But I ever thought that all women resembled thee until
yesterday, when I beheld the Lady Badr al-Budur, daughter of the
Sultan, as she was faring for the baths."
Then he related to her all and everything that had happened to
him, adding: "Haply thou also hast heard the crier a-crying: 'Let no
man open shop or stand in street that the Lady Badr al-Budur may
repair to the hammam without eye seeing her.' But I have looked upon
her even as she is, for she raised her veil at the door, and when I
viewed her favor and beheld that noble work of the Creator, a sore fit
of ecstasy, O my mother, fell upon me for love of her, and firm
resolve to win her hath opened its way into every limb of me, nor is
repose possible for me except I win her. Wherefor I purpose asking her
to wife from the Sultan, her sire, in lawful wedlock." When
Aladdin's mother heard her son's words, she belittled his wits and
cried: "O my child, the name of Allah upon thee! Meseemeth thou hast
lost thy senses. But be thou rightly guided, O my son, nor be thou
as the men Jinn-maddened!" He replied: "Nay, O mother of mine, I am
not out of my mind, nor am I of the maniacs, nor shall this thy saying
alter one jot of what is in my thoughts.
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