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 were
not the son of Mustapha the tailor.
"I am, sir," replied Aladdin; "but he died a long while ago."
On this 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."
Aladdin ran home, and told his mother of 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 seek his uncle, who came laden with wine and
fruit. He presently fell down and kissed the place where Mustapha used to sit, bidding Aladdin's
mother not to be surprised at not having seen him before, as he had been forty 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. Next day he bought Aladdin a fine
suit of clothes, and took him all over the city, showing him the sights, and brought him home at
nightfall to his mother, who was overjoyed to see her son so fine.
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. They then journeyed onwards till they almost reached the mountains. Aladdin
was so tired that he begged to go back, but the magician beguiled him with pleasant 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 farther," said the false 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 and opened 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: "Fear
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 lead into 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 prosper.
Aladdin found everything as the magician had said, gathered some fruit off 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 on the fire, he said
something, and the stone rolled back into its place.
The magician left Persia for ever, 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 afterwards.
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.
"Alas! child," she said, "I have nothing in the house, but I have spun a little cotton and will go and
sell it."
Aladdin bade her keep her cotton, for he would sell the lamp instead. As it was very dirty she
began to rub it, that it might fetch a higher price. Instantly a hideous genie appeared, and asked
what she would have. She fainted away, but Aladdin, snatching 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 has 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 till none were left. He then had recourse to the
genie, who gave him another set of plates, and thus they lived for many years.
One day Aladdin heard an order from the Sultan proclaimed that everyone was 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 a chink. 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
so changed that his mother was frightened. He told her he loved the princess so deeply that he
could not live without her, and meant to ask her in 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 carry
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 please the Sultan,
and set out, trusting in the lamp. The grand-vizir and the lords of 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 vizir: "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 vizir, she went up to the foot of the throne, and remained kneeling till
the Sultan said to her: "Rise, good woman, and tell me what you want."
She hesitated, so the Sultan sent away all but the vizir, 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
refused 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 turning to the vizir said: "What sayest thou? Ought I not to bestow
the princess on one who values her at such a price?"
The vizir, who wanted her for his own son, begged the Sultan to withhold her for three months, in
the course of which he hoped his son would 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-vizir is to marry the Sultan's
daughter to-night?"
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 vizir's 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 vizir's son and the princess.
"Take this new-married man," he said, "and put him outside in the cold, and return at daybreak."
Whereupon the genie took the vizir's son out of bed, leaving Aladdin with the princess.
"Fear nothing," Aladdin said to her; "you are my wife, promised to me by your unjust father, and
no harm shall 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 vizir's son jumped up
and hid himself, while the princess would not say a word, and was very sorrowful.
The Sultan sent her mother to her, who said: "How comes it, child, that you will not speak to
your father? What has happened?"
The princess sighed deeply, and at last told her mother how, 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, but bade her rise and consider it an idle dream.
The following night exactly the same thing happened, and next morning, on the princess's refusing
to speak, the Sultan threatened to cut off her head. She then confessed all, bidding him ask the
vizir's son if it were not so. The Sultan told the vizir 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 stood 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 the vizir's advice, who counselled him to set so high a value on the
princess that no man living could come up to it.
The Sultan then turned to Aladdin's mother, saying: "Good woman, a Sultan must remember his
promises, and I will remember mine, but your son must first send me forty basins of gold brimful
of jewels, carried by forty 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 would 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 set out to the palace, two and two, followed by his mother. They were so
richly dressed, with such splendid jewels in their girdles, 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 round 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 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 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, intending to marry him to the princess that very day.
But Aladdin refused, saying, "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 massy 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 by next day, and the genie carried him there and showed him all his
orders 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 honour. At night the princess said good-bye 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 supped
with him, after which they danced till midnight.
Next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace. On entering the hall with the
four-and-twenty windows, with their rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, he cried:
"It is a world's wonder! There is only one thing that surprises 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 fetched, 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 vain, bade them undo their
work and carry the jewels back, and the genie finished the window at his command. The Sultan
was surprised to receive his jewels again and visited Aladdin, who showed him the window
finished. The Sultan embraced him, the envious vizir meanwhile hinting that it was the work of
enchantment.
Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing. He was made captain of the
Sultan's armies, and won several battles for him, but remained modest and courteous as before,
and lived thus in peace and content 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 had married a princess, with
whom he was living in great honour and wealth. He knew that the poor tailor's son could only
have accomplished this by means of the lamp, and travelled 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 marvellous palace.
"Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is this palace you speak of?"
"Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace," was the reply, "the greatest wonder of 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 copper lamps, put them into a basket, and went to the palace, crying: "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.
"Madam," replied the slave, "who can help laughing to see an old fool offering to exchange fine
new lamps for old ones?"
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. Little he cared,
but left off carrying 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.
Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window towards Aladdin's palace and rubbed his eyes,
for it was gone. He sent for the vizir, and asked what had become of the palace. The vizir 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 Aladdin 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.
At that instant the vizir, who saw that the crowd had forced their way into the courtyard and were
scaling the walls to rescue Aladdin, called to the executioner to stay his hand. The people,
indeed, looked so threatening that the Sultan gave way and ordered Aladdin to be unbound, and
pardoned him in the sight of the crowd.
Aladdin 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 that he could not say a word.
"Where is my palace and 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 or lose your head."
Aladdin begged for forty days in which to find her, promising if he failed to return and 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 so doing he rubbed the magic ring he still wore.
The genie he had seen in the cave appeared, and asked his will.
"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 the slave
of the lamp."
"Even so," said Aladdin "but thou canst take me to the palace, 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 than 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 dared 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 looked 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 a-hunting."
"Alas!" 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 wishes me to break my faith with you and 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 that 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 smiles, 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 head-dress of diamonds, and seeing in a glass that she
looked 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 me drink first, and you shall say what you will afterwards." 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 round his neck, but Aladdin put
her away, bidding her to leave him, as he had more to do. He then went to the dead magician,
took the lamp out of his vest, and bade the genie carry the palace and all in it back to China. This
was done, and the princess in her chamber only felt two little shocks, and little thought she was at
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 to be.
The African magician had a younger brother, who was, if possible, more wicked and more
cunning than himself. He travelled 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 her cell and clapped
a dagger to her breast, telling her to rise and do his bidding on pain of death. He changed clothes
with her, coloured 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 round him, kissing his hands and begging his blessing. When he got to the palace there
was such a noise going on round him that the princess bade her slave look out of the window and
ask what was the matter. 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, 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 roc's egg," replied he, "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 a roc's egg, and when Aladdin returned from
hunting he found her in a very ill humour. He begged to know what was amiss, and she told him
that all her pleasure in the hall was spoilt for the want of a roc's egg hanging from the dome.
"It that is all," replied Aladdin, "you shall soon be happy."
He left her and rubbed the lamp, and when the genie appeared commanded him to bring a roc's
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 deserve to be burnt to ashes; but 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 into your wife's head. 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, 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, leaving behind him a long line of kings.
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