20 ALADDIN OR THE
the jewels, and the black and white slaves, as the sultan had required; and and presently the house was filled with this splendid train of slaves most magnificently dressed, bearing basins of massy gold, filled with the rarest jewels. When Aladdin’s mother came from market, where she had been purchasing provisions, she was in a great surprise to see so many people and such vast riches. As soon as she had laid them down, she was going to pull off her veil; but Aladdin prevented her, and said, Mother, let us lose no time: but before the sultan and the divan rise, I would have you return to the palace, and go with this present; she stayed to ask no questions, but put herself at the head of the procession, which drew after it all the idle and curious people of the city. When she entered the divan, she prostrated herself at the foot of the throne, and said to the sultan, Sir, my son Aladdin is sensible this present, which he has sent, your majesty, is much below the princess Badroulboudour’s worth; but hopes, nevertheless, that your majesty will accept of it with the greater confidence that he has endeavoured to conform to the conditions you were pleased to impose on him.
The sultan was not able to give the least attention to this compliment of Aladdin’s mother. The moment he cast his eyes on the forty basins, brimful of the most precious, brilliant, and beautiful jewels he had ever seen, and the fourscore slaves, who appeared, by the comeliness of their persons, and the richness and magnificence of their dress, like so many kings, he was so struck, that he could not recover from his admiration! At length he said to her, Good woman, go and tell your son that I wait to receive him with open arms and embrace him; and the more haste he makes to come and receive the princess my daughter from my hands, the greater pleasure he will do me.
When Aladdin’s mother got home, and related the success of her mission to her son, he made her very little reply, but retired to his chamber. There, after he had rubbed his lamp, the obedient genius appeared. Genius, said Aladdin, I want to bathe immediately; no sooner were the words out of his mouth, but the genius transported him into a bath of the finest marble of all sorts of colours; where he was undressed and put into a bath. After he had passed through several degrees of heat, he came out, quite a different man from what he was before. The genius then dressed him in the most sumptuous apparel; and when he had done, transported him back to his own chamber, where he asked him if he had any other commands? Yes, answered Aladdin; I expect you should bring me as soon as possible a horse, that surpasses in beauty and goodness the best in the sultan’s stables, with a saddle, bridle, and housing, and other accoutrements worth a million of money. I want also twenty slaves, as richly clothed as those who carried the present to the sultan, to walk by my side, and follow me, and twenty more such to go before me in two ranks. Besides these, bring my mother six women slaves to wait on her, as richly dressed, at least as any of the princess’s, each loaded with a complete suit fit for any sultaness. I want also ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses. Go, and make haste. As soon as Aladdin had given these orders, the genius disappeared, and presently returned with the horse, the
