but I had thought that women were all like unto thee. However,
yesterday, I saw the Lady Bedrulbudour, the Sultan's daughter, as
she went to the bath;" and he told her all that had happened to
him, adding, "And most like thou heardest the crier proclaiming
that none should open his shop nor stand in the road, so the Lady
Bedrulbudour might pass to the bath; but I saw her even as she
is, for that, when she came to the door of the bath, she lifted
her veil, and when I noted her favour and viewed that noble form
of hers, there befell me, O my mother, a passion of yearning for
love of her and desire of her [FN#324] usurped mine every part;
nor can I ever more have ease, except I get her, and I purpose,
therefore, to demand her of the Sultan her father in the way of
law and righteousness."

When Alaeddin's mother heard her son's speech, she thought little
of his wit and said to him, "O my son, the name of God encompass
thee! Meseemeth thou hast lost thy wit; return to thy
senses, [FN#325] O my son, and be not like the madmen!" "Nay, O my
mother," replied he, "I have not lost my wits nor am I mad; and
this thy speech shall not change that which is in my mind, nor is
rest possible to me except I get the darling of my heart, the
lovely Lady Bedrulbudour. And my intent is to demand her of her
father the Sultan." So she said to him, "O my son, my life upon
thee, speak not thus, lest one hear thee and say of thee that
thou art mad. Put away from thee this extravagance: [FN#326] who
shall undertake an affair like this and demand it of the Sultan?
Meknoweth not how thou wilt do to make this request of the
Sultan, and if thou speak sooth, [FN#327] by whom wilt thou make
it?" "O my mother," rejoined Alaeddin, "by whom [should I make] a
request like this, when thou art at hand, and whom have I