ll not prevent me."

"Indeed, son," replied the mother seriously, "I cannot help
telling you that you have forgotten yourself; and if you would
put this resolution of yours in execution, I do not see whom you
can prevail upon to venture to make the proposal for you." "You
yourself," replied he immediately. "I go to the sultan!" answered
the mother, amazed and surprised. "I shall be cautious how I
engage in such an errand. Why, who are you, son," continued she,
"that you can have the assurance to think of your sultan's
daughter? Have you forgotten that your father was one of the
poorest tailors in the capital, and that I am of no better
extraction; and do not you know that sultans never marry their
daughters but to princes, sons of sovereigns like themselves?"

"Mother," answered Alla ad Deen, "I have already told you that I
foresaw all that you have said, or can say: and tell you again,
that neither your discourse nor your remonstrances shall make me
change my mind. I have told you that you must ask the princess in
marriage for me: it is a favour I desire of you, and I beg of you
not to refuse, unless you would rather see me in my grave, than
by your compliance give me new life."

The good old woman was much embarrassed, when she found Alla ad
Deen obstinately persisting in so wild a design. "My son," said
she again, "I am your mother, who brought you into the world, and
there is nothing that is reasonable but I would readily do for
you. If I were to go and treat about your marriage with some
neighbour's daughter, whose circumstances were equal with yours,
I would do it with all my heart; and even then they would expect
you should have some little estate or fortune, or be of some
trade. When such poor folks as we are wish to marry, the first
thing they ought to think of, is how to live. But without
reflecting on the meanness of your birth, and the little merit
and fortune you have to recommend you, you aim at the highest
pitch of exaltation; and your pretensions are no less than to
demand in marriage the daughter of your sovereign, who with one
single word can crush you to pieces. I say nothing of what
respects yourself. I leave you to reflect on what you have to do,
if you have ever so little thought. I come now to consider what
concerns myself. How could so extraordinary a thought come into
your head, as that I should go to the sultan and make a proposal
to him to give his daughter in marriage to you? Suppose I h