rich he may be, he cannot comply with it. This is the only way to make him desist from so bold an undertaking.”
The sultan, approving of the grand vizier’s advice, turned to the tailor’s widow and said to her: ‘‘Good woman, it is true sultans ought to abide by their words, and I am ready to keep mine, by making your son happy in marriage with the princess, my daughter. But as I cannot marry her without some further valuable consideration from your son, you may tell him, I will fulfil my promise as soon as he shall send me forty trays of massy gold, full of the same sort of jewels you have already made me a present of, and carried by the like number of black slaves, who shall be led by as many young and handsome white slaves, all dressed magnificently. On these conditions I am ready to bestow the princess, my daughter, upon him; therefore, good woman, go and tell him so, and I will wait till you bring me his answer.”
Aladdin’s mother prostrated herself a second time before the sultan’s throne, and retired. On her way home, she laughed within herself at her son’s foolish imagination. “Where,” said she, ‘‘can he get so many large gold trays, and such precious stones to fill them? Must he go again to that subterranean abode and gather them off the trees? and where will he get so many such slaves as the sultan requires? It is altogether out of his power, and I believe he will not be much pleased with my embassy this time.” When she came home, full of these thoughts, she said to her son: “Indeed, child, I would not have you think any farther of your marriage with the princess. The sultan received me very kindly, and I believe he was well inclined to you; but if I am not much deceived the grand vizier has made him change his mind.” She then gave her son an exact account of what the sultan had said to her, and the conditions on which
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