One Thousand and One Nights, page 538
As for Alaeddin’s mother, having come before all, she found room to enter, but withal none bespoke her, so he should bring her in before the Sultan; wherefore she ceased not standing till the Divan broke up and the Sultan rose and entered the palace and all went their ways. When she saw the Sultan rise from his throne and enter the harem, she took her way homeward and returning on her steps, entered her house. Alaeddin, seeing her with the dish in her hand, knew that most like some mischance had betided her, but cared not to question her till she entered and setting down the dish, told him what had passed and finally said to him, “God be praised, O my son, I mustered courage to find myself a place in the Divan, albeit I could not win to speak with the Sultan to day; but to-morrow, an it please God the Most High, I will bespeak him. To-day there were many other folk, like myself, unable to get speech of the Sultan; but be easy, O my son; to-morrow I will without fail bespeak him on thy behalf, and what happened not shall happen.” When Alaeddin heard his mother’s words, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy, albeit, of the excess of his love and longing for the Lady Bedrulbudour, he had looked for the matter to be accomplished then and there; nevertheless, he used patience.
They slept that night and on the morrow Alaeddin’s mother arose and went with the dish to the Sultan’s Divan, but found it closed; so she asked the folk and they said to her, “The Sultan holdeth a Divan but thrice a week;” wherefore she was compelled to return home. Then she proceeded to go every day, and whenas she found the Divan open, she would stand before the door, till it broke up, when she would return home; and whiles she went and found the Divan closed. On this wise she abode a week’s space and the Sultan saw her at each Divan; so, when she went on the last day [of the week] and stood, according to her wont, before the Divan, till it was ended, but could not muster courage to enter or say aught, the Sultan arose and entering the harem, turned to his chief Vizier, who was with him, and said to him, “O Vizier, these six or seven days past I have seen yonder old woman come hither at every Divan and I note that she still carrieth somewhat under her veil. Hast thou any knowledge of her, O Vizier, and knowest thou what is her want?” “O our lord the Sultan,” replied the Vizier, “verily women are little of wit; and most like this woman cometh to complain to thee of her husband or one of her folk,” The Sultan was not content with the Vizier’s reply, but bade him, an she came again to the Divan, bring her before him forthright; whereupon the Vizier laid his hand on his head and answered, “Hearkening and obedience, O our lord the Sultan.”
Meanwhile, Alaeddin’s mother, albeit she was grown exceeding weary and dejected, yet made light of all weariness, for her son’s sake, and continued, as of her wont, to go every court-day and stand in the Divan before the Sultan. Accordingly, one day of the days, she went to the Divan, as of her wont, and stood before the Sultan; and when he saw her, he called his Vizier and said to him, “Yonder is the woman of whom I bespoke thee yesterday; bring her now before me, so I may see what her suit is and accomplish unto her her occasion.” So the Vizier arose forthright and let bring Alaeddin’s mother in before the Sultan. When she came into the latter’s presence, she made her obeisance to him and did him reverence, wishing him glory and continuance and eternity of prosperity and kissing the ground before him. Then said he to her, “O woman, I see thee come every day to the Divan and thou speakest not of aught. Tell me an thou have a want, that I may accomplish it unto thee;” whereupon she kissed the earth a second time and called down blessings upon him, then answered, “Ay, O King of the Age, as thy head liveth, I have indeed a want; but before all things do thou give me thine assurance, so I may make bold to prefer my suit to the hearing of our lord the Sultan, for that belike Thy Grace will find it a strange one.”
The Sultan, that he might learn what her suit was and for that he was of his nature exceeding clement, gave her his assurance and bidding all who were with him go out forthright, abode alone [with her], he and the Grand Vizier. Then he turned to her and said, “Tell me thy suit, and the assurance of God the Most High be upon thee.” Quoth she, “O King of the Age, I wish thy pardon also.” And he said to her, “God pardon thee!” Then said she to him, “O our lord the Sultan, I have a son, whose name is Alaeddin, and one day of the days he heard the crier proclaim that none should open his shop nor show himself in the thoroughfares of the city, for that the Lady Bedrulbudour, the daughter of our lord the Sultan, was going to the bath. When my son heard this, he wished to see her; so he hid himself in a place, whence he might see her well, and this was behind the door of the bath. Accordingly, when she came up, he saw her and viewed her well, beyond his wish; and from that time till now, O King of the Age, life hath not been pleasant to him and he will e’en have me seek her of Thy Grace, so thou mayst marry her with him, and I cannot do away this conceit from his wit, for that the love of her hath gotten possession of his vitals, so that he saith to me, ‘Know, O mother mine, that, except I attain my desire, assuredly I am a dead man.’ Wherefore I crave Thy Grace’s clemency and hope that thou wilt pardon me and my son this effrontery neither be wroth with us therefor.”
When the King heard her story, he fell a-laughing, of his clemency, and asked her, “What is that thou hast with thee and what is that bundle?” Whereupon she, seeing that he was not angered at her words, but laughed, opened the handkerchief forthright and proffered him the dish of jewels. When the Sultan saw the jewels (and indeed, whenas she raised the handkerchief from them, the Divan became as it were all illumined with lamp-clusters and candlesticks), he was amazed and confounded at their radiance and fell a-marvelling at their lustre and bigness and beauty; and he said, “Never saw I the like of these jewels for beauty and bigness and perfection, nor methinketh is one of them found in my treasuries.” Then he turned to his Vizier and said to him, “How sayst thou, O Vizier? Sawest thou ever in thy life the like of these magnificent jewels?” “Never, O our lord the Sultan,” replied the Vizier, “nor, methinketh, is the least of those which be here found in the treasuries of our lord the King.” Quoth the Sultan, “Doth not he who giveth me these jewels deserve to be bridegroom to my daughter Bedrulbudour? Marry, by what I see, meseemeth none is worthier of her than he.”
When the Vizier heard the Sultan’s words, his tongue was tied for despite and he was overcome with exceeding chagrin, forasmuch as the King had promised him that he would marry his daughter to his son; so, after a little, he said to him, “O King of the age, Thy Grace condescended to promise me that the Lady Bedrulbudour should be my son’s; wherefore it behoveth thine exalted highness appoint a delay of three months, and God willing, my son’s present shall be greater than this.” The King, for all he knew that this was a thing whereto the Vizier might not avail, no, nor the greatest King, nevertheless exercised his clemency and granted him the delay he sought; then, turning to the old woman, he said to her, “Go to thy son and tell him I give him [my] word that my daughter shall be in his name; but needs must I take order for her equipment; wherefore it behoveth him grant us a delay of three months.”
Alaeddin’s mother took the answer and thanked the Sultan and prayed for him, then went forth and fared homeward in haste, flying of her joy, till she came to the house and entered. Her son saw her laughing-faced and foreboded good news; more by token that she returned forthright and tarried not, as on each day past, neither brought back the dish. Accordingly he asked her and said to her, “God willing, O my mother, thou bringest me good news; the jewels and their value have wrought their work and thou wilt have found acceptance with the Sultan; yea, he will have shown thee favour and given ear unto thy suit.” So she told him all that had passed and how the Sultan had received her and had marvelled, both he and his Vizier, at the size and beauty of the jewels, and how he had promised her that [quoth she] “his daughter shall be in thy name. But, O my son, ere he promised me, the Vizier whispered him somewhat, whereupon he appointed me for three months hence; and I am fearful lest the Vizier be a man of evil disposition, who will change the King’s mind.”
When Alaeddin heard his mother’s words and how the Sultan had appointed her for three months [thence], his heart was lightened and he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said, “Since the Sultan hath promised for three months [hence], true, it is long, but in any case my joy is great.” Then he thanked her for her kindness and the pains she had taken and said to her, “By Allah, O my mother, it is as I were in a tomb and now thou hast raised me up therefrom; and I praise God the Most High, for I am presently certified that there is none richer or happier than I in the world.” Then he waited till two of the three months were past, when his mother went out one day of the days, at sundown, to buy oil, and saw the markets closed and the city all decorated and the folk setting candles and flowers in their windows and saw troops, horse and foot, and mounted eunuchs drawn up in state, with cressets and lustres burning. At this wonder took her; he went to an oilman’s shop there open and buying oil of him, said to him, “[I conjure thee] by thy life, O uncle, tell me what is toward to-day in this city, that the folk are making this decoration and the markets [are shut] and the houses all adorned and the troops drawn up in state?” Quoth he, “O woman, methinketh thou art a stranger and art not of this city.” “Nay,” answered she, “but I am of this city;” and he said to her, “Thou art of this city and knowest not that this is the night of the going in of the Grand Vizier’s son to the Lady Bedrulbudour, the Sultan’s daughter? Nay, he is presently in the bath and yonder Amirs and troops are drawn up awaiting him, against he come forth, so they may carry him in procession to the palace of the Sultan’s daughter.”
When Alaeddin’s mother heard this, she was troubled and perplexed in her wit how she should do to acquaint her son with this woeful news, for that the poor wretch was counting the hours till the three months should be ended. So she returned home forthright and going in to Alaeddin, said to him, “O my son, I have news to tell thee, but it irketh me for thy chagrin therefrom.” Quoth he, “Speak; what is the news?” And she said to him, “The Sultan hath gone from his promise to thee in the matter of his daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, for that this very night the Vizier’s son goeth in to her; and indeed methought at the time, O my son, the Vizier would change the Sultan’s mind, even as I told thee that he bespoke him privily before me.” “How knewest thou this,” asked Alaeddin, “that the Vizier’s son goeth in this night to the Lady Bedrulbudour?” So she told him all she had seen of the decorations in the city, whenas she went to buy the oil, and how the eunuchs and chiefs of the state were drawn up awaiting the Vizier’s son, against he should come forth of the bath, for that this was the night of his going in. When Alaeddin heard this, he fell into a fever of chagrin; but presently he bethought him of the lamp and rejoiced and said to his mother, “By thy life, O my mother, methinketh the Vizier’s son shall not rejoice in her, as thou deemest. But now leave us be with this talk and go lay us the evening-meal, so we may sup; then, when I shall have passed a while in my chamber, all shall yet be well.”
Accordingly, after he had supped, he went into his chamber and locking the door on himself, fetched the lamp and rubbed it; whereupon the genie at once appeared to him and said, “Seek what thou wilt, for I am thy slave and the slave of whoso hath in his hand the lamp, I and all the slaves of the lamp.” And Alaeddin said to him, “Harkye, I sought of the Sultan to marry his daughter, and he appointed me for three months’ time; however, he abode not by his promise, but gave her to the Vizier’s son, and the latter purposeth to go in [to her] this night. Wherefore I do presently command thee, as thou art a loyal servant of the lamp, that this night, whenas thou seest the bride and bridegroom abed together, thou take them up in their bed [and bring them] hither. This is what I seek of thee.” “Hearkening and obedience,” answered the genie, “and if thou have a service [to require of me] other than this, command me whatsoever thou seekest.” And Alaeddin said to him, “I have no present requirement save that whereof I have bespoken thee.” So the slave disappeared and Alaeddin returned to finish his supper with his mother.
When he deemed it time for the genie’s coming, he arose and entered his chamber; and after a little, the Marid appeared with the bridal pair in their bed; whereat Alaeddin rejoiced with exceeding great joy and said to the slave, “Bear this gallowsbird hence and couch him in the house of easance.” The genie accordingly took up the bridegroom and couched him in the draught-house; moreover, ere he left him, he blew on him a blast wherewith he dried him up, and the Vizier’s son abode in woeful case. Then he returned to Alaeddin and said to him, “An thou need otherwhat, tell me.” And Alaeddin said to him, “Return in the morning, so thou mayst take them [back] to their place.” “Hearkening and obedience,” answered the genie and was gone; whereupon Alaeddin arose, — and indeed he had scarce believed that the thing should succeed with him, — and when he saw the Lady Bedrulbudour in his house, he entreated her with respect, albeit he had long burned for love of her, and said to her, “O princess of the fair, think not that I have brought thee hither to soil shine honour. God forbid! Nay, it was that I might not let others enjoy thee, for that thy father the Sultan gave me his word upon thee; so be thou in peace and assurance.” As for the princess, when she found herself in that mean dark; house and heard Alaeddin’s words, fear and trembling get hold upon her and she was confounded and could return him no answer. Then he arose and putting off his clothes, placed a sword between himself and her and lay down by her side in the bed, without treason; it sufficed him to prevent [the consummation of] her marriage with the Vizier’s son. Nevertheless, the Lady Bedrulbudour passed the sorriest of nights, never in her life had she known a worse; whilst the Vizier’s son lay in the draught-house and dared not stir for fear of the genie.
When it was morning, the genie presented himself before Alaeddin, without his rubbing the lamp, and said to him, “O my lord, an thou wish aught, command me withal, so I may do it on my head and eyes.” And Alaeddin bade him go carry the bride and bridegroom to their own place. The genie did his bidding in the twinkling of an eye and laying the Vizier’s son with the Lady Bedrulbudour, took them up and set them down in their place in the palace, without their seeing any one; but they were like to die of fright, when they felt themselves carried from place to place. Hardly had the genie set them down and gone out when the Sultan came to visit his daughter; and when the Vizier’s son heard the door open, he straightway sprang out of bed, knowing that none might enter but the Sultan, and donned his clothes, albeit this irked him sore, for that he would fain have warmed himself a little, having had no time [to do so] since he left the draught-house. The Sultan came in to his daughter and kissing her between the eyes, gave her good-morrow and asked her of her bridegroom and if she was content with him; but she returned him no answer and looked at him with a dejected air. He bespoke her several times, but she was silent and answered him not a word; so he went out from her and going in to the Queen, told her what had passed between himself and the Lady Bedrulbudour.
The Queen, so she might not leave the Sultan angry with the Lady Bedrulbudour, said to him, “O King of the Age, this is the wont of most brides, on their wedding-day, to be shamefast and show somewhat of coyness. So be not vexed with her and after a day or two she will return to herself and proceed to speak with the folk; but now, O King of the Age, shame hindereth her from speaking. However, I purpose to go to her and see her.” Accordingly she arose and donning her clothes, repaired to her daughter’s apartment. Then, going up to her, she gave her good-morrow and kissed her between the eyes; but the Lady Bedrulbudour returned her no manner of answer and the Queen said in herself, “Needs must some strange thing have befallen her, to trouble her thus.” So she asked her, saying, “O my daughter, what is the cause of this thy behaviour? Tell me what aileth thee, that I come to thee and give thee good-morrow and thou returnest me no answer.”
The Lady Bedrulbudour raised her head and said to her, “Blame me not, O my mother; indeed, it behoved me receive thee with all reverence and worship, since thou honourest me by coming to me; but I beseech thee hear the cause of this my case and see how this night I have passed hath been for me the sorriest of nights. Hardly had we lain down, O my mother, when one, whose fashion I know not, took up the bed and transported us to a place dark, foul and mean.” Then she told her mother the queen all that had betided her that night and how they had taken her bridegroom, leaving her alone, and how after a little there came another youth and lay down in the place of her bridegroom, putting a sword between himself and her; “and in the morning” [quoth she] “he who had brought us thither returned and taking us up, carried us back to our place here: and hardly had he brought us hither and left us when my father the Sultan entered and I had neither heart nor tongue to answer him for stress of fright and trembling which possessed me. And belike my father is vexed with me; wherefore I prithee, O my mother, tell him the cause of this my case, so he be not wroth with me for my failure to answer him neither blame me, but excuse me.”
When the queen heard the princess’s story, she said to her, “O my daughter, beware of telling this tale before any, lest they say, ‘Verily the Sultan’s daughter hath lost her wits.’ Marry, thou diddest well in that thou acquaintedst not thy father with this; and beware, yea [again I say,] beware, O my daughter, of telling him thereof.” “O my mother,” rejoined the Lady Bedrulbudour, “indeed, I bespoke thee in sober earnest and have not lost my wits; nay, this is what happened to me, and an thou believe it not from me, ask my bridegroom.” Quoth the queen, “Rise, O my daughter, and put away these illusions from thy thought; nay, don thy clothes and see the rejoicing that is toward in the town on thine account and the festivities that they celebrate in the kingdom for thy sake and hear the drums and the singing and look upon the decorations, all in honour of thy nuptials, O my daughter.” Accordingly, she summoned the tirewomen, who dressed the Lady Bedrulbudour and busked her; whilst the Queen went in to the Sultan and told him that there had that night betided the princess a dream and illusions, saying, “BIame her not for her failure to answer thee.” Moreover, she sent for the Vizier’s son privily and questioned him of the affair, whether the Lady Bedrulbudour’s speech was true or not; but he, of his fear to lose his bride, lest she should go from his hand, said to her, “O my lady, I know nothing of that which thou sayest;” wherefore the queen was certified that there had betided her daughter illusions and a dream.
