Now the commons and the folk, one and all, when they saw Alaeddin, rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and were glad for his deliverance; but the ignominy which had befallen him and shame and the exultation of the envious had bowed down his head; so he went forth and fell to going round about the city, perplexed anent his case and unknowing how all this had happened.  He abode in the city two days in the woefullest of case, knowing not how he should do to find his palace and the Lady Bedrulbudour, his bride, what while certain of the folk used to come to him privily with meat and drink.  Then he went forth, wandering in the deserts and knowing not whitherward he should aim, and ceased not going till he came to a river; whereupon, his hope being cut off for stress of chagrin that possessed him, he thought to cast himself into the stream; but, for that he was a pious Muslim, professing the unity of God, he feared God in himself and stood on the bank; of the stream to perform the ablution. [FN#579] So he took of the water in his hands and proceeded to rub between his fingers; and in doing this, his rubbing chanced upon the ring, whereupon a Marid appeared to him and said to him, “Here am I; thy slave is before thee.  Seek what thou wilt.”

When Alaeddin saw the Marid, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said to him, “O slave, I will have thee bring me my palace, with my bride, the Lady Bedrulbudour, and all that is therein.”  “O my lord,” replied the Marid, “it irketh me sore that what thou seekest of me is a thing unto which I cannot avail, for that it pertaineth unto the slaves of the Lamp and I may not adventure upon it.”  “Then,” said Alaeddin, “since this is not possible unto thee, take me and set me down beside my palace, in what land soever it is.”  “Hearkening and obedience, O my lord,” replied the Marid and taking. him up, set him down, in the twinkling of an eye, beside his palace in the land of Africa and before his wife’s pavilion.  By this time, the night was come; so he looked at his palace and his cares and sorrows were dispelled from him and he trusted in God, after he had forsworn hope, that he should see his bride once again.  Then he fell to thinking upon the hidden mercies of God (glorified be His might!) and how He had vouchsafed [FN#580] him the ring and how his hope had been cut off, except God had provided him with the slave of the Ring.  So he rejoiced and all chagrin ceased from him; then, for that he had been four days without sleeping, of the stress of his chagrin and his trouble and his grief and the excess of his melancholy, he went to the side of the palace and lay down under a tree; for that, as I have said, the palace was among the gardens of Africa without the city. [FN#581] He [FN#582] lay that night under the tree in all ease; but he whose head is in the headsman’s hand sleepeth not anights. [FN#583] However, fatigue and lack of sleep for four days past caused slumber get the mastery over him; [FN#584] so he slept till break of morn, when he awoke at the chirp [FN#585] of the sparrows.  He arose and going to a stream there which flowed into the city, washed his hands and face; then, making the ablution, he prayed the morning-prayer and after returned and sat under the windows of the Lady Bedrulbudour’s pavilion.