way to the palace, all the people came out to see the sight, and stood
amazed when they saw the golden basins filled with sparkling gems
carried on the heads of the great black slaves. And when the palace
was reached, and the slaves presented the jewels to the Sultan, he
was so surprised and delighted that he was more than willing that
Aladdin should marry the Princess at once.
"Go, fetch thy son," he said to Aladdin's mother, who was waiting
near. "Tell him that this day he shall wed my daughter."
But when Aladdin heard the news he refused to hasten at once to the
palace, as his mother advised. First he called the Genie, and told him
to bring a scented bath, and a robe worked in gold, such as a King
might wear. After this he called for forty slaves to attend him, and
six to walk before his mother, and a horse more beautiful than the
Sultan's, and lastly, for ten thousand pieces of gold put up in ten
purses.
When all these things were ready, and Aladdin was dressed in his royal
robe, he set out for the palace. As he rode along on his beautiful
horse, attended by his forty slaves, he scattered the golden pieces
out of the ten purses among the crowd, and all the people shouted with
joy and delight. No one knew that this was the idle boy who used to
play about the streets but they thought he was some great foreign
Prince.
Thus Aladdin arrived at the palace in great state, and when the Sultan
had embraced him, he ordered that the wedding feast should be prepared
at once, and that the marriage should take place that day.
"Not so, your Majesty," said Aladdin; "I will not marry the Princess
until I have built a palace fit for the daughter of the Sultan."
Then he returned home, and once more called up the Slave of the Lamp.
"Build me the fairest palace ever beheld by mortal eye," ordered
Aladdin. "Let it be built of marble and jasper and precious stones. In
the midst I would have a great hall, whose walls shall be of gold and
silver, lighted by four-and-twenty windows. These windows shall all be
set with diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones, and one only
shall be left unfinished. There must also be stables with horses, and
slaves to serve in the palace. Begone, and do thy work quickly."
And lo! in the morning when Aladdin looked out, there stood the most
wonderful palace that ever was built. Its marble walls were flushed a
delicate pink in the morning light, and the jewels flashed from every
window.
Then Aladdin and his mother set off for the Sultan's palace, and the
wedding took place that day. The Princess loved Aladdin as soon as she
saw him, and great were the rejoicings throughout the city.
The next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to visit the new palace, and
when he entered the great hall, whose walls were of gold and silver
and whose windows were set with jewels, he was filled with admiration
and astonishment.
"It is the wonder of the world," he cried. "Never before have mortal
eyes beheld such a beautiful palace. One thing alone surprises me. Why
is there one window left unfinished?"
"Your Majesty," answered Aladdin, "this has been done with a purpose,
for I wished that thine own royal hand should have the honor of
putting the finishing touch to my palace."
The Sultan was so pleased when he heard this, that he sent at once for
all the court jewelers and ordered them to finish the window like the
rest.
The court jewelers worked for many days, and then sent to tell the
Sultan that they had used up all the jewels they possessed, and still
the window was not half finished. The Sultan commanded that his own
jewels should be given to complete the work; even when these were used
the window was not finished.
Then Aladdin ordered the jewelers to stop their work, and to take back
all the Sultan's jewels as well as their own. And that night he called
up the Slave of the Lamp once more, and bade him finish the window.
This was done before the morning, and great was the surprise of the
Sultan and all his workmen.
Now Aladdin did not grow proud of his great riches but was gentle and
courteous to all, and kind to the poor, so that the people all loved
him dearly. He fought and won many battles for the Sultan, and was the
greatest favorite in the land.
But far away in Africa there was trouble brewing for Aladdin. The
wicked old Magician who had pretended to be Aladdin's uncle found out
by his magic powers that the boy had not perished when he left him
underground, but had somehow managed to escape and become rich and
powerful.
"He must have discovered the secret of the lamp," shrieked the
Magician, tearing his hair with rage. "I will not rest day or night
until I shall have found some way of taking it from him."
So he journeyed from Africa to China, and when he came to the city
where Aladdin lived and saw the wonderful palace, he nearly choked
with fury to see all its splendor and richness. Then he disguised
himself as a merchant, and bought a number of copper lamps, and with
these went from street to street, crying, "New lamps for old."
As soon as the people heard his cry, they crowded round him, laughing
and jeering, for they thought he must be mad to make such an offer.
Now it happened that Aladdin was out hunting, and the Princess sat
alone in the hall of the jeweled windows. When, therefore, she heard
the noise that was going on in the street outside, she called to her
slaves to ask what it meant.
Presently one of the slaves came back, laughing so much that she could
hardly speak.
"It is a curious old man who offers to give new lamps for old," she
cried. "Did any one ever hear before of such a strange way of
trading?"
The Princess laughed too, and pointed to an old lamp which hung in a
niche close by.
"There is an old enough lamp," she said. "Take it and see if the old
man will really give a new one for it."
The slave took it down and ran out to the street once more, and when
the Magician saw that it was indeed what he wanted, he seized the
Magic Lamp with both his hands.
"Choose any lamp you like," he said, showing her those of bright new
copper. He did not care now what happened. She might have all the new
lamps if she wanted them.
Then he went a little way outside the city, and when he was quite
alone he took out the Magic Lamp and rubbed it gently. Immediately the
Genie stood before him and asked what was his will.
"I order thee to carry off the palace of Aladdin, with the Princess
inside, and set it down in a lonely spot in Africa."
And in an instant the palace, with every one in it, had disappeared,
and when the Sultan happened to look out of his window, lo! there was
no longer a palace to be seen.
"This must be enchantment," he cried.
Then he ordered his men to set out and bring Aladdin to him in chains.
The officers met Aladdin as he was returning from the hunt, and they
immediately seized him, loaded him with chains, and carried him off to
the Sultan. But as he was borne along, the people gathered around him,
for they loved him dearly, and vowed that no harm should befall him.
The Sultan was beside himself with rage when he saw Aladdin, and gave
orders that his head should be cut off at once. But the people had
begun to crowd into the palace, and they were so fierce and
threatening that he dared not do as he wished. He was obliged to order
the chains to be taken off, and Aladdin to be set free.
As soon as Aladdin was allowed to speak he asked why all this was done
to him.
"Wretch!" exclaimed the Sultan, "come hither, and I will show thee."
Then he led Aladdin to the window and showed him the empty space where
his palace had once stood.
"Think not that I care for thy vanished palace," he said. "But where
is the Princess, my daughter?"
So astonished was Aladdin that for some time he could only stand
speechless, staring at the place where his palace ought to have been.
At last he turned to the Sultan.
"Your Majesty," he said, "grant me grace for one month, and if by that
time I have not brought back thy daughter to thee, then put me to
death as I deserve."
So Aladdin was set free, and for three days he went about like a
madman, asking every one he met where his palace was. But no one could
tell him, and all laughed at his misery. Then he went to the river to
drown himself; but as he knelt on the bank and clasped his hands to
say his prayers before throwing himself in, he once more rubbed the
Magic Ring. Instantly the Genie of the Ring stood before him.
"What is thy will, O master?" it asked.
"Bring back my Princess and my palace," cried Aladdin, "and save my
life."
"That I cannot do," said the Slave of the Ring. "Only the Slave of the
Lamp has power to bring back thy palace."
"Then take me to the place where my palace now stands," said Aladdin,
"and put me down beneath the window of the Princess."
And almost before Aladdin had done speaking he found himself in
Africa, beneath the windows of his own palace.
He was so weary that he lay down and fell fast asleep; but before
long, when day dawned, he was awakened by the song of the birds, and
as he looked around his courage returned. He was now sure that all his
misfortunes must have been caused by the loss of the Magic Lamp, and
he determined to find out as soon as possible who had stolen it.
That same morning the Princess awoke feeling happier than she had felt
since she had been carried off. The sun was shining so brightly, and
the birds were singing so gaily, that she went to the window to greet
the opening day. And who should she see standing beneath her window
but Aladdin!
With a cry of joy she threw open the casement and the sound made
Aladdin look up. It was not long before he made his way through a
secret door and held her in his arms.
"Tell me, Princess," said Aladdin, when they had joyfully embraced
each other many times, "what has become of the old lamp which hung in
a niche of the great hall?"
"Alas! my husband," answered the Princess, "I fear my carelessness has
been the cause of all our misfortunes."
Then she told him how the wicked old Magician had pretended to be a
merchant, and had offered new lamps for old, and how he had thus
managed to secure the Magic Lamp.
"He has it still," she added, "for I know that he carries it always,
hidden in his robe."
"Princess," said Aladdin, "I must recover this lamp, and thou shalt
help me. To-night when the Magician dines with thee, dress thyself in
thy costliest robes, and be kind and gracious to him. Then bid him
fetch some of the wines of Africa, and when he is gone, I will tell
thee what thou shalt do."
So that night the Princess put on her most beautiful robes, and looked
so lovely and was so kind when the Magician came in, that he could
scarcely believe his eyes. For she had been sad and angry ever since
he had carried her off.
"I believe now that Aladdin must be dead," she said, "and I have made
up my mind to mourn no longer. Let us begin our feast. But see! I grow
weary of these wines of China, fetch me instead the wine of thy own
country."
Now Aladdin had meanwhile prepared a powder which he directed the
Princess to place in her own wine-cup. So when the Magician returned
with the African wine, she filled her cup and offered it to him in
token of friendship. The Magician drank it up eagerly, and scarcely
had he finished when he dropped down dead.
Then Aladdin came out of the next chamber where he had hidden himself,
and searched in the Magician's robe until he found the Magic Lamp. He
rubbed it joyfully, and when the Genie appeared, ordered that the
palace should be carried back to China, and set down in its own place.
The following morning, when the Sultan rose early, for he was too sad
to take much rest, he went to the window to gaze on the place where
Aladdin's palace had once stood. He rubbed his eyes, and stared wildly
about.
"This must be a dream," he cried, for there stood the palace in all
its beauty, looking fairer than ever in the morning light.
Not a moment did the Sultan lose, but he rode over to the palace at
once, and when he had embraced Aladdin and his daughter, they told him
the whole story of the African Magician. Then Aladdin showed him the
dead body of the wicked old man, and there was peace between them once
more.
But there was still trouble in store for Aladdin. The African Magician
had a younger brother who also dealt in magic, and who was if possible
even more wicked than his elder brother.
Full of revenge, this younger brother started for China, determined
to punish Aladdin and steal the Magic Lamp for himself. As soon as he
arrived he went in secret to the cell of a holy woman called Fatima,
and obliged her to give him her robe and veil as a disguise. Then to
keep the secret safe he killed the poor woman.
Dressed in the robe and veil, the wicked Magician walked through the
streets near Aladdin's palace, and all the people as he passed by
knelt and kissed his robe, for they thought he was indeed the holy
woman.
As soon as the Princess heard that Fatima was passing by in the
street, she sent and commanded her to be brought into the hall, and
she treated the supposed holy woman with great respect and kindness,
for she had often longed to see her.
"Is not this a fine hall?" she asked, as they sat together in the hall
of the jeweled windows.
"It is indeed most beautiful," answered the Magician, who kept his
veil carefully down, "but to my mind there is one thing wanting. If
only thou couldst have a roc's egg hung in the dome it would be
perfect."
As soon as the Princess heard these words she became discontented and
miserable, and when Aladdin came in, she looked so sad that he at once
asked what was the matter.
"I can never be happy until I have a roc's egg hanging from the dome
of the great hall," she answered.
"In that case thou shalt soon be happy," said Aladdin gaily, and
taking down the lamp, he summoned the Genie.
But when the Slave of the Lamp heard the order his face grew terrible
with rage, and his eyes gleamed like burning coals.
"Vile wretch!" he shrieked, "have I not given thee all thy wishes, and
now dost thou ask me to kill my master, and hang him as an ornament in
thy palace? Thou deservest truly to die; but I know that the request
cometh not from thine own heart, but was the suggestion of that wicked
Magician who pretends to be a holy woman."
With these words the Genie vanished, and. Aladdin went at once to the
room where the Princess was awaiting him.
"I have a headache," he said. "Call the holy woman, that she may place
her hand upon my forehead and ease the pain."
But the moment that the false Fatima appeared Aladdin sprang up and
plunged his dagger into that evil heart.
"What hast thou done?" cried the Princess. "Alas! thou hast slain the
holy woman."
"This is no holy woman," answered Aladdin, "but an evil Magician whose
purpose was to destroy us both."
So Aladdin was saved from the wicked design of the two Magicians, and
there was no one left to disturb his peace. He and the Princess lived
together in great happiness for many years, and when the Sultan died
they succeeded to the throne, and ruled both wisely and well. And so
there was great peace throughout the land.
II
THE ENCHANTED HORSE
It was New Year's day in Persia, the most splendid feast-day of all
the year, and the King had been entertained, hour after hour, by the
wonderful shows prepared for him by his people. Evening was drawing on
and the court was just about to retire, when an Indian appeared,
leading a horse which he wished to show to the King. It was not a real
horse, but it was so wonderfully made that it looked exactly as if it
were alive.
"Your Majesty," cried the Indian, as he bowed himself to the ground,
"I beg thou wilt look upon this wonder. Nothing thou hast seen to-day
can equal this horse of mine. I have only to mount upon its back and
wish myself in any part of the world, and it carries me there in a few
minutes." Now the King of Persia was very fond of curious and clever
things, so he looked at the horse with great interest.
"It seems only a common horse," he said, "but thou shalt show us what
it can do."
Then he pointed to a distant mountain, and bade the Indian to fetch a
branch from the palm-trees which grew near its foot.
The Indian vaulted into the saddle, turned a little peg in the horse's
neck, and in a moment was flying so swiftly through the air that he
soon disappeared from sight. In less than a quarter of an hour he
reappeared, and laid the palm-branch at the King's feet.
"Thou art right," cried the King; "thy enchanted horse is the most
wonderful thing I have yet seen. What is its price? I must have it for
my own."
The Indian shook his head.
"Your Majesty," he said, "this horse can never be sold for money, but
can only be exchanged for something of equal value. It shall be thine
only if thou wilt give me instead the Princess, your daughter, for my
wife."
At these words the King's son sprang to his feet.
"Sire," he cried, "thou wilt never dream of granting such a request."
"My son," answered the King, "at whatever cost I must have this
wonderful horse. But before I agree to the exchange, I would wish thee
to try the horse, and tell me what thou thinkest of it."
The Indian, who stood listening to what they said, was quite willing
that the Prince should try the Enchanted Horse, and began to give him
directions how to guide it. But as soon as the Prince was in the
saddle and saw the peg which made the horse start, he never waited to
hear more. He turned the screw at once, and went flying off through
the air.
"Alas!" cried the Indian, "he has gone off without learning how to
come back. Never will he be able to stop the horse unless he finds the
second peg."
The King was terribly frightened when he heard the Indian's words,
for, by this time, the Prince had disappeared from sight.
"Wretch," he cried, "thou shalt be cast into prison, and unless my son
returns in safety, thou shalt be put to death."
Meanwhile the Prince had gone gaily sailing up into the air until he
reached the clouds, and could no longer see the earth below. This was
very pleasant, and he felt that he had never had such a delicious ride
in his life before. But presently he began to think it was time to
descend. He screwed the peg round and round, backwards and forwards,
but it seemed to make no difference. Instead of coming down he sailed
higher and higher, until he thought he was going to knock his head
against the blue sky.
What was to be done? The Prince began to grow a little nervous, and he
felt over the horse's neck to see if there was another peg to be found
anywhere. To his joy, just behind the ear. He touched a small screw,
and when he turned it, he felt he was going slower and slower, and
gently turning round. Then he shouted with joy as the Enchanted Horse
flew downwards through the starry night, and he saw, stretched out
before him, a beautiful city gleaming white through the purple mantle
of the night.
Everything was strange to him, and he did not know in what direction
to guide the horse, so he let it go where it would, and presently it
stopped on the roof of a great marble palace. There was a gallery
running round the roof, and at the end of the gallery there was a door
leading down some white marble steps.
The Prince began at once to descend the steps, and found himself in a
great hall where a row of black slaves were sleeping soundly, guarding
the entrance to a room beyond.
Very softly the Prince crept past the guards, and lifting the curtain
from the door, looked in.
And there he saw a splendid room lighted by a thousand lights and
filled with sleeping slaves, and in the middle, upon a sofa, was the
most beautiful Princess his eyes had ever gazed upon.
She was so lovely that the Prince held his breath with admiration as
he looked at her. Then he went softly to her side, and, kneeling by
the sofa, gently touched her hand. The Princess sighed and opened her
eyes, but before she could cry out, he begged her in a whisper to be
silent and fear nothing.
"I am a Prince," he said, "the son of the King of Persia. I am in
danger of my life here, and crave thy protection."
Now this Princess was no other than the daughter of the King of
Bengal, who happened to be staying alone in her summer palace outside
the city.
"I will protect thee," said the Princess kindly, giving him her hand.
Then she awoke her slaves and bade them give the stranger food and
prepare a sleeping-room for him.
"I long to hear thy adventures and how thou camest here," she said to
the Prince, "but first thou must rest and refresh thyself."
Never before had the Princess seen any one so gallant and handsome as
this strange young Prince. She dressed herself in her loveliest robes,
and twined her hair with her most precious jewels, that she might
appear as beautiful as possible in his eyes. And when the Prince saw
her again, he thought her the most charming Princess in all the world,
and he loved her with all his heart. But when he had told her all his
adventures she sighed to think that he must now leave her and return
to his father's court.
"Do not grieve," he said, "I will return in state as befits a Prince,
and demand thy hand in marriage from the King thy father."
"Stay but a few days ere thou goest," replied the Princess. "I cannot
part with thee so soon."
The Prince was only too willing to wait a while, and the Princess
entertained him so well with feasts and hunting-parties that day after
day slipped by, and still he lingered.
At last, however, the thought of his home and his father's grief made
him decide to return at once.
"My Princess," he said, "since it is so hard to part, wilt thou not
ride with me upon the Enchanted Horse? When we are once more in Persia
our marriage shall take place, and then we will return to the King thy
father."
So together they mounted the Enchanted Horse and the Prince placed his
arm around the Princess and turned the magic peg. Up and up they flew
over land and sea, and then the Prince turned the other screw, and
they landed just outside his father's city. He guided the horse to a
palace outside the gates, and there he left the Princess, for he
wished to go alone to prepare his father.
Now when the Prince reached the court he found every one dressed in
brown, and all the bells of the city were tolling mournfully.
"Why is every one so sad?" he asked of one of the guards.
"The Prince, the Prince!" cried the man. "The Prince has come back."
And soon the joyful news spread over the town, and the bells stopped
tolling and rang a joyful peal.
"My beloved son!" cried the King, as he embraced him. "We thought thou
wert lost for ever, and we have mourned for thee day and night."
Without waiting to hear more, the Prince began to tell the King all
his adventures, and how the Princess of Bengal awaited him in the
palace outside the gates.
"Let her be brought here instantly," cried the King, "and the marriage
shall take place to-day."
Then he ordered that the Indian should be set free at once and allowed
to depart with the Enchanted Horse.
Great was the surprise of the Indian when, instead of having his head
cut off as he had expected, he was allowed to go free with his
wonderful horse. He asked what adventures had befallen the Prince, and
when he heard of the Princess who was waiting in the palace outside
the gates, a wicked plan came into his head.
He took the Enchanted Horse, and went straight to the palace before
the King's messengers could reach it.
"Tell the Princess," he said to the slaves, "that the Prince of Persia
has sent me to bring her to his father's palace upon the Enchanted
Horse."
The Princess was very glad when she heard this message, and she
quickly made herself ready to go with the messenger.
But alas! as soon as the Indian turned the peg and the horse flew
through the air, she found she was being carried off, far away from
Persia and her beloved Prince.
All her prayers and entreaties were in vain. The Indian only mocked at
her, and told her he meant to marry her himself.
Meanwhile the Prince and his attendants had arrived at the palace
outside the gates, only to find that the Indian had been there before
them and had carried off the Princess.
The Prince was nearly beside himself with grief, but he still hoped
to find his bride. He disguised himself as a dervish and set off to
seek for her, vowing that he would find her, or perish in the attempt.
By this time the Enchanted Horse had traveled many hundreds of miles.
Then, as the Indian was hungry, it was made to descend into a wood
close to a town of Cashmere.
Here the Indian went in search of food, and when he returned with some
fruit he shared it with the Princess, who was faint and weary.
As soon as the Princess had eaten a little she felt stronger and
braver, and as she heard horses galloping past, she called out loudly
for help.