plate induced Aladdin to pull it
from under his vest, and shew it to the goldsmith, who at first sight
saw that it was made of the finest silver and asked him if he had sold
such as that to the Jew, when Aladdin told him that he had sold him
twelve such, for a piece of gold each. "What a villain!" cried the
goldsmith; "but," added he, "my son, what is past cannot be recalled. By
shewing you the value of this plate, which is of the finest silver we
use in our shops, I will let you see how much the Jew has cheated you."
The goldsmith took a pair of scales, weighed the dish, and after he had
mentioned how much an ounce of fine silver was worth, assured him that
his plate would fetch by weight sixty pieces of gold, which he offered
to pay down immediately. "If you dispute my honesty," said he, "you may
go to any other of our trade, and if he gives you more, I will be bound
to forfeit twice as much!"
Aladdin thanked him for his fair dealing, so greatly to his advantage,
took the gold, and never after went to any other person, but sold him
all his dishes and the tray.
Though Aladdin and his mother had an inexhaustible treasure in their
lamp, and might have had whatever they wished for, yet they lived with
the same frugality as before, except that Aladdin dressed better; as for
his mother, she wore no clothes but what she earned by spinning cotton.
After their manner of living, it may easily be supposed that the money
for which Aladdin had sold the dishes and tray was sufficient to
maintain them for some time.
During this interval, Aladdin frequented the shops of the principal
merchants, where they sold cloth of gold and silver, linens, silk
stuffs, and jewelry, and oftentimes joining in their conversation,
acquired a knowledge of the world, and respectable demeanour. By his
acquaintance among the jewellers, he came to know that the fruits which
he had gathered when he took the lamp were, instead of coloured glass,
stones of inestimable value; but he had the prudence not to mention this
to any one, not even to his mother.
One day as Aladdin was walking about the town, he heard an order
proclaimed, commanding the people to shut up their shops and houses, and
keep within doors, while the Princess Badroulboudour, the sultan's
daughter, went to the baths and returned.
This proclamation inspired Aladdin with eager curiosity to see the
princess's face, which he could not do without admission into the house
of some acquaintance, and then only through a window; but to gratify his
curiosity, he presently thought of a scheme, which succeeded; it was to
place himself behind the door of the bath, which was so situated that he
could not fail of seeing her face.
Aladdin had not waited long before the princess came, and he could see
her plainly through a chink of the door without being discovered. She
was attended by a great crowd of ladies, slaves, and eunuchs, who walked
on each side, and behind her. When she came within three or four paces
of the door of the baths, she took off her veil, and gave Aladdin an
opportunity of a full view.
As soon as Aladdin had seen the princess, his heart could not withstand
those inclinations so charming an object always inspires. She was the
most beautiful brunette in the world; her eyes were large, lively, and
sparkling; her looks sweet and modest; her nose was of a just proportion
and without a fault, her mouth small, her lips of a vermilion red; in a
word, all the features of her face were perfectly regular. It is not
therefore surprising that Aladdin, who had never before seen such a
blaze of charms, was dazzled, and his senses ravished by such an
assemblage. With all these perfections the princess had so majestic an
air, that the sight of her was sufficient to inspire love and
admiration.
After the princess had passed by, and entered the baths, Aladdin
remained some time astonished and in a kind of ecstasy, retracing and
imprinting the idea of so charming an object deeply in his mind, but at
last, he resolved to quit his hiding-place and go home. He could not so
far conceal his uneasiness but that his mother perceived it, was
surprised to see him so much more thoughtful than usual; and asked if he
were ill? He returned her no answer, but sat carelessly down on the
sofa, and remained silently musing on the image of the charming
Badroulboudour.
After supper, his mother asked him again why he was so melancholy, but
could get no information, and he determined to go to bed rather than
give her the least satisfaction. As he sat next day on the sofa,
opposite his mother, however, as she was spinning cotton, he spoke to
her in these words: "I perceive, mother, that my silence yesterday has
much troubled you; I was not, nor am I ill; but I assure you, that what
I felt then, and now endure, is worse than any disease.
"It was not proclaimed in this quarter of the town, and therefore you
could know nothing of it, that the sultan's daughter was yesterday to go
to the baths. I had a great curiosity to see her face; and as it
occurred to me that when she came nigh the bath, she would pull her veil
off, I resolved to conceal myself behind the door. She did so and I had
the happiness of seeing her lovely face with the greatest security.
This, mother, was the cause of my silence yesterday; I love the princess
with more violence than I can express; and as my passion increases every
moment, I am resolved to ask her in marriage of the sultan, her
father."
Aladdin's mother listened with interest to what her son told her; but
when he talked of asking the princess in marriage, she could not help
bursting out into a loud laugh. He would have gone on with his rhapsody,
but she interrupted him: "Alas! child," said she, "what are you thinking
of? you must be mad to talk thus."
"I assure you, mother," replied Aladdin, "that I am not mad, but in my
right senses; I foresaw that you would reproach me with folly and
extravagance; but I must tell you once more, that I am resolved to
demand the princess in marriage!"
"Indeed, son," replied the mother seriously, "I cannot help telling you
that you have forgotten yourself, and I do not see who will venture to
make the proposal for you." "You yourself," replied he immediately. "I
go to the sultan!" answered the mother, amazed. "I shall be cautious how
I engage in such an errand. Why, who are you, son," continued she, "that
you can have the assurance to think of your sultan's daughter? Have you
forgotten that your father was one of the poorest tailors in the
capital, and that I am of no better extraction; and do not you know that
sultans never marry their daughters but to sons of sovereigns like
themselves?"
"Mother," answered Aladdin, "I foresaw all that you have said, or can
say: and tell you that neither your discourse nor your remonstrances
shall make me change my mind. I have told you that you must ask the
princess in marriage for me. I beg of you not to refuse, unless you
would rather see me in my grave, than by your compliance give me new
life."
The good old woman was much embarrassed, when she found Aladdin
persisting in so wild a design. "My son," said she again, "I am your
mother, and there is nothing that is reasonable but I would readily do
for you. If I were to go and treat about your marriage with some
neighbour's daughter, I would do it with all my heart; and even then
they would expect you should have some little estate, or be of some
trade. When such poor folks as we are wish to marry, the first thing
they ought to think of, is how to live. But without reflecting on the
meanness of your birth, and the little fortune you have to recommend
you, you aim at the highest pitch of exaltation; and your pretensions
are no less than to demand in marriage the daughter of your sovereign,
who with one single word can crush you to pieces. How could so
extraordinary a thought come into your head, as that I should go to the
sultan and ask him to give his daughter in marriage to you? Suppose I
had the impudence to present myself before the sultan, to whom should I
address myself to be introduced to his majesty? Do you not think the
first person I should speak to would take me for a mad woman, and
chastise me as I should deserve? I know there is no difficulty to those
who go to petition for justice, which the sultan distributes equally
among his subjects; I know, too, that to those who ask a favour he
grants it with pleasure when he sees it is deserved. But do you think
you have merited the honour you would have me ask? What have you done to
claim such a favour, either for your prince or country? How can I open
my mouth to make the proposal to the sultan? His majestic presence and
the lustre of his court would absolutely confound me. There is another
reason, my son, which you do not think of, which is that nobody ever
goes to ask a favour of the sultan without a present. But what presents
have you to make? and what proportion could they bear to the favour you
would ask? Therefore, reflect well, and consider that you aspire to an
object which it is impossible for you to obtain."
Aladdin heard very calmly all that his mother could say to dissuade him
from his design, and after he had weighed her representations replied:
"I own, mother, it is great rashness in me to presume to carry my
pretensions so far; and a great want of consideration to ask you to go
and make the proposal to the sultan, without first taking proper
measures to procure a favourable reception, and I therefore beg your
pardon. But be not surprised that I did not at first see every measure
necessary to procure me the happiness I seek. I love the princess, and
shall always persevere in my design of marrying her. I am obliged to you
for the hint you have given me, and look upon it as the first step I
ought to take to procure the happy issue I promise myself.
"You say it is not customary to go to the sultan without a present, and
that I have nothing worthy of his acceptance. Do not you think, mother,
that what I brought home with me the day on which I was delivered from
death may be an acceptable present? I mean those things that you and I
both took for coloured glass: but now I can tell you that they are
jewels of inestimable value. I know the worth of them by frequenting the
shops; and you may take my word that all the precious stones which I saw
in the jewellers' shops were not to be compared to those we have, either
for size or beauty; I am persuaded that they will be received very
favourably by the sultan: you have a large porcelain dish fit to hold
them; fetch it, and let us see how they will look, when we have arranged
them according to their different colours."
Aladdin's mother brought the china dish, when he took the jewels out of
the two purses in which he had kept them, and placed them in order
according to his fancy. But the brightness and lustre they emitted in
the daytime so dazzled the eyes both of mother and son, that they were
astonished beyond measure; for they had only seen them by the light of a
lamp; and though the latter had beheld them pendent on the trees like
fruit beautiful to the eye, yet as he was then but a boy, he looked on
them only as glittering playthings.
After they had admired the beauty of the jewels some time, Aladdin said
to his mother: "Now you cannot excuse yourself from going to the sultan,
under pretext of not having a present to make him, since here is one
which will gain you a favourable reception."
Though the good widow did not believe the precious stones so valuable as
her son estimated them, she thought such a present might nevertheless be
agreeable to the sultan, but she still hesitated. "My son," said she, "I
cannot conceive that the sultan will look upon me with a favourable eye;
I am sure, that if I attempt to deliver your strange message, I shall
have no power to open my mouth; therefore I shall not only lose my
labour, but the present, which you say is so valuable, and shall return
home again in confusion, to tell you that your hopes are frustrated.
But," added she, "I will do my best to please you, though certainly the
sultan will either laugh at me, or be in so great a rage, as to make us
both the victims of his fury."
She used many other arguments to endeavour to make Aladdin change his
mind; but he persisted in importuning his mother to execute his
resolution, and she, out of tenderness, complied with his request.
As it was now late, and the time for admission to the palace was passed,
the visit was put off till the next day. The mother and son talked of
different matters the remaining hours; and Aladdin strove to encourage
her in the task she had undertaken; while she could not persuade herself
she should succeed; and it must be confessed she had reason enough to
doubt. "Child," said she to Aladdin, "if the sultan should hear my
proposal with calmness, and after this should think of asking me where
lie your riches and your estate, what answer would you have me return
him?"
"Let us not be uneasy, mother," replied Aladdin, "about what may never
happen. First, let us see how the sultan receives, and what answer he
gives you. If he desires to be informed of what you mention, I am
confident that the lamp will not fail me in time of need."
The tailor's widow reflected that the lamp might be capable of doing
greater wonders than just providing victuals for them, and this removed
all the difficulties which might have prevented her from undertaking the
service she had promised. Aladdin, who penetrated into his mother's
thoughts, said to her: "Above all things, mother, be sure to keep secret
our possession of the lamp, for thereon depends the success we have to
expect;" and after this caution they parted to go to rest. Aladdin rose
before daybreak, awakened his mother, pressing her to get herself
dressed to go to the sultan's palace, and to get admittance, if
possible, before the great officers of state went in to take their seats
in the divan, where the sultan always assisted in person.
Aladdin's mother took the china dish, in which they had put the jewels
the day before, wrapped in two napkins, one finer than the other, which
was tied at the four corners for more easy carriage, and set out for the
palace. When she came to the gates, the grand vizier, the other viziers,
and most distinguished lords of the court, were just gone in; but,
notwithstanding the great crowd of people who had business there, she
got into the divan, a spacious hall, the entrance into which was very
magnificent. She placed herself just before the sultan, grand vizier,
and the great lords, who sat in council, on his right and left hand.
Several causes were called, according to their order, pleaded and
adjudged, until the time the divan generally broke up, when the sultan
rising, returned to his apartment, attended by the grand vizier; the
other viziers and ministers of state then retired, as also did all those
whose business had called them thither; some pleased with gaining their
causes, others dissatisfied at the sentences pronounced against them,
and some in expectation of being heard the next sitting.
Aladdin's mother, seeing the sultan retire, and all the people depart,
judged rightly that he would not sit again that day, and resolved to go
home. When Aladdin saw her return with the present, he knew not what to
think, and in fear lest she should bring him some ill news, had not
courage to ask her any questions; but she, who had never set foot into
the sultan's palace before, and knew not what was every day practised
there, freed him from his embarrassment, and said to him: "Son, I have
seen the sultan, and am very well persuaded he has seen me too; for I
placed myself just before him; but he was so much taken up with those
who attended on all sides of him, that I pitied him, and wondered at his
patience. At last I believe he was heartily tired, for he rose up
suddenly, and would not hear a great many who were ready prepared to
speak to him, but went away, at which I was well pleased, for indeed I
began to lose all patience, and was extremely fatigued with staying so
long. But there is no harm done; I will go again to-morrow; perhaps the
sultan may not be so busy."
Though his passion was very violent, Aladdin was forced to be satisfied,
and to fortify himself with patience. He had at least the satisfaction
to find that his mother had got over the greatest difficulty, which was
to procure access to the sultan, and hoped that the example of those she
saw speak to him would embolden her to acquit herself better of her
commission when a favourable opportunity might offer.
The next morning she repaired to the sultan's palace with the present,
as early as the day before, but when she came there, she found the gates
of the divan shut, and understood that the council sat but every other
day, therefore she must come again the next. This news she carried to
her son, whose only relief was to guard himself with patience. She went
six times afterward on the days appointed and placed herself always
directly before the sultan, but with as little success as the first
morning, and might have perhaps come a thousand times to as little
purpose, if luckily the sultan himself had not taken particular notice
of her.
On the sixth day, after the divan was broken up, when the sultan
returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier: "I have for
some time observed a certain woman, who attends constantly every day
that I give audience, with something wrapped up in a napkin: she always
stands up from the beginning to the breaking up of the audience, and
affects to place herself just before me. Do you know what she wants?"
"Sir," replied the grand vizier, who knew no more than the sultan what
she wanted, but did not wish to seem uninformed, "your majesty knows
that women often make complaints on trifles; perhaps she may come to
complain that somebody has sold her some bad flour, or some such
trifling matter." The sultan was not satisfied with this answer, but
replied: "If this woman comes to our next audience, do not fail to call
her, that I may hear what she has to say." The grand vizier made answer
by lowering his hand, and then lifting it up above his head, signifying
his willingness to lose it if he failed.
By this time, the tailor's widow was so much used to go to audience, and
stand before the sultan, that she did not think it any trouble, if she
could but satisfy her son that she neglected nothing that lay in her
power to please him: so the next audience-day she went to the divan and
placed herself in front of the sultan as usual; and before the grand
vizier had made his report of business, the sultan perceived her, and
compassionating her for having waited so long, said to the vizier:
"Before you enter upon any business, remember the woman I spoke to you
about; bid her come near, and let us despatch her business first." The
grand vizier immediately called the chief of the mace-bearers, and
pointing to her, bade him tell her to come before the sultan.
The chief of the officers went to Aladdin's mother, and at a sign he
gave her, she followed him to the foot of the sultan's throne, where he
left her, and retired to his place by the grand vizier. The old woman
bowed her head down to the carpet, which covered the platform of the
throne, and remained in that posture till the sultan bade her rise, when
he said to her: "Good woman, I have observed you to stand from the
beginning to the rising of the divan; what business brings you here?"
After these words, Aladdin's mother prostrated herself a second time;
and when she arose, said: "Monarch of monarchs, before I tell your
majesty the extraordinary and incredible business which brings me before
your high throne, I beg of you to pardon the boldness of the demand I am
going to make, which is so uncommon, that I tremble, and am ashamed to
propose it to my sovereign." In order to give her the more freedom to
explain herself, the sultan ordered all to quit the divan but the grand
vizier, and then told her she might speak without restraint.
Aladdin's mother, not content with this favour of the sultan's to save
her the confusion of speaking before so many people, was,
notwithstanding, a little apprehensive; therefore, resuming her
discourse, she said: "I beg of your majesty, if you should think my
demand the least offensive, to assure me first of your forgiveness."
"Well," replied the sultan, "I will forgive you, be it what it may, and
no hurt shall come to you: speak boldly."
When Aladdin's mother had taken all these precautions, she told him
faithfully how Aladdin had seen the Princess Badroulboudour, the violent
love that fatal sight had inspired him with, the declaration he had made
to her when he came home, and what she had said to dissuade him. "But,"
continued she, "my son, instead of taking my advice and reflecting on
his presumption, was so obstinate as to persevere, and to threaten me
with some desperate act, if I refused to come and ask the princess in
marriage of your majesty; and it was not without the greatest reluctance
that I was led to accede to his request, for which I beg your majesty
once more to pardon not only me, but also Aladdin my son, for
entertaining so rash a project."
The sultan hearkened to this discourse without shewing the least anger;
but before he gave her any answer, asked her what she had brought tied
up in the napkin? She took the china dish, which she had set down at the
foot of the throne before she prostrated herself before him, untied it,
and presented it to the sultan.
The monarch's amazement and surprise were inexpressible, when he saw so
many large, beautiful, and valuable jewels collected in the dish. He
remained for some time motionless with admiration. At last, when he had
recovered himself, he received the present, crying out in a transport of
joy: "How rich, how beautiful!" After he had admired and handled all the
jewels, one after another, he turned to his grand vizier, and shewing
him the dish, said: "Behold, admire, wonder, and confess that your eyes
never beheld jewels so rich and beautiful before." The vizier was
charmed. "Well," continued the sultan, "what sayest thou to such a
present? Is it not worthy of the princess, my daughter? And ought I not
to bestow her on one who values her at so great price?"
These words put the grand vizier into extreme agitation. The sultan had
some time before signified to him his intention of bestowing the
princess on a son of his; therefore he was afraid, and not without
grounds, that the present might change his majesty's mind. Therefore
going to him, and whispering him in the ear, he said: "I cannot but own
that the present is worthy of the princess; but I beg of your majesty to
grant me three months before you come to a final resolution. I hope,
before that time, my son, on whom you have had the goodness to look with
a favourable eye, will be able to make a nobler present than Aladdin,
who is an entire stranger to your majesty."