the sultan. Aladdin rose before daybreak, awakened his mother, pressing
her to go to the sultan's palace, and to get admittance, if possible,
before the grand vizier, the other viziers, and the great officers of
state went in to take their seats in the divan, where the sultan always
attended in person.

Aladdin's mother took the china dish, in which they had put the jewels
the day before, wrapped it in two fine napkins, and set forward for the
sultan's palace. When she came to the gates, the grand vizier, the other
viziers, and most distinguished lords of the court were just gone in;
but notwithstanding the crowd of people was great, she got into the
divan, a spacious hall, the entrance into which was very magnificent.
She placed herself just before the sultan, grand vizier, and the great
lords, who sat in council, on his right and left hand. Several causes
were called, according to their order, pleaded and adjudged, until the
time the divan generally broke up, when the sultan, rising, returned to
his apartment, attended by the grand vizier; the other viziers and
ministers of state then retired, as also did all those whose business
had called them thither.

Aladdin's mother, seeing the sultan retire, and all the people depart,
judged rightly that he would not sit again that day, and resolved to go
home; and on her arrival said, with much simplicity, "Son, I have seen
the sultan, and am very well persuaded he has seen me, too, for I placed
myself just before him; but he was so much taken up with those who
attended on all sides of him that I pitied him, and wondered at his
patience. At last I believe he was heartily tired, for he rose up
suddenly, and would not hear a great many who were ready prepared to
speak to him, but went away, at which I was well pleased, for indeed I
began to lose all patience, and was extremely fatigued with staying so
long. But there is no harm done; I will go again to-morrow; perhaps the
sultan may not be so busy."

The next morning she repaired to the sultan's palace with the present,
as early as the day before; but when she came there, she found the gates
of the divan shut. She went six times afterward on the days appointed,
placed herself always directly before the sultan, but with as little
success as the first morning.

On the sixth day, however, after the divan was broken up, when the
sultan returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier; "I
have for some time observed a