“Sire, my son knows that this present is much below the notice of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor, but hopes that your majesty will accept of it, and make it pleasing to the princess.  His hope is the greater because he has tried to carry out your own wish.”

With delight the Sultan replied,—­

“Go and tell your son that I wait with open arms to embrace him; and the more haste he makes to come and receive the princess, my daughter, from my hands, the greater pleasure he will give me.”

While he showed the slaves and the jewels to the princess, Aladdin’s mother carried the good news to her son.  “My son,” she said, “you may rejoice, for the Sultan has declared that you shall marry the Princess Buddir al Buddoor.  He waits for you with impatience.”

Aladdin was overjoyed, but, saying little, retired to his chamber.  Here he rubbed the lamp, and when its slave appeared said,—­

“Genie, convey me at once to a bath, and give me the richest robe ever worn by a monarch.”

This was soon done, and he found himself again in his own chamber, where the genie asked if he had any other commands.

“Yes,” answered Aladdin; “bring me a charger better than the best in the Sultan’s stables.  Fit him with trappings worthy of his value.  Furnish twenty slaves, clothed as richly as those who carried the presents to the Sultan, to walk by my side and follow me, and twenty more to go before me in two ranks.  Besides these, bring my mother six women slaves, as richly dressed as any of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor’s, each carrying a complete dress fit for a Sultan’s wife.  I want also ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses:  go, and make haste.”

The commands were instantly fulfilled, and Aladdin gave the six women slaves to his mother, with the six dresses they had brought, wrapped in silver tissue.  Of the ten purses he gave four to his mother, and the other six he left in the hands of the slaves who brought them, saying that they must march before him and throw the money by handfuls into the crowd as the procession moved to the Sultan’s palace.  Mounted on his horse, Aladdin, though he had never ridden before, appeared with a grace which the most practiced horseman might have envied.  It was no wonder that the people made the air echo with their shouts, especially when the slaves threw out the handfuls of gold.

The Sultan met him at the palace with joy and surprise that the son of so humble a mother as the woman he had seen should have such dignity and good looks, and should be dressed more richly than he himself had ever been.  He embraced Aladdin, held him by the hand, and made him sit near the throne.  Then there was a great feast, and after it the contract of marriage between the princess and Aladdin was drawn up.  When the Sultan asked him if he would stay in the palace and complete the marriage that day, Aladdin answered,—­

“Sire, though my impatience is great to enter on the honor your majesty has granted, yet I beg first to be allowed to build a palace worthy of the princess, your daughter.  I pray you to give me ground enough near your own, and I will have it finished with the utmost speed.”