was extremely tired with staying so long. But there is no harm done; I will go again to-morrow; perhaps the sultan may not be so busy.'
Though Aladdin was very violent, he was forced to be satisfied with this, and to fortify himself with patience. He had at least the satisfaction of finding that his mother had got over the greatest difficulty, which was to procure access to the sultan, and hoped that the example of those whom she saw speak to him would embolden her to acquit herself better when a favourable opportunity offered.
The next morning she went to the sultan's palace with the present, as early as the day before, but when she came there, she found the gates of the divan shut, and understood that the council only sat every other day, and that therefore she must come again the next. This news she carried her son, whose only relief was patience. She went six times afterwards on the days appointed, placed herself always directly before the sultan, but with as little success as on the first time, and might have perhaps come a thousand times to as little purpose, if the sultan himself had not taken particular notice of her.
At last, after the council had broken up, and when the sultan returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier, 'I have for some time observed a certain woman, who comes constantly every day that I go into council, and has something wrapped up in a napkin: she always stands up from the beginning to the breaking up of the council, and places herself just before me. Do you know what she wants?'
'Sir,' replied the grand vizier, who knew no more than the sultan, but did not like to seem uninformed, 'perhaps this woman has come to complain to your majesty that somebody has sold her some bad flour, or some such trifling matter.' The sultan was not satisfied with this answer, but replied, 'If this woman comes again next council-day, do not fail to call her, that I may hear what she has to say.' The grand vizier made answer by kissing his hand, and lifting it up above his head, signifying his willingness to lose it if he failed.
By this time, Aladdin's mother was so much accustomed to go
