Aladdin’s mother prostrated herself a second time before the sultan’s throne, and retired. On her way home, she laughed within herself at her son’s foolish imagination. “Where,” said she, “can he get so many such large gold basins and enough of that coloured glass to fill them? Must he go again to that subterraneous abode, the entrance into which is stopped up, and gather them off the trees? But where will he get so many such slaves as the sultan requires? It is altogether out of his power, and I believe he will not be well satisfied with my embassy this time.” When she came home, full of these thoughts, she said to her son, “Indeed, child, I would not have you think any farther of your marriage with the princess Badr-oul-boudour. The sultan received me very kindly, and I believe he was well inclined to you; but if I am not very much deceived, the grand vizier has made him change his mind, as you will guess from what I have to tell you. After I had represented to his majesty that the three months were expired, and begged of him to remember his promise, I observed that he whispered with his grand vizier before he gave me this answer.” Then she gave her son an exact account of what the sultan said to her, and the conditions on which he consented to the match. Afterwards she said to him, “The sultan expects your answer immediately; but,” continued she, laughing, “I believe he may wait long enough.”
“Not so long, mother, as you imagine,” replied Aladdin; “the sultan is mistaken if he thinks by this exorbitant demand to prevent my entertaining thoughts of the princess. I expected greater difficulties, and that he would have set a higher price upon that incomparable princess. But I am very well pleased; his demand is but a trifle to what I could have done for her. But while I think of satisfying his request go and get us something for dinner, and leave the rest to me.”
As soon as Aladdin’s mother was gone out to market, Aladdin took up the lamp, and rubbing it, the genie appeared, and offered his service as usual. “The sultan,” said Aladdin to him, “gives me the princess, his daughter, in marriage; but demands first of me forty large basins of massy gold, brimful of the fruits of the garden from whence I took this lamp you are slave to; and these he expects to have carried by as many black slaves, each preceded by a young handsome well-made white slave, richly clothed. Go, and fetch me this present as soon as possible, that I may send it to him before the divan breaks up.” The genie told him his command should be immediately obeyed, and disappeared.