When Alaeddin saw the Marid, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy
and said to him, "O slave, I will have thee bring me my palace,
with my bride, the Lady Bedrulbudour, and all that is therein."
"O my lord," replied the Marid, "it irketh me sore that what thou
seekest of me is a thing unto which I cannot avail, for that it
pertaineth unto the slaves of the Lamp and I may not adventure
upon it." "Then," said Alaeddin, "since this is not possible unto
thee, take me and set me down beside my palace, in what land
soever it is." "Hearkening and obedience, O my lord," replied the
Marid and taking. him up, set him down, in the twinkling of an
eye, beside his palace in the land of Africa and before his
wife's pavilion. By this time, the night was come; so he looked
at his palace and his cares and sorrows were dispelled from him
and he trusted in God, after he had forsworn hope, that he should
see his bride once again. Then he fell to thinking upon the
hidden mercies of God (glorified be His might!) and how He had
vouchsafed [FN#580] him the ring and how his hope had been cut
off, except God had provided him with the slave of the Ring. So
he rejoiced and all chagrin ceased from him; then, for that he
had been four days without sleeping, of the stress of his chagrin
and his trouble and his grief and the excess of his melancholy,
he went to the side of the palace and lay down under a tree; for
that, as I have said, the palace was among the gardens of Africa
without the city. [FN#581] He [FN#582] lay that night under the
tree in all ease; but he whose head is in the headsman's hand
sleepeth not anights. [FN#583] However, fatigue and lack of sleep
for four days past caused slumber get the mastery over
him; [FN#584] so he slept till break of morn, when he awoke at the
chirp [FN#585] of the sparrows. He arose and going to a stream
there which flowed into the city, washed his hands and face;