walk by my side and follow me, and twenty
more to go before me in two ranks. Besides these, bring my mother six
women slaves, as richly dressed as any of the Princess Buddir al
Buddoor's, each carrying a complete dress fit for a Sultan's wife. I
want also ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses: go, and make
haste."

The commands were instantly fulfilled, and Aladdin gave the six women
slaves to his mother, with the six dresses they had brought, wrapped
in silver tissue. Of the ten purses he gave four to his mother, and
the other six he left in the hands of the slaves who brought them,
saying that they must march before him and throw the money by handfuls
into the crowd as the procession moved to the Sultan's palace. Mounted
on his horse, Aladdin, though he had never ridden before, appeared
with a grace which the most practiced horseman might have envied. It
was no wonder that the people made the air echo with their shouts,
especially when the slaves threw out the handfuls of gold.

The Sultan met him at the palace with joy and surprise that the son of
so humble a mother as the woman he had seen should have such dignity
and good looks, and should be dressed more richly than he himself had
ever been. He embraced Aladdin, held him by the hand, and made him sit
near the throne. Then there was a great feast, and after it the
contract of marriage between the princess and Aladdin was drawn up.
When the Sultan asked him if he would stay in the palace and complete
the marriage that day, Aladdin answered,--

"Sire, though my impatience is great to enter on the honor your
majesty has granted, yet I beg first to be allowed to build a palace
worthy of the princess, your daughter. I pray you to give me ground
enough near your own, and I will have it finished with the utmost
speed."

The request was granted, and Aladdin took his leave with as much
politeness as if he had always lived at court. Again, as he passed
through the streets, the people shouted and wished him joy. In his own
chamber once more, he took the lamp, rubbed it, and there was the
genie.

"Genie," said Aladdin, "build me a palace fit to receive the Princess
Buddir al Buddoor. Let its materials be of the rarest. Let its walls
be of massive gold and silver bricks. Let each front contain six
windows, and let the lattices of these (except one, which must be left
unfinished) be enriched with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, beyond
anything of the kind ever seen i