Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
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After a week of going to the palace and not presenting her request, Aladdin's mother is finally interrogated by the sultan. And, after taking many precautions to not be retaliated on later, she finally tells the whole story.
The sultan is slightly amused. But he has not seen the gift yet.
We see also here that the grand-vizier will probably not be a friend of Aladdin and his mother.
ON THE SEVENTEENTH NIGHT
Sheherazade said:
Indeed, the next day the mother of Aladdin went to the palace, holding by the four corners the scarf which contained the gift of precious stones. And she was determined to overcome her shyness and make her request. And she entered the diwan, and placed herself in the first row, in front of the Sultan. But, like the first time, she could not take a step further or a gesture that would attract the attention of the chief scribe. And the session was adjourned, without result; and she returned, her head down, to announce to Aladdin the failure of her attempt, but promising him success the next time. And Aladdin was forced to make a new provision of patience while admonishing his mother for her lack of courage and firmness. But that was not of much use, because the poor woman, six days in a row, went to the palace, with the porcelain dish, and always placed herself opposite the sultan, but without more courage or success than the first time. And certainly, she would have gone back there a hundred more times, just as uselessly, and Aladdin would have died of despair and suppressed impatience, if the sultan himself, who had ended up noticing her, seeing that she was in the front row at each diwan session, had not had the curiosity to find out about her and the reason for her presence. Indeed, on the seventh day, after the end of the diwan, the sultan turned to his grand-vizier and said to him: “Look at this old woman who is holding something in her hand in a scarf. For several days she has been coming regularly to the diwan and stands motionless without asking anything. Can you tell me what she's doing here or what she wants?" And the grand-vizier, who did not know Aladdin's mother, did not want to remain short of an answer and said to the Sultan: "O my master, she is an old woman among the many old women who come at the diwan only for trivialities. And this one must, without a doubt, have to complain about the fact that they sold her rotten barley, for example, or that her neighbor insulted her, or that her husband beat her!" But the Sultan was not content with this explanation and said to the vizier: "All the same, I want to question this poor woman. Bring her forward, before she retreats with the others!" And the vizier answered by hearing and obedience, raising his hand to his forehead. And he took a few steps towards Aladdin's mother and, with his hand, beckoned her to come forward. And the poor woman, all trembling, advanced to the front of the throne and fell rather than prostrate herself, and kissed the earth in front of the Sultan, as she had seen the other assistants do. And she remained in this posture until the grand-vizier came to touch her shoulder and help her to get up. And she stood, full of emotion; and the sultan said to her: “O woman, for several days I have seen you come to the diwan and remain motionless without asking anything. So tell me what brings you here, and what you want, so that I can do you justice. And Aladdin's mother, a little encouraged by the benevolent voice of the sultan, replied: "May Allah send down his blessings on the head of our master the sultan. As for your servant, O great king, she begs you, before presenting her request, to condescend to grant her the promise of security, otherwise, I will be afraid to offend the ears of the sultan, seeing that my request may seem strange or singular!" Now the sultan, who was a good and magnanimous man, hastened to promise her safety; and he even gave the order to clear the room completely, in order to allow the woman to speak to him freely. And he kept with him only his grand-vizier. And he turned to her and said: “You may speak, — the security of Allah is upon you, O woman!" But Aladdin's mother, who had completely regained courage because of the sultan's affable welcome, replied: "I also ask our sultan in advance for forgiveness for whatever he may find improper in my request, and for the extraordinary audacity of my words! And the sultan, more and more intrigued, said: “Hasten to speak without restriction, O woman! Allah's forgiveness is upon you and his grace, for all that you may say and ask! »
Then Aladdin's mother, after prostrating herself a second time before the throne and calling upon the sultan all the blessings and favors of the Most High, began to relate all that had happened to her son, from the day when he had heard the criers proclaiming the order to the inhabitants to hide in their houses to give way to the procession of El Sett Badrou'l-Boudour. And she did not fail to tell him the state in which Aladdin was who had threatened to kill himself if he did not obtain the princess in marriage. And she told the whole story in detail, from beginning to end. But there is no point in repeating it. Then, having finished speaking, she lowered her head, in great confusion, adding: "And it only remains for me, O great king, but to beseech Your Highness not to hold me responsible for the madness of my son, and to excuse me if the tenderness of the mother pushed me to come and transmit such a singular request to you! »
When the Sultan, who had listened to these words with great attention, because he was just and benevolent, saw that Aladdin's mother had fallen silent, and far from being indignant at his request, he began to laugh, with kindness, and said to her: "O poor woman, and what are you carrying in this scarf that you hold by the four corners...
— At this point in her narration, Scheherazade saw the morning appear and quietly fell silent.
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