"Sire," said Aladdin, "though great is my impatience to enter on the
honor granted me by your majesty, yet I beg you to permit me first to
build a palace worthy to receive the princess your daughter. I pray
you to grant me sufficient ground near your palace, and I will have it
completed with the utmost expedition." The sultan granted Aladdin his
request, and again embraced him. After which Aladdin took his leave
with as much politeness as if he had been bred up and had always lived
at court.
Aladdin returned home in the order he had come, amidst the
acclamations of the people, who wished him all happiness and
prosperity. When Aladdin entered his room, he took down the lamp,
rubbed it, and when the genie appeared as usual, said, "Genie, build
me a palace fit to receive the Princess Buddir al Buddoor. Let it be
made of nothing less than porphyry, jasper, agate, lapis lazuli, and
the finest marble. Let its walls be massive gold and silver brick laid
alternately. Let each front contain six windows, and let the lattices
of these, excepting one, which must be left unfinished, all sparkle
with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Let there be an inner and an outer
court in front of the palace, and a spacious garden; provide a safe
treasure-house, and fill it with gold and silver. Let there be also
kitchens and storehouses, stables full of the finest horses, with
their equerries and grooms, and hunting equipage, officer, attendants,
and slaves, both men and women, for the princess and myself. Go and
execute my wishes."
As Aladdin gave these commands to the genie, the sun was setting. It
was morning when the genie returned and transported Aladdin in a
moment to the palace he had made. The genie led Aladdin through all
the apartments, where were officers and slaves, clothed according to
their rank. The treasury was opened by a treasurer, and there Aladdin
saw large vases of different sizes ranged around the chambers, and all
filled to the top with money. In the stables were some of the finest
horses in the world, and the grooms were busy dressing them. In the
storehouses was everything necessary, both for food and ornament.
Aladdin examined every portion of the palace, and particularly the
hall with the four and twenty windows, which far exceeded his fond
expectations.
"Genie," he said, "everything is as I wished. Only one thing now is
lacking. Lay immediately a fine carpet for the princess to walk upon
from the sultan's palace to mine."
In an instant the carpet was laid, and the genie disappeared.
When the sultan's porters came to open the gates the next morning,
they were amazed to find what had been an unoccupied garden filled
with a magnificent palace. They ran with the strange tidings to the
grand vizier, who hastened to the sultan.
"It must be the palace," said the sultan, "which I gave Aladdin
permission to build for my daughter. He has wished to let us see what
wonders can be done in a single night."
In the meantime Aladdin had sent his mother to the Princess Buddir al
Buddoor to tell her that the palace would be ready for her reception
in the evening. While the mother, attended by her women slaves, was in
the apartments of the princess, the sultan himself came in and was
surprised to find the woman whom he had seen in such humble guise at
his divan, now more richly appareled than his own daughter. Aladdin,
too, rose in the opinion of the monarch, because the young man had
shared his wealth and honors with his mother.
Shortly after his mother's departure, Aladdin mounted his horse, and
attended by his magnificent retinue, left the paternal home forever.
With him he took, you may be sure, the wonderful lamp to which he owed
all his good fortune, and the ring which had been given him as a
talisman.
That night the sultan entertained Aladdin with the greatest
magnificence, and at the conclusion of the marriage ceremony the
princess took leave of her father. Bands of music, followed by a
hundred stately ushers and a hundred black mutes in two files, with
their officers at their head, led the procession. Four hundred of the
sultan's young pages carried torches on each side, which together with
the illumination of the two palaces made the night as light as day.
Thus the princess, accompanied also by Aladdin's mother, walked along
the carpet which was spread to the palace of her husband. There
Aladdin was ready to receive her, and to lead her into a large hall
lighted with an infinite number of wax candles.
A feast consisting of the most delicate viands was then served upon
dishes of massy gold. Plates, basins, goblets, were all of the most
exquisite workmanship.
The princess, dazzled by such brilliancy, said to Aladdin, "I thought,
prince, that nothing in the world was so beautiful as my father's
palace; but the sight of this hall shows me how much I was deceived."
The next morning Aladdin's attendants brought him another habit, as
rich and magnificent as that worn the day before. He then ordered one
of the horses to be got ready for him; mounted it, and went, in the
midst of a large body of slaves, to invite the sultan and the lords of
his court to attend a banquet. To this the sultan gave immediate
consent, and rising at once, accompanied Aladdin to his palace. Every
step of the way the sultan's admiration increased; but when he entered
the hall and saw the windows enriched with such large and perfect
diamonds, rubies and emeralds, he was more than ever astonished.
"This palace is one of the wonders of the world, my son; but what most
surprises me is that one of the windows of this magnificent hall
should be left incomplete and unfinished."
"Sire," answered Aladdin, "the omission was intentional, as I wished
that you might have the glory of finishing the hall."
"I appreciate your kindness," said the sultan, "and will give orders
about it immediately."
After the banquet the sultan summoned his jewelers and goldsmiths, and
showed them the unfinished window. "I sent for you," said he, "to fit
up this window in as great perfection as the rest. Examine them well
and make all the haste you can."
The jewelers and goldsmiths examined the three and twenty windows, and
after they had consulted to know what each could furnish, they
returned to the sultan.
The principal jeweler, speaking for the rest, said: "Sire, we are
willing to do our best to obey you, but among us all we cannot furnish
jewels enough for so great a work."
"I have more than are necessary," said the sultan. "Come to my palace
and choose what you need." Thereupon the sultan returned to his palace
and ordered his jewels to be brought out, particularly those Aladdin
had given him. The jewelers selected a great quantity and began their
work. Many times more they came back for jewels, and in a month's
time, though they had used everything the sultan had, and borrowed of
the vizier, their work was not half done.
Aladdin, who was now satisfied that the jewelers and goldsmiths saw
that they could not possibly do the work, ordered them to undo what
they had begun, and to return all the jewels to the sultan and the
vizier.
It took them but a few hours to undo what they had been a month in
accomplishing. When Aladdin was left alone in the hall, after the
workmen had gone to the sultan, he took the lamp which he carried
about him and rubbed it till the genie appeared.
"Genie," said Aladdin, "I ordered you to leave one of the four and
twenty windows of this hall imperfect, and you executed my command
punctually. Now make it like the rest."
The genie immediately disappeared, and a few moments after, the window
appeared like all the rest.
In the meantime the jewelers and the goldsmiths were introduced into
the sultan's presence, and returned to him the jewels they had brought
back. The sultan asked if Aladdin had given any reason for returning
the stones, and when he was told that Aladdin had sent no message, he
was much disturbed, and had one of his horses saddled and rode at once
to Aladdin's palace. Aladdin came to the gate, and without replying to
the sultan's inquiries led him to the grand hall, and showed him the
once imperfect window now corresponding exactly to the others. The
Sultan could not at first believe what he saw, and would not admit
until he had examined every one of the four and twenty windows. When
at last he was satisfied, he embraced his son-in-law and kissed him
between the eyes.
"My son," said he, "what a wonderful man you are to do such surprising
things in the twinkling of an eye. There is none such as you in the
world; the more I know you, the more I admire you."
Aladdin lived in happiness, but did not confine himself within his
palace. When he went about the streets he traveled in much state,
sometimes to one mosque and sometimes to another, or at times to visit
the principal lords of the court. Every time he went out, he caused
two slaves to walk beside his horse and throw handfuls of money to the
people as he passed through the streets and squares. In this way
Aladdin secured the respect and esteem of the populace.
Several years passed quietly. It then happened that one day the
African magician remembered Aladdin, and entered into a long series of
magical ceremonies to determine whether Aladdin had perished in the
subterranean cavern. Imagine his surprise when he learned by means of
his horoscope that Aladdin, instead of dying in the cave, had made his
escape and was living in royal splendor by the aid of the genie of the
lamp. The very next morning the magician set out with great haste for
the capital of China, and on his arrival there he took lodging in a
khan. He heard much there about the wealth, charities, happiness and
splendid palace of the Prince Aladdin, and his knowledge of magic
showed him that only by genii alone could such wonders have been
accomplished.
[Illustration: NEW LAMPS FOR OLD]
Piqued and angered by Aladdin's success, the magician returned to his
khan, and by magic undertook to find where Aladdin kept the lamp.
Great was his joy when he discovered that the lamp was kept in the
palace.
"Well," said he, rubbing his hands in glee, "I shall soon have the
lamp again, and will put Aladdin back to his original mean position."
The next day he learned that Aladdin had gone on a hunting expedition
that was to last eight days, and that but three of the days had
expired. Consequently the magician began at once to carry out his
plans. He went to a coppersmith and asked for a dozen copper lamps.
The master of the shop did not have so many by him, but said that if
the magician would call the next day, he would have them ready and
well polished.
Early the next day the magician called, and found the twelve lamps
awaiting him. Paying the man the full price demanded, he put the lamps
into a basket hanging on his arm, and started for Aladdin's palace. On
the way he began to cry out, "Who will exchange old lamps for new
ones?"
As he went along, a crowd of children and idle people followed
hooting, for all thought him a madman or a fool to offer to exchange
new lamps for old ones. The sorcerer regarded not their scoffs,
hooting, or anything they could say, but continued to cry shrilly,
"Who will exchange old lamps for new ones?"
When he reached the palace he walked back and forth in front of it.
The crowds kept increasing every moment, and his voice became more and
more shrill. At last the princess heard the noise and commotion, and
looking from one of the four and twenty windows, sent a slave to find
out what the crowd meant and what the man was saying.
"Madam," answered the slave, who soon returned laughing, "every one
laughs to see an old man carrying on his arm a basket full of fine new
lamps, and asking to exchange them for old ones. The children and mob
crowd about him so that the old man can hardly stir, and make all the
noise they can in derision of him."
"Now you speak of lamps," replied another female slave, "I know not
whether the princess has observed it, but there is an old lamp in
Prince Aladdin's robing room; whoever owns it will not be sorry to
change it for a new one. If the princess wishes, she may find out if
this old man is as silly as he appears to be, and will give a new lamp
for an old one without expecting anything in addition."
The princess, who knew not the value of the lamp nor Aladdin's
interest in it, entered into the amusement and ordered the slave to
make the exchange. No sooner had the slave reached the gates of the
palace than the magician snatched the lamp eagerly, and thrusting it
as far as he could into his breast, offered the slave his basket, and
bade her choose the lamp she liked best. The slave picked out a
handsome one and carried it to the princess, while the children
crowded around, deriding the magician's folly.
The African magician cried "New lamps for old ones" no more, but made
the best of his way from the palace through unfrequented streets and
having no use for lamps or basket, set them down where nobody saw
them, and after dodging about among the short and crooked streets,
hurried through the city gates and out into the country.
Having reached a lonely spot, he stopped till the darkness of the
night gave him the opportunity of carrying out his design. Then he
drew out the lamp and rubbed it. At that summons the genie appeared to
him as he had to Aladdin and said, "What wouldst thou have? I and the
other slaves of the lamp that is in your hands are ready to obey
thee."
"I command thee," replied the magician, "to transport me immediately
to Africa, and with us take Aladdin's palace and all the people in
it."
The genie made no reply, but with the assistance of his fellows the
slave of the lamp transported the magician and the palace and every
one in it to that spot in Egypt where the sorcerer wished to be.
Early the next morning when the sultan, according to custom, went to
admire Aladdin's palace, his amazement was unbounded to find that it
could nowhere be seen. He could not understand how so large a palace,
which he had seen plainly every day for some years, should vanish so
soon and not leave the least trace behind. In his perplexity he sent
for his grand vizier.
That official, who in secret bore no good will to Aladdin, intimated
his suspicion that the palace was built by magic, and that Aladdin had
made this hunting expedition an excuse for the removal of his palace.
The sultan sent a detachment of his guard to arrest Aladdin as a
prisoner of state.
The vizier's plan was carried out, and Aladdin would have been put to
death had not the people, whose affection he had earned by his
generosity, urged the sultan to grant him life. As soon as Aladdin had
gained his liberty, he addressed the sultan as follows:
"Sire, I pray you to let me know the crime by which I have thus lost
the favor of your countenance."
"Your crime," answered the sultan, "wretched man! do you not know it?
Follow me and I will show you."
The sultan then took Aladdin into the apartment from whence his son-
in-law's palace could best be seen, and said, "You ought to know where
your palace stood; look from mine and tell me where it has gone."
Aladdin looked, and, utterly amazed, stood speechless. After
recovering himself, he said, "It is true I do not see the palace, but
I was not concerned in its removal. I beg you to give me forty days,
and if in that time I cannot restore the palace, I will offer my head
to be disposed of at your pleasure."
"I grant your petition," said the sultan, "but remember, at the end of
forty days to present yourself before me."
Exceedingly humiliated, Aladdin went out of the sultan's palace, and
the lords, who had courted him in his days of splendor, now refused to
have any communication with him.
For three days he wandered about the city, exciting the wonder and
compassion of the multitude by asking everybody he met if they had
seen his palace, or could tell him anything of it. On the third day he
wandered into the country, where he fell down the bank of a river in
such a way, that while he was attempting to hold himself, he rubbed
the ring which the magician had given him.
Instantly the same genie that he had seen in the cave appeared before
him and said, "What wouldst thou? I and the other slaves of the ring
serve him who wears it. I am ready to obey."
Aladdin, surprised at the offer of help so little expected, replied,
"Genie, show me where the palace I caused to be built now stands, or
transport it back to where it first stood." "Your command," answered
the genie, "is not wholly in my power. I am the slave of the ring, not
of the lamp."
[Illustration: ALADDIN SALUTED THE PRINCESS JOYFULLY]
"I command thee, then," continued Aladdin, "by the power of the ring,
to transport me to the spot where my palace stands, in whatsoever part
of the world it be."
These words were no sooner out of his mouth than Aladdin found himself
before his own palace in the midst of a large plain, at no great
distance from a city. Indeed, he was placed exactly under the window
of the princess's apartment.
Now it so happened that a moment later one of the attendants of the
Princess Buddir al Buddoor, looking through the window, saw Aladdin,
and reported the fact to her mistress at once. The princess, scarcely
believing the joyful tidings, hastened to the window, and seeing
Aladdin, opened the window. The noise attracted Aladdin's attention so
that he turned his head, and seeing the princess, saluted her
joyfully.
"I have sent to have the private chamber opened for you," she said;
"enter and come up."
A few moments later, the happy couple were united in the princess's
chamber. It is impossible to describe the joy they felt at seeing each
other after so long a separation. After embracing each other and
weeping for joy, they sat down, and Aladdin said, "I beg you, my
princess, tell me what has become of an old lamp which stood upon the
shelf of my robing chamber?"
"Alas!" answered the princess, "I was afraid our misfortune might be
owing to that lamp, and what grieves me most is that I was the cause
of it. I was foolish enough to change the lamp for a new one, and the
next morning I found myself in this unknown country, which I am told
is Africa."
"Princess," interrupted Aladdin, "you have explained everything by
telling me we are in Africa. Can you tell me where the old lamp now
is?"
"The African magician carries it carefully wrapped up in his bosom,"
replied the princess. "I can assure you of this, because he pulled it
out and showed it to me one time."
"My princess," said Aladdin, "I think I can regain possession of the
lamp and deliver you. But to execute this design, I must go to the
town. I shall return by noon and will then tell you what to do. In the
meantime I shall disguise myself, and I beg that the private door may
be opened at my first knock."
When Aladdin came out of the palace, he saw a peasant going into the
country and hastened after him. After some persuasion the peasant
agreed to change clothes with Aladdin, and the latter entered the city
in disguise. Here, after traversing several streets, he entered one of
the largest and best drug stores, and asked the druggist if he had a
certain powder.
The druggist, noticing Aladdin's poor clothing, said, "I have the
powder, but it is very costly."
Aladdin, understanding the druggist's insinuation, drew out his purse,
showed him some gold, and asked for a half a dram of the powder, which
was weighed and passed over. Aladdin gave the druggist a gold piece
and hastened back to the palace which he entered by the private door.
"Princess," he said, as he came into her apartment, "you must carry
out your part in this scheme for our deliverance. Overcome your
aversion for the magician; assume a friendly manner, and invite him to
an entertainment in your apartment. Before he leaves, ask him to
exchange cups with you. Gratified at the honor you do him, he will
gladly exchange, when you must hand him the cup into which I place
this powder. On drinking it he will fall instantly asleep, and we
shall obtain the lamp with its slaves, who will restore us and the
palace to the capital of China."
The princess obeyed her husband's instructions, and the next night at
the entertainment, when the magician drank the glass out of compliment
to the princess, he fell back lifeless on the sofa. Anticipating
success, she had arranged it so that the moment the magician fell
senseless, Aladdin should be admitted to her apartment.
The princess arose from her seat and ran overjoyed to embrace her
husband, but he stopped her, saying, "Princess, retire to your own
room and leave me alone while I try to transport you back to China as
speedily as you were brought hither."
When everybody had withdrawn, Aladdin shut the door and went directly
to the body of the magician, opened his vest, took out the lamp,
unwrapped it carefully, and rubbed it as of old. The genie immediately
appeared.
"Genie," said Aladdin, "I command thee to transport the palace
instantly back to the place from which it was brought."
Everything happened as Aladdin commanded, and the removal was felt
only by two little shocks: one when the palace was lifted up, and the
other when it was set down, and both in a very short interval of time.
The next morning the sultan, looking out of his window, and mourning
over the fate of his daughter, was astonished to see the vacant place
again filled up with his son-in-law's palace. Joy and gladness
succeeded to sorrow and grief. Ordering a horse to be saddled, he
mounted it that instant, but could not make haste enough to satisfy
himself.
That morning Aladdin rose at daybreak, put on one of his most
magnificent habits and walked out into the hall of the four and twenty
windows, from whence he saw the sultan approaching, and hastened down
to assist his ruler in dismounting.
He conducted the sultan directly to the princess's apartment, and the
happy father and his daughter embraced each other with tears of joy.
For a short interval they were engaged in mutual explanations, and the
sultan said, "My son, be not displeased at my proceedings against you;
they arose from my paternal love, and therefore, you ought to forgive
any harshness that I may have shown."
"Sire, I have not the least reason to complain of your conduct, since
that infamous magician, the basest of men, was the sole cause of my
misfortune," replied Aladdin.
Now the African magician, who had thus been twice foiled in his
endeavor to ruin Aladdin, had a younger brother who was as skilful a
magician, and who exceeded him in wickedness and hatred of mankind.
For many years they had been under an agreement to communicate with
each other once a year, no matter how widely separated they might be.
The younger brother, not having received his usual annual
communication, cast a horoscope to find out what was amiss, and
discovered that his brother had been poisoned, and that the poisoner,
though a person of mean birth, was married to a princess, a sultan's
daughter, and lived in the capital of the kingdom of China. This
discovery caused the younger brother to resolve upon immediate
revenge, and he set out across plains, rivers, mountains and deserts
for China. After incredible fatigue, he reached the capital city, and
there he took lodging at a khan. Here by his magic powers he found
that Aladdin was the person who caused the death of his brother. At
that time the city was talking about the wonderful miracles of a woman
called Fatima, who had retired from the world to a little cell, where
she performed marvelous cures.
Thinking this woman might be serviceable to him in the project he had
conceived, the magician inquired minutely about the holy woman.
"What!" said the person whom he asked, "have you never seen nor heard
of her? The whole town admires her for her fasting, her austerities
and her exemplary life. Excepting Mondays and Fridays, she never stirs
out of her little cell. When she does come forth into the town, she
does an infinite amount of good, healing men of all kinds of diseases
by simply placing her hand upon them." That very night the wicked
magician went to the hermitage of the holy woman and stabbed her to
death. Then in the morning he dyed his face the same hue as hers, put
on her garb, covered his face with her veil, drew her large belt about
his waist, and taking his stick, went to the palace of Aladdin.