But thou! Do thou tell me what feat thou hast performed in his
presence or before the public that thou meritest from him such
grace? And secondly, this boon thou ambitionest is not for one of
our condition, nor is it possible that the King grant to thee the
bourne of thine aspiration. For whoso goeth to the Sultan and
craveth of him a favor, him it besitteth to take in hand somewhat that
suiteth the royal majesty, as indeed I warned thee aforetime. How,
then, shalt thou risk thyself to stand before the Sultan and ask his
daughter in marriage when thou hast with thee naught to offer him of
that which beseemeth his exalted station?"
Hereto Aladdin replied: "O my mother, thou speakest to the point and
hast reminded me aright, and 'tis meet that I revolve in mind the
whole of thy remindings. But, O my mother, the love of Princess Badr
al-Budur hath entered into the core of my heart, nor can I rest
without I win her. However, thou hast also recalled to me a matter
which I forgot, and 'tis this emboldeneth me to ask his daughter of
the King. Albeit thou, O my mother, declarest that I have no gift
which I can submit to the Sultan, as is the wont of the world, yet
in very sooth I have an offering and a present whose equal, O my
mother, I hold none of the kings to possess- no, even aught like it.
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