Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp [4]
is a world's wonder!
There is only one thing that surprises me. Was it by accident
that one window was left unfinished?" "No, sir, by design,"
returned Aladdin. "I wished your Majesty to have the glory of
finishing this palace." The Sultan was pleased, and sent for the
best jewelers in the city. He showed them the unfinished window,
and bade them fit it up like the others. "Sir," replied their
spokesman, "we cannot find jewels enough." The 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. Aladdin 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. The Sultan was
surprised to receive his jewels again, and visited Aladdin, who
showed him the window finished. The Sultan embraced him, the
envious vizier meanwhile hinting that it was the work of enchantment.
Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing.
He was made captain of the Sultan's armies, and won several
battles for him, but remained as courteous as before, and lived
thus in peace and content for several years.
But 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 honour and wealth. He knew that
the poor tailor's son could only have accomplished this by means
of the lamp, and travelled night and day till he reached the
capital of China, bent on Aladdin's ruin. As he passed through
the town he heard people talking everywhere about a marvelous
palace. "Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is the palace you
speak of?" Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace," was
the reply, "the greatest wonder in the world? I will direct you
if you have a mind to see it." The 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. He determined to get
hold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.
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.
Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window towards Aladdin's
palace and rubbed his eyes, for it was gone. He sent for the
Vizier and asked what had become of the palace. The Vizier looked
out too, and was lost in astonishment. He again put it down to
enchantment, and this time the Sultan believed him, and sent
thirty men on horseback to fetch Aladdin back in chains. They met
him riding home, bound him, and forced him to go with them on foot.
The people, however,
There is only one thing that surprises me. Was it by accident
that one window was left unfinished?" "No, sir, by design,"
returned Aladdin. "I wished your Majesty to have the glory of
finishing this palace." The Sultan was pleased, and sent for the
best jewelers in the city. He showed them the unfinished window,
and bade them fit it up like the others. "Sir," replied their
spokesman, "we cannot find jewels enough." The 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. Aladdin 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. The Sultan was
surprised to receive his jewels again, and visited Aladdin, who
showed him the window finished. The Sultan embraced him, the
envious vizier meanwhile hinting that it was the work of enchantment.
Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing.
He was made captain of the Sultan's armies, and won several
battles for him, but remained as courteous as before, and lived
thus in peace and content for several years.
But 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 honour and wealth. He knew that
the poor tailor's son could only have accomplished this by means
of the lamp, and travelled night and day till he reached the
capital of China, bent on Aladdin's ruin. As he passed through
the town he heard people talking everywhere about a marvelous
palace. "Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is the palace you
speak of?" Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace," was
the reply, "the greatest wonder in the world? I will direct you
if you have a mind to see it." The 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. He determined to get
hold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.
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.
Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window towards Aladdin's
palace and rubbed his eyes, for it was gone. He sent for the
Vizier and asked what had become of the palace. The Vizier looked
out too, and was lost in astonishment. He again put it down to
enchantment, and this time the Sultan believed him, and sent
thirty men on horseback to fetch Aladdin back in chains. They met
him riding home, bound him, and forced him to go with them on foot.
The people, however,