before her son who pulled the stones out of his pockets and
disposed them in the bowl and ceased not arranging therein gems
of sorts till such time as he had filled it. And when it was
brimful she could not fix her eyes firmly upon it; on the
contrary, she winked and blinked for the dazzle of the stones and
their radiance and excess of lightning like glance; and her wits
were bewildered thereat; only she was not certified of their
value being really of the enormous extent she had been told.
Withal she reflected that possibly her son might have spoken
aright when he declared that their like was not to be found with
the Kings. Then Alaeddin turned to her and said, "Thou hast seen,
O my mother, that this present intended for the Sultan is
magnificent, and I am certified that it will procure for thee
high honour with him and that he will receive thee with all
respect. And now, O my mother, thou hast no excuse; so compose
thy thoughts and arise; take thou this bowl and away with it to
the palace." His mother rejoined, "O my son, 'tis true that the
present is high-priced exceedingly and the costliest of the
costly; also that according to thy word none owneth its like. But
who would have the boldness to go and ask the Sultan for his
daughter, the Lady Badr al-Badur? I indeed dare not say to him,
'I want thy daughter!' when he shall ask me, 'What is thy want?'
for know thou, O my son, that my tongue will be tied. And,
granting that Allah assist me and I embolden myself to say to
him, 'My wish is to become a connection of thine through the
marriage of thy daughter, the Lady Badr al-Budur, to my son
Alaeddin,' they will surely decide at once that I am demented and
will thrust me forth in disgrace and despised. I will not tell
thee that I shall thereby fall into danger of death, for 'twill
not only be I but thou likewise. However, O my son, of my regard