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heart; and there can be no rest for me, except I obtain her. Moreover, thou mindest me of somewhat I had forgotten, and that a thing which emboldeneth me to seek of him his daughter by thee. Thou sayst, O my mother, that I have no gift to present to the Sultan, according to the wont of the folk, whilst in fact I have by me a gift and an offering, the like whereof methinketh no king ever possessed, no, nor aught to match therewith; for[1] thou must know, O my mother, that the fruits, which I brought in the purses[2] from the treasure and which I deemed glass or crystal, are very jewels, methinketh all the kings of the world may not compass the least of them, and I, of my companying with the jewellers, know that they are precious stones. Wherefore, an thou please, have the goodness to rise and bring me such a China dish which we have by us,[3] that I may fill it with these jewels, and
- ↑ Night DXLIV.
- ↑ Kiyas, a mistake for akyas, pl. of keis, a purse.
- ↑ Lit. “So, an thou wilt, burden thy mind (i.e. give thyself the trouble, kellifi khatiraki,) and with us [is] a China dish; rise and come to me with it.” Kellifi (fem.) khatiraki is an idiomatic expression equivalent to the French, “donnez-vous (or prenez) la peine” and must be taken in connection with what follows, i.e. give yourself the trouble to rise and bring me, etc. (prenez la peine de vous lever et de m’apporter, etc.). Burton, “Whereupon, an thou please, compose thy mind. We have in our house a bowl of china porcelain: so arise thou and fetch it.”
