| Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days, which gave the
magician plenty of time. He bought a dozen lamps, put them into a
basket, and went to the palace, crying: "New lamps for old!" followed
by a jeering crowd. The 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.
"Madam," replied the slave, "who can help laughing to see an old fool
offering to exchange fine new lamps for old ones?" Another slave,
hearing this, said, "There is an old one on the cornice there which he
can have." Now this was the magic lamp, which Aladdin had left there,
as he could not take it out hunting with him. The Princess, not
knowing its value, laughingly bade the slave take it and make the
exchange. She went and said to the magician: "Give me a new lamp for
this." He snatched it and bade the slave take her choice, amid the
jeers of the crowd. Little 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. The 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. | |