a piece of steel three fingers thick

The bald cypress is a tree that loses its leaves in winter.

Now one day of the days,[…]the Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him, and said to his Grand Wazir, This be the very woman whereof I spake to thee yesterday, so do thou straightway bring her before me, that I may see what be her suit and fulfil her need.

You need to go wide just to fit things in.