The Story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp阿拉丁与神灯

In one of the large and rich cities in China, there once lived a tailor named Mus- tapha. He was so poor that by the hardest daily labor, he could barely support himself and his family, which consisted of his wife and a son.

This son, Aladdin, was a very careless, idle, and disobedient fellow. When he was old enough, his father tried to teach him the tailor's trade, but Mustapha no soon- er turned his back than the boy was gone for the day. He was frequently punished, but in vain, and at last the father gave him up as a hopeless idler and in a few months died of the grief Aladdin caused him.

The boy, now free from restraint, became worse than ever. Until he was fifteen, he still spent all his time with idle companions, never thinking how useless a man this would make of him. Playing thus with his evil mates one day, a stranger passing by stood to observe him.

The stranger was a person known as the African magician. Only two days before, he had arrived from Africa his native country, and, seeing in Aladdin's face something that showed the boy to be well fitted for his purposes he had taken pains to learn all that he could find out about him.

"Child," he said to Aladdin, calling him aside, "was not your father called Mus- tapha the tailor?"

"Yes, sir," answered the boy, "but he has been dead a long time."

Then the African magician embraced Aladdin and kissed him, saying with tears in his eyes, "I am your uncle. I knew you at first sight, you are so like my dear broth- er." Then he gave the boy a handful of money, and said, "Give my love to your mother, and tell her that I will visit her tomorrow, that I may see where my good broth- er lived and died.

"You have no uncle," said Aladdin's mother when she had heard his story. "Nei- ther your father nor I ever had a brother. "

Again the next day the magician found Aladdin playing in the streets, and em- braced him as before, and put two pieces of gold into his hand, saying: "Carry this to your mother. Tell her I shall come to sup with you tonight; but show me first where you live. "

This done, Aladdin ran home with the money, and all day his mother made ready to receive their guest. Just as they began to fear that he might not find their house, the African magician knocked at the door, and came in, bringing wine and fruits of ev- ery sort. After words of greeting to them both, he asked only to be placed where he might face the sofa on which Mustapha used to sit.

Then he told Aladdin's mother how he had left their native land of China forty years ago, had traveled in many lands, and finally settled in Africa. The desire had seized him to see his brother and his home once more, and therefore he had come, alas! Too late.

Soon after supper the stranger took his leave.

Early the next morning the magician came for Aladdin, saying they would spend that day in the country, and on the next would buy the shop. So away they walked through the gardens and palaces outside of the city. Each palace seemed more beau- tiful than the last, and they had gone far before Aladdin thought the morning half gone. Still farther into the country, till they nearly reached the place, between two mountains, where the magician intended to do the work that had brought him from Africa to China.

"We will go no farther now," said he to Aladdin. "I will show you here some strange things. While I strike a light, gather me all the loose, dry sticks you can see, to kindle a fire with."

There was soon a great heap of them, and when they were in a blaze, the magician threw in some incense and spoke magical words, which Aladdin did not understand.

This was scarcely done when the earth opened just before the magician, and they both saw a stone with a brass ring fixed in it. Aladdin was so frightened that he would have run away, but the magician seized him.

"I am your uncle, I stand in your father's place, but, child," he added softening, "do not be afraid I shall ask nothing but that you obey me promptly, if you would have the good things I intend for you. Know, then, that under this stone there is a treasure that will make you richer than the greatest monarch on earth. No one but yourself may lift this stone or enter the cave; so you must do instantly whatever I command, for this is a matter of great importance to both of us.

"Well, uncle, what is to be done?" said Aladdin, losing his fear.

"Take hold of the ring and lift up that stone. "

Aladdin obeyed, raised the stone with ease, and laid it on one side.

When the stone was pulled up, there appeared a staircase about three or four feet deep, leading to a door. "Descend, my son," said the magician, “and open that door. It will lead you into a palace divided into three great halls. Before you enter the first, tuck up your robe with care. Pass through the three halls, but never touch the walls, even with your clothes. If you do, you will die instantly. At the end of the third hall, you will find a door opening into a garden planted with trees loaded with fine fruit. Walk directly across the garden to a terrace, where you will see a niche before you, and in the niche a lighted lamp. Take it down and put it out. Throw away the wick and pour out the liquor, which is not oil and will not hurt your clothes, then put the lamp in- to your waistband and bring it to me."

The magician then took a ring from his finger and put it on Aladdin's, saying, "This is a talisman against all evil, so long as you obey me. Go, therefore, boldly, and we shall both be rich all our lives. "

Aladdin descended, found all to be as the magician had said, and carefully obeyed his orders. When he had put the lamp in his waistband he wondered at the beauty of the fruit in the garden, white, red, green, blue, purple, yellow, and of all other colors, and gathered some of every sort. The fruits were really precious jewels.

Then he returned with extreme care, and found the magician anxiously waiting.

"Pray uncle," he said, "lend me your hand to help me out. "

"Give me the lamp first," replied the magician. "It will be troublesome to you. "

"Indeed, uncle, I cannot now, but I will as soon as I am up.

The magician was bent on taking it at once from his hand, but the boy was so laden with his fruit that he flatly refused to give it over before getting out of the cave.

This drove the magician into such a passion that he threw more incense into the fire, spoke two magical words, and instantly the stone moved back into its place, with the earth above it, as it had been when they first reached the spot.

Aladdin now saw that he had been deceived by one who was not his uncle, but a vicious wizard. In truth, this man had learned from his magic books about the secret and value of the Wonderful Lamp, which would make him richer than any earthly ruler if he could but receive it freely given into his hands by another person. He had chosen Aladdin for this purpose, and when it failed he set out immediately on his return to Afri- ca, but avoided the town, that none might ask him what had become of the boy.

Aladdin was indeed in a terrible plight. He called for the magician, but in vain. The earth was closed above him, and the palace door at the foot of the steps. His cries and tears brought him no help. At last he said, "There is no strength or power but in the great and high God," and in joining his hands to pray he rubbed the ring which the magician had put on his finger. Instantly a genie of frightful aspect appeared and said, "What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee. I serve him who pos- sesses the ring on thy finger, -I, and the other slaves of that ring. "

At another time Aladdin would have been frightened at the sight of such a figure, but his danger gave him courage to say, "Whoever thou art, deliver me from this place."

He had no sooner spoken these words than he found himself outside the cave, of which no sign was to be seen on the surface of the earth. He lost no time in making his way home, where he fainted from weakness, and afterwards told his mother of his strange adventure. "It is lamp," said his mother, "but it is very dirty. If I rub it clean I believe it will bring more.

No sooner had she begun to rub it than a hideous genie of gigantic size appeared before her, and said in a voice of thunder: "What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have the lamp in their hands, I, and the other slaves of the lamp. "

In terror at the sight, Aladdin's mother faitned; but the boy, who had already seen a genie, said boldly, "I am hungry; bring me something to eat. "

The genie disappeared, and returned in an instant with a large silver tray, holding twelve covered silver dishes filled with tempting viands, six large white bread cakes on plates, two flagons of wine, and two silver cups. All these he placed upon a carpet, and disappeared before Aladdin's mother had come out of her swoon.

After Aladdin's mother woke up, they satisfied their hunger, and still there was enough food for the rest of that day, and two meals on the next. This they put aside, and Aladdin's mother made him tell of all that had passed between him and the genie during her swoon. The simple woman thought it all a dangerous and wicked business, and begged Aladdin to sell both the lamp and ring; but he persuaded her to let him keep them both, on the condition that he should have nothing to do with genies again.

One day, as Aladdin was walking about the town, he heard an order proclaimed that the people should close their shops and houses and keep within doors while the Princess Buddir al Buddoor, the Sultan's daughter, should go to the bath and return. Aladdin was filled with an eager desire to see the face of the Princess, and contrived to place himself behind the door of the bath. When she was a few paces away from it, she removed her veil, and Aladdin saw for a moment, one of the most beautiful faces in the world. When she passed by him, he quitted his hiding place, and went home thoughtful and grave.

"Are you ill?" asked his mother.

"No," he answered, "but I love the Princess more than I can express, and am resolved that I will ask her in marriage of the Sultan. "

His mother thought him mad, but Aladdin said: "I have the slaves of the lamp and the ring to help me," and then told her for the first time what riches he possessed in the jewels brought from the underground palace. "These,” he said, "will secure the favor of the Sultan. You have a large porcelain dish fit to hold them, fetch it, and let us see how they will look when we have arranged them according to their different colors."

Their eyes were dazzled by the splendor of the jewels when they were arranged in the dish, and Aladdin's mother consented at once to take them to the Sultan and ask his daughter's hand for her son.

Early the next morning she wrapped the dish in two fine napkins and set out for the palace. Though the crowd was great, she made her way into the divan, or audi- ence hall, and placed herself just before the Sultan, the Grand Vizier, and other lords who sat beside him.

She was called forward. She bowed her head till it touched the carpet on the plat- form of the throne. Then the Sultan bade her rise and said: "Good woman, what bus- iness brings you here?"

This gave her heart to tell the errand on which her son had sent her. The Sultan listened without anger till she was done, and then asked what she had brought tied up in the napkin. She took the china dish, which she had set down at the foot of the throne, untied it, and presented it to the Sultan.

His wonder knew no bounds when he looked upon the jewels. Not until he re- ceived the gift from the woman's hands could he find words to say, "How rich! How beautiful!"

Then he turned to the Grand Vizier and said: "Behold, admire, wonder! And confess that your eyes never beheld jewels so rich and beautiful before. What sayest thou to such a present? Is it not worthy of the Princess, my daughter? Ought I not to bestow her on one who values her a so great price?"

"I cannot but own," replied the Grand Vizier, "that the present is worthy of the Princess. But wait for three months. Before that time I hope my son, whom you regard with favor, will be able to make a nobler present than this Aladdin, of whom your majesty knows nothing."

The Sultan granted this request, and said to Aladdin's mother: "Good woman, go home, and tell your son that I agree to what you have proposed, but I cannot mar- ry the Princess, my daughter, for three months. At the end of that time come again.

The news which Aladdin's mother brought home filled him and her with joy. When two of the three months were gone, Aladdin's mother went out one evening to buy some oil, and found the streets full of joyful people, and officers busy with preparation for some festival.

"Anything exciting?" she asked the oil merchant.

"Whence came, you, good woman," said he, "you do not know that the Grand Vizier's son is to marry the Princess Buddir al Buddoor, the Sultan's daughter, to- night?"

Home she ran to Aladdin and cried: "Child, too unfortunate! The Sultan's fine promises will come to nought. This night the Grand Vizier's son is to marry the Prin- cess."

Aladdin was thunderstruck, but wasted no time in idle words against the Sultan. He went at once to his chamber, took the lamp, rubbed it in the same place as be- fore, when instantly the genie appeared, and said to him: "What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, -1, and the other slaves of the lamp. "

"Hear me," said Aladdin, “thou hast hitherto obeyed me, but now I am about to impose on thee a harder task. The Sultan, who has promised me to make his daugh- ter become my bride, will this night be wed to the son of the Grand Vizier. Bring them both hither to me when they are married.

"Master," replied the genie, "I obey you."

Aladdin did not have to wait long after supping with his mother and going to his chamber to be shown again that the genie was indeed his faithful slave. On this night and the next, the Princess and the Grand Vizier's son were borne away from the Sultan's palace in a manner which none could understand, not even themselves.

Of course Aladdin had not forgotten the Sultan's promise, and on the very day which ended the three months, his mother came again to the divan, and stood in her old place. When the Sultan saw her, she was called forward, and, having bowed to the floor, she said: "Sire, I come at the end of three months to ask you to fulfill the promise you made to my son."

The Sultan could hardly believe the request had been made in earnest, and after a few words with the Grand Vizier, decided to refuse marriage without against his promise.

"Good woman," he said, "it is true that sultans ought to abide by their word, and I am ready to keep mine. But as I cannot marry my daughter without further proof that your son will be able to support her in royal state, you may tell him that I will fulfill my promise so soon as he shall send me forty trays of massy gold, full of the same sort of jewels you have already given me, and carried by forty black slaves, who shall be led by as many young and handsome white slaves, all dressed magnificently. When this is done, I will bestow my daughter, the Princess, upon him. Go, good woman, and tell him so, and I will wait till you bring me his answer.

As Aladdin's mother hurried home she laughed to think how far the Sultan's demand would be beyond her son's power. "He awaits your answer," she said to Aladdin when she had told him all, and added, laughing, "I believe he may wait long."

"Not so long as you think," replied Aladdin. "This demand is a mere trifle. I will prepare to answer it at once. "

In his own chamber he summoned the genie of the lamp, who appeared without delay, and promised to carry out Aladdin's commands.

With Aladdin's mother at its head, the procession began to move through the streets, which were soon filled with people praising the beauty and bearing of the slaves, splendidly dressed, and walking at an equal distance from one another. When they had all entered they formed a half circle around the Sultan's throne; the black slaves laid the golden trays on the carpet, touched it with their foreheads, and at the same time the white slaves did likewise.

This done, Aladdin's mother advanced to the throne, bowed to the floor, and said: "Sire, my son knows that this present is much below the notice of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor, but hopes that your majesty will accept it, and make it pleasing to the Princess. His hope is the greater because he has tried to carry out your own wish."

With delight the Sultan replied: "Go and tell your son that I wait with open arms to embrace him, the more haste he makes to come and receive the Princess, my daugh- ter, from my hands, the greater pleasure he will give me."

While he showed the slaves and the jewels to the Princess, Aladdin's mother car- ried the good news to her son.

Aladdin was overjoyed, but, saying little, retired to his chamber. Here he rubbed the lamp, and, when its slave appeared, said: "Genie, convey me at once to a bath, and give me the richest robe ever worn by a monarch.

This was soon done, and he found himself again in his own chamber, where the genie asked if he had any other commands.

"Yes," answered Aladdin, "bring me a charger better than the best in the Sultan's stables. Fit him with saddles worthy of his value. Furnish twenty slaves, clothed as richly as those who carried the presents to the Sultan, to walk by my side and follow me, and twenty more to go before me in two ranks. Besides these, bring my mother six women slaves, as richly dressed as any of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor's, each carrying a complete dress fit for a Sultan's wife. I want also ten thou- sand pieces of gold in ten purses; go, and make haste."

The commands were instantly fulfilled.

The Sultan met him at the palace with joy and surprise that the son of so humble a mother as the woman he had seen should have such dignity and good looks, and should be dressed more richly than he himself had ever been. When the Sultan asked him if he would stay in the palace and complete the marriage that day, Aladdin an- swered: "Sire, though my impatience is great to enter on the honor your majesty has granted, yet I beg first to be allowed to build a palace worthy of the Princess, your daughter. I pray you to give me ground enough near your own, and I will have it fin- ished with the utmost speed.

The request was granted. Aladdin in his own chamber once more, he took the lamp, rubbed it, and there was the genie.

"Genie," said Aladdin, “build me a palace fit to receive the Princess.

Early the next morning, the genie returned, and bore Aladdin to the place where the palace had been built. Everything was done as Aladdin had commanded. The of- ficers, slaves, and grooms were at their work in hall and stable. The hall, with the twenty-four windows, was beyond his fondest hopes.

His marriage to the Princess was performed with utmost splendor. There was feasting and music and dancing, and when the Princess was brought to her new pal- ace, she was so dazzled by its richness, she said to Aladdin: "I thought, Prince, there was nothing so beautiful in the world as my father's, but now I know that I was deceived."

About this time the African magician, who had supposed Aladdin to be dead in the cave where he had left him, learned by magic art that he had made his escape, and, by the help of the genie of the Wonderful Lamp, was living in royal splendor.

On the very next day, the magician set out for the capital of China, where on his arrival he tuck up his lodging in an inn. There he quickly learned about Aladdin's wealth and goodness and popularity. As soon as he saw the palace he knew that none but genies, the slaves of the lamp, could have built it, and he returned to his inn, all the more angry at Aladdin for having got what belongs to him original. When he learned by his magic that Aladdin did not carry the lamp about with him, but left it in the palace, he rubbed his hands with glee, and said: "Well, I shall have it now, and I shall make Aladdin return to his low estate. "

The next morning he learned that Aladdin had gone with a hunting party, to be absent eight days, three of which had passed. He needed to know no more, and quickly formed his plans. He went to a shop and asked for, a dozen copper lamps. The master of the shop had not so many then, but promised them the next day, and said he would have them, as the magician wished, handsome and well polished.

After the magician came back and paid for them, he put them in a basket and started directly for Aladdin's palace. As he drew near, he began crying, "Who will change old lamps for new ones?"

The Princess was in the hall with the four and twenty windows, and, seeing a person outside, sent one of her women slaves to find out what the man was crying. The slaves returned laughing, and told of the foolish offer.

The Princess, who knew not the value of this lamp, thought it would be a good joke to do as her slaves suggested, and in a few minutes it was done. The magician did not stop to cry "new lamps for old ones" again, but hurried to his inn and out of the town, setting down his basket of new lamps where nobody saw him.

When he reached a lonely spot, he pulled the old lamp out of his breast, and, to make sure that it was the one he wanted, rubbed it. Instantly the genie appeared and said, "What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their hands, both I and the other slaves of the lamp."

"I command thee," replied the magician, "to bear me and the palace which thou and the other slaves of the lamp have built in this city, with all the people in it, at once to Africa.

The genie made no reply, but in a moment, he and the other slaves of the lamp had borne the magician and the entire palace to the spot where he wished it to stand.

Early the next morning, when the Sultan went as usual to gaze upon Aladdin's palace, it was nowhere to be seen. The Grand Vizier was summoned to explain it. In secret, he bore no good will to Aladdin, and was glad to suggest that the very building of the palace had been by magic. The Sultan was persuaded, therefore, to send a body of his guards to seize Aladdin as a prisoner of state. When he appeared the Sul- tan would hear no word from him, but ordered him put to death. This displeased the people so much that the Sultan, fearing a riot, remitted his sin and let him speak.

"Sire," said Aladdin, "I pray you to let me know my crime by which I have lost thy favor. "

Then he led Aladdin to a window and said: "You ought to know where your pal- ace stood. Look, and tell me what has become of it.

Aladdin was as much amazed as the Sultan had been. "True, it is vanishd," he said after a speechless pause, "but I have had no concern in its removal. I beg you to give me forty days, and if in that time I cannot restore it, I will offer my head to be dis- posed of at your pleasure. "

"I give you the time you ask," answered the Sultan, "but at the end of forty days forget not to present yourself before me."

Aladdin has wandered for three days. On the third day as he approached a river he slipped and fell down a bank. Clutching at a rock to save himself, he rubbed his ring, and instantly the genie whom he had seen in the cave appeared before him.

Aladdin had never thought of help from this quarter and said with delight, "Genie, show me where the palace I caused to be built now stands, or bring it back where it first stood."

"Your command," answered the genie, "is not wholly in my power; I am only the slave of the ring, and not of the lamp.

"I command thee, then," replied Aladdin, "by the power of the ring, to bear me to the spot where my palace stands, wherever it may be. "

These words were no sooner out of his mouth than he found himself in the midst of a large plain, where his palace stood not far from a city, and directly above him was the window of his wife's chamber. Just then, one of her household happened to look out and see him, and told the good news to the Princess. She could not believe it to be true, and, hastening to the window, opened it herself with a noise which made Aladdin look up. Seeing the Princess, he saluted her with an air that expressed his joy, in a moment he had entered by a private door and was in her arms.

After shedding tears of joy, they sat down, and Aladdin said: "I beg of you, Prin- cess, to tell me what had become of an old lamp which stood upon a shelf in my ro- bing chamber. "

"The African magician," answered the Princess, "carries it carefully wrapped in his bosom. This I know, because one day he pulled it out before me, and showed it to me in triumph.

Aladdin quickly formed and carried out a plan. He leaved the palace, disguised himself, bought of a druggist a certain powder which he named, and returned to the Princess. He told her what she must do to help his purpose.

It was not long before the magician came to the palace, and the Princess did ex- actly as Aladdin had bidden her. At the end of the evening, she offered magician the drugged cup, he drank it, out of honor to her, to the last drop, and fell back lifeless on the sofa.

Aladdin was quickly called and said: "Princess, retire, and let me be left alone while I try to take you back to China as speedily as you were brought thence." On the dead body of the magician he found the lamp, carefully wrapped and hidden in his garments. Aladdin rubbed it, and the genie stood before him.

"Genie," said Aladdin, "I command thee to bear this palace instantly back to the place whence it was brought hither." The genie bowed his head and departed. In a moment, the palace was again in China, and its removal was felt only by two little shocks, the one when it was lifted up, the other when it was set down, and both in a very short space of time.

Only once again were Aladdin and his palace in danger from magic arts. A youn- ger brother of the African magician learned of what had happened, and, in the guise of a holy woman, Fatima, whom he killed that he might pretend to take her place, came to live in the palace. The Princess, thinking him really the holy woman, heeded all that he said. One day, admiring the beauty of the hall, he told her that nothing could surpass it if only a roc's egg were hung from the middle of the dome. "A roc," he said, "is a bird of enormous size which lives at the summit of Mount Caucasus. The architect who built your palace can get you an egg."

When the Princess told Aladdin of her desire, he summoned the genie of the lamp and said to him.

"Genie, I command thee in the name of this lamp bring a roc's egg to be hung in the middle of the dome of the hall of the palace.

No sooner were these words spoken than the hall shook as if ready to fall, and the genie told Aladdin that he had asked him to bring a roc's egg and hang it up in the midst of the hall. It was enough to reduce Aladdin and the Princess and the palace all to ashes, but he should be spared, because the request had really come from an- other. Then he told Aladdin who was the true author of it, and warned him against the pretended Fatima, whom till then he had not known as the brother of the African magi- cian. Aladdin saw his danger, and on that very day killed his wicked enemy with the dagger which was meant to be his own death.

Thus was Aladdin delivered from the two brothers who were magicians. Within a few years, the Sultan died at a good old age, and, as he left, no male children, the Princess Buddir al Buddoor came to the throne, and she and Aladdin reigned together many years.