any son or life's blood of my liver except thyself, and the end
of my wishes is to give thee a wife and rejoice in thee. But
suppose that I would seek a bride of our likes and equals, her
people will at once ask an thou have any land or garden,
merchandise or handicraft, wherewith thou canst support her; and
what is the reply I can return? Then, if I cannot possibly answer
the poor like ourselves, how shall I be bold enough, O my son, to
ask for the daughter of the Sultan of China-land who hath no peer
or behind or before him? Therefore do thou weigh this matter in
thy mind. Also who shall ask her to wife for the son of a snip?
Well indeed I wot that my saying aught of this kind will but
increase our misfortunes; for that it may be the cause of our
incurring mortal danger from the Sultan; peradventure even death
for thee and me. And, as concerneth myself, how shall I venture
upon such rash deed and perilous, O my son? and in what way shall
I ask the Sultan for his daughter to be thy wife; and, indeed,
how ever shall I even get access to him? And should I succeed
therein, what is to be my answer an they ask me touching thy
means? Haply the King will hold me to be a madwoman. And, lastly,
suppose that I obtain audience of the Sultan, what offering is
there I can submit to the King's majesty?"[FN#129]--And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say,

When it was the Five Hundred and Forty-third Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales;" whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin's mother continued to her son, " 'tis true, O