to cut off her
head. She then confessed all, bidding him to ask the Vizier's son if it
were not so. The Sultan told the Vizier to ask his son, who owned the
truth, adding that, dearly as he loved the Princess, he had rather die
than go through another such fearful night, and wished to be separated
from her. His wish was granted, and there was an end to feasting and
rejoicing.

When the three months were over, Aladdin sent his mother to remind the
Sultan of his promise. She stood in the same place as before, and the
Sultan, who had forgotten Aladdin, at once remembered him, and sent for
her. On seeing her poverty the Sultan felt less inclined than ever to
keep his word, and asked his Vizier's advice, who counselled him to set
so high a value on the Princess that no man living could come up to
it. The Sultan then turned to Aladdin's mother, saying: "Good woman, a
Sultan must remember his promises, and I will remember mine, but your
son must first send me forty basins of gold brimful of jewels, carried
by forty black slaves, led by as many white ones, splendidly dressed.
Tell him that I await his answer." The mother of Aladdin bowed low and
went home, thinking all was lost. She gave Aladdin the message, adding:
"He may wait long enough for your answer!" "Not so long, mother, as you
think," her son replied. "I would do a great deal more than that for the
Princess." He summoned the genie, and in a few moments the eighty slaves
arrived, and filled up the small house and garden. Aladdin made them
set out to the palace, two and two, followed by his mother. They were
so richly dressed, with such splendid jewels in their girdles, that
everyone crowded to see them and the basins of gold they carried on
their heads. They entered the palace, and, after kneeling before the
Sultan, stood in a half-circle round the throne with their arms crossed,
while Aladdin's mother presented them to the Sultan. He hesitated no
longer, but said: "Good woman, return and tell your son that I wait for
him with open arms." She lost no time in telling Aladdin, bidding him
make haste. But Aladdin first called the genie. "I want a scented bath,"
he said, "a richly embroidered habit, a horse surpassing the Sultan's,
and twenty slaves to attend me. Besides this, six slaves, beautifully
dressed, to wait on my mother; and lastly, ten thousand pieces of gold
in ten purses." No sooner said than done. Aladdin mounted his horse and
passed through the streets, the