One day, in one of the rich provinces of China, an African magician stopped to watch some boys at play. Being a magician, he knew that one of them was called Aladdin, that his father was dead, that he and his mother lived alone, and that he was a careless, idle fellow, just such a boy as would be helpful to him, and one out of whom he could make a tool.

The stranger, going up to Aladdin, touched him on the shoulder, and said, “My lad, are you not the son of Mustapha, the tailor?”

“Yes,” answered the boy, “but my father has been dead for some time.” On hearing this, the magician grieved greatly, and, embracing Aladdin, said, “I am your father’s brother; go tell your mother I shall come and sup with her to-night.” He then gave a handful of money to the boy, who hastened home to relate to his mother all that had happened.

That night the stranger came. At the evening meal he expressed great admiration for Aladdin, saying: “He must be very like what his father was at his age; though it is forty years since I left my native country, my love for my brother has kept his features in my mind, and I recollected them the moment I saw the boy.”

When he asked Aladdin what trade he had chosen, the lad hung his head in shame at not being able to give an answer to that question. His mother replied that he was a worthless fellow, who cared only to loiter in the streets. The magician reproved him for his idleness, and offered to make a merchant of him, if he would but apply himself to business. This Aladdin promised to do. His pretended uncle provided him with fine clothing, and with many favors, won the confidence of the boy and his mother.

One morning the magician set out with Aladdin to show him something very wonderful. At length they came to a valley which separated two mountains. Aladdin was directed to gather dry sticks and kindle a fire. When this was done, the magician, pronouncing certain magical words, cast a perfume into the blaze. Immediately a great smoke arose, the earth trembled and opened, showing a large, flat stone. Then he said to the frightened boy, “There is hidden under that stone an immense treasure, which you may possess if you will carefully follow my instructions.” Aladdin promised exact obedience. The magician then embraced him, and putting a ring which would protect him from danger upon his finger, bade him pronounce the names of his father and his grandfather and raise the stone. Aladdin obeyed, and discovered a hole several feet deep, and steps to descend lower.

“Observe,” said the magician, “what I am about to tell you. Not only the possession of the treasure, but your life itself depends on your careful attention. I have opened the cave, but am forbidden to enter it. That honor is for you alone. Go down boldly, then. At the bottom of the steps you will find three great halls, but touch nothing in them. At the end of the halls you will come to a garden; at the farther end of it you will find a lamp, burning in a niche. Take that lamp down, throw away the wick, pour out the liquid, and put the lamp into your bosom to bring to me.”

Aladdin secured the treasure and stopped to admire the trees, which were loaded with fruits of many colors. He knew nothing of the value of these fruits, but was so pleased with their beauty that he filled his pockets. Then he returned to the entrance and called to his uncle to assist him in getting out.

Through his magic, the magician had learned that if he could possess a lamp hidden somewhere underground, it would make him more powerful than any prince in the world, and he had resolved to have some friendless boy bring him the wonderful talisman and then shut him up in the cave. When Aladdin called for help, the magician refused to assist him until he should give him the lamp, but this the boy would not do until he was out of the cave. The dispute lasted a long time, when the magician became so angry that he pronounced two magical words, which replaced the stone and closed the earth. By this means he lost all hope of obtaining the lamp; it was forever out of his power to open the cave again. He set off immediately for his own country.

In vain did the terrified boy call upon his uncle to let him out. He was in great despair. In this state he continued for two days, but on the third day, in distress, he happened to clasp his hands together, and in doing so rubbed the ring which the magician had put upon his finger, and in his haste had forgotten to take away. Immediately an enormous genie rose out of the earth, and said, “What wouldst thou? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave whilst thou wearest that ring, I and the other slaves of the ring.” Aladdin answered, “I charge thee, by the ring, if thou art able, to release me from this place.” He had no sooner spoken than the earth opened and the genie lifted him up to the surface, and immediately disappeared.

Aladdin hastened home and related all to his mother, who was overjoyed to see him, but distressed that she had no money with which to buy food for him. They agreed to sell the lamp he had brought home, but to clean it first, thinking if it were clean, it would bring a greater price. As the mother began to rub it with sand and water, a genie of gigantic size stood before her and said, “What wouldst thou? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, the slave of all those who hold that lamp in their hands.”

The poor woman, overcome with fear, let the lamp fall, but Aladdin caught it, and said, “I am hungry; bring me something to eat at once.” The genie disappeared and returned with a large silver basin, containing twelve covered plates of the same metal, all full of the choicest dainties. When the provisions were all gone, Aladdin sold the plates one by one for the support of himself and his mother.

One day Aladdin saw the beautiful daughter of the sultan. He was so impressed with her beauty, that he requested his mother to go to the sultan and to ask for him the hand of the princess in marriage. The poor woman objected, saying, “How can I go to the sultan with such a message? What extravagant madness! Besides, no one approaches the sovereign to ask a favor without a gift. What have you to offer the sultan, even for his smallest favor, much less for the highest he can bestow?”

“I own,” replied Aladdin, “my wishes are extravagant, but you should not think I can send no gift to the sultan. I am able to furnish you with one I am sure he will accept.”

Then Aladdin arranged the fruits he had brought from the cavern, but which in reality were magnificent jewels, in a vessel of fine porcelain, and persuaded his mother to carry them to the monarch. “Depend upon it, my son,” she said, “your present will be thrown away. The sultan will either laugh at me, or be in so great a rage that he will make us both the victims of his fury.”

The following day Aladdin’s mother appeared before the sultan and with great fear made known her son’s desire. The instant the sultan heard it, he burst into laughter, but when he saw the marvellous jewels, his amusement gave place to amazement. He said, “My good woman, return to your son and tell him he shall marry the princess when he sends to me forty basins of gold, each filled with the same kind of stones, each basin to be carried by a black slave, led by a young and handsome white slave, all handsomely dressed.”

Full of disappointment the mother returned, but Aladdin received her message with great pleasure. He rubbed his wonderful lamp. The genie instantly appeared. Aladdin told him of the sultan’s demand, and ordered him to provide all that was required. In a very short time the house was filled with the forty black slaves, each carrying a large gold basin filled with precious stones, and covered with a silver cloth embroidered in gold. Each black slave was led by a white one. Aladdin requested his mother to take this gift to the sultan.

All the passers-by stopped to gaze at the procession on its way to the palace. The astonishment of the sultan himself was great. He turned to Aladdin’s mother and said, “Go, my good woman, tell your son I am waiting with open arms to receive him.”

The joy with which Aladdin received the message Was unutterable. When he arrived at court, the sultan came from his throne to meet him, and ordered the marriage to take place at once. But Aladdin begged that he might have time to build a palace for the charming princess, and asked the sultan to select a suitable place for it.

“My son,” said the sultan, “take the large open space before my palace; that may suit your purpose.”

Aladdin returned home, summoned the genie, and ordered him to build a magnificent palace opposite that of the sultan. The next morning at daybreak the genie appeared and said, “Sir, your palace is finished; come, see if it is as you desire.” The sultan was astonished; the princess delighted. The marriage took place that day. For months they lived in great happiness, and Aladdin won the love of the people by his generosity.

About this time the wicked magician learned that Aladdin had been very fortunate. He determined to destroy him, and immediately set off for China. On his arrival, he mingled with the people at the inns, and from them learned that the prince had gone on a hunting expedition, and would not return for several days.

His next step was to obtain the lamp. He bought a dozen shining new ones, placed them in a basket, then went to the palace, crying out, “Who will change old lamps for new?” He drew a crowd of idle people about him, so that the noise they made attracted the princess. One of the women in waiting said, “Let us try if this man is as silly as he pretends to be. There is an old copper lamp on a cornice; if the princess pleases, we shall see if he will give a new one for the old.”

The princess consented, and the exchange was made. Alas, poor princess! The magician had obtained the very prize he sought. At midnight he rubbed the lamp. The genie appeared, saying, “What wouldst thou? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, the slave of all those who possess the lamp.” “I command thee,” said the magician, “to transport the palace which thou hast built, and all who are within, to a place in Africa.” The genie obeyed.

The next morning the grief and anger of the sultan were terrible when he found that both his daughter and the palace had disappeared. He blamed Aladdin. He exclaimed, “Where is that impostor? Let his head pay the price of his wickedness!”

Soldiers were sent in search of Aladdin, whom they met on his return from hunting. He was dragged before the sultan as a criminal and ordered to be instantly beheaded. But the people of the province, who loved him very much, burst into the palace, and so alarmed the sultan that he ordered the executioner to set him at liberty.

Then Aladdin said, “Oh, sire, let me know my crime.”

“You should know where your palace stood. Look and tell me what has become of it.”

Aladdin was overcome with grief and despair. This angered the sultan still more, and he exclaimed, “Bring back my daughter, whom I value a thousand times beyond that palace; fail to do so, and nothing shall prevent me from putting you to death.” Aladdin said: “Give me forty days to search for my dear princess. If I am unsuccessful, I shall return and deliver myself into your hands.”

“I give you forty days,” said the sultan.

Aladdin, wretched and downfallen, left the palace. As he wandered by the bank of the river his foot slipped, and catching hold of a piece of rock to save himself, he pressed the magician’s ring that he wore on his finger. The genie of the ring appeared, saying, “What wouldst thou have?” Aladdin cried out, “Oh, genie, bring back my palace to where it stood.” “I cannot do what you command,” replied the genie; “you must ask the slave of the lamp.” “At least,” begged Aladdin, “convey me to the place where it now stands, and set me under the princess’s window.” Instantly he found himself beside his palace.

The princess was walking in her chamber and weeping for him. Happening to draw near the window, she saw Aladdin, and at once sent one of her slaves to bring him into the palace by a private gate. When the joy of their meeting had subsided, the princess told him they were in Africa. Then Aladdin knew it was the wicked magician who had caused all his trouble, and he asked his wife what had become of the old lamp he had left on the cornice of the hall. The princess told him that her woman had exchanged it for a new one, and that the tyrant in whose power she was, carried that very lamp in his bosom, and that every day he paid her a visit. They at last laid a plan by which they hoped to regain possession of the talisman.

Aladdin went to the city in disguise as a slave; and bought a powder which, if swallowed, would cause instant death. In the evening the magician waited upon the princess, who received him very graciously. After supper, when the wine was placed before them, the princess gave a signal to the servant, who placed a golden goblet before each of them. In that of the princess was the powder Aladdin had given her. Wine being poured, the princess told the magician that in China it was customary to exchange cups, and at the same time held her goblet out to him. He eagerly made the exchange, and, drinking it all at one draught, fell senseless on the floor.

When the magician fell, Aladdin, who had been watching, ran to him, hastily snatched the lamp and rubbed it. When the genie appeared, he commanded him to transport the palace and all it contained to the place from which he had brought it.

The sultan had continued to grieve for his daughter, and every day went to his window to look at the spot where the palace had stood. As usual, the morning after the return of the palace, he went to the window, expecting to see the spot still vacant, but, to his unspeakable joy, there he saw the glorious palace standing. He hastened to greet his daughter and her husband, and he and Aladdin at once forgave each other. The whole city rejoiced at the safe return of their beloved prince and his princess. After the death of the sultan, Aladdin and the princess ascended the throne. They ruled wisely and well for many years, and left noble sons and daughters to mourn their death.

—The Arabian Nights’ Entertainment.