The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night -- Volume 3 [Supplement] — Part 145

Then this slave, followed by the rest, advanced into the second court, which was very spacious, and in which the sultan’s household was ranged during the sitting of the divan. The magnificence of the officers, who stood at the head of their troops, was very much eclipsed by the slaves who bare Aladdin’s present, of which they themselves made a part. Nothing was ever seen so beautiful and brilliant in the sultan’s palace before; and all the lustre of the lords of his court was not to be compared to them.

As the sultan, who had been informed of their march, and coming to the palace, had given orders for them to be admitted when they came, they met with no obstacle, but went into the divan in good order, one part filing to the right and the other to the left. After they had all entered, and had formed a great semicircle before the sultan’s throne, the black slaves laid the basins on the carpet, and all prostrated themselves, touching the carpet with their foreheads and at the same time the white slaves did the same. When they all rose again, the black slaves uncovered the basins, and then all stood with their arms crossed over their breasts with great modesty.

In the meantime, Aladdin’s mother advanced to the foot of the throne, and having paid her respects, said to the sultan, “Sir, my son Aladdin is sensible this present, which he has sent your majesty, is much below the princess Badr-oul-boudour’s worth; but hopes, nevertheless, that your majesty will accept of it, and make it agreeable to the princess, with the greater confidence that he has endeavoured to conform to the conditions you were pleased to impose on him.”

The sultan was not able to give the least attention to this compliment of Aladdin’s mother. The moment he cast his eyes on the forty basins, brimful of the most precious, brilliant, and beautiful jewels he had ever seen, and the fourscore slaves, who appeared, by the comeliness of their persons, and the richness and magnificence of their dress, like so many kings, he was so struck that he could not recover from his admiration; but, instead of answering the compliment of Aladdin’s mother, addressed himself to the grand vizier, who could not any more than the sultan comprehend from whence such a profusion of riches could come.—“Well, vizier,” said he aloud, “who do you think it can be that has sent me so extraordinary a present, and neither of us know? Do you think him worthy of the princess Badr-oul-boudour, my daughter?”