Aladdins Princess
Aladdins Princess, Part II of a re-telling of Arabian Nights Tale
Part II of Aladdin's Tale
This is more of Aladdin - an Arabian Nights Tale - enjoy this third part.
One day in the market there was an order proclaiming that the Princess Badroulboudour, the Sultan's daughter was coming to the baths and that all the shops must close up and all the people must go into their homes.
The town was going to be closed. Well, Aladdin could not resist and found a place to hide just outside the baths.
After waiting for some time the princess came and he could see her plainly through a chink of the door without being discovered.
Aladdin Sees His Princess
She was attended by a great crowd of ladies, slaves and guards who walked on each side, and behind her.
When she took off her veil right at the door of the baths he could see her beautiful face. She was the most beautiful brunette in the world; her eyes were large, lively and sparkling; her looks sweet and modest; her nose was of perfect proportion and her mouth small with lips of vermilion red.
The princess had such beauty that the sight of her was enough to inspire love and affection in the young Aladdin.
Oh such images - get drawing!
There are some free lessons at how to draw, and a little more advanced instruction in my drawing book.
Aladdin Love Sick!
Ahh the beautiful princess part of the story, does this inspire you to draw a beautiful princess of your own, or perhaps you know an artist who would prefer to color one?
Back to this amazing story...
For hours after he was home Aladdin sat quietly musing over the charms of the Princess Badroulboudour. His mother wondered if he was ill, but Aladdin just continued in his private bliss.
Finally, after a few days of this Aladdin told his mother that he was not ill, but torn up by the love he felt for the Princess and vowed that he would ask the Sultan for her hand in marriage. He was talking further about his plans when his mother interrupted: "What are you thinking of? You must be mad."
"I assure you, mother" replied Aladdin, "that I am not mad, but in my right senses, and I will marry the Princess Badroulboudour."
Aladdin then went on to argue with his mother that she should go to the Sultan and introduce him. His mother discouraged him in everyway since they were so poor and that even going to see the Sultan required an expensive gift. The Sultan was a fair man in matters of getting justice for some crime committed against you, but for his daughter's hand in marriage you must be a prince or emperor or someone of that wealth.
Aladdin was not discouraged. He reminded his mother of the fantastic jewels, which they had thought were not valuable at first. He told her that in all his adventures in the market place and dealings with the jewellers he had not seen anything as beautiful as those jewels. They would make a fine gift.
Aladdin Has A Plan
After some discussion they decided that the Sultan might accept those jewels as a gift, but what if the Sultan should ask about his estates and fortune? Aladdin assured his mother that the genie of the lamp would help further, and that they should just see what the Sultan's response is to his mother would be.
With that she agreed and for her son's sake went to the Palace with the jewels. Aladdin's mother sat herself in the palace chamber where the Sultan sat with his Grand Vizier. She sat and sat and listened to many cases. For six days she kept going back and waiting patiently. The Sultan was so busy and she never got a chance to speak to him. For her son, she kept going back.
Finally, the Sultan noticed the woman who came to the Palace everyday and sat patiently with a large bundle, tied with a napkin, in her lap. He asked the Grand Vizier if he knew who she was. The Grand Vizier said she probably had some very small matter to discuss and that the Sultan should not bother himself with her. The Sultan declared that if she came tomorrow he would speak with her.
The next day she did go to the Palace again, wanting to help Aladdin as best she could. The Sultan first thing called her to him. She bowed and kissed the carpet as was expected and he finally asked her "Good woman, I have observed you to stand from the beginning to the end of the day; what business brings you here?"
Aladdins Mom Meets The Sultan
"Monarch of monarchs, before I tell your majesty the extraordinary and incredible business which brings me before your high throne, I beg of you to pardon the boldness of the demand I am going to make, which is so uncommon, that I tremble, and am ashamed to propose it to my sovereign."
In order to give her some privacy the Sultan ordered everyone out except for the Grand Vizier, and told her that she could speak without restraint.
Aladdin's mother started again, "I beg of your majesty, if you should think my demand the least offensive, to assure me first of your forgiveness."
"Well" replied the Sultan, "I will forgive you, be it what it may, and no hurt shall come to you: speak boldly."
She continued and explained how her son Aladdin had seen the princess and vowed his absolute love for her and that he wanted to marry her. She explained that she had tried to change his mind, and in fact argued with him for days, but that he was determined.
The Jewels
The Sultan did not appear angry and she was relieved and only asked to see what she had brought for him in her bundle. She opened the napkin around a large china dish filled with the most beautiful jewels the Sultan had ever seen. He was motionless with admiration. At last, he cried out "How rich, how beautiful!" He was amazed when he saw so many large, beautiful, and valuable jewels collected in the dish.
He turned to his Grand Vizier and showed him the dish, stating "Behold, admire, wonder, and confess that your eyes never beheld jewels so rich and beautiful before." The Vizier was charmed.
"Well" the Sultan expressed, "what sayest thou to such a present? Is it not worthy of the princess, my daughter? And ought I not to bestow her on one who values her at so great a price?"
The Evil Magician or Great Vizier
These words upset the Grand Vizier who had ideas of one of his sons marrying the princess. He whispered into the ear of the Sultan that he should give his son a chance at getting such a gift for the princess first, after all Aladdin was a stranger.
The Sultan doubted that the Vizier's son could come up with such a gift, but granted his request and gave him three months to come up with something of the same value. He turned to Aladdin's mother and said:
"Good woman, go home, and tell your son that I agree to the proposal you have made me, but I cannot marry the princess, my daughter, till the preparations for her marriage are made, and that in three months we can talk again."
Aladdin was thrilled and eagerly waited for the three months.
She's Marrying Who?
However, one night at only two months time Aladdin's mother came home and explained that she had heard news that the Vizier's son was to marry the princess. There were all kinds of festivities going on in the streets in preparation for the big event. Aladdin's mother was very upset at the Sultan, but Aladdin was quiet and knew what he had to do.
The Genie's Plan
He went alone into his chamber and rubbed the lamp, explaining to the genie when he appeared that he needed to give the biggest present possible and send it to the Sultan. He ordered the genie to present him with forty slaves all dressed in the most beautiful silks and jewels and have each of them carry a large platter, supported on their headdresses. These platters must be heavy laden with valuable jewels and riches, more than the Sultan had ever seen.
Standing outside their hut and ready to follow his mother to the Palace were forty slaves each adorned with precious stones in their turbans, and large platters almost overflowing with riches never before seen. When they reached the palace even the guards at the door just let them march in ever so gracefully.
The Sultan, when he cast his eyes on the forty trays, full of the most precious and beautiful jewels he had ever seen, and the forty slaves, who appeared by the elegance of their persons, and magnificence of their dress, like so many princes, he was overwhelmed.
His mother addressed the Sultan "Sir, my son realizes that this present, which he has sent your majesty, is much below the Princess Badroulboudour's worth; but hopes nevertheless, that your majesty will accept it."
The Sultan turned the Vizier "Well, vizier," said he aloud, "who do you think it can be that has sent me so extraordinary a present? Do you think him worthy of the Princess Badroulboudour, my daughter?"
The Vizier was envious and unhappy at seeing a stranger preferred to his son. It was obvious that Aladdin's present was more than sufficient to merit his being received into royal alliance that he had only to answer: "I am so far from having any thoughts that the person who has made your majesty so noble a present is unworthy of the honour you would do him, that I should say he deserved much more."
The Sultan had no doubt of the young man Aladdin's worthiness that he turned to his mother and said: "My good lady, go and tell your son that I wait with open arms to embrace him, and the more haste he makes to come and receive the princess, my daughter, from my hands, the greater pleasure will he do me."
Aladdin was told of the news when his mother arrived home and right away Aladdin wanted to prepare to go to the palace. He went to his chamber and asked the genie to help prepare him. "Genie," said Aladdin, "I want to bathe immediately, and you must afterward provide me the richest and most magnificient habit ever worn by a monarch."
Aladdin Becomes A King!
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the genie transported him into a bath of the finest marble, and scented with various scented waters. Laid out for him was a suit the magnificence of which astonished him. After he dressed the genie asked him if he had any other commands?
"Yes," answered Aladdin, "I expect you to bring me as soon as possible a horse that surpasses in beauty and goodness the best in the sultan's stables. I want also twenty slaves, as richly clothed as those who carried the present to the sultan, to walk by my side and twenty more to go before me in two rows. Besides these, bring my mother six women slaves to attend her, as richly dressed at least as any of the Princess Badroulboudour's, each carrying a complete dress fit for any sultaness.
I want also ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses; go, and hurry."
As soon as Aladdin had given these orders, the genie disappeared, but returned with the horse, the forty slaves, ten of whom carried each a purse containing then thousand pieces of gold, and six women slaves, each carrying on her head a different dress for Aladdin's mother, wrapped up in a piece of silver tissue.
Of the ten purses Aladdin took four, which he gave to his mnother, telling her, those were to supply her with necessaries; and the other six he left in the hands of the slaves who brought them with an order to throw them by handfuls among the people as they went to the sultan's palace.
Once the procession had made its way through the streets and into the palace, the Sultan did greet Aladdin with open arms. Aladdin then addressed the sultan, saying: "I am Aladdin, and permit me to assure you that I know the greatness of your power, and I ask your majesty's pardon for my rashness, but I cannot lie that I would die with grief were I to lose my hopes of seeing myself united the divine princess who is the object of my wishes."
"My son," answered the sultan, embracing him a second time, "you would wrong me to doubt for a moment of my sincerity: your life from this moment is too dear to me not to preserve it, by presenting you with the remedy which is at my disposal."
With that the Sultan invited Aladdin into a great hall and they had a royal feast. During dinner they drew up a contract of marriage between the Princess Badroulboudour, and Aladdin. The Sultan invited Aladdin to stay in the palace and marry the Princess that day. Aladdin answered "Sir, though greate is my impatience to enjoy your majesty's goodness, yet I beg of you to give me leave to defer it till I have built a palace fit to receive the princess; therefore I ask that I might be given a spot of ground near your palace and I will have it finished as quickly as possible."
The Sultan agreed and assured him that all he wanted was to see them married.
