" The agas, having
bound Aladdin in bonds and pinioned his elbows behind his back,
haled him in chains and carried him into the city. But when the lieges
saw him pinioned and ironed, they understood that the Sultan
purposed to strike off his head, and forasmuch as he was loved of them
exceedingly, all gathered together and seized their weapons, then,
swarming out of their houses, followed the soldiery to see what was to
do. And when the troops arrived with Aladdin at the palace, they
went in and informed the Sultan of this, whereat he forthright
commanded the sworder to cut off the head of his son-in-law.
Now as soon as the subjects were aware of this order, they
barricaded the gates and closed the doors of the palace and sent a
message to the King saying: "At this very moment we will level thine
abode over the heads of all it containeth, and over thine own, if
the least hurt or harm befall Aladdin." So the Wazir went in and
reported to the Sultan: "O King of the Age, thy commandment is about
to seal the roll of our lives, and 'twere more suitable that thou
pardon thy son-in-law, lest there chance to us a sore mischance, for
that the lieges do love him far more than they love us.
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