r [335] the Sultan or the
realm, that thou shouldst merit of him this boon? Again, this that thou
cravest is beyond thy condition; [336] so it cannot be that the king
will grant thee that which thou seekest. Moreover, whoso presenteth
himself before the Sultan and craveth favours of him, it behoveth him
take in his hand somewhat that sorteth with the royal dignity; and as
I said to thee, how canst thou presume to present thyself before the
Sultan and seek of him his daughter, without aught thou mayst proffer
him of that which sorteth with his rank?"

"O my mother," replied Alaeddin, "thou speakest justly and deemest that
which is true, [337] and it behoveth me consider all that whereof thou
mindest me; but, O my mother, the love of the Sultan's daughter, the
Lady Bedrulbudour, hath entered into the innermost of my heart; and
there can be no rest for me, except I obtain her. Moreover, thou mindest
me of somewhat I had forgotten, and that a thing which emboldeneth me to
seek of him his daughter by thee. Thou sayst, O my mother, that I have
no gift to present to the Sultan, according to the wont of the folk,
whilst in fact I have by me a gift and an offering, the like whereof
methinketh no king ever possessed, no, nor aught to match therewith; for
[338] thou must know, O my mother, that the fruits, which I brought in
the purses [339] from the treasure and which I deemed glass or crystal,
are very jewels, methinketh all the kings of the world may not compass
the least of them, and I, of my companying with the jewellers, know that
they are precious stones. Wherefore, an thou please, have the goodness
to rise and bring me such a China dish which we have by us, [340] that
I may fill it with these jewels, and thou shalt take it as a present to
the Sultan. By this means I am assured that the thing will be easy to
thee, and do thou stand before the Sultan and seek of him my desire;
but, O my mother, an thou refuse to further me with thine endeavour for
the attainment of my wish 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 [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 exc