"I assure you, mother," replied Aladdin, "that I am not mad, but
in my right senses. I foresaw that you would reproach me with
folly and extravagance; but I must tell you once more that I am
resolved to demand the princess of the sultan in marriage, nor do
I despair of success. I have the slaves of the Lamp and of the
Ring to help me, and you know how powerful their aid is. And I
have another secret to tell you: those pieces of glass, which I
got from the trees in the garden of the subterranean palace, are
jewels of inestimable value, and fit for the greatest monarchs.
All the precious stones the jewellers have in Bagdad are not to be
compared to mine for size or beauty; and I am sure that the offer
of them will secure the favor of the sultan. You have a large
porcelain dish fit to hold them; fetch it, and let us see how they
will look, when we have arranged them according to their different
colors."

Aladdin's mother brought the china dish, when he took the jewels
out of the two purses in which he had kept them, and placed them
in order according to his fancy. But the brightness and lustre
they emitted in the daytime, and the variety of the colors, so
dazzled the eyes both of mother and son that they were astonished
beyond measure. Aladdin's mother, emboldened by the sight of these
rich jewels, and fearful lest her son should be guilty of greater
extravagance, complied with his request, and promised to go early
in the next morning to the palace of the sultan. Aladdin rose
before daybreak, awakened his mother, pressing her to go to the
sultan's palace, and to get admittance, if possible, before the
grand vizier, the other viziers, and the great officers of state
went in to take their seats in the divan, where the sultan always