Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp · page 21 2 3101The Sultan sent her mother to her, who said: “How comes it, child, that you will not speak to your father?102What has happened?”103The Princess sighed deeply, and at last told her mother how, during the night, the bed had been carried into some strange house, and what had passed there.104Her mother did not believe her in the least, but bade her rise and consider it an idle dream.105The following night exactly the same thing happened, and next morning, on the Princess’s refusal to speak, the Sultan threatened to cut off her head.106She then confessed all, bidding him to ask the Vizier’s son if it were not so.107The Sultan told the Vizier to ask his son, who owned the truth, adding that, dearly as he loved the Princess, he had rather die than go through another such fearful night, and wished to be separated from her.108His wish was granted, and there was an end to feasting and rejoicing.109When the three months were over, Aladdin sent his mother to remind the Sultan of his promise.110She stood in the same place as before, and the Sultan, who had forgotten Aladdin, at once remembered him, and sent for her.111On seeing her poverty the Sultan felt less inclined than ever to keep his word, and asked his Vizier’s advice, who counselled him to set so high a value on the Princess that no man living could come up to it.112The Sultan then turned to Aladdin’s mother, saying: “Good woman, a Sultan must remember his promises, and I will remember mine, but your son must first send me forty basins of gold brimful of jewels, carried by forty black slaves, led by as many white ones, splendidly dressed.113Tell him that I await his answer.”114The mother of Aladdin bowed low and went home, thinking all was lost.115She gave Aladdin the message, adding: “He may wait long enough for your answer!”116“Not so long, mother, as you think,” her son replied.117“I would do a great deal more than that for the Princess.”118He summoned the genie, and in a few moments the eighty slaves arrived, and filled up the small house and garden.119Aladdin made them set out to the palace, two and two, followed by his mother.120They were so richly dressed, with such splendid jewels in their girdles, that everyone crowded to see them and the basins of gold they carried on their heads.121They entered the palace, and, after kneeling before the Sultan, stood in a half-circle round the throne with their arms crossed, while Aladdin’s mother presented them to the Sultan.122He hesitated no longer, but said: “Good woman, return and tell your son that I wait for him with open arms.”123She lost no time in telling Aladdin, bidding him make haste.124But Aladdin first called the genie.125“I want a scented bath,” he said, “a richly embroidered habit, a horse surpassing the Sultan’s, and twenty slaves to attend me.126Besides this, six slaves, beautifully dressed, to wait on my mother; and lastly, ten thousand pieces of gold in ten purses.”127No sooner said than done.128Aladdin mounted his horse and passed through the streets, the slaves strewing gold as they went.129Those who had played with him in his childhood knew him not, he had grown so handsome.130When the Sultan saw him he came down from his throne, embraced him, and led him into a hall where a feast was spread, intending to marry him to the Princess that very day.131But Aladdin refused, saying, “I must build a palace fit for her,” and took his leave.132Once home, he said to the genie: “Build me a palace of the finest marble, set with jasper, agate, and other precious stones.133In the middle you shall build me a large hall with a dome, its four walls of massy gold and silver, each having six windows, whose lattices, all except one which is to be left unfinished, must be set with diamonds and rubies.134There must be stables and horses and grooms and slaves; go and see about it!”135The palace was finished by the next day, and the genie carried him there and showed him all his orders faithfully carried out, even to the laying of a velvet carpet from Aladdin’s palace to the Sultan’s.136Aladdin’s mother then dressed herself carefully, and walked to the palace with her slaves, while he followed her on horseback.137The Sultan sent musicians with trumpets and cymbals to meet them, so that the air resounded with music and cheers.138She was taken to the Princess, who saluted her and treated her with great honor.139At night the Princess said good-by to her father, and set out on the carpet for Aladdin’s palace, with his mother at her side, and followed by the hundred slaves.140She was charmed at the sight of Aladdin, who ran to receive her.141“Princess,” he said, “blame your beauty for my boldness if I have displeased you.”142She told him that, having seen him, she willingly obeyed her father in this matter.143After the wedding had taken place Aladdin led her into the hall, where a feast was spread, and she supped with him, after which they danced till midnight.144Next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace.checked by a teacher145On entering the hall with the four-and-twenty windows, with their rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, he cried: “It is a world’s wonder!146There is only one thing that surprises me.147Was it by accident that one window was left unfinished?”148“No, sir, by design,” returned Aladdin.149“I wished your Majesty to have the glory of finishing this palace.”150The Sultan was pleased, and sent for the best jewelers in the city.151He showed them the unfinished window, and bade them fit it up like the others.152“Sir,” replied their spokesman, “we cannot find jewels enough.”153The Sultan had his own fetched, which they soon used, but to no purpose, for in a month’s time the work was not half done.154Aladdin, knowing that their task was vain, bade them undo their work and carry the jewels back, and the genie finished the window at his command.155The Sultan was surprised to receive his jewels again, and visited Aladdin, who showed him the window finished.156The Sultan embraced him, the envious Vizier meanwhile hinting that it was the work of enchantment.157Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing.158He was made captain of the Sultan’s armies, and won several battles for him, but remained modest and courteous as before, and lived thus in peace and content for several years.159But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin, and by his magic arts discovered that Aladdin, instead of perishing miserably in the cave, had escaped, and had married a princess, with whom he was living in great honor and wealth.160He knew that the poor tailor’s son could only have accomplished this by means of the lamp, and traveled night and day until he reached the capital of China, bent on Aladdin’s ruin.161As he passed through the town he heard people talking everywhere about a marvellous palace.162“Forgive my ignorance,” he asked, “what is this palace you speak Of?”163“Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin’s palace,” was the reply, “the greatest wonder of the world?164I will direct you if you have a mind to see it.”165The magician thanked him who spoke, and having seen the palace, knew that it had been raised by the Genie of the Lamp, and became half mad with rage.166He determined to get hold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.167Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days, which gave the magician plenty of time.168He bought a dozen copper lamps, put them into a basket, and went to the palace, crying: “New lamps for old!” followed by a jeering crowd.169The Princess, sitting in the hall of four-and-twenty windows, sent a slave to find out what the noise was about, who came back laughing, so that the Princess scolded her.170“Madam,” replied the slave, “who can help laughing to see an old fool offering to exchange fine new lamps for old ones?”171Another slave, hearing this, said: “There is an old one on the cornice there which he can have.”172Now this was the magic lamp, which Aladdin had left there, as he could not take it out hunting with him.173The Princess, not knowing its value, laughingly bade the slave take it and make the exchange.174She went and said to the magician: “Give me a new lamp for this.”175He snatched it and bade the slave take her choice, amid the jeers of the crowd.176Little he cared, but left off crying his lamps, and went out of the city gates to a lonely place, where he remained till nightfall, when he pulled out the lamp and rubbed it.177The genie appeared, and at the magician’s command carried him, together with the palace and the Princess in it, to a lonely place in Africa.178Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window toward Aladdin’s palace and rubbed his eyes, for it was gone.179He sent for the Vizier and asked what had become of the palace.180The Vizier looked out too, and was lost in astonishment.181He again put it down to enchantment, and this time the Sultan believed him, and sent thirty men on horseback to fetch Aladdin in chains.182They met him riding home, bound him, and forced him to go with them on foot.183The people, however, who loved him, followed, armed, to see that he came to no harm.184He was carried before the Sultan, who ordered the executioner to cut off his head.185The executioner made Aladdin kneel down, bandaged his eyes, and raised his scimitar to strike.186At that instant the Vizier, who saw that the crowd had forced their way into the courtyard and were scaling the walls to rescue Aladdin, called to the executioner to stay his hand.187The people, indeed, looked so threatening that the Sultan gave way and ordered Aladdin to be unbound, and pardoned him in the sight of the crowd.188Aladdin now begged to know what he had done.checked by a teacher189“False wretch!” said the Sultan, “come thither,” and showed him from the window the place where his palace had stood.190Aladdin was so amazed that he could not say a word.191“Where is my palace and my daughter?” demanded the Sultan.192“For the first I am not so deeply concerned, but my daughter I must have, and you must find her or lose your head.”193Aladdin begged for forty days in which to find her, promising, if he failed, to return and suffer death at the Sultan’s pleasure.194His prayer was granted, and he went forth sadly from the Sultan’s presence.195For three days he wandered about like a madman, asking everyone what had become of his palace, but they only laughed and pitied him.196He came to the banks of a river, and knelt down to say his prayers before throwing himself in.197In so doing he rubbed the magic ring he still wore.198The genie he had seen in the cave appeared, and asked his will.199“Save my life, genie,” said Aladdin, “bring my palace back.”200“That is not in my power,” said the genie; “I am only the Slave of the Ring; you must ask him of the lamp.”1 2 3← previousCinderella, or the Little Glass Slippernext →The Tale of a Youth Who Set Out to Learn What Fear Was↑ back to The 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