left, she went and sat down by her son on the sofa, saying, "I
expect now that you should satisfy my impatience, and tell me
exactly what passed between the genie and you while I was in a
swoon;" which he readily complied with.
She was in as great amazement at what her son told her, as at the
appearance of the genie; and said to him, "But, son, what have we
to do with genii? I never heard that any of my acquaintance had
ever seen one. How came that vile genie to address himself to me,
and not to you, to whom he had appeared before in the cave?"
"Mother," answered Alla ad Deen, "the genie you saw is not the
one who appeared to me, though he resembles him in size; no, they
had quite different persons and habits; they belong to different
masters. If you remember, he that I first saw, called himself the
slave of the ring on my finger; and this you saw, called himself
the slave of the lamp you had in your hand: but I believe you did
not hear him, for I think you fainted as soon as he began to
speak."
"What!" cried the mother, "was your lamp then the occasion of
that cursed genie addressing himself rather to me than to you?
Ah my son, take it out of my sight, and put it where you please.
I will never touch it. I had rather you would sell it, than run
the hazard of being frightened to death again by touching it: and
if you would take my advice, you would part also with the ring,
and not have any thing to do with genii, who, as our prophet has
told us, are only devils."
"With your leave, mother," replied Alla ad Deen, "I shall now
take care how I sell a lamp, which may be so serviceable both to
you and me. Have not you been an eye-witness of what it has
procured us? and it shall still continue to furnish us with
subsistence and maintenance. You may suppose as I do, that my
false and wicked uncle would not have taken so much pains, and
undertaken so long and tedious a journey, if it had not been to
get into his possession this wonderful lamp, which he preferred
before all the gold and silver which he knew was in the halls,
and which I have seen with my own eyes. He knew too well the
worth of this lamp, not to prefer it to so great a treasure; and
since chance hath discovered the virtue of it to us, let us make
a profitable use of it, without making any great shew, and
exciting the envy and jealousy of our neighbours. However, since
the genii frighten you so much, I will take it out of your sight,
and put it where I may find it when I want it. The ring I cannot
resolve to part with; for without that you had never seen me
again; and though I am alive now, perhaps, if it was gone, I
might not be so some moments hence; therefore I hope you will
give me leave to keep it, and to wear it always on my finger. Who
knows what dangers you and I may be exposed to, which neither of
us can foresee, and from which it may deliver us." As Alla ad
Deen's arguments were just, his mother had nothing to say against
them; she only replied, that he might do what he pleased, for her
part, she would have nothing to do with genii, but would wash her
hands of them, and never say anything more about them.
By the next night they had eaten all the provisions the genie had
brought; and the next day Alla ad Deen, who could not bear the
thoughts of hunger, putting one of the silver dishes under his
vest, went out early to sell it, and addressing himself to a Jew
whom he met in the streets, took him aside, and pulling out the
plate, asked him if he would buy it. The cunning Jew took the
dish, examined it, and as soon as he found that it was good
silver, asked Alla ad Deen at how much he valued it. Alla ad
Deen, who knew not its value, and never had been used to such
traffic, told him he would trust to his judgment and honour. The
Jew was somewhat confounded at this plain dealing; and doubting
whether Alla ad Deen understood the material or the full value of
what he offered to sell, took a piece of gold out of his purse
and gave it him, though it was but the sixtieth part of the worth
of the plate. Alla ad Deen, taking the money very eagerly,
retired with so much haste, that the Jew, not content with the
exorbitancy of his profit, was vexed he had not penetrated into
his ignorance, and was going to run after him, to endeavour to
get some change out of the piece of gold; but he ran so fast, and
had got so far, that it would have been impossible for him to
overtake him.
Before Alla ad Deen went home, he called at a baker's, bought
some cakes of bread, changed his money, and on his return gave
the rest to his mother, who went and purchased provisions enough
to last them some time. After this manner they lived, till Alla
ad Deen had sold the twelve dishes singly, as necessity pressed,
to the Jew, for the same money; who, after the first time, durst
not offer him less, for fear of losing so good a bargain. When he
had sold the last dish, he had recourse to the tray, which
weighed ten times as much as the dishes, and would have carried
it to his old purchaser, but that it was too large and
cumbersome; therefore he was obliged to bring him home with him
to his mother's, where, after the Jew had examined the weight of
the tray, he laid down ten pieces of gold, with which Alla ad
Deen was very well satisfied.
They lived on these ten pieces in a frugal manner, and Alla ad
Deen, though used to an idle life, had left off playing with
young lads of his own age ever since his adventure with the
African magician. He spent his time in walking about, and
conversing with decent people, with whom he gradually got
acquainted. Sometimes he would stop at the principal merchants'
shops, where people of distinction met, and listen to their
discourse, by which he gained some little knowledge of the world.
When all the money was spent, Alla ad Deen had recourse again to
the lamp. He took it in his hand, looked for the part where his
mother had rubbed it with the sand, 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 Alla ad Deen, "bring me something to
eat." The genie disappeared, and presently returned with a tray,
the same number of covered dishes as before, set them down, and
vanished.
Alla ad Deen'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 Alla ad Deen found that their provisions were
expended, he took one of the dishes, and went to look for his Jew
chapman; but passing by a goldsmith's shop, 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 is so well
known, that nobody of prudence will have anything to do with him.
What I tell you is for your own good. 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 Alla ad
Deen 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, asked him if he had sold such as that to the Jew, when
Alla ad Deen 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 passed 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 cost, 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; for
we gain only the fashion of the plate we buy, and that the
fairest dealing Jews are not contented with."
Alla ad Deen 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, and had as much
for them as the weight came to.
Though Alla ad Deen 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 Alla ad
Deen 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 Alla ad Deen
had sold the dishes and tray was sufficient to maintain them some
time.
During this interval, Alla ad Deen frequented the shops of the
principal merchants, where they sold cloth of gold and silver,
linens, silk stuffs, and jewellery, 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 Alla ad Deen 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 Buddir al
Buddoor, the sultan's daughter, went to the baths and returned.
This proclamation inspired Alla ad Deen 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; which did not satisfy him, when he considered that the
princess, when she went to the baths, would be closely veiled;
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.
Alla ad Deen 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 Alla ad Deen an opportunity of a full
view.
As soon as Alla ad Deen had seen the princess, his heart could
not withstand those inclinations so charming an object always
inspires. The princess 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 and
charmingly agreeable symmetry; in a word, all the features of her
face were perfectly regular. It is not therefore surprising that
Alla ad Deen, 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 fine a form, and 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, Alla ad
Deen remained some time astonished, and in a kind of ecstacy,
retracing and imprinting the idea of so charming an object deeply
in his mind. But at last, considering that the princess was gone
past him, and that when she returned from the bath her back would
be towards him, and then veiled, 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 and melancholy than usual; and asked what had
happened to make him so, or if he was ill? He returned her no
answer, but sat carelessly down on the sofa, and remained silent,
musing on the image of the charming Buddir al Buddoor. His
mother, who was dressing supper, pressed him no more. When it was
ready, she served it up, and perceiving that he gave no attention
to it, urged him to eat, but had much ado to persuade him to
change his place; which when he did, he ate much less than usual,
all the time cast down his eyes, and observed so profound a
silence, that she could not obtain a word in answer to all the
questions she put, in order to find the reason of so
extraordinary an alteration.
After supper, she 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. Without examining how he
passed the night, his mind full as it was with the charms of the
princess, I shall only observe that as he sat next day on the
sofa, opposite his mother, 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 sick, as I
fancy you believed; but I assure you, that what I felt then, and
now endure, is worse than any disease. I cannot explain what ails
me; but doubt not what I am going to relate will inform you.
"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 heard this as I walked about the
town, and an order was issued that all the shops should be shut
up in her way thither, and everybody keep within doors, to leave
the streets free for her and her attendants. As I was not then
far from the bath, I had a great curiosity to see the princess's
face; and as it occurred to me that the princess, when she came
nigh the door of the bath, would pull her veil off, I resolved to
conceal myself behind the door. You know the situation of the
door, and may imagine that I must have had a full view of her.
The princess threw off her veil, and I had the happiness of
seeing her lovely face with the greatest security. This, mother,
was the cause of my melancholy and silence yesterday; I love the
princess with more violence than I can express; and as my passion
increases every moment, I cannot live without the possession of
the amiable Buddir al Buddoor, and am resolved to ask her in
marriage of the sultan her father."
Alla ad Deen's mother listened with surprise 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. Alla ad Deen 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 Alla ad Deen, "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 of the sultan in marriage, and
your remonstrances shall not prevent me."
"Indeed, son," replied the mother seriously, "I cannot help
telling you that you have forgotten yourself; and if you would
put this resolution of yours in execution, I do not see whom you
can prevail upon to venture to make the proposal for you." "You
yourself," replied he immediately. "I go to the sultan!" answered
the mother, amazed and surprised. "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 princes, sons of sovereigns like themselves?"
"Mother," answered Alla ad Deen, "I have already told you that I
foresaw all that you have said, or can say: and tell you again,
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: it is a favour I desire of you, and 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 Alla ad
Deen obstinately persisting in so wild a design. "My son," said
she again, "I am your mother, who brought you into the world, 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, whose circumstances were equal with yours,
I would do it with all my heart; and even then they would expect
you should have some little estate or fortune, 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 merit
and 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. I say nothing of what
respects yourself. I leave you to reflect on what you have to do,
if you have ever so little thought. I come now to consider what
concerns myself. How could so extraordinary a thought come into
your head, as that I should go to the sultan and make a proposal
to him to give his daughter in marriage to you? Suppose I had,
not to say the boldness, but the impudence to present myself
before the sultan, and make so extravagant a request, 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? Suppose, however,
that there is no difficulty in presenting myself for an audience
of the sultan, and I know there is none to those who go to
petition for justice, which he 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, and the persons are
worthy of it. But is that your case? Do you think you have
merited the honour you would have me ask for you? Are you worthy
of it? What have you done to claim such a favour, either for your
prince or country? How have you distinguished yourself? If you
have done nothing to merit so high a distinction, nor are worthy
of it, with what face shall I ask it? 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, who used even
to tremble before my dear husband your father, when I asked him
for any thing. 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
if you had any that were worthy of the least attention of so
great a monarch, what proportion could they bear to the favour
you would ask? Therefore, reflect well on what you are about, and
consider, that you aspire to an object which it is impossible for
you to obtain."
Alla ad Deen heard very calmly all that his mother could say to
dissuade him from his design, and after he had weighed her
representations in all points, 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 with so much heat
and precipitancy to go and make the proposal to the sultan,
without first taking proper measures to procure a favourable
reception, and therefore beg your pardon. But be not surprised
that through the violence of my passion I did not at first see
every measure necessary to procure me the happiness I seek. I
love the princess, or rather I adore her, 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. As to
the necessity of a present, I agree with you, and own that I
never thought of it; but as to what you say that I have nothing
fit to offer, do not you think, mother, that what I brought home
with me the day on which I was delivered from an inevitable
death, may be an acceptable present? I mean what you and I both
took for coloured glass: but now I am undeceived, and can tell
you that they are jewels of inestimable value, and fit for the
greatest monarchs. 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 most capital jewellers' possessions were not
to be compared to those we have, either for size or beauty, and
yet they value theirs at an excessive price. In short, neither
you nor I know the value of ours; but be it as it may, by the
little experience I have, 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."
Alla ad Deen'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 day-time, and the variety of the
colours, 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
pendant 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, Alla
ad Deen 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, notwithstanding the beauty and lustre of
the precious stones, did not believe them so valuable as her son
estimated them, she thought such a present might nevertheless be
agreeable to the sultan, but still she hesitated at the request.
"My son," said she, "I cannot conceive that your present will
have its desired effect, or 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 invaluable, and shall return home again in
confusion, to tell you that your hopes are frustrated. I have
represented the consequence, and you ought to believe me; but,"
added she, "I will exert my best endeavour to please you, and
wish I may have power to ask the sultan as you would have me; but
certainly he will either laugh at me, send me back like a fool,
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 him change his
mind; but the charms of the princess had made too great an
impression on his heart for him to be dissuaded from his design.
He persisted in importuning his mother to execute his resolution,
and she, as much out of tenderness as for fear he should be
guilty of greater extravagance, complied with his request.
As it was now late, and the time for admission to the palace was
passed, it was put off till the next day. The mother and son
talked of different matters the remaining part of the day; and
Alla ad Deen strove to encourage her in the task she had
undertaken; while she, notwithstanding all his arguments, could
not persuade herself she should succeed; and it must be confessed
she had reason enough to doubt. "Child," said she to Alla ad
Deen, "if the sultan should receive me as favourably as I wish
for your sake, should even hear my proposal with calmness, and
after this scarcely-to-be-expected reception should think of
asking me where lie your riches and your estate (for he will
sooner inquire after these than your person), if, I say, he
should ask me these questions, what answer would you have me
return him?"