|
|
| For two days Aladdin remained in the dark, crying and lamenting. At
last he clasped his hands in prayer, and in so doing rubbed the ring,
which the magician had forgotten to take from him. Immediately an
enormous and frightful genie rose out of the earth, saying: "What
wouldst thou with me? I am the Slave of the Ring, and will obey thee
in all things." Aladdin fearlessly replied, "Deliver me from this
place!" whereupon the earth opened, and he found himself outside. As
soon as his eyes could bear the light he went home, but fainted on the
threshold. When he came to himself he told his mother what had passed,
and showed her the lamp and the fruits he had gathered in the garden,
which were in reality precious stones. He then asked for some food.
"Alas! child," she said, "I have nothing in the house, but I have spun
a little cotton and will go sell it." Aladdin bade her keep her
cotton, for he would sell the lamp instead. As it was very dirty, she
began to rub it, that it might fetch a higher price. Instantly a
hideous genie appeared, and asked what she would have. She fainted
away, but Aladdin, snatching the lamp, said boldly: "Fetch me something
to eat!" The genie returned with a silver bowl, twelve silver plates
containing rich meats, two silver cups, and two bottles of wine.
Aladdin's mother, when she came to herself, said: "Whence comes this
splendid feast?" "Ask not, but eat," replied Aladdin. So they sat at
breakfast till it was dinner-time, and Aladdin told his mother about
the lamp. She begged him to sell it, and have nothing to do with
devils. "No," said Aladdin, "since chance hath made us aware of its
virtues, we will use it, and the ring likewise, which I shall always
wear on my finger." When they had eaten all the genie had brought,
Aladdin sold one of the silver plates, and so on until none were left.
He then had recourse to the genie, who gave him another set of plates,
and thus they lived many years. | |
| One day Aladdin heard an order from the Sultan proclaimed that everyone
was to stay at home and close his shutters while the Princess his
daughter went to and from the bath. Aladdin was seized by a desire to
see her face, which was very difficult, as she always went veiled. He
hid himself behind the door of the bath, and peeped through a chink.
The Princess lifted her veil as she went in, and looked so beautiful
that Aladdin fell in love with her at first sight. He went home so
changed that his mother was frightened. He told her he loved the
Princess so deeply he could not live without her, and meant to ask her
in marriage of her father. His mother, on hearing this, burst out
laughing, but Aladdin at last prevailed upon her to go before the
Sultan and carry his request. She fetched a napkin and laid in it the
magic fruits from the enchanted garden, which sparkled and shone like
the most beautiful jewels. She took these with her to please the
Sultan, and set out, trusting in the lamp. The Grand Vizier and the
lords of council had just gone in as she entered the hall and placed
herself in front of the Sultan. He, however, took no notice of her.
She went every day for a week, and stood in the same place. When the
council broke up on the sixth day the Sultan said to his Vizier: "I
see a certain woman in the audience-chamber every day carrying
something in a napkin. Call her next time, that I may find out what
she wants." Next day, at a sign from the vizier, she went up to the
foot of the throne and remained kneeling until the Sultan said to her:
"Rise, good woman, and tell me what you want." She hesitated, so the
Sultan sent away all but the Vizier, and bade her speak freely,
promising to forgive her beforehand for anything she might say. She
then told him of her son's violent love for the Princess. "I prayed
him to forget her," she said, "but in vain; he threatened to do some
desperate deed if I refused to go and ask your Majesty for the hand of
the Princess. Now I pray you to forgive not me alone, but my son
Aladdin." The Sultan asked her kindly what she had in the napkin,
whereupon she unfolded the jewels and presented them. He was
thunderstruck, and turning to the vizier, said: "What sayest thou?
Ought I not to bestow the Princess on one who values her at such a
price?" The Vizier, who wanted her for his own son, begged the Sultan
to withhold her for three months, in the course of which he hoped his
son could contrive to make him a richer present. The Sultan granted
this, and told Aladdin's mother that, though he consented to the
marriage, she must not appear before him again for three months. | |
|