to her, bade him tell her to come before the sultan.

The chief of the officers went to Aladdin's mother, and at a sign he
gave her, she followed him to the foot of the sultan's throne, where he
left her, and retired to his place by the grand vizier. The old woman
bowed her head down to the carpet, which covered the platform of the
throne, and remained in that posture till the sultan bade her rise, when
he said to her: "Good woman, I have observed you to stand from the
beginning to the rising of the divan; what business brings you here?"

After these words, Aladdin's mother prostrated herself a second time;
and when she arose, said: "Monarch of monarchs, before I tell your
majesty the extraordinary and incredible business which brings me before
your high throne, I beg of you to pardon the boldness of the demand I am
going to make, which is so uncommon, that I tremble, and am ashamed to
propose it to my sovereign." In order to give her the more freedom to
explain herself, the sultan ordered all to quit the divan but the grand
vizier, and then told her she might speak without restraint.

Aladdin's mother, not content with this favour of the sultan's to save
her the confusion of speaking before so many people, was,
notwithstanding, a little apprehensive; therefore, resuming her
discourse, she said: "I beg of your majesty, if you should think my
demand the least offensive, to assure me first of your forgiveness."
"Well," replied the sultan, "I will forgive you, be it what it may, and
no hurt shall come to you: speak boldly."

When Aladdin's mother had taken all these precautions, she told him
faithfully how Aladdin had seen the Princess Badroulboudour, the violent
love that fatal sight had inspired him with, the declaration he had made
to her when he came home, and what she had said to dissuade him. "But,"
continued she, "my son, instead of taking my advice and reflecting on
his presumption, was so obstinate as to persevere, and to threaten me
with some desperate act, if I refused to come and ask the princess in
marriage of your majesty; and it was not without the greatest reluctance
that I was led to accede to his request, for which I beg your majesty
once more to pardon not only me, but also Aladdin my son, for
entertaining so rash a project."

The sultan hearkened to this discourse without shewing the least anger;
but before he gave her any answer, asked her what she had brought tied
up in the napkin? She took the ch