Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp by Unknown
page 94 of 244 (38%)
page 94 of 244 (38%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
he was not angered at her words, but laughed, opened the
handkerchief forthright and proffered him the dish of jewels. When the Sultan saw the jewels (and indeed, whenas she raised the handkerchief from them, the Divan became as it were all illumined with lamp-clusters and candlesticks), he was amazed and confounded at their radiance and fell a-marvelling at their lustre and bigness and beauty; and [FN#370] he said, "Never saw I the like of these jewels for beauty and bigness and perfection, nor methinketh is one of them found in my treasuries." Then he turned to his Vizier and said to him, "How sayst thou, O Vizier? Sawest thou ever in thy life the like of these magnificent jewels?" "Never, O our lord the Sultan," replied the Vizier, "nor, methinketh, is the least of those which be here found in the treasuries of our lord the King." Quoth the Sultan, "Doth not he who giveth me these jewels deserve to be bridegroom to my daughter Bedrulbudour? Marry, by what I see, meseemeth none is worthier of her than he." When the Vizier heard the Sultan's words, his tongue was tied for despite and he was overcome with exceeding chagrin, forasmuch as the King had promised him that he would marry his daughter to his son; so, after a little, he said to him, "O King of the age, Thy Grace condescended to promise me [FN#371] that the Lady Bedrulbudour should be my son's; wherefore it behoveth thine exalted highness appoint a delay of three months, [FN#372] and God willing, my son's present shall be greater than this." The King, for all he knew that this was a thing whereto the Vizier might not avail, no, nor the greatest King, [FN#373] nevertheless exercised his clemency [FN#374] and granted him the delay he sought; then, turning to the old woman, he said to her, "Go to |
|