Aladdin And The Wonderful Lamp
:
The Arabian Nights Entertainments
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 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.
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.