ll have thee bring me a carpet
Of fine brocade, all inwoven with gold, and spread it from my palace to
that of the Sultan, so the Lady Bedrulbudour, whenas she cometh hither,
may walk thereon and not upon the earth." So the genie was absent
a little and returning, said to him, "O my lord, that which thou
soughtest of me is here." Therewithal he took him and showed him the
carpet, which ravished the wit, and it was spread from the Sultan's
palace to that of Alaeddin; then taking him up, he set him down in his
own house.

It [481] was now grown high day; so the Sultan arose from sleep and
opening a window of his pavilion, looked forth and saw buildings [482]
before his palace; whereupon he fell to rubbing his eyes and opening
them wide and looking farther, saw a magnificent palace, that bewildered
the wits, and a carpet spread therefrom to his own palace; as on like
wise did the doorkeepers and all who were in the palace, and their wits
were bewildered at the sight. At this juncture the Vizier presented
himself and as he entered, he espied the new palace and the carpet and
marvelled also; so, when he came in to the Sultan, the twain fell to
talking of this strange matter and marvelling, for that they saw a thing
which amazed the beholder and dilated the heart; and they said, "Verily,
methinketh kings may not avail unto the building of the like of this
palace." Then the Sultan turned to the Vizier and said to him, "How now?
Deemest thou Alaeddin worthy to be bridegroom to my daughter the Lady
Bedrulbudour? Hast thou seen and considered this royal building and all
these riches which man's wit cannot comprehend?" The Vizier, of his
envy of Alaeddin, answered him, saying, "O King of the Age, indeed this
palace and its building and all these riches may not be but by means of
enchantment, for that no man among men, no, not the mightiest of them in
dominion or the greatest in wealth, might avail to upraise and stablish
[the like of] this building in one night." Quoth the Sultan, "I marvel
at thee how thou still deemest evil of Alaeddin; but methinketh it
ariseth from thine envy of him, for that thou wast present when he
sought of me a place whereon to build a palace for my daughter and I
accorded him, before thee, [leave to build] a palace on this ground;
and he who brought me, to my daughter's dower, jewels such that no
kings possess one thereof, shall he lack ableness to build a palace like
this?" When [483] the Vizier heard t