Aladdin and the Magic Lamp

There once lived a poor tailor who had a son called Aladdin, a careless idle boy

who would do nothing but play all day long in the streets with little idle boys

like himself; This so grieved the father that he died.

Yet, in spite of his mother’s tears and prayers, Aladdin did not mend his ways.

One day when he was playing in the streets, as usual, a stranger asked him his age

and if he was not the son of Mustapha, the tailor,

“I am, sir,” replied Aladdin, “but he died a long while ago,”

the stranger, who was a famous African magician, fell on his neck and kissed him,

saying, “I am your uncle and knew you from your likeness to my brother; go to your

mother and tell her I am coming to,”

Aladdin ran home and told his mother about his newly found uncle,

“Indeed, child,” she said, “your father had a brother, but I always thought he was

dead” However, she prepared supper and bade Aladdin to seek his uncle, who came

laden with wine and fruit; he fell down and kissed the place where Mustapha used to

sit bidding Aladdin’s mother not to be surprised and not having seen him before

as he had been 40 years out of the country, he then turned to Aladdin and asked him

his trade at which the boy hung his head while his mother burst into tears on learning

that Aladdin was idle and would learn no trade,

he offered to take a shop for him and stock it with merchandise; the next day,

he bought Aladdin a fine suit of clothes and took him all over the city, showing him

the sights and bringing him home at nightfall to his mother, who was overjoyed

to see her son so fine.

The next day the magician led Aladdin into some beautiful gardens a long way outside

the city gates they sat down by a fountain and the magician pulled a cake from

his girdle, which he divided between them, then they journeyed onwards till

they almost reach the mountains Aladdin was so tired that he begged to go back

but the magician beguiled him with pleaseth stories and led him on in spite of himself

at last, they came to two mountains divided by a narrow Valley “We will go no further,”

there said his uncle “I will show you something wonderful, only do you gather up

sticks while I Kindle a fire?” when it was lit the magician threw on it a powder he had

about him at the same time saying some magical words, the earth trembled a little

in front of them, disclosing a square flat stone with a brass ring in the middle to raise

it by, Aladdin tried to run away, but the magician caught him and gave him a blow

that knocked him down,

“what have I done, uncle?” he said piteously, whereupon the magician said more

kindly “feel nothing but obey me; beneath this stone lies a treasure which is to be

yours and no one else may touch it, so you must do exactly as I tell you”,

at the word treasure Aladdin forgot his fears and grasped the ring as he was told

saying the names of his father and grandfather, the stone came up quite easily

and some steps appeared

“go down,” said the magician, “at the foot of those steps, you will find an open door

leading into three large halls, tuck up your gown and go through them without

touching anything or you will die, instantly these halls leading to a garden of fine fruit

trees, walk on till you come to a niche in a terrace where stands a lighted lamp,

pour out the oil it contains and bring it to me”,

he drew a ring from his finger and gave it to Aladdin, bidding him prosperity; Aladdin

found everything as the magician had said, gathered some fine fruit from the trees,

and, having got the lamp, arrived at the mouth of the cave.

The magician cried out in a great hurry “Make haste and give me the lamp”,

this Aladdin refused to do until he was out of the cave the magician flew into

a terrible passion and throwing some more powder onto the fire he said something

and the stone rolled back into its place, the man left the country which plainly showed

that he was no uncle of Aladdin’s but a cunning magician who had read in his magic

books of a wonderful lamp which would make him the most powerful man in the world

though he alone knew where to find it he could only receive it from the hand

of another, he had picked out the foolish Aladdin for this purpose intending to get

the lamp and kill him afterward.

For two days Aladdin remained in the dark crying and lamenting, at last, he clasped

his hands in prayer and in so doing rubbed the ring which the magician had forgotten

to take from him immediately an enormous and frightful genie rose out of the earth

saying “What wouldst thou with me, I am the slave of the ring and will obey thee 

in all things”,

Aladdin fearlessly replied “Deliver me from this place”, whereupon the earth opened

and he found himself outside as soon as his eyes could bear the light he went home

but fainted on the threshold, when he came to himself he told his mother what had

passed and showed her the lamp and the fruits he had gathered in the garden which

were in reality precious stones, he then asked for some food “Helas child” she said

“I have nothing in the house but I have spun a little cotton and will go sell it”,

Aladdin bade her to keep her cotton or he would sell the lamp instead, as it was very

dirty she began to rub it so that it might fetch a higher price, instantly a hideous genie

appeared and asked what she would have she fainted away but Aladdin snatched

the lamp said boldly fetch me something to eat the genie returned with a silver bowl

twelve silver plates containing rich meats two silver cups and two bottles of wine,

Aladdin’s mother when she came to herself said 

“Whence comes this splendid feast?”,

“ask not but eat” replied Aladdin, so they sat at breakfast till it was dinner time

and Aladdin told his mother about the lamp, she begged him to sell it and have

nothing to do with Devils, “no” said Aladdin “since chance hath made us aware

of its virtues, we will use it and the ring likewise which I shall always wear on

my finger”, when they had eaten all the genie had brought Aladdin sold one

of the silver plates and so on until none were left, he then had recourse to the genie

who gave him another set of plates and thus they lived too many years.

One day Aladdin heard an order from the Sultan proclaiming that everyone wants

to stay at home and close his shutters while the princess his daughter went to

and from the bath, Aladdin was seized by a desire to see her face which was very

difficult as she always went veiled, he hid himself behind the door of the bath

and peeped through the princess lifted her veil as she went in and looked

so beautiful that Aladdin fell in love with her at first sight, he went home and changed

that his mother was frightened, he told her he loved the princess so deeply

he could not live without her and meant to ask her to marriage of her father,

his mother on hearing this burst out laughing but Aladdin, at last, prevailed upon her

to go before the Sultan and Herry his request, she fetched a napkin and laid in it

the magic fruits from the enchanted garden which sparkled and shone like the most

beautiful jewels, she took these with her to play the Sultan and set out trusting in

the lamp the Grand Vizier and the Lords of the council had just gone in as she entered

the hall and placed herself in front of the Sultan, he, however, took no notice of her;

she went every day for a week and stood in the same place when the council broke up

on the sixth day, the Sultan said to his Vizier,  “I see a certain woman in the audience

chamber every day carrying something in a napkin call her next time that I may

find out what she wants”, next day, at a sign from the Vizier she went up to the foot

of the throne and remained kneeling until the Sultan said to her “Rise good woman,

and tell me what you want”, she hesitated, so the Sultan sent away all but the Vizier

and bade her speak freely, promising to forgive her beforehand for anything she might

say she then told him of her son’s violent love for the princess

“I prayed him to forget her”, she said, “but in vain, he threatened to do some

desperate deed if I refuse to go and ask Your Majesty for the hand of the princess,

now I pray you to forgive not me alone, but my son Aladdin”,

the Sultan asked her kindly what she had in the napkin, whereupon she unfolded

the jewels and presented them, he was thunderstruck and turned to the Vizier

said “what,” says “thou Otto not to bestow the princess on one who values her

at such a price”.

The Vizier who wanted her for his own son begged to the Sultan to withhold her

for three months in the course of which he hoped his son could contrive to make

him a richer present, the Sultan granted this and told Aladdin’s mother that though

he consented to the marriage, she must not appear before him again 

for three months.

Aladdin waited patiently for nearly three months, but after two had elapsed,

his mother going into the city to buy oil, found everyone rejoicing and asked

“what was going on?”,  “do you not know” was the answer “that the son of the Grand

Vizier is to marry the Sultan’s daughter tonight”, breathless she ran and told Aladdin,

who was overwhelmed at first but presently bethought him of the lamp he rubbed it,

and the genie appeared saying, “what is thy will,”

Aladdin replied “The Sultan as thou knowest has broken his promise to me and the Vizier son is to have the princess my command is that to-night you bring hither the bride and bridegroom”,

“Master, I obey,” said the genie,

Aladdin then went to his chamber where sure enough, at midnight, the genie

transported the bed containing the Vizier’s son and the princess,

“take this new married man,” he said “and put him outside in the coal and return him

at daybreak here”,

the genie took the Vizier’s son out of bed leaving Aladdin with the princess

“fear nothing,” Aladdin said to her you and my wife promised to me by your unjust

father and to no harm will come to you”,

the princess was too frightened to speak and passed the most miserable night

of her life while Aladdin lay down beside her and slept soundly, at the appointed hour

the Genie fetched in the shivering bridegroom laid him in his place and transported

the bed back to the palace presently the Sultan came to wish his daughter,

good morning, the unhappy Vizier’s son jumped up and hit himself while the princess

would not say a word and be very sorrowful.

the Sultan sent to her mother to her, who said “How comes it child that she will not

speak to your father, what has happened?”,

the princess sighed deeply and last held her mother “During the night the bed had

been carried into some strange house, and what had passed there”, her mother

did not believe her in the least and bade her rise and considerate an idle dream,

the following night exactly the same thing happened and the next morning on

the princess is refusing to speak the sultan threatened to cut off her head she then

confessed all bidding him asked the Vizier’s son if it were not, so the sultan told

the Vizier to ask his son who owned the truth, adding that dearly as he loved

the princess, he had rather die than go through another such fearful night

and wished to be separated from her, his wish was granted, and there was

an end of feasting and rejoicing.

When the three months were over, Aladdin sent his mother to remind the Sultan

of his promise she stored in the same place as before, and the Sultan who had

forgotten Aladdin at once remembered him and sent for her on seeing her poverty

the Sultan felt less inclined than ever to keep his word and asked his vizier’s advice

who counseled him to set so higher value on the princess that no man living would

come up to it. The Sultan then turned to Aladdin’s mother, saying

“good woman, our Sultan must remember his promises, and I will remember mine,

but your son must first send me 40 basins of gold brim full of jewels carried

by 40 black slaves led by as many white ones splendidly dressed tell him that

I await his answer,”

the mother of Aladdin bowed low and went home, thinking all was lost; she gave

Aladdin the message adding, “he may wait long enough for your answer,”

“Not so long, Mother as you think,” her son replied. “I will do a great deal more

than that for the princess”,

he summoned the genie, and in a few moments, the eighty slaves arrived and filled up

the small house and garden, Aladdin made them to set out to the palace two by two 

followed by his mother, they were so richly dressed with such splendid jewels

that everyone crowded to see them and the basins of gold they carried on their

heads, they entered the palace and, after kneeling before the Sultan, stood in a half

circle around the throne with their arms crossed while Aladdin’s mother presented

them to the Sultan, he hesitated no longer but said, “good woman return and tell

your son that I wait for him with open arms”,

she lost no time in telling Aladdin bidding him to make haste, but Aladdin first called

the genie “I want a scented bath,” he said, a richly embroidered habit, a horse

surpassing the Sultan’s and twenty slaves to attend to me; besides this six slaves

beautifully dressed to wait on my mother, and lastly, ten thousand pieces of gold

in ten purses”, no sooner said than done.

Aladdin mounted his horse and passed through the streets, the slaves strewing gold

as they went, those who had played with him in his childhood knew him not; he had

grown so handsome.

when the Sultan saw him, he came down from his throne, embraced him, and led him

into a Hall where a feast was spread intended to marry him to the princess, that very

day but Aladdin refused to say I must build a palace fit for her and took his leave.

Once home, he said to the genie, “build me a palace of the finest marble set with 

jasper agate and other precious stones in the middle, you shall build me a large hall 

with a dome its four walls of mossy gold and silver, each side having six windows 

whose lattices, all except one, which is to be left unfinished, must be set with 

diamonds and rubies, there must be stables and horses and grooms, and slaves; go 

and see about it”.

the palace was finished the next day, and the Genii carried him there and showed him

all his orders were faithfully carried out, even to the laying of a velvet carpet from 

Aladdin’s palace to the Sultan’s, Aladdin’s mother then dressed herself carefully and 

walked to the palace with her slaves, while he followed her on horseback; the Sultan 

sent musicians with trumpets and cymbals to meet them so that the air resounded 

with music and cheers, she was taken to the princess, who saluted her and treated 

her with great honor, at night the princess said goodbye to her father and set out on 

the carpet for Aladdin’s palace with his mother at her side and followed 

by the hundred slaves she was charmed at the sight of Aladdin who ran to receive 

her princess, he said, “blame your beauty for my boldness if I have displeased you,”

she told him that having seen him, she willingly obeyed her father in this matter,

after the wedding had taken place, Aladdin led her into the hall where a feast was

spread, and she sucked with him after which they danced to a midnight the next day

Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace on entering the hall with the fall

and twenty windows with their rubies, diamonds and emeralds he cried

“it is a world’s wonder, there is only one thing that surprised me was it by accident

that one window was left unfinished?”

“no sir, by design” returned Aladdin “I wished Your Majesty to have the glory

of finishing this palace”.

The Sultan was pleased and sent for the best jewelers in the city; he showed them

the unfinished window and bade them fit it up like the others,

“sir,” replied their spokesman “We cannot find jewels enough,”

the Sultan had his own fetches,

which they soon used but to no purpose, for in a month’s time, the work was not

half done, Aladdin knowing that their task was in vain made them undo their work

and carried the jewels back, and the genie finished the window at his car

and the Sultan was surprised to receive his jewels again and visited Aladdin

who showed him the window finished, the Sultan embraced him, the envious Vizier

meanwhile, hinting that it was the work of enchantment, Helen had won the hearts

of the people by his gentle bearing, he was made captain of the Sultan’s armies

and once several battles for him but remained as courteous as before and lived thus

in peace and contentment for several years but far away in Africa, the magician

remembered Aladdin and, by his magic arts, discovered that Aladdin,

instead of perishing miserably in the cave, had escaped and married a princess

with whom he was living in great honor and wealth, he knew that the poor tailor

son could only have accomplished this by means of the lamp and traveled night

and day till he reached the capital of China bent on Aladdin’s ruin as he passed

through the town, he heard people talking everywhere about a marvelous palace

forgive my ignorance; he asked what is the palace you speak of? Have you not heard

of Prince Aladdin’s palace was the reply the greatest wonder in the world I will direct

you if you have a mind to see it, the magician thanked him who spoke and, having

seen the palace, knew that it had been raised by the genie of the lamp, and became

half mad with rage, he determined to get hold of the lamp and again plunge

Aladdin into the deepest poverty unluckily Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days

which gave the magician plenty of time; he bought a dozen lamps and put them

into a basket and went to the palace crying for new lamps for old, followed by 

a jeering crowd, the princess sitting in the Hall of four and twenty windows sent a 

slave to find out what the noise was about, who came back laughing so that the 

princess

scolded her Madame replied the slave, who can help laughing to see an old fool

offering to exchange fine new lamps for old ones for another slave; hearing this said

“There is an old one on the cornice there which he can have,” now this was the magic

lamp which Aladdin had left there as he could not take it out hunting with him.

The princess, not knowing its value, laughingly bade the slave take it and make

the exchange, she went and said to the magician, “Give me a new lamp for this,”

he snatched it and bade the slave take her choice amid the jeers of the crowd title

he cared but left off crying his lamps and went out of the city gates to a lonely place

where he remained till nightfall when he pulled out the lamp and rubbed it, the genie

appeared and, at the magician’s command, carried him together with the palace

and the princess in it to a lonely place in Africa.

The next morning the Sultan looked out of the window toward Aladdin’s palace

and rubbed his eyes, for it was gone; he sent for the Vizier and asked what

had become of the palace, the Vizier looked out too and was lost in astonishment

he again put it down to enchantment, and this time, the Sultan believed him and sent

thirty men on horseback to fetch a Ladin back in Chains, they met him riding home

bound him and forced him to go with them on foot the people, however who loved him

followed armed to see that he came to no harm; he was carried before the Sultan

who ordered the executioner to cut off his head; the executioner made Aladdin

kneel down, bandaged his eyes, and raised his scimitar to strike in that instant

the Vizier, who saw that the crowd had forced their way into the courtyard and was

scaling the walls to rescue Aladdin called to the executioner to stay his hand

the people indeed looked so threatening that assault gave way and ordered Aladdin

to be unbound and pardoned him in the sight of the crowd, a ladder now begged

to know what he had done, false wretch said the Sultan come hither and showed him

from the window, the place where his palace had stood, Aladdin was so amazed

he could not say a word; where are your Palace my daughter demanded the Sultan

for the first, I am not so deeply concerned, but my daughter, I must have,

 and you must find her all lose your head Aladdin begged for forty days in which to 

find her promising if he failed to return to suffer death at the Sultan’s pleasure, his 

prayer was granted, and he went forth sadly from the Sultan’s presence for three 

days, he wandered about like a madman, asking everyone what had become of his 

palace, but they only laughed and pitied him, he came to the banks of a river and 

knelt down to say his prayers before throwing himself in; in doing so, he rubbed the 

ring he still wore the genie he had seen in the Cape appeared and asked him

“Will you save my life, Genie? said Aladdin, “and bring my palace back”,

“that is not in my power,” said the genie. “I am only the slave of the ring; 

you must ask him of the lab,”

“even so,” said Aladdin, “but thou can’t take me to the place and set me down 

under my dear wife’s window?”

He at once found himself in Africa under the window of the princess and fell asleep

out of sheer weariness, he was awakened by the singing of the birds, and his heart

was lighter, he saw plainly that all his misfortunes were owing to the loss of the lamp

and vainly wondered who had robbed him of it that morning the princess rose earlier

then she had done since she had been carried into Africa by the magician whose

company she was forced to endure once a day; she, however, treated him so harshly

that he did not live there altogether as she was dressing, one of her women

looked out and saw Aladdin the princess ran and opened the window, and at the noise

she made Aladdin look up; she called to him to come to her, and great was the joy

of these lovers at seeing each other again after he had kissed her

Aladdin said, “I beg of you, princess in God’s name, before we speak of anything else for your own sake and mine, tell me what has become of an old lamp I left on the cornice in the Hall of four and twenty windows when I went hunting.”

“Unless,” she said, “I am the innocent cause of our sorrows,” and told him of the exchange of the lamp

“Now, I know,” cried Aladdin, “that we have to thank the African magician for this; where is the lamp?”

“he carries it about with him,” said the princess “I know, for he pulled it out of his breast to show me he wished me to break my faith with you and to marry him, saying that you were beheaded by my father’s command, he is forever speaking ill of you, but I only reply by my tears, if I persist I doubt not, but he will use violence,”

Aladdin comforted her and left her for a while. He changed clothes with the first

person he met in the town and, having bought a certain powder, returned to

the princess who let him in by a little side door,

“put on your most beautiful dress,” he said to her, “and receive the magician with a smile leading him to believe that you have forgotten me, invite him to sup with you and say you wish to taste the wine of his country, he will go for some, and while he is gone I will tell you what to do,”

she listened carefully to Aladdin and, when he left her, arrayed herself gaily for

 the first time since she left China, she put on a girdle and had a dress of diamonds

and seeing in a glass that she was more beautiful than ever received the magician

saying to his great amazement

“I have made up my mind that Aladdin is dead and that all my tears will not bring him back to me, so I am resolved to mourn no more and have therefore invited you to sup with me, but I am tired of the wines of China and would fain taste those of Africa”

The magician flew to his cellar, and the princess put the powder Aladdin had given her

in her Cup, when he returned, she asked him to drink her health in the wine of Africa,

handing him her cup in exchange for his as a sign she was reconciled to him, before

drinking, the magician made her a speech in praise of her beauty, but the princess

cut him short, saying

“Let us drink first, and he shall say what you will afterward,” she set her cup to her lips

and kept it there while the magician drained his to the dregs and fell back lifeless.

The princess then opened the door to Aladdin and flung her arms around his neck,

but Aladdin went to the dead magician and took the lamp out of his vest, and bade

the genie carried the palace and all in it back to China, this was done and the princess

in her chamber felt only two little shocks and a little thought, she was home again.

The Sultan, who was sitting in his closet mourning for his lost daughter, happened

to look up and rubbed his eyes, for there stood the palace as before he hastened

thither and Aladdin received him in the Hall of the Four and twenty windows with

the princess at his side, Aladdin told him what had happened and showed him

the dead body of the magician that he might believe.

A ten days feast was proclaimed, and it seemed as if Aladdin might now live the rest

of his life in peace, but it was not meant to be; the African magician had a younger

brother who was, if possible, more wicked and more cunning than himself, he traveled

to China to avenge his brother’s death and went to visit a pious woman called Fatima,

thinking she might be of use to him, he entered herself and clapped a dagger

to her breast, telling her to rise and do his bidding in pain of death; he changed

clothes with her, colored his face like hers, put on her veil, and murdered her that

she might tell no tales; then he went towards the palace of Aladdin and all the people

thinking he was the holy woman gathered around him, kissing his hands and begging

his blessing.

when he got to the palace, there was such a noise going on around him that

the princess bade her slave look out the window and asked what the matter was,

the slave said, “it was the holy woman curing people by her touch of their ailments.”

whereupon the princess who had long desired to see Fatima sent for her on coming

to the princess, the magician offered up a prayer for her health and prosperity,

when he had done, the princess made him sit by her and begged him to stay with her

always the false Fatima who wished for nothing better and consented but kept his veil

down for fear of discovery, the princess showed him the hall and asked him what he

thought of it,

“it is truly beautiful,” said the false Fatima “In my mind, it wants but one thing,”

“And what is that?” said the princess,

“if only a Roxas egg,” he replied, “were hung up from the middle of this dome, it would be the wonder of the world”,

after this, the princess could think of nothing but the Roxas’s egg, and when Aladdin 

returned from hunting, he found her in very ill humor; he begged to know what was

amiss, and she told him that all her pleasure in the hall was spoiled for want

of a Roxas egg hanging from the dome,

“if that is all,” replied Aladdin, “you shall soon be happy”,

he left her and rubbed the lamp when the genie appeared and commanded him

to bring a Roxas egg, the genie gave such a loud and terrible shriek that the hall shook

wretch, he cried “Is it not enough that I have done everything for you, but you must

command me to bring my master and hang him up in the midst of this dome,

you and your wife and your palace deserved to be burnt to ashes, but that

this request does not come from you but from the brother of the African magician

whom you destroyed, he is now in your palace disguised as the holy woman whom

he murdered he it was who put that wish in your wife’s head to take care of yourself

for he means to kill you” So saying the genie disappeared,

Aladdin went back to the princess, saying his head ached and requesting

that the holy Fatima should be fetched to lay her hands on it, but when the magician

came near Aladdin’s seizing his dagger pierced him to the heart;

“what have you done?” cried the princess “You have killed the holy woman,”

“not so,” replied  Aladdin, “but a wicked magician”, and told her of how she had been

deceived after this, Aladdin and his wife lived in peace; he succeeded the Sultan

when he died and reigned for many years, leading behind him a long line of kings. 

The End