| That morning the Princess rose earlier than she had done since she had
been carried into Africa by the magician, whose company she was forced
to endure once a day. She, however, treated him so harshly that he
dared not live there altogether. As she was dressing, one of her women
looked out and saw Aladdin. The Princess ran and opened the window,
and at the noise she made, Aladdin looked up. She called to him to
come to her, and great was the joy of these lovers at seeing each other
again. After he had kissed her Aladdin said: "I beg of you, Princess,
in God's name, before we speak of anything else, for your own sake and
mine, tell me what has become of an old lamp I left on the cornice in
the hall of four-and-twenty windows when I went a-hunting." "Alas," she
said, "I am the innocent cause of our sorrows," and told him of the
exchange of the lamp. "Now I know," cried Aladdin, "that we have to
thank the African magician for this! Where is the lamp?" "He carries
it about with him," said the Princess. "I know, for he pulled it out
of his breast to show me. He wishes me to break my faith with you and
marry him, saying that you were beheaded by my father's command. He is
forever speaking ill of you, but I only reply by my tears. If I
persist, I doubt not but he will use violence." Aladdin comforted her,
and left her for a while. He changed clothes with the first person he
met in the town, and having bought a certain powder returned to the
Princess, who let him in by a little side door. "Put on your most
beautiful dress," he said to her, "and receive the magician with
smiles, leading him to believe that you have forgotten me. Invite him
to sup with you, and say you wish to taste the wine of his country. He
will go for some, and while he is gone I will tell you what to do."
She listened carefully to Aladdin and when he left her, arrayed herself
gaily for the first time since she left China. She put on a girdle and
head-dress of diamonds and seeing in a glass that she was more
beautiful than ever, received the magician, saying, to his great
amazement: "I have made up my mind that Aladdin is dead, and that all
my tears will not bring him back to me, so I am resolved to mourn no
more, and have therefore invited you to sup with me; but I am tired of
the wines of China, and would fain taste those of Africa." The
magician flew to his cellar, and the Princess put the powder Aladdin
had given her in her cup. When he returned she asked him to drink her
health in the wine of Africa, handing him her cup in exchange for his,
as a sign she was reconciled to him. Before drinking the magician made
her a speech in praise of her beauty, but the Princess cut him short,
saying: "Let us drink first, and you shall say what you will
afterwards." She set her cup to her lips and kept it there, while the
magician drained his to the dregs and fell back lifeless. The Princess
then opened the door to Aladdin, and flung her arms around his neck;
but Aladdin went to the dead magician, took the lamp out of his vest,
and bade the genie carry the palace and all in it back to China. This
was done, and the Princess in her chamber felt only two little shocks,
and little thought she was home again. | | The Sultan, who was sitting in his closet, mourning for his lost
daughter, happened to look up, and rubbed his eyes, for there stood the
palace as before! He hastened thither, and Aladdin received him in the
hall of the four-and-twenty windows, with the Princess at his side.
Aladdin told him what had happened, and showed him the dead body of the
magician, that he might believe. 
A ten days' feast was proclaimed, and
it seemed as if Aladdin might now live the rest of his life in peace;
but it was not meant to be. | | The African magician had a younger brother, who was, if possible, more
wicked and more cunning than himself. He travelled to China to avenge
his brother's death, and went to visit a pious woman called Fatima,
thinking she might be of use to him. He entered her cell and clapped a
dagger to her breast, telling her to rise and do his bidding on pain of
death. He changed clothes with her, coloured his face like hers, put
on her veil, and murdered her, that she might tell no tales. Then he
went towards the palace of Aladdin, and all the people, thinking he was
the holy woman, gathered round him, kissing his hands and begging his
blessing. When he got to the palace there was such a noise going on
round him that the Princess bade her slave look out the window and ask
what was the matter. The slave said it was the holy woman, curing
people by her touch of their ailments, whereupon the Princess, who had
long desired to see Fatima, sent for her. On coming to the Princess
the magician offered up a prayer for her health and prosperity. When
he had done the Princess made him sit by her, and begged him to stay
with her always. The false Fatima, who wished for nothing better,
consented, but kept his veil down for fear of discovery. The princess
showed him the hall, and asked him what he thought of it. "It is truly
beautiful," said the false Fatima. "In my mind it wants but one
thing." "And what is that?" said the Princess. "If only a roc's egg,"
replied he, "were hung up from the middle of this dome, it would be the
wonder of the world." | |