"Good woman," said the sultan after he had made his decision, "sultans ought to abide by their word, and I will keep mine by making your son happy in marriage with the princess, my daughter. But I cannot marry her without some further proof that your son is able to support her in royal state. Tell him then that I will fulfill my promise when he sends me forty trays of massy gold filled with jewels such as those he has given me already, each tray borne by a black slave, who shall be led by a young and handsome white slave, all dressed magnificently. Go and tell your son what I say. I will wait for his answer." "Where," said she on her way home, "can Aladdin get so many large gold trays and such precious stones to fill them? He will not be much pleased with my errand this time." When she came home, she told Aladdin the whole story and added, laughing, "The sultan expects your answer immediately. I believe he will have to wait long enough." "Not so long, mother, as you imagine," replied Aladdin. "This demand is a mere trifle. I will prepare at once to satisfy his request." In a very short time after Aladdin had retired to his apartment and conversed again with the genie of the lamp, a train of forty black slaves led by the same number of white slaves appeared opposite the house in which Aladdin lived. Each black slave carried on his head a basin of massy gold, full of pearls, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. "Mother," said Aladdin, "pray lose no time; before the sultan and his divan rise, be there with this present as the dowry demanded for the princess, so that he may know how diligent and exact I am, and how sincere I am in wishing the honor of this alliance." As soon as this magnificent procession, with Aladdin's mother at its head, had begun to march from Aladdin's house, the whole city was filled with the crowds of people desirous to see so grand a sight. The graceful bearing, elegant form, and wonderful likeness of the slaves; their grave walk at an equal distance from each other, the luster of their jeweled girdles, and the brilliancy of the aigrettes of precious stones in their turbans, excited the greatest admiration in the spectators. As they had to pass through several streets to the palace, the whole length of the way was lined with files of spectators. Nothing, indeed, was ever seen so beautiful and brilliant in the sultan's palace, and the richest robes of the emirs of his court were not to be compared to the costly dresses of these slaves, whom they supposed to be kings.