.

'You must go at once to the sultan, and tell him that I want his
daughter for my wife,' he said.

'WHAT?' shouted the old woman, shrinking back into a corner, for
nothing but sudden madness could explain such an amazing errand.

'Don't you understand? You must go at once to the sultan and tell him
that I want his daughter for my wife,' repeated the youth impatiently.

'But--but, do you know what you are saying?' stammered the mother.
'You will learn no trade, and have only the five gold pieces left you
by your father, and can you really expect that the sultan would give
his daughter to a penniless bald-pate like you?'

'That is _my_ affair; do as I bid you.' And neither day nor night did
her son cease tormenting her, till, in despair, she put on her best
clothes, and wrapped her veil about her, and went over the hill to the
palace.

It was the day that the sultan set apart for hearing the complaints
and petitions of his people, so the woman found no difficulty in
gaining admission to his presence.

[Illustration: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT]

'Do not think me mad, O Excellency,' she began, 'though I know I must
seem like it. But I have a son who, since his eyes have rested on the
veiled face of the princess, has not left me in peace day or night
till I consented to come to the palace, and to ask your Excellency for
your daughter's hand. It was in vain I answered that my head might pay
the forfeit of my boldness, he would listen to nothing. Therefore am
I here; do with me even as you will!'

Now the sultan always loved anything out of the common, and this
situation was new indeed. So, instead of ordering the trembling
creature to be flogged or cast into prison, as some other sovereigns
might have done, he merely said: 'Bid your son come hither.'

The old woman stared in astonishment at such a reply. But when the
sultan repeated his words even more gently than before, and did not
look in anywise angered, she took courage, and bowing again she
hastened homeward.

'Well, how have you sped?' asked her son eagerly as she crossed the
threshold.

'You are to go up to the palace without delay, and speak to the sultan
himself,' replied the mother. And when he heard the good news, his
face lightened up so wonderfully that his mother thought what a pity
it was that he had no hair, as then he would be quite handsome.

'Ah, the lightning will not fly more swiftly,' cried he. And in
another instant he was out of her sigh