eeding
precious.' So now, O my mother, arise, as I bade thee, and fetch me the
China dish whereof I bespoke thee, that we may range of these jewels
therein and see how they show."

Accordingly, she arose and brought the China dish, saying in herself,
"Let us see if my son's speech be true concerning these jewels or not."
So she set the dish before Alaeddin and he brought out jewels of all
kinds from the purses and proceeded to range them in the dish till he
filled it. When it was full, his mother looked at the dish, but could
not gaze fixedly thereon, for the radiance of the jewels and their
lustre and the excess of their flashing; so she shut her eyes and her
wit was confounded at them; yet was she not certified that their value
was in very deed so great as her son had said, but bethought her that
his speech might be true in that their like was not found with kings.
Then Alaeddin turned to her and said, "See, O my mother, this is a
magnificent present for the Sultan and I am assured that thou wilt
get of him exceeding honour and that he will receive thee with all
consideration. And now, O my mother, there remaineth to thee no excuse;
so be good enough [342] to take this dish and go with it to the palace."

"O my son," replied she, "true it is that the present is exceedingly
costly and precious and as thou sayest, none hath the like thereof;
but who shall dare to come forward and seek of the Sultan his daughter
Bedrulbudour? Nay, I dare not adventure myself and say to him, 'I want
thy daughter,' whenas he asketh me, 'What wouldst thou?' Marry, O my
son,, my tongue will be tied. And grant that Allah make [the thing]
possible and I take courage and say to him, 'I desire to ally myself
to thee by [marrying] thy daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour with my son
Alaeddin,' they will straightway deem me mad and will put me out with
ignominy and reproach; nay, I need not tell thee that by this I shall
fall into danger of death, and not I only, but thou also. Withal, O my
son, of regard for thy wish, needs must I take courage and go; but, O my
son, if the King receive me and honour me for the gift's sake and I seek
of him that which thou wilt in [343] the matter of marrying his daughter
and he ask me, after the wont of the folk, what are thy possessions and
thy revenues, what shall I say to him? And most like, O my son, he will
ask me of this ere he ask me of thyself." And Alaeddin said to her,
"Nay, it cannot be that the Sultan wi