When the King had heard her story, looking kindly at her, he fell a-laughing, and asked her: "What is it thou hast with thee, and what is this bundle?" Then the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din, perceiving that the Sultan was not wroth at her speech, but rather laughing, forthwith opened the cloth and set before him the bowl of jewels. And when the Sultan saw the stones, after the cloth was taken off, and how the hall was lighted up, as it were, by chandeliers and lustres, he was dazed and amazed at their sparkling, and wondered at their size and splendour and beauty, saying:

"To this day have I never seen the like of these jewels for beauty and size and loveliness, nor do I believe that there is in my treasury a single one equal to them." Then turning to his Wezir, he said: "What sayest thou, O Wezir, hast thou seen, thou in thy time, the like of these splendid j ewels ?"

And the Wezir answered: "Never have I seen such, O our lord the Sultan, and I do not think that the smallest of them is to be found in the treasuries of my lord the King." And the King said to him: "Verily he who hath presented me with these jewels is worthy to be the bridegroom of my daughter Bedr-el-Budur, for, methinks, as far as I can see, none is worthier of her than lie." When the Wezir heard this speech of the Sultan, his tongue became tied with vexation, and he grieved with sore grieving, because the King had promised to marry the Princess to his son. So after a little he said to him: "O King of the Age, thy Felicity was graciously pleased to promise the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to my son: it is therefore incumbent on thy Highness to graciously allow three months, when, please God, there shall be a present from my son more splendid even than this." So the King, though he knew that this thing could not be accomplished either by the Wezir or by any of the grandees, yet of his kindness and generosity granted a delay of three months, as he had asked. And turning to the old woman, 'Ala-ed-Din's mother, he said: " Go back to thy son, and, tell him I have given my royal word that my daughter shall bear his name, but it is necessary to prepare her wardrobe and requisites, and so he will have to wait three months".

'Ala-ed-Din's mother accepted this answer, and thanked the Sultan and blessed him, and hastened forth, and almost flew with delight till she came home and entered. And 'Ala-ed-Din her son saw how her face was smiling; so he was cheered by the hope of good news; moreover, she had come back without loitering as heretofore, and had returned without the bowl So he asked her, saying: "If it please God, my mother, thou bringest me good news, and perhaps the jewels and their rarity have had their effect, and the Sultan hath welcomed thee and been gracious to thee and hearkened to thy request?" And she related it all to him -how the Sultan had received her and marvelled at the multitude of the jewels and their size; and the Wezir also; and how he had promised that " his daughter shall bear thy name; only, O my son, the Wezir spake to him a private word before he promisea me, and after the Wezir had spoken he covenanted for a delay of three months; and I am afraid the Wezir will be hostile to thee and try to change the mind of the King,"

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of his mother and how the Sultan had promised him after three months, his soul was relieved and he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: " Since the Sultan hath promised for three months, though it is indeed a long time, on all accounts my joy is immense." Then he thanked his parent and magnified her success above her toil, and said: "By Allah, O my mother, just now I was, as it were, in the grave, and thou hast pulled me out; and I praise God Most High that I am now sure that there Hveth none richer or happier than I." Then he waited in patience till two months of the three were gone.

One day of the days the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din went forth about sunset to the market to buy oil and beheld all the bazars closed, and the whole city deserted, and the people were putting candles and flowers in their windows; and she saw troops and guards and cavalcades of aghas, and lamps and lustres flaming. And wonder gat hold of her at this marvel and gala, and she went to an oilman's shop which was still open, and having bought the oil, said to the dealer: "O Uncle, inform me what is the occasion to-day in the city, that the people make such adornment^ and the markets and houses are all closed and the troops paraded?" And the oilman answered: "O woman, I suppose thou art a stranger, not of this city." But she said, "Nay, I am of this city." So he cried: "Art thou of this city, and hast not heard that the son of the chief Wezir this night is to unite himself to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter of the Sultan, and he is now at the bath; and these officers and soldiers are drawn up waiting to see him come forth from the bath and accompany him to the palace into the presence of the daughter of the Sultan!"

When the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din heard his words she was sad and perplexed in her mind how she should contrive to break this dismal news to her son, for her unhappy boy was counting hour by hour till the three months should be over. So she returned home after a little, and when she had come and entered to her son she said: "O my son, I would fain tell thee certain tidings, though thy grief thereat will cost me dear," And he answered, "Tell me, what is this news." And she said: "Verily the Sultan hath violated his covenant to thee in the matter of his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and this night the Wezir's son goeth in to her. And O my child, I have long suspected that the Wezir would change the Sultan's mind, as I told thee how he spake privily to him before me." Then 'Ala-ed-Din asked her: "How knowest thou that the Wezir's son is going in this night to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter of the Sultan?" So she told him about all the decorations she had noticed in the town when she went to buy oil, and how the aghas and grandees of the state were drawn up waiting for the Wezir's son to come forth from the bath, and how this was his nuptial night. When he learnt this, 'Ala-ed-Din was seized with a fever of grief, till after a while he bethought him of the Lamp. Then he cheered up, and said: "By thy life, O my mother, suppose the Wezir's son should not enjoy her, as thou thinkest. But now let us cease this talk, and arise; bring our supper, that we may eat, and after I have retired awhile within my chamber all will be well".