After the feast, the sultan sent for the chief judge of his capital,

and ordered him to draw up immediately a contract of marriage between

the princess Buddir al Buddoor his daughter and Aladdin. In the

meantime the sultan and he entered into another conversation on various

subjects, in the presence of the grand vizier and the lords of the

court, who all admired the solidity of his wit, the great ease and

freedom wherewith he delivered himself, the justness of his remarks,

and his energy in expressing them.

When the judge had drawn up the contract in all the requisite forms,

the sultan asked Aladdin if he would stay in the palace, and solemnize

the ceremonies of marriage that day. To which he answered, "Sir, though

great is my impatience to enjoy your Majesty's goodness, yet I beg of

you to give me leave to defer it till I have built a palace fit to

receive the princess; therefore I petition you to grant me a convenient

spot of ground near your palace, that I may the more frequently pay my

respects, and I will take care to have it finished with all diligence."

"Son," said the sultan, "take what ground you think proper, there is

space enough on every quarter round my palace; but consider, I cannot

see you too soon united with my daughter, which alone is wanting to

complete my happiness." After these words he embraced Aladdin again,

who 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. As soon as

he dismounted, he retired to his own chamber, took the lamp, and called

the genie as before, who in the usual manner made him a tender of his

service. "Genie," said Aladdin, "I have every reason to commend your

exactness in executing hitherto punctually whatever I have demanded;

but now if you have any regard for the lamp your protector, you must

show, if possible, more zeal and diligence than ever. I would have you

build me, as soon as you can, a palace opposite, but at a proper

distance from the sultan's, fit to receive my spouse the princess

Buddir al Buddoor. I leave the choice of the materials to you, that is

to say, porphyry, jasper, agate, lapis lazuli, or the finest marble of

various colors, and also the architecture of the building. But I expect

that on the terraced roof of this palace you will build me a large hall

crowned with a dome, and having four equal fronts; and that instead of

layers of bricks, the walls be formed of massy gold and silver, laid

alternately; that each front shall contain six windows, the lattices of

all of which, except one, which must be left unfinished, shall be so

enriched in the most tasteful workmanship, with diamonds, rubies, and

emeralds, that they shall exceed everything of the kind ever seen in

the world. I would have an inner and outer court in front of the

palace, and a spacious garden; but above all things, take care that

there be laid in a place which you shall point out to me a treasure of

gold and silver coin. Besides, the edifice must be well provided with

kitchens and offices, storehouses, and rooms to keep choice furniture

in, for every season of the year. I must have stables full of the

finest horses, with their equerries and grooms, and hunting equipage.

There must be officers to attend the kitchens and offices, and women

slaves to wait on the princess. You understand what I mean; therefore

go about it, and come and tell me when all is finished."

By the time Aladdin had instructed the genie respecting the building of

his palace, the sun was set. The next morning, before break of day, our

bridegroom, whose love for the princess would not let him sleep, was

up, when the genie presented himself, and said, "Sir, your palace is

finished, come and see how you like it." Aladdin had no sooner

signified his consent, than the genie transported him thither in an

instant, and he found it so much beyond his expectation, that he could

not enough admire it. The genie led him through all the apartments,

where he met with nothing but what was rich and magnificent, with

officers and slaves, all habited according to their rank and the

services to which they were appointed. The genie then showed him the

treasury, which was opened by a treasurer, where Aladdin saw heaps of

purses, of different sizes, piled up to the top of the ceiling, and

disposed in most excellent order. The genie assured him of the

treasurer's fidelity, and thence led him to the stables, where he

showed him some of the finest horses in the world, and the grooms busy

in dressing them; from thence they went to the storehouses, which were

filled with all things necessary, both for food and ornament.

When Aladdin had examined the palace from top to bottom, and

particularly the hall with the four-and-twenty windows, and found it

much beyond whatever he could have imagined, he said, "Genie, no one

can be better satisfied than I am; and indeed I should be much to blame

if I found any fault. There is only one thing wanting which I forgot to

mention; that is, to lay from the sultan's palace to the door of the

apartment designed for the princess, a carpet of fine velvet for her to

walk upon." The genie immediately disappeared, and Aladdin saw what he

desired executed in an instant. The genie then returned, and carried

him home before the gates of the sultan's palace were opened.

When the porters, who had always been used to an open prospect, came to

open the gates, they were amazed to find it obstructed, and to see a

carpet of velvet spread from the grand entrance. They did not

immediately look how far it extended; but when they could discern

Aladdin's palace distinctly, their surprise was increased. The news of

so extraordinary a wonder was presently spread through the palace. The

grand vizier, who arrived soon after the gates were open, being no less

amazed than others at this novelty, ran and acquainted the sultan, but

endeavored to make him believe it to be all enchantment. "Vizier,"

replied the sultan, "why will you have it to be enchantment? You know

as well as I that it must be Aladdin's palace, which I gave him leave

to build, for the reception of my daughter. After the proof we have had

of his riches, can we think it strange, that he should raise a palace

in so short a time? He wished to surprise us, and let us see what

wonders are to be done with money in only one night. Confess sincerely

that the enchantment you talk of proceeds from a little envy on account

of your son's disappointment." The hour of going to council put an end

to the conversation.

When Aladdin had been conveyed home, and had dismissed the genie, he

found his mother up, and dressing herself in one of those suits which

had been brought her. By the time the sultan rose from the council,

Aladdin had prepared his mother to go to the palace with her slaves,

and desired her, if she saw the sultan, to tell him she should do

herself the honor to attend the princess towards evening to her palace.

Accordingly she went; but though she and the women slaves who followed

her were all dressed like sultanesses, yet the crowd was not near so

great as the preceding day, because they were all veiled, and had each

an upper garment on agreeable to the richness and magnificence of their

habits. Aladdin mounted his horse, and took leave of his paternal house

forever, taking care not to forget his wonderful lamp, by the

assistance of which he had reaped such advantages, and arrived at the

utmost height of his wishes, and went to the palace in the same pomp as

the day before.

As soon as the porters of the sultan's palace saw Aladdin's mother,

they went and informed the sultan, who immediately ordered the bands of

trumpets, cymbals, drums, fifes and hautboys, placed in different parts

of the palace, to play, so that the air resounded with concerts which

inspired the whole city with joy: the merchants began to adorn their

shops and houses with fine carpets and silks, and to prepare

illuminations against night. The artisans of every description left

their work, and the populace repaired to the great space between the

royal palace and that of Aladdin; which last drew all their attention,

not only because it was new to them, but because there was no

comparison between the two buildings. But their amazement was to

comprehend by what unheard-of miracle so magnificent a palace could

have been so soon erected, it being apparent to all that there were no

prepared materials, or any foundations laid the day before.

Aladdin's mother was received in the palace with honor, and introduced

into the princess Buddir al Buddoor's apartment by the chief of the

eunuchs. As soon as the princess saw her, she rose, saluted, and

desired her to sit down on a sofa; and while her women finished

dressing, and adorning her with the jewels which Aladdin had presented

to her, a collation was served up. At the same time the sultan, who

wished to be as much with his daughter as possible before he parted

with her, came in and paid the old lady great respect. Aladdin's mother

had talked to the sultan in public, but he had never seen her with her

veil off, as she was then; and though she was somewhat advanced in

years, she had the remains of a good face, which showed what she had

been in her youth. The sultan, who had always seen her dressed very

meanly, not to say poorly, was surprised to find her as richly and

magnificently attired as the princess his daughter. This made him think

Aladdin equally prudent and wise in whatever he undertook.

When it was night, the princess took her leave of the sultan her

father: their adieus were tender, and accompanied with tears. They

embraced each other several times, and at last the princess left her

own apartment for Aladdin's palace, with his mother on her left hand

carried in a superb litter, followed by a hundred women slaves, dressed

with surprising magnificence. All the bands of music, which had played

from the time Aladdin's mother arrived, being joined together, led the

procession, followed by a hundred state ushers, and the like number of

black eunuchs, in two files, with their officers at their head. Four

hundred of the sultan's young pages carried flambeaux on each side,

which, together with the illuminations of the sultan's and Aladdin's

palaces, made it as light as day.

In this order the princess proceeded in her litter on the carpet, which

was spread from the sultan's palace, preceded by bands of musicians,

who, as they advanced, joining with those on the terraces of Aladdin's

palace, formed a concert, which increased the joyful sensations not

only of the crowd assembled in the great square, but of the metropolis

and its environs.

At length the princess arrived at the new palace. Aladdin ran with all

imaginable joy to receive her at the grand entrance. His mother had

taken care to point him out to the princess, in the midst of the

officers who surrounded him, and she was charmed with his person.

"Adorable princess," said Aladdin, accosting her, and saluting her

respectfully, as soon as she had entered her apartment, "if I have the

misfortune to have displeased you by my boldness in aspiring to the

possession of so lovely a princess, and my sultan's daughter, I must

tell you, that you ought to blame your bright eyes and charms, not me."

"Prince (as I may now call you)," answered the princess, "I am obedient

to the will of my father; and it is enough for me to have seen you, to

tell you that I obey without reluctance."

Aladdin, charmed with so agreeable and satisfactory an answer, would

not keep the princess standing; but took her by the hand, which he

kissed with the greatest demonstration of joy, and led her into a large

hall, illuminated with an infinite number of wax candles, where, by the

care of the genie, a noble feast was served up. The dishes were of

massy gold, and contained the most delicate viands. The vases, basins,

and goblets were gold also, and of exquisite workmanship, and all the

other ornaments and embellishments of the hall were answerable to this

display. The princess, dazzled to see so much riches collected in one

place, said to Aladdin, "I thought, prince, that nothing in the world

was so beautiful as the sultan my father's palace, but the sight of

this hall alone is sufficient to show I was deceived."

Aladdin led the princess to the place appointed for her, and as soon as

she and his mother were seated, a band of the most harmonious

instruments, accompanied with the voices of beautiful ladies, began a

concert, which lasted without intermission to the end of the repast.

The princess was so charmed, that she declared she had never heard

anything like it in the sultan her father's court; but she knew not

that these musicians were fairies chosen by the genie, the slave of the

lamp.

When the supper was ended, there entered a company of female dancers,

who performed, according to the custom of the country, several figure

dances, singing at the same time verses in praise of the bride and

bridegroom. About midnight Aladdin's mother conducted the bride to the

nuptial apartment, and he soon after retired.

The next morning when Aladdin left the bridal chamber, his attendants

presented themselves to dress him, and brought him another habit as

rich and magnificent as that worn the day before. He then ordered one

of the horses appointed for his use to be got ready, mounted him, and

went in the midst of a large troop of slaves to the sultan's palace.

The sultan received him with the same honor as before, embraced him,

placed him on the throne near him, and ordered a collation. Aladdin

said, "I beg your Majesty will dispense with my eating with you today;

I came to entreat you to take a repast in the princess's palace,

attended by your grand vizier, and all the lords of your court." The

sultan consented with pleasure, rose up immediately, and, preceded by

the principal officers of his palace, and followed by all the great

lords of his court, accompanied Aladdin.

The nearer the sultan approached Aladdin's palace, the more he was

struck with its beauty, but was much more amazed when he entered it;

and could not forbear breaking out into exclamations of approbation.

But when he came into the hall, and cast his eyes on the windows,

enriched with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, all large perfect stones, he

was so much surprised, that he remained some time motionless. After he

recovered himself, he said to his vizier, "Is it possible that there

should be such a stately palace so near my own, and I be an utter

stranger to it till now?" "Sir," replied the grand vizier, "your

Majesty may remember that the day before yesterday you gave Aladdin,

whom you accepted for your son-in-law, leave to build a palace opposite

your own, and that very day at sunset there was no palace on this spot,

but yesterday I had the honor first to tell you that the palace was

built and finished." "I remember," replied the sultan, "but never

imagined that the palace was one of the wonders of the world; for where

in all the world besides shall we find walls built of massy gold and

silver, instead of brick, stone, or marble; and diamonds, rubies, and

emeralds composing the windows!"

The sultan would examine and admire the beauty of all the windows, and

counting them, found that there were but three and twenty so richly

adorned, and he was greatly astonished that the twenty-fourth was left

imperfect. "Vizier," said he, for that minister made a point of never

leaving him, "I am surprised that a hall of this magnificence should be

left thus imperfect." "Sir," replied the grand vizier, "without doubt

Aladdin only wanted time to finish this window like the rest; for it is

not to be supposed but that he has sufficient jewels for the purpose,

or that he will not complete it at the first opportunity."

Aladdin, who had left the sultan to go and give some orders, returned

just as the vizier had finished his remark. "Son," said the sultan to

him, "this hall is the most worthy of admiration of any in the world;

there is only one thing that surprises me, which is to find one of the

windows unfinished. Is it from the forgetfulness or negligence of the

workmen, or want of time, that they have not put the finishing stroke

to so beautiful a piece of architecture?" "Sir," answered Aladdin, "it

was for none of these reasons that your Majesty sees it in this state.

The omission was by design; it was by my orders that the workmen left

it thus, since I wished that your Majesty should have the glory of

finishing this hall, and of course the palace." "If you did it with

this intention," replied the sultan, "I take it kindly and will give

orders about it immediately." He accordingly sent for the most

considerable jewelers and goldsmiths in his capital.

Aladdin then conducted the sultan into the saloon where he had regaled

his bride the preceding night. The princess entered immediately

afterwards, and received the sultan her father with an air that showed

how much she was satisfied with her marriage. Two tables were

immediately spread with the most delicious meats, all served up in gold

dishes. The sultan, princess, Aladdin, his mother, and the grand vizier

sat down at the first, and all the lords of the court at the second,

which was very long. The sultan was much pleased with the cookery, and

owned he had never eaten anything more excellent. He said the same of

the wines, which were delicious; but what he most of all admired, were

four large beaufets, profusely furnished with large flagons, basins,

and cups, all of massy gold, set with jewels. He was besides charmed

with several bands of music, which were ranged along the hall, and

formed most agreeable concerts.

When the sultan rose from the table, he was informed that the jewelers

and goldsmiths attended; upon which he returned to the hall, and showed

them the window which was unfinished: "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 dispatch you can."

The jewelers and goldsmiths examined the three and twenty windows with

great attention, and after they had consulted together to know what

each could furnish, they returned, and presented themselves before the

sultan, whose principal jeweler, undertaking to speak for the rest,

said, "Sir, we are all willing to exert our utmost care and industry to

obey your Majesty; 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 you shall choose what may answer your purpose."

When the sultan returned to his palace, he ordered his jewels to be

brought out, and the jewelers took a great quantity, particularly those

Aladdin had made him a present of, which they soon used, without making

any great advance in their work. They came again several times for

more, and in a month's time had not finished half their work. In short,

they used all the jewels the sultan had, and borrowed of the vizier,

but yet the work was not half done.

Aladdin, who knew that all the sultan's endeavors to make this window

like the rest were in vain, sent for the jewelers and goldsmiths, and

not only commanded them to desist from their work, but ordered them to

undo what they had begun, and to carry all their jewels back to the

sultan and to the vizier. They undid in a few hours what they had been

six weeks about, and retired, leaving Aladdin alone in the hall. He

took the lamp which he carried about him, rubbed it, and presently the

genie appeared. "Genie," said Aladdin, "I ordered thee to leave one of

the four and twenty windows of this hall imperfect, and thou hast

executed my commands punctually; now I would have thee make it like the

rest." The genie immediately disappeared. Aladdin went out of the hall,

and returning soon after, found the window, as he wished it to be, like

the others.

In the meantime, the jewelers and goldsmiths repaired to the palace,

and were introduced into the sultan's presence; where the chief

jeweler, presenting the precious stones which he had brought back,

said, in the name of all the rest, "Your Majesty knows how long we have

been upon the work you were pleased to set us about, in which we used

all imaginable industry. It was far advanced, when prince Aladdin

commanded us not only to leave off, but to undo what we had already

begun, and bring your Majesty your jewels back." The sultan asked them

if Aladdin had given them any reason for so doing, and they answering

that he had given them none, he ordered a horse to be brought, which he

mounted, and rode to his son-in-law's palace, with some few attendants

on foot. When he came there, he alighted at the staircase, which led up

to the hall with the twenty-four windows, and went directly up to it,

without giving previous notice to Aladdin; but it happened that at that

very juncture Aladdin was opportunely there, and had just time to

receive him at the door.

The sultan, without giving Aladdin time to complain obligingly of his

not having given notice, that he might have acquitted himself with the

more becoming respect, said to him, "Son, I come myself to know the

reason why you commanded the jewelers to desist from work, and take to

pieces what they had done."

Aladdin disguised the true reason, which was, that the sultan was not

rich enough in jewels to be at so great an expense, but said, "I beg of

you now to see if anything is wanting."

The sultan went directly to the window which was left imperfect, and

when he found it like the rest, fancied that he was mistaken, examined

the two windows on each side, and afterwards all the four and twenty;

but when he was convinced that the window which several workmen had

been so long about was finished in so short a time, he embraced

Aladdin, and kissed him between his eyes. "My son," said he, "what a

man you are to do such surprising things always in the twinkling of an

eye: there is not your fellow in the world; the more I know, the more I

admire you."

Aladdin received these praises from the sultan with modesty, and

replied in these words--"Sir, it is a great honor to me to deserve your

Majesty's good-will and approbation, and I assure you, I shall study to

deserve them more."

The sultan returned to his palace, but would not let Aladdin attend

him. When he came there, he found his grand vizier waiting, to whom he

related the wonder he had witnessed, with the utmost admiration, and in

such terms as left the minister no room to doubt but that the fact was

as the sultan related it; though he was the more confirmed in his

belief, that Aladdin's palace was the effect of enchantment, as he had

told the sultan the first moment he saw it. He was going to repeat the

observation, but the sultan interrupted him and said, "You told me so

once before; I see, vizier, you have not forgotten your son's espousals

to my daughter." The grand vizier plainly saw how much the sultan was

prepossessed, therefore avoided disputes, and let him remain in his own

opinion. The sultan as soon as he rose every morning went into the

closet to look at Aladdin's palace, and would go many times in a day to

contemplate and admire it.

Aladdin did not confine himself in his palace; but took care to show

himself once or twice a week in the town, by going sometimes to one

mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers, or to visit the grand

vizier, who affected to pay his court to him on certain days, or to do

the principal lords of the court the honor 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 he went either once or twice a-hunting, sometimes in the environs

of the city, sometimes farther off; at which time 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. Thus, without giving the least umbrage to the

sultan, to whom he paid all imaginable respect, Aladdin, by his affable

behavior and liberality, had won the affections of the people, and was

more beloved than the sultan himself. With all these good qualities he

showed a courage and a zeal for the public good which could not be

sufficiently applauded. He gave sufficient proofs of both in a revolt

on the borders of the kingdom; for he no sooner understood that the

sultan was levying an army to disperse the rebels than he begged the

command of it, which he found not difficult to obtain. As soon as he

was empowered, he marched 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 conducted himself in this manner several years, when the

African magician, who undesignedly had been the instrument of raising

him to so high a pitch of prosperity, recalled him to his recollection

in Africa, whither, after his expedition, he had returned. And though

he was almost persuaded that Aladdin must have died miserably in the

subterraneous abode where he had 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

used in his geomantic observations: then sat himself down on his sofa,

set it before him, and uncovered it. After he had prepared and leveled

the sand which was in it, with an intention to discover whether or no

Aladdin had 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 made his

escape, lived splendidly, was in possession of the wonderful lamp, had

married a princess, and was much honored and respected.

The magician no sooner understood by the rules of his diabolical art,

that Aladdin had arrived to this height of good fortune, than his face

became inflamed with anger, and he cried out in a rage, "This sorry

tailor's son has discovered the secret and virtue of the lamp! I

believed his death to be certain, but find that he enjoys the fruit of

my labor and study! I will, however, 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, set forwards, and

never stopped but to refresh himself and horse, till he arrived at the

capital of China. He alighted, took up his lodging 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 persons of the best distinction met

to drink a certain warm liquor, which he had drunk often during his

former visit. As soon as he had seated himself, he was presented with a

cup 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 drunk off his liquor, he joined them, and

taking this opportunity, inquired particularly of what palace they

spoke with so much commendation. "From whence come you?" said the

person to whom he addressed himself; "you must certainly be a stranger

not to have seen or heard of prince Aladdin's palace (for he was called

so after his marriage with the princess). 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 beheld. Certainly you must have come from a great distance, or

some obscure corner, not to have heard of it, for 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. The business which brought me hither was so urgent,

that my sole object was to arrive 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 a favor to show me the way thither."

The person to whom the African magician addressed himself took a

pleasure in showing 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 Aladdin had made use of the lamp to

build it. Without attending to the inability of a poor tailor's son, he

knew that none but the genii, 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 splendor, he returned to the khan

where he lodged.

The next point was to ascertain where the lamp was; whether 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 with

him when he traveled, and after he had performed some operations, he

found 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 absent in the chase for

eight days, and only three were expired, which the magician came to

know by this means. After he had performed the magical operation, which

gave him so much joy, he went to the superintendent of the khan,

entered into conversation with him on indifferent subjects, and among

the rest, told him he had been to see Aladdin's palace; and after

exaggerating on all that he, had seen most worthy of observation,

added, "But my curiosity leads me farther, and I shall not be satisfied

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 the palace, 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

superintendent of the khan, and returning to his own chamber, said to

himself, "This is an opportunity I ought by no means to neglect, but

must make the best use of it." To that end, he went to a coppersmith,

and asked for a dozen 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 have them ready. The magician appointed his time, and

desired him to 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, put them into a basket which he bought on purpose, and with

the basket hanging on his arm, went directly to Aladdin's palace; as he

approached he began crying, "Who will change old lamps for new ones?"

As he went along, a crowd of children collected, who hooted, and

thought him, as did all who chanced to be passing by, a madman or a

fool, to offer to change new lamps for old ones.

The African magician regarded not their scoffs, hootings, or all they

could say to him, but still continued crying, "Who will change old

lamps for new?" He repeated this so often, walking backwards and

forwards in front of the 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, owing to the hooting of the

children and increasing mob about him, sent one of her women slaves 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, ask to change them for old ones; the children and mob, crowding

about him so that he can hardly stir, make all the noise they can in

derision of him."

Another female 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 a shelf of the prince's robing-room, and whoever owns it will not

be sorry to find a new one in its stead. If the princess chooses, she

may have the pleasure of trying 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 the wonderful lamp, which Aladdin had

laid upon the shelf before he departed for the chase: this he had done

several times before; but neither the princess, the slaves, nor the

eunuchs had ever taken notice of it. At all other times except when

hunting he carried it about his person.

The princess, who knew not the value of this lamp, and the interest

that Aladdin, not to mention herself, had to keep it safe, entered into

the pleasantry, and commanded a eunuch to take it, and make the

exchange. The eunuch obeyed, went out of the hall, and no sooner got to

the palace gates than he saw the African magician, called to him, and

showing him the old lamp, said, "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 every utensil 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 bade

him choose which he liked best. The eunuch picked out one, and carried

it to the princess; but the exchange was no sooner made than the place

rang 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 near the 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 was out of the square between the two palaces, he

hastened down the streets which were the least frequented; and having

no more occasion for his lamps or basket, set all down in an alley

where nobody saw him: then going 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 extensive, at length reached a lonely spot,

where he stopped for a time to execute the design he had in

contemplation, never caring for his horse which he had 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 city, with all the people in it, to

Africa." The genie made no reply, but with the assistance of the other

genii, the slaves of the lamp immediately transported him and the

palace entire, to the spot whither he was desired to convey it.

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; but when he

looked again, he saw nothing more the second time than the first,

though the weather was fine, the sky clear, and the dawn advancing had

made all objects very distinct. He looked again in front, to the right

and left, but beheld nothing more than he had formerly been used to see

from his window. 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 had seen plainly every day for some

years, 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 fallen, the materials would have

lain in heaps; and if it had been swallowed up by an earthquake, there

would be some mark left." At last, though he was convinced that no

palace stood now opposite his own, he could not help staying some time

at his window, 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, ordered the grand vizier to be sent for with

expedition, and in the meantime sat down, his mind agitated by so many

different conjectures that he knew not what to resolve.

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, 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, "The haste in

which your Majesty sent for me, makes me believe something

extraordinary has happened, since you know this is a day of public

audience, and I should not have failed of attending at the usual time."

"Indeed," said the sultan, "it is something very extraordinary, as you

say, and you will allow it to be so: tell me what is become of

Aladdin's palace?" "His palace!" replied the grand vizier, in

amazement, "I thought as I passed 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 the palace, he returned to the sultan.

"Well," said the sultan, "have you seen Aladdin's palace?" "No,"

answered the vizier, "but your Majesty may remember, that I had the

honor to tell you, 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 the greater passion: "Where is that impostor, that

wicked wretch," said he, "that I may have his head taken off

immediately?" "Sir," replied the grand vizier, "it is some days since

he came to take his leave of your Majesty, on pretense of hunting; he

ought to be sent for, to know what is become of his palace, since he

cannot be ignorant of what has been transacted." "That is too great an

indulgence," replied the sultan: "command a detachment of horse to

bring him to me loaded with chains." The grand vizier gave orders for a

detachment, and instructed the officer who commanded them how they were

to act, that Aladdin might not escape. The detachment pursued their

orders; and about five or six leagues from the town met him returning

from the chase. The officer advanced respectfully, and informed him the

sultan was so impatient to see him, that he had sent his party to

accompany him home.

Aladdin had not the least suspicion of the true reason of their meeting

him; but when he came within half a league of the city, the detachment

surrounded him, when the officer addressed himself to him, and said,

"Prince, 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 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 officers, "Execute your orders; I am not conscious that I have

committed any offense against the sultan's person or government." A

heavy chain was immediately put about his neck, and fastened round his

body, so that both his arms were pinioned down; the officer then 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 city.

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 sabers and other

arms; and those who had none gathered stones, and followed the escort.

The last division faced about to disperse them; but their numbers

presently increased so much, that the soldiery began to think 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 with much difficulty arrived at the palace square, and

there drew up in a line, till their officers and troopers with 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 for the purpose, to strike 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 he had executed, he made the supposed criminal kneel

down, and tied a bandage over his eyes. Then drawing his saber, he took

his aim by flourishing it three times in the air, waiting for the

sultan's giving the signal to strike.

At that instant the grand vizier, perceiving that the populace had

forced the guard of horse, 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, 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 destroyed; and who knows what

fatal consequence may follow?" "My palace forced!'" replied the sultan;

"who can have that audacity?" "Sir," answered the grand vizier, "if

your Majesty will but cast your eyes towards the great square, and on

the palace walls, you will perceive the truth of what I say."

The sultan was so much alarmed when he saw so great a crowd, and how

enraged they were, that he ordered the executioner to put his saber

immediately into the scabbard, to unbind Aladdin, and at the same time

commanded the porters to declare to the people that the sultan had

pardoned him, and that they might retire.

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, and published the

news amongst the rest, which was presently confirmed by the mace-

bearers 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 favor 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 hither, and I will show it you."

Aladdin went up, when the sultan, 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, but saw nothing. He perceived the spot upon which his

palace had stood; but not being able to divine how it had disappeared,

was thrown into such great confusion and amazement, that he could not

return one word of answer.

The sultan growing impatient, demanded of him again, "Where is your

palace, and what is become of my daughter?" Aladdin breaking silence,

replied, "Sir, I perceive and own that the palace which I have built is

not in its place, but is vanished; neither can I tell your Majesty

where it may be, but can assure you I had no concern in its removal."

"I am not so much concerned about your palace," replied the sultan; "I

value my daughter ten thousand times more, and would have you find her

out, otherwise I will cause your head to be struck off, and no

consideration shall divert me from my purpose."

"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, I

will offer my head at the foot of your throne, to be disposed of at

your pleasure." "I give you the forty days you ask," said the sultan;

"but think not to abuse the favor I show you, by imagining you shall

escape my resentment; for I will find you out in whatsoever part of the

world you may conceal yourself."

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 such 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 to avoid seeing him. 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 his 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 the generality believe that Aladdin was mad. Some

laughed at him, but people of sense and humanity, particularly those

who had had any connection of business or friendship with him, really

pitied him. For three days he rambled about the city in this manner,

without coming to any resolution, or eating anything but what some

compassionate people forced him to take out of charity.

At last, as he could no longer in his unhappy condition stay in a city

where he had lately been next to the sultan, he took the road to the

country; and after he had traversed several fields in wild uncertainty,

at the approach of night came to the bank of a river. There, possessed

by his despair, he said to himself, "Where shall I seek my palace? In

what province, country, or part of the world, shall I find that and my

dear princess, whom the sultan expects from me? I shall never succeed:

I had better free myself at once from fruitless endeavors, and such

bitter grief as preys upon me." He was just going to throw himself into

the river, but, as a good Moosulmaun, true to his religion, he thought

he should not do it without first saying his prayers. Going to prepare

himself, he went to the river's brink, in order to perform the usual

ablutions. The place being steep and slippery, from the water's beating

against it, he slid down, and had certainly fallen into the river, but

for a little rock which projected about two feet out of the earth.

Happily also for him he still had on the ring which the African

magician had put on his finger before he went down into the

subterraneous abode to fetch the precious lamp. In slipping down the

bank he rubbed the ring so hard by holding on the rock, that

immediately the same genie appeared whom he had seen in the cave where

the magician had left him. "What wouldst thou have?" said the genie. "I

am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those that

have that ring on their finger; both I and the other slaves of the

ring."

Aladdin, agreeably surprised at an apparition he so little expected in

his present calamity, replied, "Save my life, genie, a second time,

either by showing me to the place where the palace I caused to be built

now stands, or immediately transporting it back where it first stood."

"What you command me," answered the genie, "is not wholly in my power:

I am only the slave of the ring; you must address yourself to the slave

of the lamp." "If that be the case," replied Aladdin, "I command thee,

by the power of the ring, to transport me to the spot where my palace

stands, in what part of the world soever it may be, and set me down

under the window of the princess Buddir al Buddoor." These words were

no sooner out of his mouth, than the genie transported him into Africa,

to the midst of a large plain, where his palace stood, at no great

distance from a city, and placing him exactly under the window of the

princess's apartment, left him. All this was done almost in an instant.

Aladdin, notwithstanding the darkness of the night, knew his palace and

the princess Buddir al Buddoor's apartment again; but as the night was

far advanced, and all was quiet in the palace, he retired to some

distance, and sat down at the foot of a large tree. There, full of

hopes, and reflecting on his happiness, for which he was indebted to

chance, he found himself in a much more comfortable situation than when

he was arrested and carried before the sultan; being now delivered from

the immediate danger of losing his life. He amused himself for some

time with these agreeable thoughts; but not having slept for two days,

was not able to resist the drowsiness which came upon him, but fell

fast asleep.

The next morning, as soon as day appeared, Aladdin was agreeably

awakened by the singing not only of the birds which had roosted in the

tree under which he had passed the night, but also of those which

frequented the thick groves of the palace garden. When he cast his eyes

on that wonderful edifice, he felt inexpressible joy at thinking he

might possibly soon be master of it again, and once more possess his

dear princess Buddir al Buddoor. Pleased with these hopes, he

immediately arose, went towards the princess's apartment, and walked

some time under the window in expectation of her rising, that he might

see her. During this expectation, he began to consider with himself

whence the cause of his misfortune had proceeded; and after mature

reflection, no longer doubted that it was owing to having trusted the

lamp out of his sight. He accused himself of negligence in letting it

be a moment away from him. But what puzzled him most was, that he could

not imagine who had been so envious of his happiness. He would soon

have guessed this, if he had known that both he and his palace were in

Africa, the very name of which would soon have made him remember the

magician, his declared enemy; but the genie, the slave of the ring, had

not made the least mention of the name of the country, nor had Aladdin

inquired.

The princess rose earlier that morning than she had done since her

transportation into Africa by the magician, whose presence she was

forced to support once a day, because he was master of the palace; but

she had always treated him so harshly that he dared not reside in it.

As she was dressing, one of the women looking through the window

perceived Aladdin, and instantly told her mistress. The princess, who

could not believe the joyful tidings, hastened herself to the window,

and seeing Aladdin, immediately opened it. The noise of opening the

window made Aladdin turn his head that way, and perceiving the princess

he saluted her with an air that expressed his joy. "To lose no time,"

said she to him, "I have sent to have the private door opened for you;

enter, and come up."

The private door, which was just under the princess's apartment, was

soon opened, and Aladdin conducted up into the chamber. It is

impossible to express the joy of both at seeing each other, after so

cruel a separation. After embracing and shedding tears of joy, they sat

down, and Aladdin said, "I beg of you, princess, in God's name, before

we talk of anything else, to tell me, both for your own sake, the

sultan your father's, and mine, what is become of an old lamp which I

left upon a shelf in my robing-chamber, when I departed for the chase."

"Alas! dear husband," answered the princess, "I was afraid our

misfortune might be owing to that lamp: and what grieves me most is,

that I have been the cause of it." "Princess," replied Aladdin, "do not

blame yourself, since it was entirely my fault, for I ought to have

taken more care of it. But let us now think only of repairing the loss;

tell me what has happened, and into whose hands it has fallen."

The princess then related how she had changed the old lamp for a new

one, which she ordered to be fetched, that he might see it, and how the

next morning she found herself in the unknown country they were then

in, which she was told was Africa, by the traitor who had transported

her thither by his magic art.

"Princess," said Aladdin, interrupting her, "you have informed me who

the traitor is, by telling me we are in Africa. He is the most

perfidious of men; but this is neither a time nor place to give you a

full account of his villainies. I desire you only to tell me what he

has done with the lamp, and where he has put it." "He carries it

carefully wrapped up in his bosom," said the princess; "and this I can

assure you, because he pulled it out before me, and showed it to me in

triumph."

"Princess," said Aladdin, "do not be displeased that I trouble you with

so many questions, since they are equally important to us both. But to

come to what most particularly concerns me; tell me, I conjure you, how

so wicked and perfidious a man treats you." "Since I have been here,"

replied the princess, "he repairs once every day to see me; and I am

persuaded the little satisfaction he receives from his visits makes him

come no oftener. All his addresses tend to persuade me to break that

faith I have pledged to you, and to take him for my husband; giving me

to understand, I need not entertain hopes of ever seeing you again, for

that you were dead, having had your head struck off by the sultan my

father's order. He added, to justify himself, that you were an

ungrateful wretch; that your good fortune was owing to him, and a great

many other things of that nature which I forbear to repeat: but as he

received no other answer from me but grievous complaints and tears, he

was always forced to retire with as little satisfaction as he came. I

doubt not his intention is to allow me time to overcome my grief, in

hopes that afterwards I may change my sentiments; and if I persevere in

an obstinate refusal, to use violence. But my dear husband's presence

removes all my apprehensions."

"I am confident my attempts to punish the magician will not be in

vain," replied Aladdin, "since my princess's fears are removed, and I

think I have found the means to deliver you from both your enemy and

mine; to execute this design, it is necessary for me to go to the town.

I shall return by noon, and will then communicate my design and what

must be done by you to insure success. But that you may not be

surprised, I think it proper to acquaint you that I shall change my

apparel, and beg of you to give orders that I may not wait long at the

private door, but that it may be opened at the first knock:" all which

the princess promised to observe.

When Aladdin was out of the palace, he looked round him on all sides,

and perceiving a peasant going into the country, hastened after him;

and when he had overtaken him, made a proposal to him to change habits,

which the man agreed to. When they had made the exchange, the

countryman went about his business, and Aladdin to the city. After

traversing several streets, he came to that part of the town where all

descriptions of merchants and artisans had their particular streets,

according to their trades. He went into that of the druggists; and

going into one of the largest and best-furnished shops, asked the

druggist if he had a certain powder which he named.

The druggist, judging Aladdin by his habit to be very poor, and that he

had not money enough to pay for it, told him he had it, but that it was

very dear; upon which Aladdin, penetrating his thoughts, pulled out his

purse, and showing him some gold, asked for half a dram of the powder;

which the druggist weighed, wrapped up in paper, and gave him, telling

him the price was a piece of gold. Aladdin put the money into his hand,

and staying no longer in the town than just to get a little

refreshment, returned to the palace, where he waited not long at the

private door. When he came into the princess's apartment, he said to

her, "Princess, perhaps the aversion you tell me you have for your

ravisher may be an objection to your executing what I am going to

propose; but permit me to say it is proper that you should at this

juncture dissemble a little, and do violence to your inclinations, if

you would deliver yourself from him, and give my lord the sultan your

father the satisfaction of seeing you again.

"If you will take my advice," continued he, "dress yourself this moment

in one of your richest habits, and when the African magician comes,

make no difficulty to give him the best reception; receive him with a

cheerful countenance, so that he may imagine time has removed your

affliction and disgust at his addresses. In your conversation, let him

understand that you strive to forget me; and that he may be the more

fully convinced of your sincerity, invite him to sup with you, and tell

him you should be glad to taste of some of the best wines of his

country. He will presently go to fetch you some. During his absence,

put into one of the cups you are accustomed to drink out of this

powder, and setting it by, charge the slave you may order that night to

attend you, on a signal you shall agree upon, to bring that cup to you.

When the magician and you have eaten and drunk as much as you choose,

let her bring you the cup, and then change cups with him. He will

esteem it so great a favor that he will not refuse, but eagerly quaff

it off; but no sooner will he have drunk, than you will see him fall

backwards. If you have any reluctance to drink out of his cup, you may

pretend only to do it, without fear of being discovered; for the effect

of the powder is so quick, that he will not have time to know whether

you drink or not."

When Aladdin had finished, "I own," answered the princess, "I shall do

myself great violence in consenting to make the magician such advances

as I see are absolutely necessary; but what cannot one resolve to do

against a cruel enemy? I will therefore follow your advice, since both

my repose and yours depend upon it." After the princess had agreed to

the measures proposed by Aladdin, he took his leave, and went and spent

the rest of the day in the neighborhood of the palace till it was

night, and he might safely return to the private door.

The princess, who had remained inconsolable at being separated not only

from her husband, whom she had loved from the first moment, and still

continued to love more out of inclination than duty, but also from the

sultan her father, who had always shown the most tender and paternal

affection for her, had, ever since their cruel separation, lived in

great neglect of her person. She had almost forgotten the neatness so

becoming persons of her sex and quality, particularly after the first

time the magician paid her a visit; and she had understood by some of

the women, who knew him again, that it was he who had taken the old

lamp in exchange for a new one, which rendered the sight of him more

abhorred. However, the opportunity of taking the revenge he deserved

made her resolve to gratify Aladdin. As soon, therefore, as he was

gone, she sat down to dress, and was attired by her women to the best

advantage in the richest habit of her wardrobe. Her girdle was of the

finest and largest diamonds set in gold, her necklace of pearls, six on

a side, so well proportioned to that in the middle, which was the

largest ever seen, and invaluable, that the greatest sultanesses would

have been proud to have been adorned with only two of the smallest. Her

bracelets, which were of diamonds and rubies intermixed, corresponded

admirably to the richness of the girdle and necklace.

When the princess Buddir al Buddoor was completely dressed, she

consulted her glass and women upon her adjustment; and when she found

she wanted no charms to flatter the foolish passion of the African

magician, she sat down on a sofa expecting his arrival.

The magician came at the usual hour, and as soon as he entered the

great hall where the princess waited to receive him, she rose with an

enchanting grace and smile, and pointed with her hand to the most

honorable place, waiting till he sat down, that she might sit at the

same time, which was a civility she had never shown him before.

The African magician, dazzled more with the luster of the princess's

eyes than the glittering of the jewels with which she was adorned, was

much surprised. The smiling and graceful air with which she received

him, so opposite to her former behavior, quite fascinated his heart.

When he was seated, the princess, to free him from his embarrassment,

broke silence first, looking at him all the time in such a manner as to

make him believe that he was not so odious to her as she had given him

to understand hitherto, and said, "You are doubtless amazed to find me

so much altered today; but your surprise will not be so great when I

acquaint you, that I am naturally of a disposition so opposite to

melancholy and grief, sorrow and uneasiness, that I always strive to

put them as far away as possible when I find the subject of them is

past. I have reflected on what you told me of Aladdin's fate, and know

my father's temper so well, that I am persuaded with you he could not

escape the terrible effects of the sultan's rage: therefore, should I

continue to lament him all my life, my tears cannot recall him. For

this reason, since I have paid all the duties decency requires of me to

his memory, now he is in the grave I think I ought to endeavor to

comfort myself. These are the motives of the change you see in me; I am

resolved to banish melancholy entirely; and, persuaded that you will

bear me company tonight, I have ordered a supper to be prepared; but as

I have no wines but those of China, I have a great desire to taste of

the produce of Africa, and doubt not your procuring some of the best."

The African magician, who had looked upon the happiness of getting so

soon and so easily into the princess Buddir al Buddoor's good graces as

impossible, could not think of words expressive enough to testify how

sensible he was of her favor: but to put an end the sooner to a

conversation which would have embarrassed him, if he had engaged

farther in it, he turned it upon the wines of Africa, and said, "Of all

the advantages Africa can boast, that of producing the most excellent

wines is one of the principal. I have a vessel of seven years old,

which has never been broached; and it is indeed not praising it too

much to say it is the finest wine in the world. If my princess," added

he, "will give me leave, I will go and fetch two bottles, and return

again immediately." "I should be sorry to give you that trouble,"

replied the princess; "you had better send for them." "It is necessary

I should go myself," answered the African magician; "for nobody but

myself knows where the key of the cellar is laid, or has the secret to

unlock the door." "If it be so," said the princess, "make haste back;

for the longer you stay, the greater will be my impatience, and we

shall sit down to supper as soon as you return."

The African magician, full of hopes of his expected happiness, rather

flew than ran, and returned quickly with the wine. The princess, not

doubting but he would make haste, put with her own hand the powder

Aladdin had given her into the cup set apart for that purpose. They sat

down at the table opposite to each other, the magician's back towards

the beaufet. The princess presented him with the best at the table, and

said to him, "If you please, I will entertain you with a concert of

vocal and instrumental music; but as we are only two, I think

conversation may be more agreeable." This the magician took as a new

favor.

After they had eaten some time, the princess called for some wine,

drank the magician's health, and afterwards said to him, "Indeed you

had a full right to commend your wine, since I never tasted any so

delicious." "Charming princess," said he, holding in his hand the cup

which had been presented to him, "my wine becomes more exquisite by

your approbation." "Then drink my health," replied the princess; "you

will find I understand wines." He drank the princess's health, and

returning the cup, said, "I think myself fortunate, princess, that I

reserved this wine for so happy an occasion; and own I never before

drank any in every respect so excellent."

When they had each drunk two or three cups more, the princess, who had

completely charmed the African magician by her civility and obliging

behavior, gave the signal to the slave who served them with wine,

bidding her bring the cup which had been filled for herself, and at the

same time bring the magician a full goblet. When they both had their

cups in their hands, she said to him, "I know not how you express your

loves in these parts when drinking together? With us in China the lover

and his mistress reciprocally exchange cups, and drink each other's

health:" at the same time she presented to him the cup which was in her

hand, and held out her hand to receive his. He hastened to make the

exchange with the more pleasure, because he looked upon this favor as

the most certain token of an entire conquest over the princess, which

raised his rapture to the highest pitch. Before he drank, he said to

her, with the cup in his hand, "Indeed, princess, we Africans are not

so refined in the art of love as you Chinese: and your instructing me

in a lesson I was ignorant of, informs me how sensible I ought to be of

the favor done me. I shall never, lovely princess, forget my

recovering, by drinking out of your cup, that life, which your cruelty,

had it continued, must have made me despair of."

The princess, who began to be tired with this impertinent declaration

of the African magician, interrupted him, and said, "Let us drink

first, and then say what you will afterwards;" at the same time she set

the cup to her lips, while the African magician, who was eager to get

his wine off first, drank up the very last drop. In finishing it, he

had reclined his head back to show his eagerness, and remained some

time in that state. The princess kept the cup at her lips, till she saw

his eyes turn in his head, when he fell backwards lifeless on the sofa.

The princess had no occasion to order the private door to be opened to

Aladdin; for her women were so disposed from the great hall to the foot

of the staircase, that the word was no sooner given that the African

magician was fallen backwards, than the door was immediately opened.

As soon as Aladdin entered the hall, he saw the magician stretched

backwards on the sofa. The princess rose from her seat, and ran

overjoyed to embrace him; but he stopped her, and said, "Princess, it

is not yet time; oblige me by retiring to your apartment; and let me be

left alone a moment, while I endeavor to transport you back to China as

speedily as you were brought from thence."

When the princess, her women and eunuchs, were gone out of the hall,

Aladdin shut the door, and going directly to the dead body of the

magician, opened his vest, took out the lamp which was carefully

wrapped up, as the princess had told him, and unfolding and rubbing it,

the genie immediately appeared. "Genie," said Aladdin, "I have called

to command thee, on the part of thy good mistress this lamp, to

transport this palace instantly into China, to the place from whence it

was brought hither." The genie bowed his head in token of obedience,

and disappeared. Immediately the palace was transported into China, and

its removal was only felt by two little shocks, the one when it was

lifted up, the other when it was set down, and both in a very short

interval of time.

Aladdin went to the princess's apartment, and embracing her, said, "I

can assure you, princess, that your joy and mine will be complete

tomorrow morning." The princess, guessing that Aladdin must be hungry,

ordered the dishes, served up in the great hall, to be brought down.

The princess and Aladdin ate as much as they thought fit, and drank of

the African magician's old wine; during which time their conversation

could not be otherwise than satisfactory, and then they retired to

their own chamber.

From the time of the transportation of Aladdin's palace, the princess's

father had been inconsolable for the loss of her. He could take no

rest, and instead of avoiding what might continue his affliction he

indulged it without restraint. Before the disaster he used to go every

morning into his closet to please himself with viewing the palace; he

went now many times in the day to renew his tears, and plunge himself

into the deepest melancholy, by the idea of no more seeing that which

once gave him so much pleasure, and reflecting how he had lost what was

most dear to him in this world.

The very morning of the return of Aladdin's palace, the sultan went, by

break of day, into his closet to indulge his sorrows. Absorbed in

himself, and in a pensive mood, he cast his eyes towards the spot,

expecting only to see an open space; but perceiving the vacancy filled

up, he at first imagined the appearance to be the effect of a fog;

looking more attentively, he was convinced beyond the power of doubt

that it was his son-in-law's palace. Joy and gladness succeeded to

sorrow and grief. He returned immediately into his apartment, and

ordered a horse to be saddled and brought to him without delay, which

he mounted that instant, thinking he could not make haste enough to the

palace.

Aladdin, who foresaw what would happen, rose that morning at daybreak,

put on one of the most magnificent habits his wardrobe afforded, and

went up into the hall of twenty-four windows, from whence he perceived

the sultan approaching, and got down soon enough to receive him at the

foot of the great staircase, and to help him to dismount. "Aladdin,"

said the sultan, "I cannot speak to you till I have seen and embraced

my daughter."

He led the sultan into the princess's apartment. The happy father

embraced her with his face bathed in tears of joy; and the princess, on

her side, showed him all the testimonies of the extreme pleasure the

sight of him afforded her.

The sultan was some time before he could open his lips, so great was

his surprise and joy to find his daughter again, after he had given her

up for lost; and the princess, upon seeing her father, let fall tears

of rapture and affection.

At last the sultan broke silence, and said, "I would believe, daughter,

your joy to see me makes you seem as little changed as if no misfortune

had befallen you; yet I cannot be persuaded but that you have suffered

much alarm; for a large palace cannot be so suddenly transported as

yours has been, without causing great fright and apprehension. I would

have you tell me all that has happened, and conceal nothing from me."

The princess, who took great pleasure in giving the sultan the

satisfaction he demanded, said, "If I appear so little altered, I beg

of your Majesty to consider that I received new life yesterday morning

by the presence of my dear husband and deliverer Aladdin, whom I looked

upon and bewailed as lost to me; and the happiness of seeing and

embracing of whom has almost recovered me to my former state of health.

My greatest suffering was only to find myself forced from your Majesty

and my dear husband; not only from the love I bore my husband, but from

the uneasiness I labored under through fear that he, though innocent,

might feel the effects of your anger, to which I knew he was left

exposed. I suffered but little from the insolence of the wretch who had

carried me off; for having secured the ascendant over him, I always put

a stop to his disagreeable overtures, and was as little constrained as

I am at present.

"As to what relates to my transportation, Aladdin had no concern in it:

I was myself the innocent cause of it." To persuade the sultan of the

truth of what she said, she gave him a full account how the African

magician had disguised himself, and offered to change new lamps for old

ones; how she had amused herself in making that exchange, being

entirely ignorant of the secret and importance of the wonderful lamp;

how the palace and herself were carried away and transported into

Africa, with the African magician, who was recognized by two of her

women and the eunuch who made the exchange of the lamp, when he had the

audacity, after the success of his daring enterprise, to propose

himself for her husband; how he persecuted her till Aladdin's arrival;

how they had concerted measures to get the lamp from him again, and the

success they had fortunately met with by her dissimulation in inviting

him to supper, and giving him the cup with the powder prepared for him.

"For the rest," added she, "I leave it to Aladdin to recount."

Aladdin had not much to tell the sultan, but only said, "When the

private door was opened I went up into the great hall, where I found

the magician lying dead on the sofa; and as I thought it not proper for

the princess to stay there any longer, I desired her to go down into

her own apartment, with her women and eunuchs. As soon as I was alone,

and had taken the lamp out of the magician's breast, I made use of the

same secret he had done, to remove the palace, and carry off the

princess; and by that means the palace was reconveyed to the place

where it stood before; and I have the happiness to restore the princess

to your Majesty, as you commanded me. But that your Majesty may not

think that I impose upon you, if you will give yourself the trouble to

go up into the hall, you may see the magician punished as he deserved."

The sultan, to be assured of the truth, rose instantly, and went into

the hall, where, when he saw the African magician dead, and his face

already livid by the strength of the poison, he embraced Aladdin with

great tenderness, and said, "My son, be not displeased at my

proceedings against you; they arose from my paternal love; and

therefore you ought to forgive the excesses to which it hurried me."

"Sir," replied Aladdin, "I have not the least reason to complain of

your Majesty's conduct, since you did nothing but what your duty

required. This infamous magician, the basest of men, was the sole cause

of my misfortune. When your Majesty has leisure, I will give you an

account of another villainous action he was guilty of towards me, which

was no less black and base than this, from which I was preserved by the

providence of God in a very miraculous way." "I will take an

opportunity, and that very shortly," replied the sultan, "to hear it;

but in the meantime let us think only of rejoicing, and the removal of

this odious object."

Aladdin ordered the magician's corpse to be removed and thrown upon a

dunghill, for birds and beasts to prey upon. In the meantime, the

sultan commanded the drums, trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments of

music to announce his joy to the public, and a festival of ten days to

be proclaimed for the return of the princess and Aladdin.

Thus Aladdin escaped once more the almost inevitable danger of losing

his life; but this was not the last, since he ran as great a hazard a

third time; the circumstances of which I shall relate.

The African magician had a younger brother, who was equally skillful as

a necromancer, and even surpassed him in villainy and pernicious

designs. As they did not live together, or in the same city, but

oftentimes when one was in the East, the other was in the West, they

failed not every year to inform themselves, by their art, each where

the other resided, and whether they stood in need of one another's

assistance.

Some time after the African magician had failed in his enterprise

against Aladdin, his younger brother, who had heard no tidings of him,

and was not in Africa, but in a distant country, had the wish to know

in what part of the world he sojourned, the state of his health, and

what he was doing; and as he, as well as his brother, always carried a

geomantic square instrument about him, he prepared the sand, cast the

points, and drew the figures. On examining the planetary mansions, he

found that his brother was no longer living, but had been poisoned; and

by another observation, that he was in the capital of the kingdom of

China; also that the person who had poisoned him was of mean birth,

though married to a princess, a sultan's daughter.

When the magician had informed himself of his brother's fate, he lost

no time in useless regret, which could not restore him to life; but

resolving immediately to revenge his death, departed for China; where,

after crossing plains, rivers, mountains, deserts, and a long tract of

country without delay, he arrived after incredible fatigues.

When he came to the capital of China, he took a lodging. The next day

he walked through the town not so much to observe the beauties, which

were indifferent to him, as to take proper measures to execute his

pernicious designs. He introduced himself into the most frequented

places, where he listened to everybody's discourse. In a place where

people resort to divert themselves with games of various kinds, and

where some were conversing, while others played, he heard some persons

talk of the virtue and piety of a woman called Fatima, who was retired

from the world, and of the miracles she wrought. As he fancied that

this woman might be serviceable to him in the project he had conceived,

he took one of the company aside, and requested to be informed more

particularly who that holy woman was, and what sort of miracles she

performed.

"What!" said the person whom he had addressed, "have you never seen or

heard of her? She is the admiration of the whole town, for her fasting,

her austerities, and her exemplary life. Except Mondays and Fridays,

she never stirs out of her little cell; and on those days on which she

comes into town she does an infinite deal of good; for there is not a

person that has the headache but is cured by her laying her hand upon

them."

The magician wanted no further information. He only asked the person in

what part of the town this holy woman's cell was situated. After he had

informed himself on this head, he determined on the detestable design

of murdering her and assuming her character. With this view he watched

all her steps the first day she went out after he had made this

inquiry, without losing sight of her till evening, when he saw her

reenter her cell. When he had fully observed the place, he went to one

of those houses where they sell a certain hot liquor, and where any

person may pass the night, particularly in the great heats, when the

people of that country prefer lying on a mat to a bed. About midnight,

after the magician had satisfied the master of the house for what

little he had called for, he went out, and proceeded directly to the

cell of Fatima. He had no difficulty to open the door, which was only

fastened with a latch, and he shut it again after he had entered,

without any noise. When he entered the cell, he perceived Fatima by

moonlight lying in the air on a sofa covered only by an old mat, with

her head leaning against the wall. He awakened her, and clapped a

dagger to her breast.

The pious Fatima opening her eyes, was much surprised to see a man with

a dagger at her breast ready to stab her, and who said to her, "If you

cry out, or make the least noise, I will kill you; but get up, and do

as I shall direct you."

Fatima, who had lain down in her habit, got up, trembling with fear.

"Do not be so much frightened," said the magician; "I only want your

habit, give it me and take mine." Accordingly Fatima and he changed

clothes. He then said to her, "Color my face, that I may be like you;"

but perceiving that the poor creature could not help trembling, to

encourage her he said, "I tell you again you need not fear anything: I

swear by the name of God I will not take away your life." Fatima

lighted her lamp, led him into the cell, and dipping a soft brush in a

certain liquor, rubbed it over his face, assured him the color would

not change, and that his face was of the same hue as her own: after

which, she put her own head-dress on his head, also a veil, with which

she showed him how to hide his face as he passed through the town.

After this, she put a long string of beads about his neck, which hung

down to the middle of his body, and giving him the stick she used to

walk with, in his hand, brought him a looking-glass, and bade him look

if he was not as like her as possible. The magician found himself

disguised as he wished to be; but he did not keep the oath he so

solemnly swore to the good Fatima; but instead of stabbing her, for

fear the blood might discover him, he strangled her; and when he found

she was dead, threw her body into a cistern just by the cell.

The magician, thus disguised like the holy woman Fatima, spent the

remainder of the night in the cell. The next morning, two hours after

sunrise, though it was not a day the holy woman used to go out on, he

crept out of the cell, being well persuaded that nobody would ask him

any questions; or, if they should, he had an answer ready for them. As

one of the first things he did after his arrival was to find out

Aladdin's palace, where he was to complete his designs, he went

directly thither.

As soon as the people saw the holy woman, as they imagined him to be,

they presently gathered about him in a great crowd. Some begged his

blessing, others kissed his hand, and others, more reserved, only the

hem of his garment; while others, whether their heads ached, or they

wished to be preserved against that disorder, stooped for him to lay

his hands upon them; which he did, muttering some words in form of

prayer; and, in short, counterfeited so well, that everybody took him

for the holy woman.

After frequently stopping to satisfy people of this description, who

received neither good nor harm from this imposition of hands, he came

at last to the square before Aladdin's palace. The crowd was so great

that the eagerness to get at him increased in proportion. Those who

were the most zealous and strong forced their way through the crowd.

There were such quarrels, and so great a noise, that the princess, who

was in the hall of four-and-twenty windows, heard it, and asked what

was the matter; but nobody being able to give her an answer, she

ordered them to inquire and inform her. One of her women looked out of

a window, and then told her it was a great crowd of people collected

about the holy woman to be cured of the headache by the imposition of

her hands.

The princess, who had long heard of this holy woman, but had never seen

her, was very desirous to have some conversation with her, which the

chief of the eunuchs perceiving, told her it was an easy matter to

bring her to her, if she desired and commanded it; and the princess

expressing her wishes, he immediately sent four eunuchs for the

pretended holy woman.

As soon as the crowd saw the eunuchs, they made way, and the magician

perceiving also that they were coming for him, advanced to meet them,

overjoyed to find his plot proceeded so well. "Holy woman," said one of

the eunuchs, "the princess wants to see you, and has sent us for you."

"The princess does me too great an honor," replied the false Fatima; "I

am ready to obey her command," and at the same time followed the

eunuchs to the palace.

When the magician, who under a holy garment disguised a wicked heart,

was introduced into the great hall, and perceived the princess, he

began a prayer, which contained a long enumeration of vows and good

wishes for the princess's health and prosperity, and that she might

have everything she desired. He then displayed all his hypocritical

rhetoric, to insinuate himself into the princess's favor under the

cloak of piety, which it was no hard matter for him to do; for as the

princess herself was naturally good, she was easily persuaded that all

the world were like her, especially those who made profession of

serving God in solitude.

When the pretended Fatima had finished his long harangue, the princess

said to him, "I thank you, good mother, for your prayers; I have great

confidence in them, and hope God will hear them. Come, and sit by me."

The false Fatima sat down with affected modesty: the princess then

resuming her discourse, said, "My good mother, I have one thing to

request, which you must not refuse me; it is, to stay with me, that you

may edify me with your way of living; and that I may learn from your

good example how to serve God." "Princess," said the counterfeit

Fatima, "I beg of you not to ask what I cannot consent to, without

neglecting my prayers and devotion." "That shall be no hindrance to

you," answered the princess; "I have a great many apartments

unoccupied; you shall choose which you like best, and have as much

liberty to perform your devotions as if you were in your own cell."

The magician, who desired nothing more than to introduce himself into

the palace, where it would be much easier matter for him to execute his

designs, under the favor and protection of the princess, than if he had

been forced to come and go from the cell to the palace, did not urge

much to excuse himself from accepting the obliging offer which the

princess made him. "Princess," said he, "whatever resolution a poor

wretched woman as I am may have made to renounce the pomp and grandeur

of this world, I dare not presume to oppose the will and commands of so

pious and charitable a princess."

Upon this the princess, rising up, said, "Come with me, I will show

you what vacant apartments I have, that you may make choice of that you

like best." The magician followed the princess, and of all the

apartments she showed him, made choice of that which was the worst

furnished, saying, It was too good for him, and that he only accepted

of it to please her.

Afterwards the princess would have brought him back again into the

great hall to make him dine with her; but he considering that he should

then be obliged to show his face, which he had always taken care to

conceal; and fearing that the princess should find out that he was not

Fatima, he begged of her earnestly to excuse him, telling her that he

never ate anything but bread and dried fruits, and desiring to eat

that slight repast in his own apartment. The princess granted his

request, saying, "You may be as free here, good mother, as if you were

in your own cell; I will order you a dinner, but remember I expect you

as soon as you have finished your repast."

After the princess had dined, and the false Fatima had been informed by

one of the eunuchs that she was risen from table, he failed not to wait

upon her. "My good mother," said the princess, "I am overjoyed to have

the company of so holy a woman as yourself, who will confer a blessing

upon this palace. But now I am speaking of the palace, Pray how do you

like it? And before I show it all to you, tell me first what you think

of this hall."

Upon this question, the counterfeit Fatima, who, to act his part the

better, affected to hang down his head, without so much as ever once

lifting it, at last looked up, and surveyed the hall from one end to

the other. When he had examined it well, he said to the princess, "As

far as such a solitary being as I am, who am unacquainted with what the

world calls beautiful, can judge, this hall is truly admirable and most

beautiful; there wants but one thing." "What is that, good mother?"

demanded the princess. "Tell me, I conjure you. For my part, I always

believed, and have heard say, it wanted nothing; but if it does, it

shall be supplied."

"Princess," said the false Fatima, with great dissimulation, "forgive

me the liberty I have taken; but my opinion is, if it can be of any

importance, that if a roc's egg were hung up in the middle of the dome,

this hall would have no parallel in the four quarters of the world, and

your palace would be the wonder of the universe."

"My good mother," said the princess, "what bird is a roc, and where may

one get an egg?" "Princess," replied the pretended Fatima, "it is a

bird of prodigious size, which inhabits the summit of Mount Caucasus;

the architect who built your palace can get you one."

After the princess had thanked the false Fatima for what she believed

her good advice, she conversed with her upon other matters; but could

not forget the roc's egg, which she resolved to request of Aladdin when

he returned from hunting. He had been gone six days, which the magician

knew, and therefore took advantage of his absence; but he returned that

evening after the false Fatima had taken leave of the princess, and

retired to his apartment. As soon as he arrived, he went directly to

the princess's apartment, saluted and embraced her, but she seemed to

receive him coldly. "My princess," said he, "I think you are not so

cheerful as you used to be; has anything happened during my absence,

which has displeased you, or given you any trouble or dissatisfaction?

In the name of God do not conceal it from me; I will leave nothing

undone that is in my power to please you." "It is a trifling matter,"

replied the princess, "which gives me so little concern that I could

not have thought you could have perceived it in my countenance; but

since you have unexpectedly discovered some alteration, I will no

longer disguise a matter of so little consequence from you.

"I always believed," continued the princess, "that our palace was the

most superb, magnificent, and complete in the world: but I will tell

you now what I find fault with, upon examining the hall of four-and-

twenty windows. Do not you think with me, that it would be complete if

a roc's egg were hung up in the midst of the dome?" "Princess," replied

Aladdin, "it is enough that you think there wants such an ornament; you

shall see by the diligence used to supply that deficiency, that there

is nothing which I would not do for your sake."

Aladdin left the princess Buddir al Buddoor that moment, and went up

into the hall of four-and-twenty windows, where pulling out of his

bosom the lamp, which, after the danger he had been exposed to, he

always carried about him, he rubbed it; upon which the genie

immediately appeared. "Genie," said Aladdin, "there wants a roc's egg

to be hung up in the midst of the dome; I command thee, in the name of

this lamp, to repair the deficiency." Aladdin had no sooner pronounced

these words, than the genie gave so loud and terrible a cry, that the

hall shook, and Aladdin could scarcely stand upright. "What! wretch,"

said the genie, in a voice that would have made the most undaunted man

tremble, "is it not enough that I and my companions have done

everything for you, but you, by an unheard-of ingratitude, must command

me to bring my master, and hang him up in the midst of this dome? This

attempt deserves that you, your wife, and your palace, should be

immediately reduced to ashes: but you are happy that this request does

not come from yourself. Know, then, that the true author is the brother

of the African magician, your enemy, whom you have destroyed as he

deserved. He is now in your palace, disguised in the habit of the holy

woman Fatima, whom he has murdered; and it is he who has suggested to

your wife to make this pernicious demand. His design is to kill you,

therefore take care of yourself." After these words, the genie

disappeared.

Aladdin lost not a word of what the genie had said. He had heard talk

of the holy woman Fatima, and how she pretended to cure the headache.

He returned to the princess's apartment, and without mentioning a word

of what had happened, sat down, and complained of a great pain which

had suddenly seized his head; upon which the princess ordered the holy

woman to be called, and then told him how she had invited her to the

palace, and that she had appointed her an apartment.

When the pretended Fatima came, Aladdin said, "Come hither, good

mother; I am glad to see you here at so fortunate a time; I am

tormented with a violent pain in my head, and request your assistance,

by the confidence I have in your good prayers, and hope you will not

refuse me that favor which you do to so many persons afflicted with

this complaint." So saying, he arose, but held down his head. The

counterfeit Fatima advanced towards him, with his hand all the time on

a dagger concealed in his girdle under his gown; which Aladdin

observing, he seized his hand before he had drawn it, pierced him to

the heart with his own dagger, and then pushed him down on the floor.

"My dear husband, what have you done?" cried the princess in surprise.

"You have killed the holy woman." "No, my princess," answered Aladdin,

with emotion, "I have not killed Fatima, but a villain, who would have

assassinated me, if I had not prevented him. This wicked wretch," added

he, uncovering his face, "has strangled Fatima, whom you accuse me of

killing, and disguised himself in her clothes with intent to murder me:

but that you may know him better, he is brother to the African

magician." Aladdin then informed her how he came to know these

particulars, and afterwards ordered the dead body to be taken away.

Thus was Aladdin delivered from the persecution of two brothers, who

were magicians. Within a few years afterwards, the sultan died in a

good old age, and as he left no male children, the princess Buddir al

Buddoor, as lawful heir of the throne, succeeded him, and communicating

the power to Aladdin, they reigned together many years, and left a

numerous and illustrious posterity.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

CLASSIC

THE GORGON'S HEAD

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Perseus was the son of Danaë, who was the daughter of a king. And when

Perseus was a very little boy, some wicked people put his mother and

himself into a chest, and set them afloat upon the sea. The wind blew

freshly, and drove the chest away from the shore, and the uneasy

billows tossed it up and down; while Danaë clasped her child closely to

her bosom, and dreaded that some big wave would dash its foamy crest

over them both. The chest sailed on, however, and neither sank nor was

upset; until, when night was coining, it floated so near an island that

it got entangled in a fisherman's nets, and was drawn out high and dry

upon the sand. The island was called Seriphus, and it was reigned over

by King Polydectes, who happened to be the fisherman's brother.

This fisherman, I am glad to tell you, was an exceedingly humane and

upright man. He showed great kindness to Danaë and her little boy; and

continued to befriend them, until Perseus had grown to be a handsome

youth, very strong and active, and skillful in the use of arms. Long

before this time King Polydectes had seen the two strangers--the mother

and her child--who had come to his dominions in a floating chest. As he

was not good and kind, like his brother the fisherman, but extremely

wicked, he resolved to send Perseus on a dangerous enterprise, in which

he would probably be killed, and then to do some great mischief to

Danaë herself. So this bad-hearted king spent a long while in

considering what was the most dangerous thing that a young man could

possibly undertake to perform. At last, having hit upon an enterprise

that promised to turn out as fatally as he desired, he sent for the

youthful Perseus.

The young man came to the palace, and found the king sitting upon his

throne.

"Perseus," said King Polydectes, smiling craftily upon him, "you are

grown up a fine young man. You and your good mother have received a

great deal of kindness from myself, as well as from my worthy brother,

the fisherman, and I suppose you would not be sorry to repay some of

it."

"Please, your Majesty," answered Perseus, "I would willingly risk my

life to do so."

"Well, then," continued the king, still with a cunning smile on his

lips, "I have a little adventure to propose to you; and, as you are a

brave and enterprising youth, you will doubtless look upon it as a

great piece of good luck to have so rare an opportunity of

distinguishing yourself. You must know, my good Perseus, I think of

getting married to the beautiful Princess Hippodamia; and it is

customary, on these occasions, to make the bride a present of some

farfetched and elegant curiosity. I have been a little perplexed, I

must honestly confess, where to obtain anything likely to please a

princess of her exquisite taste. But, this morning, I flatter myself, I

have thought of precisely the article."

"And can I assist your Majesty in obtaining it?" cried Perseus,

eagerly.

"You can, if you are as brave a youth as I believe you to be," replied

King Polydectes, with the utmost graciousness of manner. "The bridal

gift which I have set my heart on presenting to the beautiful

Hippodamia is the head of the Gorgon Medusa, with the snaky locks; and

I depend on you, my dear Perseus, to bring it to me. So, as I am

anxious to settle affairs with the princess, the sooner you go in quest

of the Gorgon, the better I shall be pleased."

"I will set out tomorrow morning," answered Perseus.

"Pray do so, my gallant youth," rejoined the king. "And, Perseus, in

cutting off the Gorgon's head, be careful to make a clean stroke, so as

not to injure its appearance. You must bring it home in the very best

condition, in order to suit the exquisite taste of the beautiful

Princess Hippodamia."

Perseus left the palace, but was scarcely out of hearing before

Polydectes burst into a laugh; being greatly amused, wicked king that

he was, to find how readily the young man fell into the snare. The news

quickly spread abroad, that Perseus had undertaken to cut off the head

of Medusa with the snaky locks. Everybody was rejoiced; for most of the

inhabitants of the island were as wicked as the king himself, and would

have liked nothing better than to see some enormous mischief happen to

Danae and her son. The only good man in this unfortunate island of

Seriphus appears to have been the fisherman. As Perseus walked along,

therefore, the people pointed after him, and made mouths, and winked to

one another, and ridiculed him as loudly as they dared.

"Ho, ho!" cried they; "Medusa's snakes will sting him soundly!"

Now, there were three Gorgons alive, at that period, and they were the

most strange and terrible monsters that had ever been seen since the

world was made, or that have been seen in after days, or that are

likely to be seen in all time to come. I hardly know what sort of

creature or hobgoblin to call them. They were three sisters, and seem

to have borne some distant resemblance to women, but were really a very

frightful and mischievous species of dragon. It is, indeed, difficult

to imagine what hideous beings these three sisters were. Why, instead

of locks of hair, if you can believe me, they had each of them a

hundred enormous snakes growing on their heads, all alive, twisting,

wriggling, curling, and thrusting out their venomous tongues, with

forked stings at the end! The teeth of the Gorgons were terribly long

tusks; their hands were made of brass; and their bodies were all over

scales, which, if not iron, were something as hard and impenetrable.

They had wings, too, and exceedingly splendid ones, I can assure you;

for every feather in them was pure, bright, glittering, burnished gold,

and they looked very dazzlingly, no doubt, when the Gorgons were flying

about in the sunshine.

But when people happened to catch a glimpse of their glittering

brightness, aloft in the air, they seldom stopped to gaze, but ran and

hid themselves as speedily as they could. You will think, perhaps, that

they were afraid of being stung by the serpents that served the Gorgons

instead of hair--or of having their heads bitten off by their ugly

tusks,--or of being torn all to pieces by their brazen claws. Well, to

be sure, these were some of the dangers, but by no means the greatest,

nor the most difficult to avoid. For the worst thing about these

abominable Gorgons was, that, if once a poor mortal fixed his eyes full

upon one of their faces, he was certain, that very instant, to be

changed from warm flesh and blood into cold and lifeless stone!

Thus, as you will easily perceive, it was a very dangerous adventure

that the wicked King Polydectes had contrived for this innocent young

man. Perseus himself, when he had thought over the matter, could not

help seeing that he had very little chance of coming safely through it,

and that he was far more likely to become a stone image than to bring

back the head of Medusa with the snaky locks. For, not to speak of

other difficulties, there was one which it would have puzzled an older

man than Perseus to get over. Not only must he fight with and slay this

golden-winged, iron-scaled, long-tusked, brazen-clawed, snaky-haired

monster, but he must do it with his eyes shut, or, at least, without so

much as a glance at the enemy with whom he was contending. Else, while

his arm was lifted to strike, he would stiffen into stone, and stand

with that uplifted arm for centuries, until time, and the wind and

weather, should crumble him quite away. This would be a very sad thing

to befall a young man who wanted to perform a great many brave deeds

and to enjoy a great deal of happiness in this bright and beautiful

world.

So disconsolate did these thoughts make him, that Perseus could not

bear to tell his mother what he had undertaken to do. He therefore took

his shield, girded on his sword, and crossed over from the island to

the mainland, where he sat down in a solitary place, and hardly

refrained from shedding tears.

But, while he was in this sorrowful mood, he heard a voice close beside

him.

"Perseus," said the voice, "why are you so sad?"

He lifted his head from his hands, in which he had hidden it, and,

behold! all alone as Perseus had supposed himself to be, there was a

stranger in the solitary place. It was a brisk, intelligent, and

remarkably shrewd-looking young man, with a cloak over his shoulders,

an odd sort of cap on his head, a strangely twisted staff in his hand,

and a short and very crooked sword hanging by his side. He was

exceeding light and active in his figure, like a person much accustomed

to gymnastic exercises, and well able to leap or run. Above all, the

stranger had such a cheerful, knowing, and helpful aspect (though it

was certainly a little mischievous, into the bargain), that Perseus

could not help feeling his spirits grow livelier, as he gazed at him.

Besides, being really a courageous youth, he felt greatly ashamed that

anybody should have found him with tears in his eyes, like a timid

little schoolboy, when, after all, there might be no occasion for

despair. So Perseus wiped his eyes, and answered the stranger pretty

briskly, putting on as brave a look as he could.

"I am not so very sad," said he; "only thoughtful about an adventure

that I have undertaken."

"Oho!" answered the stranger. "Well, tell me all about it, and possibly

I may be of service to you. I have helped a good many young men through

adventures that looked difficult enough beforehand. Perhaps you may

have heard of me. I have more names than one; but the name of

Quicksilver suits me as well as any other. Tell me what your trouble

is, and we will talk the matter over and see what can be done."

The stranger's words and manner put Perseus into quite a different mood

from his former one. He resolved to tell Quicksilver all his

difficulties, since he could not easily be worse off than he already

was, and, very possibly, his new friend might give him some advice that

would turn out well in the end. So he let the stranger know, in few

words, precisely what the case was;--how that King Polydectes wanted

the head of Medusa with the snaky locks as a bridal gift for the

beautiful Princess Hippodamia, and how that he had undertaken to get it

for him, but was afraid of being turned into stone.

"And that would be a great pity," said Quicksilver, with his

mischievous smile. "You would make a very handsome marble statue, it is

true, and it would be a considerable number of centuries before you

crumbled away; but, on the whole, one would rather be a young man for a

few years, than a stone image for a great many."

"Oh, far rather!" exclaimed Perseus, with the tears again standing in

his eyes. "And, besides, what would my dear mother do, if her beloved

son were turned into a stone?"

"Well, well; let us hope that the affair will not turn out so very

badly," replied Quicksilver, in an encouraging tone. "I am the very

person to help you, if anybody can. My sister and myself will do our

utmost to bring you safe through the adventure, ugly as it now looks."

"Your sister?" repeated Perseus.

"Yes, my sister," said the stranger. "She is very wise, I promise you;

and as for myself, I generally have all my wits about me, such as they

are. If you show yourself bold and cautious, and follow our advice, you

need not fear being a stone image yet awhile. But, first of all, you

must polish your shield, till you can see your face in it as distinctly

as in a mirror."

This seemed to Perseus rather an odd beginning of the adventure; for he

thought it of far more consequence that the shield should be strong

enough to defend him from the Gorgon's brazen claws than that it should

be bright enough to show him the reflection of his face.

However, concluding that Quicksilver knew better than himself, he

immediately set to work and scrubbed the shield with so much diligence

and good will, that it very quickly shone like the moon at harvest

time. Quicksilver looked at it with a smile, and nodded his

approbation. Then, taking off his own short and crooked sword, he

girded it about Perseus instead of the one which he had before worn.

"No sword but mine will answer your purpose," observed he: "the blade

has a most excellent temper, and will cut through iron and brass as

easily as through the slenderest twig. And now we will set out. The

next thing is to find the Three Gray Women, who will tell us where to

find the Nymphs."

"The Three Gray Women!" cried Perseus, to whom this seemed only a new

difficulty in the path of his adventure; "pray, who may the Three Gray

Women be? I never heard of them before."

"They are three very strange old ladies," said Quicksilver, laughing.

"They have but one eye among them, and only one tooth. Moreover, you

must find them out by starlight or in the dusk of the evening; for they

never show themselves by the light either of the sun or moon."

"But," said Perseus, "why should I waste my time with these Three Gray

Women? Would it not be better to set out at once in search of the

terrible Gorgons?"

"No, no," answered his friend. "There are other things to be done,

before you can find your way to the Gorgons. There is nothing for it,

but to hunt up these old ladies; and when we meet with them, you may be

sure that the Gorgons are not a great ways off. Come, let us be

stirring!"

Perseus, by this time, felt so much confidence in his companion's

sagacity, that he made no more objections, and professed himself ready

to begin the adventure immediately. They accordingly set out, and

walked at a pretty brisk pace; so brisk, indeed, that Perseus found it

rather difficult to keep up with his nimble friend Quicksilver. To say

the truth, he had a singular idea that Quicksilver was furnished with a

pair of winged shoes, which, of course, helped him along marvelously.

And then, too, when Perseus looked sideways at him, out of the corner

of his eye, he seemed to see wings on the side of his head; although,

if he turned a full gaze, there were no such things to be perceived,

but only an odd kind of cap. But, at all events, the twisted staff was

evidently a great convenience to Quicksilver, and enabled him to

proceed so fast, that Perseus, though a remarkably active young man,

began to be out of breath.

"Here!" cried Quicksilver at last--for he knew well enough, rogue that

he was, how hard Perseus found it to keep pace with him--"take you the

staff, for you need it a great deal more than I. Are there no better

walkers than yourself in the island of Seriphus?"

"I could walk pretty well," said Perseus, glancing slyly at his

companion's feet, "if I had only a pair of winged shoes."

"We must see about getting you a pair," answered Quicksilver.

But the staff helped Perseus along so bravely, that he no longer felt

the slightest weariness. In fact, the stick seemed to be alive in his

hand, and to lend some of its life to Perseus. He and Quicksilver now

walked onward at their ease, talking very sociably together; and

Quicksilver told so many pleasant stories about his former adventures,

and how well his wits had served him on various occasions, that Perseus

began to think him a very wonderful person. He evidently knew the

world; and nobody is so charming to a young man as a friend who has

that kind of knowledge. Perseus listened the more eagerly, in the hope

of brightening his own wits by what he heard.

At last he happened to recollect that Quicksilver had spoken of a

sister, who was to lend her assistance in the adventure which they were

now bound upon.

"Where is she?" he inquired. "Shall we not meet her soon?"

"All at the proper time," said his companion. "But this sister of mine,

you must understand, is quite a different sort of character from

myself. She is very grave and prudent, seldom smiles, never laughs, and

makes it a rule not to utter a word unless she has something

particularly profound to say. Neither will she listen to any but the

wisest conversation."

"Dear me!" ejaculated Perseus; "I shall be afraid to say a syllable."

"She is a very accomplished person, I assure you," continued

Quicksilver, "and has all the arts and sciences at her fingers' ends.

In short, she is so immoderately wise, that many people call her wisdom

personified. But, to tell you the truth, she has hardly vivacity enough

for my taste; and I think you would scarcely find her so pleasant a

traveling companion as myself. She has her good points, nevertheless;

and you will find the benefit of them, in your encounter with the

Gorgons."

By this time it had grown quite dusk. They were now come to a very wild

and desert place, overgrown with shaggy bushes, and so silent and

solitary that nobody seemed ever to have dwelt or journeyed there. All

was waste and desolate, in the gray twilight, which grew every moment

more obscure. Perseus looked about him rather disconsolately, and asked

Quicksilver whether they had a great deal farther to go.

"Hist! hist!" whispered his companion. "Make no noise. This is just the

time and place to meet the Three Gray Women. Be careful that they do

not see you before you see them, for, though they have but a single eye

among the three, it is as sharp-sighted as half a dozen common eyes."

"But what must I do," asked Perseus, "when we meet them?"

Quicksilver explained to Perseus how the Three Gray Women managed with

their one eye. They were in the habit, it seems, of changing it from

one to another, as if it had been a pair of spectacles or--which would

have suited them better--a quizzing-glass. When one of the three had

kept the eye a certain time, she took it out of the socket and passed

it to one of her sisters, whose turn it might happen to be, and who

immediately clapped it into her own head and enjoyed a peep at the

visible world. Thus it will easily be understood that only one of the

Three Gray Women could see, while the other two were in utter darkness;

and, moreover, at the instant when the eye was passing from hand to

hand neither of the poor old ladies was able to see a wink. I have

heard of a great many strange things, in my day, and have witnessed not

a few; but none, it seems to me, that can compare with the oddity of

these Three Gray Women, all peeping through a single eye.

So thought Perseus, likewise, and was so astonished that he almost

fancied his companion was joking with him, and that there were no such

old women in the world.

"You will soon find whether I tell the truth or no," observed

Quicksilver. "Hark! hush! hist! hist! There they come, now!"

Perseus looked earnestly through the dusk of the evening, and there,

sure enough, at no great distance off, he descried the Three Gray

Women. The light being so faint, he could not well make out what sort

of figures they were; only he discovered that they had long gray hair;

and, as they came nearer, he saw that two of them had but the empty

socket of an eye, in the middle of their foreheads. But, in the middle

of the third sister's forehead, there was a very large, bright, and

piercing eye, which sparkled like a great diamond in a ring; and so

penetrating did it seem to be, that Perseus could not help thinking it

must possess the gift of seeing in the darkest midnight just as

perfectly as at noonday. The sight of three persons' eyes was melted

and collected into that single one.

Thus the three old dames got along about as comfortably, upon the

whole, as if they could all see at once. She who chanced to have the

eye in her forehead led the other two by the hands, peeping sharply

about her, all the while, insomuch that Perseus dreaded lest she should

see right through the thick clump of bushes behind which he and

Quicksilver had hidden themselves. My stars! it was positively terrible

to be within reach of so very sharp an eye!

But before they reached the clump of bushes one of the Three Gray Women

spoke.

"Sister! Sister Scarecrow!" cried she, "you have had the eye long

enough. It is my turn now!"

"Let me keep it a moment longer, Sister Nightmare," answered Scarecrow

"I thought I had a glimpse of something behind that thick bush."

"Well, and what of that?" retorted Nightmare, peevishly. "Can't I see

into a thick bush as easily as yourself? The eye is mine, as well as

yours, and I know the use of it as well as you, or maybe a little

better. I insist upon taking a peep immediately."

But here the third sister, whose name was Shakejoint, began to

complain, and said that it was her turn to have the eye, and that

Scarecrow and Nightmare wanted to keep it all to themselves. To end the

dispute, old Dame Scarecrow took the eye out of her forehead and held

it forth in her hand.

"Take it, one of you," cried she, "and quit this foolish quarreling.

For my part, I shall be glad of a little thick darkness. Take it

quickly, however, or I must clap it into my own head again!"

Accordingly, both Nightmare and Shakejoint stretched out their hands,

groping eagerly to snatch the eye out of the hand of Scarecrow. But,

being both alike blind, they could not easily find where Scarecrow's

hand was; and Scarecrow, being now just as much in the dark as

Shakejoint and Nightmare, could not at once meet either of their hands,

in order to put the eye into it. Thus (as you will see, with half an

eye, my wise little auditors) these good old dames had fallen into a

strange perplexity. For, though the eye shone and glistened like a

star, as Scarecrow held it out, yet the Gray Women caught not the least

glimpse of its light, and were all three in utter darkness, from too

impatient a desire to see.

Quicksilver was so much tickled at beholding Shakejoint and Nightmare

both groping for the eye, and each finding fault with Scarecrow and one

another, that he could scarcely help laughing aloud.

"Now is your time!" he whispered to Perseus. "Quick, quick! before they

can clap the eye into either of their heads. Rush out upon the old

ladies, and snatch it from Scarecrow's hand!"

In an instant, while the Three Gray Women were still scolding each

other, Perseus leaped from behind the clump of bushes, and made himself

master of the prize. The marvelous eye, as he held it in his hand,

shone very brightly, and seemed to look up into his face with a knowing

air, and an expression as if it would have winked, had it been provided

with a pair of eyelids for that purpose. But the Gray Women knew

nothing of what had happened; and, each supposing that one of her

sisters was in possession of the eye, they began their quarrel anew. At

last, as Perseus did not wish to put these respectable dames to greater

inconvenience than was really necessary, he thought it right to explain

the matter.

"My good ladies," said he, "pray do not be angry with one another. If

anybody is in fault, it is myself; for I have the honor to hold your

very brilliant and excellent eye in my own hand."

"You! you have our eye! And who are you?" screamed the Three Gray Women

all in a breath, for they were terribly frightened, of course, at

hearing a strange voice, and discovering that their eyesight had got

into the hands of they could not guess whom. "Oh, what shall we do,

sisters? what shall we do? We are all in the dark! Give us our eye!

Give us our one, precious, solitary eye! You have two of your own! Give

us our eye!"

"Tell them," whispered Quicksilver to Perseus, "that they shall have

back the eye as soon as they direct you where to find the Nymphs who

have the flying slippers, the magic wallet, and the helmet of

darkness."

"My dear, good, admirable old ladies," said Perseus, addressing the

Gray Women, "there is no occasion for putting yourselves into such a

fright. I am by no means a bad young man. You shall have back your eye,

safe and sound, and as bright as ever, the moment you tell me where to

find the Nymphs."

"The Nymphs! Goodness me! sisters, what Nymphs does he mean?" screamed

Scarecrow. "There are a great many Nymphs, people say; some that go

a-hunting in the woods, and some that live inside of trees, and some that

have a comfortable home in fountains of water. We know nothing at all

about them. We are three unfortunate old souls, that go wandering about

in the dusk, and never had but one eye amongst us, and that one you

have stolen away. Oh, give it back, good stranger!--whoever you are,

give it back!"

All this while, the Three Gray Women were groping with their

outstretched hands, and trying their utmost to get hold of Perseus. But

he took good care to keep out of their reach.

"My respectable dames," said he--for his mother had taught him always

to use the greatest civility--"I hold your eye fast in my hand, and

shall keep it safely for you, until you please to tell me where to find

these Nymphs. The Nymphs, I mean, who keep the enchanted wallet, the

flying slippers, and the what is it?--the helmet of invisibility."

"Mercy on us, sisters! what is the young man talking about?" exclaimed

Scarecrow, Nightmare, and Shakejoint one to another, with great

appearance of astonishment. "A pair of flying slippers, quoth he! His

heels would quickly fly higher than his head, if he were silly enough

to put them on. And a helmet of invisibility! How could a helmet make

him invisible, unless it were big enough for him to hide under it? And

an enchanted wallet! What sort of a contrivance may that be, I wonder?

No, no, good stranger! we can tell you nothing of these marvelous

things. You have two eyes of your own, and we have but a single one

amongst us three. You can find out such wonders better than three blind

old creatures like us."

Perseus, hearing them talk in this way, began really to think that the

Gray Women knew nothing of the matter; and, as it grieved him to have

put them to so much trouble, he was just on the point of restoring

their eye and asking pardon for his rudeness in snatching it away. But

Quicksilver caught his hand.

"Don't let them make a fool of you," said he. "These Three Gray Women

are the only persons in the world that can tell you where to find the

Nymphs; and, unless you get that information, you will never succeed in

cutting off the head of Medusa with the snaky locks. Keep fast hold of

the eye, and all will go well."

As it turned out, Quicksilver was in the right. There are but few

things that people prize so much as they do their eyesight; and the

Gray Women valued their single eye as highly as if it had been half a

dozen, which was the number they ought to have had. Finding that there

was no other way of recovering it, they at last told Perseus what he

wanted to know. No sooner had they done so, than he immediately, and

with the utmost respect, clapped the eye into the vacant socket in one

of their foreheads, thanked them for their kindness, and bade them

farewell. Before the young man was out of hearing, however, they had

got into a new dispute, because he happened to have given the eye to

Scarecrow, who had already taken her turn of it when their trouble with

Perseus commenced.

It is greatly to be feared that the Three Gray Women were very much in

the habit of disturbing their mutual harmony by bickerings of this

sort; which was the more pity, as they could not conveniently do

without one another, and were evidently intended to be inseparable

companions. As a general rule, I would advise all people, whether

sisters or brothers, old or young, who chance to have but one eye

amongst them, to cultivate forbearance, and not all insist upon peeping

through it at once.