of our ill luck, for that this affair will bring us in great danger with the Sultan and belike there will be death therein for thee and for me.  As for me, how can I adventure upon this danger and this effrontery?  Moreover, O my son, on what wise shall I demand thee his daughter of the Sultan and how shall I avail to go in to him?  Nay, if they question me, what shall I answer them?  Most like they will deem me a madwoman.  And suppose I gain admission to the presence, what shall I take by way of offering to the Sultan’s highness?  It [FN#333] is true, O my son, that the Sultan is clement and rejecteth none that cometh to him for protection or craveth a boon of him, for that he is bountiful and beneficent unto all, great and small; [FN#334] but he bestoweth his favours upon those who are deserving thereof or who have done some feat of arms before him or have wrought for the service or defence of the realm; and thou, O my son, tell me, what hast thou done for [FN#335] the Sultan or the realm, that thou shouldst merit of him this boon?  Again, this that thou cravest is beyond thy condition; [FN#336] so it cannot be that the king will grant thee that which thou seekest.  Moreover, whoso presenteth himself before the Sultan and craveth favours of him, it behoveth him take in his hand somewhat that sorteth with the royal dignity; and as I said to thee, how canst thou presume to present thyself before the Sultan and seek of him his daughter, without aught thou mayst proffer him of that which sorteth with his rank?”

“O my mother,” replied Alaeddin, “thou speakest justly and deemest that which is true, [FN#337] and it behoveth me consider all that whereof thou mindest me; but, O my mother, the love of the Sultan’s daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, hath entered into the innermost of my heart; and there can be no rest for me, except I obtain her.  Moreover, thou mindest me of somewhat I had forgotten, and that a thing which emboldeneth me to seek of him his daughter by thee.  Thou sayst, O my mother, that I have no gift to present to the Sultan, according to the wont of the folk, whilst in fact I have by me a gift and an offering, the like whereof methinketh no king ever possessed, no, nor aught to match therewith; for [FN#338] thou must know, O my mother, that the fruits, which I brought in the purses [FN#339] from the treasure and which I deemed glass or crystal, are very jewels, methinketh all the kings of the world may not compass the least of them, and I, of my companying with the jewellers, know that they are precious stones.  Wherefore, an thou please, have the goodness to rise and bring me such a China dish which we have by us, [FN#340] that I may fill it with these jewels, and thou shalt take it as a present to the Sultan.  By this means I am assured that the thing will be easy to thee, and do thou stand before the Sultan and seek of him my desire; but, O my mother, an thou refuse to further me with thine endeavour for the attainment of my wish