a
china dish covered with a napkin.

[Illustration]

When she came before the Sultan, she told him, with many apologies and
pleas for forgiveness, of her son's mad love for the Princess
Badroulboudour. The Sultan smiled at the idea of the son of a poor old
woman asking for the hand of his daughter, and asked her what she had
under the napkin. But when the woman uncovered the jewels, he started up
from his throne in amazement, for he had never before seen so many large
and magnificent jewels collected together. He thought Aladdin must be a
very unusual and extraordinary person to be able to make him such a
valuable present, and he began to wonder whether it might not be worth
while to bestow the Princess's hand upon him. However, he thought he
would ask for some further proof of his wealth and power; so, turning
to the woman, he said:

"Good Mother, tell your son he shall have the Princess Badroulboudour
for his wife as soon as he sends me forty basins of gold, filled with
jewels as valuable as these, and borne by forty black and forty white
slaves. Hasten now and carry him my message. I will await your return."

Aladdin's Mother was dismayed at this request.

"Where can Aladdin get such basins and jewels and slaves?" she thought,
as she hurried home to him. But Aladdin only smiled when his Mother gave
him the Sultan's message. He rubbed the lamp, and at once the genie
stood before him, asking him what was his pleasure.

"Go," said Aladdin, "fetch me forty basins all of massive gold, full of
jewels, borne by forty black and forty white slaves."

The genie brought these things at once, and Aladdin then sent his Mother
with them to the Sultan.

[Illustration]

The Sultan was amazed at this wonderful show of wealth and at the
quickness with which it had been brought, and he sent for Aladdin to
come to the Court.

Aladdin first summoned the genie to bring him fine clothes and a
splendid horse, and a retinue fit for the future son-in-law of the
Sultan; and then, with a train of slaves bearing magnificent presents
for the Princess, he set out for the Palace.

The Sultan would have married him to his daughter at once; but Aladdin
asked him to wait until the next morning, when he hoped to have a Palace
worthy to receive his wife.

Once again he summoned the genie to his aid, and commanded him to build
a Palace that in beauty and magnificence should surpass any that had
ever been built on the earth before.

The