care to shew himself once or twice a week in the town, by going
sometimes to one mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers or to pay
a visit to the grand vizier, who affected to pay his court to him on
certain days, or to do the principal lords of the court the honour to
return their visits, after he had regaled them at his palace. Every time
he went out, he caused two slaves, who walked by the side of his horse,
to throw handfuls of money among the people, as he passed through the
streets and squares, which were generally on those occasions crowded.
Besides, no one came to his palace gates to ask alms, but returned
satisfied with his liberality. In short, he so divided his time, that
not a week passed but Aladdin went either once or twice a hunting,
sometimes in the environs of the city, sometimes further off; at which
times the villages through which he passed felt the effects of his
generosity, which gained him the love and blessings of the people; and
it was common for them to swear by his head. In short, without giving
the least umbrage to the sultan, to whom he paid all imaginary respect,
it might be said that Aladdin, by his affable behaviour and liberality,
had won the affections of the people, and was more beloved than the
sultan himself. With all these good qualities he shewed a courage and
zeal for the public good which could not be sufficiently applauded. He
gave sufficient proofs of both in a revolt on the borders of that
kingdom: for he no sooner understood that the sultan was levying an army
to disperse the rebels, but he begged the command of it, which he found
no difficulty to obtain. As soon as he was at the head of the army, he
marched against the rebels with so much expedition, that the sultan
heard of the defeat of the rebels before he had received an account of
his arrival in the army. And though this action rendered his name famous
throughout the kingdom, it made no alteration in his disposition; but he
was as affable after his victory as before.
Aladdin had behaved himself after this manner several years, when the
African magician, who undesignedly had been the instrument of raising
him to so high a pitch of fortune, bethought himself of him in Africa,
whither after his expedition, he returned; and though he was almost
persuaded that Aladdin died miserably in the subterraneous abode where
he left him, yet he had the curiosity to inform himself about his end
with certainty; and as he was a great geomancer, he took out of a
cupboard a square covered box, which he made use of in his geomantic
observations, then set himself down on his sofa, set it before him and
uncovered it. After he had prepared and levelled the sand which was in
it, with an intention to discover whether or no Aladdin died in the
subterraneous abode, he cast the points, drew the figures, and formed a
horoscope, by which, when he came to examine it, he found that Aladdin
instead of dying in the cave, had escaped out of it, lived splendidly,
was very rich, had married a princess, and was very much honoured and
respected.
The magician no sooner understood by the rules of his diabolical art,
that Aladdin had arrived to that height of good fortune, but a colour
came into his face, and he cried out in a rage, “This poor sorry
tailor’s son has discovered the secret and virtue of the lamp! I
believed his death to be certain, but find too plainly he enjoys the
fruit of my labour and study. But I will prevent his enjoying it long,
or perish in the attempt.” He was not a great while deliberating on what
he should do; but the next morning mounted a barb which was in his
stable, set forwards, and never stopped but just to refresh himself and
horse, till he arrived at the capital of China. He alighted, took up his
lodgings in a khan, and stayed there the remainder of the day and the
night, to refresh himself after so long a journey.
The next day his first object was to inquire what people said of
Aladdin; and, taking a walk through the town, he went to the most public
and frequented places, where people of the best distinction met to drink
a certain warm liquor, which he had drank often when he was there
before. As soon as he sat down, he was presented with a glass of it,
which he took; but, listening at the same time to the discourse of the
company on each side of him, he heard them talking of Aladdin’s palace.
When he had drank off his glass, he joined them; and, taking this
opportunity, asked them particularly what palace that was they spoke so
advantageously of. “From whence come you?” said the person to whom he
addressed himself; “you must certainly be a stranger, not to have seen
or heard talk of prince Aladdin’s palace (for he was called so after his
marriage with the princess Badr-oul-boudour.) I do not say,” continued
the man, “that it is one of the wonders of the world, but that it is the
only wonder of the world, since nothing so grand, rich, and magnificent
was ever seen. Certainly you must have come from a great distance, not
to have heard of it; it must have been talked of all over the world. Go
and see it, and then judge whether I have told you more than the truth.”
“Forgive my ignorance,” replied the African magician; “I arrived here
but yesterday, and came from the farthest part of Africa, where the fame
of this palace had not reached when I came away. For the affair which
brought me hither was so urgent, that my sole object was to get here as
soon as I could, without stopping anywhere, or making any acquaintance.
But I will not fail to go and see it; my impatience is so great, I will
go immediately and satisfy my curiosity, if you will do me the favour to
shew me the way thither.”
The person to whom the African magician addressed himself took a
pleasure in shewing him the way to Aladdin’s palace, and he got up, and
went thither instantly. When he came to the palace, and had examined it
on all sides, he doubted not but that Aladdin had made use of the lamp
to build it. Without attending to the inability of Aladdin, a poor
tailor’s son, he knew that none but the genies, the slaves of the lamp,
the attaining of which he had missed, could have performed such wonders;
and, piqued to the quick at Aladdin’s happiness and greatness, he
returned to the khan where he lodged.
The next thing was to know where the lamp was; if Aladdin carried it
about with him, or where he kept it; and this he was to discover by an
operation of geomancy. As soon as he entered his lodging, he took his
square box of sand, which he always carried along with him when he
travelled, and after he had performed some operations, he knew that the
lamp was in Aladdin’s palace; and so great was his joy at the discovery,
that he could hardly contain himself. “Well,” said he, “I shall have the
lamp, and I defy Aladdin’s preventing my carrying it off, and making him
sink to his original meanness, from which he has taken so high a
flight.”
It was Aladdin’s misfortune at that time to be gone a-hunting for eight
days, of which only three were expired, which the magician came to know
by this means. After he had performed this operation, which gave him so
much joy, he went to the master of the khan, entered into discourse with
him on indifferent matters, and, among the rest, told him he had been to
see Aladdin’s palace; and, after exaggerating on all that he had seen
most surprising and most striking to him and all the world, he added,
“But my curiosity leads me farther, and I shall not be easy till I have
seen the person to whom this wonderful edifice belongs.” “That will be
no difficult matter,” replied the master of the khan; “there is not a
day passes but he gives an opportunity when he is in town, but at
present he is not at home, and has been gone these three days on a
hunting-match, which will last eight.”
The magician wanted to know no more: he took his leave of the master of
the khan, and returning to his own chamber, said to himself, “This is an
opportunity I ought by no means to let slip, but will make the best use
of it.” To that end he went to a maker and seller of lamps, and asked
for a dozen of copper lamps. The master of the shop told him he had not
so many by him, but if he would have patience till the next day, he
would get him so many against any time he had a mind to have them. The
magician appointed his time, and bid him take care that they should be
handsome and well polished. After promising to pay him well, he returned
to his inn.
The next day the magician called for the twelve lamps, paid the man his
full price for them, put them into a basket which he brought on purpose,
and, with the basket hanging on his arm, went directly to Aladdin’s
palace; and when he came near it, he began crying, “Who will change old
lamps for new ones?” As he went along, he gathered a crowd of children
about him who hooted at him, and thought him, as did all who chanced to
be passing by, mad or a fool, to offer to change new lamps for old ones.
The African magician never minded their scoffs and hootings, or all they
could say to him, but still continued crying, “Who will change old lamps
for new ones?” He repeated this so often, walking backwards and forwards
about the princess Badr-oul-boudour’s palace, that the princess, who was
then in the hall with the four-and-twenty windows, hearing a man cry
something, and not being able to distinguish his words, by reason of the
hooting of the children and increasing mob about him, sent one of her
women slaves down to know what he cried.
The slave was not long before she returned, and ran into the hall,
laughing so heartily that the princess could not forbear herself. “Well,
giggler,” said the princess, “will you tell me what you laugh at?”
“Madam,” answered the slave, laughing still, “who can forbear laughing,
to see a fool, with a basket on his arm, full of fine new lamps, asking
to exchange them for old ones? The children and mob crowding about him
so that he can hardly stir, make all the noise they can by deriding
him.”
Another woman slave, hearing this, said, “Now you speak of lamps, I know
not whether the princess may have observed it, but there is an old one
upon the cornice, and whoever owns it will not be sorry to find a new
one in its stead. If the princess has a mind, she may have the pleasure
to try if this fool is so silly as to give a new lamp for an old one,
without taking anything for the exchange.”
The lamp this slave spoke of was Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp, which he, for
fear of losing it, had laid upon the cornice before he went hunting;
which precaution he made use of several times before, but neither the
princess, the slaves, nor the eunuchs had ever taken notice of it. At
all other times but hunting, he carried it about him, and then, indeed,
he might have locked it up; but other people have been guilty of as
great oversights, and will be so to the end of time.
The princess Badr-oul-boudour, who knew not the value of this lamp, and
the interest that Aladdin, not to mention herself, had to keep it safe
from everybody else, entered into the pleasantry, and bid a eunuch take
it, and go and make the exchange. The eunuch obeyed, went out of the
hall, and no sooner got to the palace gates, but he saw the African
magician, called to him, and showing him the old lamp, said to him,
“Give me a new lamp for this.”
The magician never doubted but this was the lamp he wanted. There could
be no other such in this palace, where all was gold or silver. He
snatched it eagerly out of the eunuch’s hand, and thrusting it as far as
he could into his breast, offered him his basket, and bid him choose
which he liked best. The eunuch picked out one, and carried it to the
princess Badr-oul-boudour; but the exchange was no sooner made, than the
place rung with the shouts of the children, deriding the magician’s
folly.
The African magician gave everybody leave to laugh as much as they
pleased: he stayed not long about Aladdin’s palace, but made the best of
his way, without crying any longer, “New lamps for old ones.” His end
was answered, and by his silence he got rid of the children and the mob.
As soon as he got out of the square between the two palaces, he skulked
down the streets which were the least frequented; and having no more
occasion for his lamps or basket, set all down in the midst of a street
where nobody saw him; then scouring down another street or two, he
walked till he came to one of the city gates, and pursuing his way
through the suburbs, which were very long, he bought some provisions
before he left the city, got into the fields, and turned into the road
which led to a lonely remote place, where he stopped for a time, to
execute the design he came about, never caring for his horse, which he
left at the khan; but thinking himself perfectly compensated by the
treasure he had acquired.
In this place the African magician passed the remainder of the day, till
the darkest time of night, when he pulled the lamp out of his breast,
and rubbed it. At that summons, 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
transport me immediately, and the palace which thou and the other slaves
of the lamp have built in this town, such as it is, and with all the
people in it, to such a place in Africa.” The genie made no reply, but
with the assistance of the other genies, the slaves of the lamp,
transported him and the palace entire immediately to the place he
appointed in Africa; where we will leave the magician, palace, and the
princess Badr-oul-boudour, to speak of the surprise of the sultan.
As soon as the sultan rose the next morning, according to custom, he
went into his closet, to have the pleasure of contemplating and admiring
Aladdin’s palace; but when he first looked that way, and, instead of a
palace, saw an empty space, such as it was before the palace was built,
he thought he was mistaken, and rubbed his eyes: he looked again, and
saw nothing more the second time than the first, though the weather was
fine, the sky clear, and the daybreak beginning to appear had made all
objects very distinct. He looked through the two openings on the right
and left, and saw nothing more than he had formerly been used to see out
of them. His amazement was so great, that he stood for some time turning
his eyes to the spot where the palace had stood, but where it was no
longer to be seen. He could not comprehend how so large a palace as
Aladdin’s which he saw plainly every day, and but the day before, should
vanish so soon, and not leave the least remains behind. “Certainly,”
said he to himself, “I am not mistaken; it stood there; if it had
tumbled down, the materials would have lain in heaps; and if it had been
swallowed up by an earthquake, there would be some mark left.” Whatever
was the case, though he was convinced that no palace stood there, he
could not help staying there some time, to see whether he might not be
mistaken. At last he retired to his apartment, not without looking
behind him before he quitted the spot, and ordered the grand vizier to
be fetched in all haste; and in the meantime sat down, his mind agitated
by so many different thoughts, that he knew not what to resolve on.
The grand vizier did not make the sultan wait long for him, but came
with so much precipitation, that neither he nor his attendants, as they
passed by, missed Aladdin’s palace; neither did the porters, when they
opened the palace gates, observe any alteration.
When he came into the sultan’s presence, he said to him, “Sir, the haste
in which your majesty sent for me makes me believe something very
extraordinary has happened, since you know this is council-day, and I
shall not fail attending you there very soon.” “Indeed,” said the
sultan, “it is something very extraordinary, as you say, and you will
allow it to be so: tell me what has become of Aladdin’s palace.”
“Aladdin’s palace!” replied the grand vizier, in great amazement; “I
thought as I passed by it, it stood in its usual place: such substantial
buildings are not so easily removed.” “Go into my closet,” said the
sultan, “and tell me if you can see it.”
The grand vizier went into the closet, where he was struck with no less
amazement than the sultan had been. When he was well assured that there
was not the least appearance of this palace, he returned to the sultan.
“Well,” said the sultan, “have you seen Aladdin’s palace?” “Sir,”
answered the vizier, “your majesty may remember that I had the honour to
tell you, that that palace, which was the subject of your admiration,
with all its immense riches, was only the work of magic and a magician;
but your majesty would not pay the least attention to what I said.”
The sultan, who could not deny what the grand vizier had represented to
him, flew into a greater passion. “Where is that impostor, that wicked
wretch,” said he, “that I may have his head cut off immediately.” “Sir,”
replied the grand vizier, “it is some days since he came to take his
leave of your majesty; he ought to be sent to, to know what has become
of his palace, since he cannot be ignorant of what has been transacted.”
“That is too great an indulgence,” replied the sultan; “go and order a
detachment of thirty horse, to bring him to me loaded with chains.” The
grand vizier went and gave orders for a detachment of thirty horse, and
instructed the officer who commanded them how they were to act, that
Aladdin might not escape them. The detachment pursued their orders; and
about five or six leagues from the town, met him returning from hunting.
The officer went up to him, and told him that the sultan was so
impatient to see him that he had sent them to accompany him home.
Aladdin had not the least suspicion of the true reason of their meeting
him but pursued his way hunting; but when he came within half a league
of the city, the detachment surrounded him, and the officer addressed
himself to him, and said, “Prince Aladdin, it is with great regret that
I declare to you the sultan’s order to arrest you, and to carry you
before him as a criminal. I beg of you not to take it ill that we acquit
ourselves of our duty, and to forgive us.”
Aladdin, who felt himself innocent, was very much surprised at this
declaration, and asked the officer if he knew what crime he was accused
of, who replied he did not. Then Aladdin, finding that his retinue was
much inferior to this detachment, alighted off his horse, and said to
the officer, “Execute your orders; I am not conscious that I have
committed any crime against the sultan’s person or government.” A large
long chain was immediately put about his neck, fastened round his body,
so that both his arms were pinioned down; then the officer put himself
at the head of the detachment, and one of the troopers taking hold of
the end of the chain, and proceeding after the officer, led Aladdin who
was obliged to follow him on foot, into the town.
When this detachment entered the suburbs, the people who saw Aladdin
thus led as a state criminal, never doubted but that his head was to be
cut off; and as he was generally beloved, some took sabres and other
arms; and those who had none, gathered stones, and followed the
detachment. The last five of the detachment faced about to disperse
them; but their numbers presently increased so much, that the detachment
began to think that it would be well if they could get into the sultan’s
palace before Aladdin was rescued; to prevent which, according to the
different extent of the streets, they took care to cover the ground by
extending or closing. In this manner they arrived at the palace square,
and there drew up in a line, and faced about till their officer and the
trooper that led Aladdin had got within the gates, which were
immediately shut.
Aladdin was carried before the sultan, who waited for him, attended by
the grand vizier, in a balcony; and as soon as he saw him, he ordered
the executioner, who waited there on purpose, to cut off his head
without hearing him, or giving him leave to clear himself.
As soon as the executioner had taken off the chain that was fastened
about Aladdin’s neck and body, and laid down a skin stained with the
blood of the many criminals he had executed, he made Aladdin kneel down,
and tied a bandage over his eyes. Then drawing his sabre, he took his
measures to strike the blow, by flourishing it three times in the air,
waiting for the sultan’s giving the signal to separate his head from his
body.
At that instant, the grand vizier, perceiving that the populace had
forced the guard of horse, and crowded the great square before the
palace, and were scaling the walls in several places, and beginning to
pull them down, to force their way in, he said to the sultan, before he
gave the signal, “I beg of your majesty to consider what you are going
to do, since you will hazard your palace being forced; and who knows
what fatal consequence may attend it?” “My palace forced!” replied the
sultan; “who can have that boldness?” “Sir,” answered the grand vizier,
“if your majesty but cast your eyes towards the great square, and on the
palace walls, you will know the truth of what I say.”
The sultan was so frightened when he saw so great a crowd, and perceived
how enraged they were, that he ordered the executioner to put his sabre
immediately in the scabbard, and to unbind Aladdin; and at the same time
bid the chiaoux declare to the people that the sultan had pardoned him,
and that they might retire.
Then all those who had already got upon the walls, and were witnesses of
what had passed, abandoned their design, and got quickly down, overjoyed
that they had saved the life of a man they dearly loved, published the
news among the rest, which was presently confirmed by the chiaoux from
the top of the terraces. The justice which the sultan had done to
Aladdin soon disarmed the populace of their rage; the tumult abated, and
the mob dispersed.
When Aladdin found himself at liberty, he turned towards the balcony,
and perceiving the sultan, raised his voice, and said to him in a moving
manner, “I beg of your majesty to add one favour more to that which I
have already received, which is, to let me know my crime.” “Your crime!”
answered the sultan; “perfidious wretch! do you not know it? Come up
hither, and I will shew it you.”
Aladdin went up, and presenting himself to the sultan, the latter going
before him without looking at him, said, “Follow me;” and then led him
into his closet. When he came to the door, he said, “Go in; you ought to
know whereabouts your palace stood; look round, and tell me what is
become of it.”
Aladdin looked round, but saw nothing. He perceived very well the spot
of ground his palace had stood on; but not being able to divine how it
should disappear, this extraordinary and surprising event threw him into
so great confusion and amazement, that he could not return one word of
answer.
The sultan growing impatient, said to him again, “Where is your palace,
and what is become of my daughter?” Then Aladdin, breaking silence, said
to him, “Sir, I see very well, and own that the palace which I have
built is not in the same place it was, but is vanished; neither can I
tell your majesty where it may be, but can assure you I have no hand in
it.”
“I am not so much concerned about your palace,” replied the sultan; “I
value my daughter ten thousand times before it, and would have you find
her out, otherwise I will cause your head to be struck off, and no
consideration shall prevent it.”
“I beg of your majesty,” answered Aladdin, “to grant me forty days to
make my inquiries; and if in that time I have not the success I wish
for, I will come again, and offer my head at the foot of your throne, to
be disposed of at your pleasure.” “I give you the forty days you ask
for,” said the sultan; “but think not to abuse the favour I shew you, by
imagining you shall escape my resentment: for I will find you out in
whatsoever part of the world you are.”
Aladdin went out of the sultan’s presence with great humiliation, and in
a condition worthy of pity. He crossed the courts of the palace, hanging
down his head, and in so great confusion that he durst not lift up his
eyes. The principal officers of the court, who had all professed
themselves his friends, and whom he had never disobliged, instead of
going up to him to comfort him, and offer him a retreat in their houses,
turned their backs on him, as much to avoid seeing him, as lest he
should know them. But had they accosted him with a word of comfort, or
offer of service, they would have no more known Aladdin. He did not know
himself, and was no longer in his senses, as plainly appeared by asking
everybody he met, and at every house, if they had seen his palace or
could tell him any news of it.
These questions made everybody believe that Aladdin was mad. Some
laughed at him, but people of sense and humanity, particularly those who
had any connection of business or friendship with him, really pitied
him. For three days he rambled about the city after this manner, without
coming to any resolution, or eating anything but what some good people
forced him to take out of charity.