" The King resumed: "Now indeed
whoso hath presented to me such jewels meriteth to become bridegroom
to my daughter, Badr al-Budur, because, as far as I see, none is
more deserving of her than he." When the Wazir heard the Sultan's
words, he was tongue-tied with concern, and he grieved with sore
grief, for the King had promised to give the Princess in marriage to
his son. So after a little while he said: "O King of the Age, thy
Highness deigned promise me that the Lady Badr al-Budur should be
spouse to my son, so 'tis but right that thine Exalted Highness
vouchsafe us a delay of three months, during which time, Inshallah! my
child may obtain and present an offering yet costlier than this."
Accordingly the King, albeit he knew that such a thing could not be
done, or by the Wazir or by the greatest of his grandees, yet of his
grace and kindness granted him the required delay.
Then he turned to the old woman, Aladdin's mother, and said: "Go
to thy son and tell him I have pledged my word that my daughter
shall be in his name. Only 'tis needful that I make the requisite
preparations of nuptial furniture for her use, and 'tis only meet that
he take patience for the next three months.
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