may never happen. First, let us see how the sultan receives, and
what answer he gives you. If it should so fall out, that he
desires to be informed of what you mention, I have thought of an
answer, and am confident that the lamp which hath supported us so
long will not fail me in time of need."
The tailor's widow could not say any thing against what her son
then proposed; but reflected that the lamp might be capable of
doing greater wonders than just providing victuals for them. This
consideration satisfied her, and at the same time removed all the
difficulties which might have prevented her from undertaking the
service she had promised her son with the sultan. Alla ad Deen,
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, Alla ad Deen and his mother parted to go to
rest. But violent love, and the great prospect of so immense a
fortune, had so much possessed the son's thoughts, that he could
not repose himself so well as he could have wished. He rose
before day-break, awakened his mother, pressing her to get
herself dressed to go to the sultan's palace, and to get
admittance, if possible, before the grand vizier, the other
viziers, and the great officers of state went in to take their
seats in the divan, where the sultan always assisted in person.
Alla ad Deen'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 forward for the sultan's 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 crowd of people who had business was great,
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 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 theirs being heard the next sitting.
Alla ad Deen'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 Alla ad Deen saw her return
with the present designed for the sultan, he knew not what to
think of her success, and in his fear lest she should bring him
some ill news, had not courage to ask her any questions; but she,
who had never set foot in the sultan's palace before, and knew
not what was every day practised there, freed him from his
embarrassment, and said to him, with a great deal of simplicity,
"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, Alla ad Deen was forced to
be satisfied with this delay, 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 to speak to
him.
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 afterwards on
the days appointed, 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: for only those who came with petitions approached the
sultan, when each pleaded their cause in its turn, and Alla ad
Deen's mother was not one of them.
On the sixth day, however, 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 to your majesty 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: the next audience
day she went to the divan, 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 hear and dispatch her business first." The
grand vizier immediately called the chief of the mace-bearers who
stood ready to obey his commands; and pointing to her, bade him
go to that woman, and tell her to come before the sultan.
The chief of the officers went to Alla ad Deen'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, after the example of others whom she saw
salute the sultan, 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, which she had no sooner done, than
he said to her, "Good woman, I have observed you to stand a long
time, from the beginning to the rising of the divan; what
business brings you here?"
After these words, Alla ad Deen's mother prostrated herself a
second time; and when she arose, said, "Monarch of monarchs,
before I tell your majesty the extraordinary and almost
incredible business which brings me before your high throne, I
beg of you to pardon the boldness or rather impudence 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.
Alla ad Deen's mother, not content with this favour of the
sultan's to save her the trouble and confusion of speaking before
so many people, was notwithstanding for securing herself against
his anger, which, from the proposal she was going to make, she
was not a little apprehensive of; therefore resuming her
discourse, she said, "I beg of your majesty, if you should think
my demand the least injurious or offensive, to assure me first of
your pardon and forgiveness." "Well," replied the sultan, "I will
forgive you, be it what it may, and no hurt shall come to you:
speak boldly."
When Alla ad Deen's mother had taken all these precautions, for
fear of the sultan's anger, she told him faithfully how Alla ad
Deen had seen the princess Buddir al Buddoor, the violent love
that fatal sight had inspired him with, the declaration he had
made to her of it when he came home, and what representations she
had made "to dissuade him from a passion no less disrespectful,"
said she, "to your majesty, as sultan, than to the princess your
daughter. 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 Alla ad Deen my son, for
entertaining so rash a project as to aspire to so high an
alliance."
The sultan hearkened to this discourse with mildness, and 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 sultan'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
from Alla ad Deen's mother's hand, 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 sayst 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 sultan, dazzled by so rich and
extraordinary a present, might change his 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 Alla ad Deen, who is an entire
stranger to Your majesty."
The sultan, though he was fully persuaded that it was not
possible for the vizier to provide so considerable a present for
his son to make the princess, yet as he had given him hopes,
hearkened to him, and granted his request. Turning therefore to
the old widow, he said to her, "Good woman, go home, and tell
your son that I agree to the proposal you have made me; but I
cannot marry the princess my daughter, till the paraphernalia I
design for her be got ready, which cannot be finished these three
months; but at the expiration of that time come again."
Alla ad Deen's mother returned home much more gratified than she
had expected, since she had met with a favourable answer, instead
of the refusal and confusion she had dreaded. From two
circumstances Alla ad Deen, when he saw his mother returning,
judged that she brought him good news; the one was, that she
returned sooner than ordinary; and the other, the gaiety of her
countenance. "Well, mother," said he, "may I entertain any hopes,
or must I die with despair?" When she had pulled off her veil,
and had seated herself on the sofa by him, she said to him, "Not
to keep you long in suspense, son, I will begin by telling you,
that instead of thinking of dying, you have every reason to be
well satisfied." Then pursuing her discourse, she told him, that
she had an audience before everybody else which made her come
home so soon; the precautions she had taken lest she should have
displeased the sultan, by making the proposal of marriage between
him and the princess Buddir al Buddoor, and the condescending
answer she had received from the sultan's own mouth; and that as
far as she could judge, the present had wrought a powerful
effect. "But when I least expected it," said she, "and he was
going to give me an answer, and I fancied a favourable one, the
grand vizier whispered him in the ear, and I was afraid might be
some obstacle to his good intentions towards us, and so it
happened, for the sultan desired me to come to audience again
this day three months."
Alla ad Deen thought himself the most happy of all men at hearing
this news, and thanked his mother for the pains she had taken in
the affair, the good success of which was of so great importance
to his peace. Though from his impatience to obtain the object of
his passion, three months seemed an age, yet he disposed himself
to wait with patience, relying on the sultan's word, which he
looked upon to be irrevocable. But all that time he not only
counted the hours, days, and weeks, but every moment. When two of
the three months were past, his mother one evening going to light
the lamp, and finding no oil in the house, went out to buy some,
and when she came into the city, found a general rejoicing. The
shops, instead of being shut up, were open, dressed with foliage,
silks, and carpeting, every one striving to show their zeal in
the most distinguished manner according to his ability. The
streets were crowded with officers in habits of ceremony, mounted
on horses richly caparisoned, each attended by a great many
footmen. Alla ad Deen's mother asked the oil-merchant what was
the meaning of all this preparation of public festivity. "Whence
came you, good woman," said he, "that you don't know that the
grand vizier's son is to marry the princess Buddir al Buddoor,
the sultan's daughter, to-night? She will presently return from
the baths; and these officers whom you see are to assist at the
cavalcade to the palace, where the ceremony is to be solemnized."
This was news enough for Alla ad Deen's mother. She ran till she
was quite out of breath home to her son, who little suspected any
such event. "Child," cried she, "you are undone! You depend upon
the sultan's fine promises, but they will come to nothing." Alla
ad Deen was alarmed at these words. "Mother," replied he, "how do
you know the sultan has been guilty of a breach of promise?"
"This night," answered the mother, "the grand vizier's son is to
marry the princess Buddir al Buddoor." She then related how she
had heard it; so that from all circumstances, he had no reason to
doubt the truth of what she said.
At this account, Alla ad Deen was thunder-struck. Any other man
would have sunk under the shock; but a sudden hope of
disappointing his rival soon roused his spirits, and he bethought
himself of the lamp, which had on every emergence been so useful
to him; and without venting his rage in empty words against the
sultan, the vizier, or his son, he only said, "Perhaps, mother,
the vizier's son may not be so happy to-night as he promises
himself: while I go into my chamber a moment, do you get supper
ready." She accordingly went about it, but guessed that her son
was going to make use of the lamp, to prevent, if possible, the
consummation of the marriage.
When Alla ad Deen had got into his chamber, he took the lamp,
rubbed it in the same place as before, when immediately the genie
appeared, and said to him, "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 possession; I and the other slaves of the lamp."
"Hear me," said Alla ad Deen; "thou hast hitherto brought me
whatever I wanted as to provisions; but now I have business of
the greatest importance for thee to execute. I have demanded the
princess Buddir al Buddoor in marriage of the sultan her father;
he promised her to me, only requiring three months delay; but
instead of keeping that promise, has this night married her to
the grand vizier's son. What I ask of you is, that as soon as the
bride and bridegroom are retired, you bring them both hither in
their bed." "Master," replied the genie, "I will obey you. Have
you any other commands?" "None at present," answered Alla ad
Deen; the genie then disappeared.
Alla ad Deen having left his chamber, supped with his mother,
with the same tranquillity of mind as usual; and after supper
talked of the princess's marriage as of an affair wherein he had
not the least concern'; he then retired to his own chamber again,
and left his mother to go to bed; but sat up waiting the
execution of his orders to the genie.
In the meantime, everything was prepared with the greatest
magnificence in the sultan's palace to celebrate the princess's
nuptials; and the evening was spent with all the usual ceremonies and
great rejoicings till midnight, when the grand vizier's son, on a
signal given him by the chief of the princess's eunuchs, slipped away
from the company, and was introduced by that officer into the
princess's apartment, where the nuptial bed was prepared. He went to
bed first, and in a little time after, the sultaness, accompanied by
her own women, and those of the princess, brought the bride, who,
according to the custom of new-married ladies, made great resistance.
The sultaness herself helped to undress her, put her into bed by a
kind of violence: and after having kissed her, and wished her good
night, retired with the women to her own apartments.
No sooner was the door shut, than the genie, as the faithful
slave of the lamp, and punctual in executing the command of those
who possessed it, without giving the bridegroom the least time to
caress his bride, to the great amazement of them both, took up
the bed, and transported it in an instant into Alla ad Deen's
chamber, where he set it down.
Alla ad Deen, who had waited impatiently for this moment, did not
suffer the vizier's son to remain long in bed with the princess. "Take
this new-married man," said he to the genie, "shut him up in the
out-house, and come again tomorrow morning before day-break." The
genie instantly forced the vizier's son out of bed, carried him
whither Alla ad Deen had commanded him; and after he had breathed upon
him, which prevented him stirring, left him there.
Passionate as was Alla ad Deen's love for the princess, he did
not talk much to her when they were alone; but only said with a
respectful air, "Fear nothing, adorable princess, you are here in
safety; for, notwithstanding the violence of my passion, which
your charms have kindled, it shall never exceed the bounds of the
profound adoration I owe you. If I have been forced to come to
this extremity, it is not with any intention of affronting you,
but to prevent an unjust rival's possessing you, contrary to the
sultan your father's promise in favour of myself."
The princess, who knew nothing of these particulars, gave very
little attention to what Alla ad Deen could say. The fright and
amazement of so surprising and unexpected an adventure had
alarmed her so much that he could not get one word from her.
However, he undressed himself, took the bridegroom's place, but
lay with his back to the princess, putting a sabre between
himself and her, to shew that he deserved to be put to death, if
he attempted anything against her honour. Alla ad Deen, satisfied
with having thus deprived his rival of the happiness he had
flattered himself with, slept very soundly, though the princess
Buddir al Buddoor never passed a night so ill in her life; and if
we consider the condition in which the genie left the grand
vizier's son, we may imagine that the new bridegroom spent it
much worse.
Alla ad Deen had no occasion the next morning to rub the lamp to
call the genie; who appeared at the hour appointed, just when he
had done dressing himself, and said to him, "I am here, master,
what are your commands?" "Go," said Alla ad Deen, "fetch the
vizier's son out of the place where you left him, put him into
his bed again, and carry it to the sultan's palace, from whence
you brought it." The genie presently returned with the vizier's
son. Alla ad Deen took up his sabre, the bridegroom was laid by
the princess, and in an instant the nuptial-bed was transported
into the same chamber of the palace from whence it had been
brought. But we must observe, that all this time the genie never
was visible either to the princess or the grand vizier's son. His
hideous form would have made them die with fear. Neither did they
hear any thing of the discourse between Alla ad Deen and him;
they only perceived the motion of the bed, and their
transportation from one place to another; which we may well
imagine was enough to alarm them.
As soon as the genie had set down the nuptial bed in its proper
place, the sultan tapped at the door to wish her good morning.
The grand vizier's son, who was almost perished with cold, by
standing in his thin under garment all night, and had not had
time to warm himself in bed, no sooner heard the knocking at the
door than he got out of bed, and ran into the robing-chamber,
where he had undressed himself the night before.
The sultan having opened the door, went to the bed-side, kissed
the princess between the eyes, according to custom, wishing her a
good morrow, but was extremely surprised to see her so
melancholy. She only cast at him a sorrowful look, expressive of
great affliction or great dissatisfaction. He said a few words to
her; but finding that he could not get a word from her,
attributed it to her modesty, and retired. Nevertheless, he
suspected that there was something extraordinary in this silence,
and thereupon went immediately to the sultaness's apartment, told
her in what a state he had found the princess, and how she had
received him. "Sir," said the sultaness, "your majesty ought not
to be surprised at this behaviour; new-married people have
naturally a reserve about them; two or three days hence she will
receive the sultan her father as she ought: but I will go and see
her," added she; "I am much deceived if she receives me in the
same manner."
As soon as the sultaness was dressed, she went to the princess's
apartment, who was still in bed. She undrew the curtain, wished
her good morrow, and kissed her. But how great was her surprise
when she returned no answer; and looking more attentively at her,
she perceived her to be much dejected, which made her judge that
something had happened, which she did not understand "How comes
it, child," said the sultaness, "that you do not return my
caresses? Ought you to treat your mother after this manner? I am
induced to believe something extraordinary has happened; come,
tell me freely, and leave me no longer in a painful suspense."