[marrying] thy daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour with my son
Alaeddin,' they will straightway deem me mad and will put me out
with ignominy and reproach; nay, I need not tell thee that by
this I shall fall into danger of death, and not I only, but thou
also. Withal, O my son, of regard for thy wish, needs must I take
courage and go; but, O my son, if the King receive me and honour
me for the gift's sake and I seek of him that which thou wilt
in [FN#343] the matter of marrying his daughter and he ask me,
after the wont of the folk, what are thy possessions and thy
revenues, what shall I say to him? And most like, O my son, he
will ask me of this ere he ask me of thyself." And Alaeddin said
to her, "Nay, it cannot be that the Sultan will ask this, whenas
he seeth the jewels and their magnificence, and it booteth not to
think of a thing that will not happen. Do thou but rise and seek
me his daughter of him and proffer him these jewels and sit not
magnifying the affair in thy thought beforehand. Moreover, O my
mother, thou knowest of the lamp which is with me and which
presently provideth for our livelihood; [FN#344] nay, all that I
seek of it it will bring me, and I trust by its means I shall
know how to answer the Sultan, an he ask me of this."

They abode in talk of the matter all that night and when the
morning morrowed, Alaeddin's mother arose and fortified her
heart, more by token that her son expounded to her somewhat of
the properties of the lamp and its uses, in that it would bring
them all they sought. But, when he saw that she heartened herself
for that which he set forth to her of its virtues, he feared lest
she should talk of this to the folk, so he said to her, " O my
mother, beware lest thou bespeak any of the lamp and its uses,
for that this is our fortune; be careful [FN#345] and exceed not