of the Lady Bedrulbudour, know that I am a dead man.  Be not concerned for the gift, for these be exceeding precious jewels, and know, O my mother, that I have gone many a time to the market of the jewellers and have seen them sell jewels, that had not an hundredth part [FN#341] of the beauty of these of ours, at exceeding high prices such as man’s wit cannot conceive.  When, therefore, I saw this, I said [in myself], ’Verily, the jewels that are with us are exceeding precious.’  So now, O my mother, arise, as I bade thee, and fetch me the China dish whereof I bespoke thee, that we may range of these jewels therein and see how they show.”

Accordingly, she arose and brought the China dish, saying in herself, “Let us see if my son’s speech be true concerning these jewels or not.”  So she set the dish before Alaeddin and he brought out jewels of all kinds from the purses and proceeded to range them in the dish till he filled it.  When it was full, his mother looked at the dish, but could not gaze fixedly thereon, for the radiance of the jewels and their lustre and the excess of their flashing; so she shut her eyes and her wit was confounded at them; yet was she not certified that their value was in very deed so great as her son had said, but bethought her that his speech might be true in that their like was not found with kings.  Then Alaeddin turned to her and said, “See, O my mother, this is a magnificent present for the Sultan and I am assured that thou wilt get of him exceeding honour and that he will receive thee with all consideration.  And now, O my mother, there remaineth to thee no excuse; so be good enough [FN#342] to take this dish and go with it to the palace.”

“O my son,” replied she, " true it is that the present is exceedingly costly and precious and as thou sayest, none hath the like thereof; but who shall dare to come forward and seek of the Sultan his daughter Bedrulbudour?  Nay, I dare not adventure myself and say to him, ‘I want thy daughter,’ whenas he asketh me, ‘What wouldst thou?’ Marry, O my son,, my tongue will be tied.  And grant that Allah make [the thing] possible and I take courage and say to him, ’I desire to ally myself to thee by [marrying] thy daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour with my son Alaeddin,’ they will straightway deem me mad and will put me out with ignominy and reproach; nay, I need not tell thee that by this I shall fall into danger of death, and not I only, but thou also.  Withal, O my son, of regard for thy wish, needs must I take courage and go; but, O my son, if the King receive me and honour me for the gift’s sake and I seek of him that which thou wilt in [FN#343] the matter of marrying his daughter and he ask me, after the wont of the folk, what are thy possessions and thy revenues, what shall I say to him?  And most like, O my son, he will ask me of this ere he ask me of thyself.”  And Alaeddin said to her, “Nay, it cannot be that the Sultan will ask this, whenas he seeth the jewels