Journeys Through Bookland V3

C >> Charles H. Sylvester >> Journeys Through Bookland V3

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"Child," he asked, "was not your father called Mustapha the tailor?"

"Yes, sir," said the boy, "but he has been dead for some time."

At these words the magician threw his arms about Aladdin's neck, and,
with tears in his eyes, kissed the boy several times, saying, "I am
your uncle; your father was my own brother. I knew you as soon as I
saw you, you are so much like him. Go, my son," he continued, handing
the boy some money, "to your mother! Give her my love and tell her
that I will visit her to-morrow."

Overjoyed with the money his uncle had given him, Aladdin ran to his
home.

"O mother," he cried, "have I an uncle?"

"No, my son," she replied, "you have no uncle either on your father's
side or on mine."

"I am just now come," said Aladdin, "from a man who says he is my
uncle and my father's brother. He cried and kissed me when I told him
my father was dead, and gave me money, sending his love to you, and
promising to come and pay you a visit, that he may see the house my
father lived and died in."

"Indeed, child," replied the mother, "your father had no brother, nor
have you an uncle."

The next day the magician found Aladdin playing in another part of the
town, and embracing him as before, put two pieces of gold into his
hand, and said to him, "Carry this, child, to your mother; tell her
that I will come and see her to-night, and bid her get us something
for supper; but first show me the house where you live."
Aladdin showed the African magician the house, and carried the two
pieces of gold to his mother, who went out and bought provisions.

She spent the whole day in preparing the supper; and at night, when it
was ready, said to her son, "Perhaps the stranger knows not how to
find our house; go and bring him, if you meet with him."

Aladdin was just ready to go, when the magician knocked at the door,
and came in loaded with wine and all sorts of fruits, which he brought
for a dessert. After he had given what he brought into Aladdin's
hands, he saluted his mother, and desired to show him the place where
his brother Mustapha used to sit on the sofa; and when she had done
so, he fell down, and kissed it several times, crying out, with tears
in his eyes, "My poor brother! how unhappy am I, not to have come soon
enough to give you one last embrace!"

Aladdin's mother desired him to sit down in the same place, but he
declined.

"No," said he, "I shall not do that; but give me leave to sit opposite
it, that although I see not the master of a family so dear to me, I
may at least behold the place where he used to sit."

When the magician had comfortably seated himself, he began to talk
with Aladdin's mother.

"My good sister," said he, "do not be surprised that you have never
seen me in all the time you were married to my brother Mustapha,
blessed be his memory. I have been forty years traveling in India,
Persia, Arabia, Syria and Egypt. In Africa I lived for many years, but
at last I wished to see my native country again, and to embrace my
dear brother. Nothing ever afflicted me so much as hearing of my
brother's death. But God be praised for all things! It is a comfort
for me to find in my nephew one who has my brother's most remarkable
features."

The widow wept so sorrowfully at these kind allusions to her husband,
that the sorcerer changed the conversation.

"What business do you follow, my nephew," he asked; "have you any
trade?"

The youth hung down his head and could make no answer, but his mother
began to complain. "Aladdin is an idle fellow. When his father was
alive, he tried to teach the boy his trade, but without success. Now I
can do nothing with the boy, who forgets that he is no longer a child.
He idles away his time in the streets till I have resolved one of
these days to turn him out to provide for himself."

"This is not well, my nephew; you must think about helping yourself.
There are many trades, and if you do not like your father's, I will
try to help you. If you wish, I will hire a shop for you and furnish
it with linens and fine cloths, and with them you can make money with
which to buy new goods, and thus support yourself in an honorable
way."

This plan just suited the lazy Aladdin. He told the magician that he
felt more inclined to be a business man than to engage in any trade.

"Very well, then," said the pretended uncle, "I will take you with me
to-morrow to the best merchants in the city, clothe you properly, and
set you up in a shop."

The widow could no longer doubt that the magician was her husband's
brother, and after exhorting Aladdin to be worthy of his uncle's
kindness, served the supper, and the three chatted on various subjects
until the time came for the magician to take his leave.

The next day he came as he had promised, and taking Aladdin with him,
purchased a fine suit of clothing, just such as the boy wished.

After this the sorcerer took Aladdin through the city, showed him the
fine buildings, took him into the rich stores, and finally introduced
him to many of the prominent merchants with whom the young storekeeper
would have to deal.

When night came, the sorcerer conducted Aladdin to his home, where his
mother, seeing him so richly clothed, bestowed a thousand blessings
upon the head of the magician. The second day the magician took
Aladdin into the country, saying that on the third day he would
purchase the shop. They went out at one of the gates of the city and
visited a number of beautiful palaces, at every one of which the
sorcerer would ask Aladdin if he did not think it fine, and then
mention some palace farther on that was even more magnificent. By such
device he led the youth far into the country, and in the heat of the
day sat down with him on the edge of a fountain of clear water that
discharged itself by the mouth of a bronze lion.

"Come, nephew," he said, "let us rest ourselves, and we shall be
better able to pursue our walk." The magician drew from his pocket
some cakes and fruit, and as they lunched he urged Aladdin to change
his habits, become industrious, and seek the companionship of the wise
and learned.

After resting a time, the magician by various devices led Aladdin
still farther into the country, until they came between two mountains
of nearly equal size, divided by a narrow valley.

"Now," said the magician, who had come all the way from Africa to
China for this very purpose, "we will go no farther. I will show you
here some wonderful things, for which you will thank me. But while I
strike a light, gather up all the loose, dry sticks you can find, so
that we can build a fire."

As soon as they had a good fire burning, the magician threw upon it
some incense, pronouncing at the same time several magical words which
Aladdin could not understand.

Scarcely were the words uttered, when the earth in front of the
magician opened and disclosed a stone with a brass ring in it. Aladdin
was so frightened by the noise and commotion, that he started to run
away. But the magician seized him by the collar and gave him such a
box on the ear that he fell to the ground.

"What have I done, uncle," said the boy, trembling with fear, "to be
treated in such a manner?"

"I am your uncle," said the magician, "and I am in place of your
father. It is not your place to question me. But my child," he said,
softening his voice, "do not be afraid, for if you obey me punctually
you will reap the great advantages I intend for you. Under this stone
is hidden a treasure which shall be yours, and which will make you
richer than the greatest monarch in the world. No one but yourself can
lift the stone, and no one but yourself can enter the cave."

Aladdin, more and more amazed at what he said, forgot his fear and
anger, and rising, said, "Command me, uncle! I am ready to obey."

"That is right, my boy," said the magician embracing him. "Take hold
of the ring and lift the stone."

"But I am not strong enough," said Aladdin; "you must help me."

"If I help you, you can do nothing. Take hold of the ring and lift the
stone; it will come easily."

Aladdin, obeying, raised the stone with ease and laid it to one side.
Beneath it appeared a staircase leading to a door.

"Descend, my son," said the magician, "and open the door. It will lead
you into a wonderful palace, having three great halls. In each of
these you will see four large brass chests, full of gold and silver;
but take care you do not meddle with them. Before you enter the first
hall, be sure to tuck up your robe, wrap it about you, and then pass
through the second into the third without stopping. Above all things,
have a care that you do not touch the walls so much as with your
clothes; for if you do, you will die instantly. At the end of the
third hall, you will find a door which opens into a garden, planted
with fine trees loaded with fruit. Walk directly across the garden to
a terrace, where you will see a niche before you, and in that niche a
lighted lamp. Take the lamp down and put it out. When you have thrown
away the wick and poured out the liquor, put it in your waistband and
bring it to me. Do not be afraid that the liquor will spoil your
clothes, for it is not oil, and the lamp will be dry as soon as it is
thrown out."

After these words the magician drew a ring off his finger, and put it
on one of Aladdin's, saying, "This is a talisman against all evil, so
long as you obey me. Go, therefore, boldly, and we shall both be rich
all our lives."

[Illustration ALADDIN DESCENDED THE STEPS]

Aladdin descended the steps, and, opening the door, found the three
halls just as the African magician had described. He went through them
with all the precaution the fear of death could inspire, crossed the
garden without stopping, took down the lamp from the niche, threw out
the wick and the liquor, and, as the magician had desired, put it in
his waistband. But as he came down from the terrace, seeing it was
perfectly dry, he stopped in the garden to observe the trees, which
were loaded with extraordinary fruit of different colors. Some bore
fruit entirely white, and some clear and transparent as crystal; some
pale red, and others deeper; some green, blue and purple, and others
yellow; in short, there was fruit of all colors. The white were
pearls; the clear and transparent, diamonds; the red, rubies; the
green, emeralds; the blue, turquoises; the purple, amethysts; and the
yellow, sapphires, Aladdin, ignorant of their value, would have
preferred figs, or grapes, or pomegranates; but as he had his uncle's
permission, he resolved to gather some of every sort. Having filled
the two new purses his uncle had bought for him with his clothes, he
wrapped some up in the skirts of his vest, and crammed his bosom as
full as it could hold.

Aladdin, having thus loaded himself with riches of which he knew not
the value, returned cautiously through the three halls and arrived at
the mouth of the cave.

As soon as Aladdin saw the magician he cried, "Lend me your hand to
help me out."

"Give me the lamp first," replied the magician impatiently, "it will
be troublesome to you."

"Indeed, uncle," answered Aladdin, "I cannot, I will give it to you as
soon as I am up."

The African magician was determined to have the lamp before he would
help Aladdin out, and the latter, who had covered the lamp with the
fruits he had picked in the garden, could not well get at it till he
was out of the cave.

Provoked beyond reason by the boy's obstinacy, the magician flew into
a passion, threw a little of his incense into the fire, and pronounced
two magical words. Instantly the stone, which had closed the opening
to the staircase, moved into its place, and the earth covered it over
as smoothly as when the two companions had discovered it.

The truth was that the magician had learned of the existence of a
wonderful lamp, which he was not permitted to take himself, but which
he could use if it were given to him freely by some other person.
Accordingly, he had tried by a mixture of authority and persuasion to
get the lamp through Aladdin. When he saw that his attempt had failed,
he hurriedly left the country without returning to the town.

Aladdin, suddenly enveloped in darkness and deserted, knew that the
magician could not be his uncle, but must be some one who had evil
designs against him. Again and again he cried out that he was willing
to give up the lamp. All his cries were unavailing, and at last,
discouraged, he descended to the bottom of the steps, thinking to go
back into the palace. Now, however, he found the door closed, and
without hope of again seeing the light, he sat down on the bottom step
weeping in despair.

Finally his good teachings came to his aid, and he thought, "There is
help and power and strength in the High God; I will pray to him." So
he knelt and joined his hands in supplication.

In doing so, he happened to rub the ring which the magician had put
upon his finger, and immediately a genie of frightful aspect appeared.

"What wouldst thou?" said the genie. "I and the other slaves of the
ring serve him who wears it. I am ready to obey!"

At any other time, so hideous a figure as that of the genie would have
frightened Aladdin, but the danger was so great that he cried out to
the spirit, "Whoever thou art, deliver me from this place."

As soon as the words were uttered, Aladdin found himself on the very
spot where the magician had last left him, and no sign remained of
cave or opening.

After returning thanks to God for his deliverance, he hurried home,
and as soon as he had recovered from his weariness, he told his mother
what had happened.

Aladdin slept late the next morning, and when he wakened his first
words were a request for something to eat.

"Alas! child," said his mother, "I have no bread to give you.
Everything was eaten up yesterday. I have nothing but a little cotton
which I might sell."

"Keep your cotton, mother, till another time," said Aladdin. "I will
take the lamp which I got in the cave yesterday and try to sell it.
The money will buy us our dinner and perhaps our supper."

Aladdin's mother looked at the lamp and saw that it was very dirty.
"Perhaps it would bring more," she said, "if I should clean it."
Taking some water and sand, she began to rub the lamp, when in an
instant a genie of gigantic size and hideous appearance stood before
her and called out in a voice of thunder:

"What wouldst thou have? I and the other slaves of the lamp that is in
your hands are ready to obey thee."

Terrified at the sight of the genie, Aladdin's mother fainted, but
Aladdin, who had seen such an apparition before in the cave, snatched
the lamp from her hands and cried out, "I am hungry; bring me
something to eat."

The genie disappeared, but in a moment returned with a large silver
tray on which were twelve silver dishes, each containing the most
delicious viands; six large white cakes lay on two silver plates; two
silver flagons of wine, and two silver cups rested on the tray. All
this was placed upon the carpet before Aladdin, and then the genie
disappeared.

Aladdin's mother did not recover until he had sprinkled some water in
her face. As she returned to consciousness he said, "Be not afraid,
mother; arise and eat! Here is something to put you in heart, and at
the same time satisfy my hunger."

"Child," said the mother, as she looked upon the silver dishes and
smelled the savory odor from the food, "who has given us these
wonderful things? Has the sultan remembered us?"

"Never mind that," said Aladdin. "Let us sit down and eat. When we
have done, I will tell you."

As they ate, both looked at the dishes, but neither knew their value.
They were attracted more by the novelty than by the fact that they
were silver. They lingered long over their food, and after they had
eaten all they could, they found that enough was left for the whole of
the next day.

"Now," said the mother after she had put away the dishes and the
remnants of the feast, "tell me what happened while I was in the
swoon."

What her son told her amazed her as much as the appearance of the
genie.

"What have we to do with genii?" said the mother, "and how came that
vile one to speak to me instead of to you, whom he had seen in the
cave?"

"Mother," answered Aladdin, "the genie I saw in the cave was another,
the slave of the ring. The one you saw was a slave of the lamp."

"What!" cried his mother, "was it the lamp that caused that horrible
genie to speak to me instead of to you? Take the lamp out of my sight
and do with it what you please. If you take my advice, you will part
with the lamp and the ring too, and have nothing to do with genii,
who, as our Prophet has told us, are only devils."

"With your leave, mother," replied Aladdin, "I shall take care how I
sell a lamp which will be so serviceable to us. That stranger would
never have come to us for any reason but to get this lamp, and as we
came honestly by it, let us use it without making any great show and
exciting the envy and jealousy of our neighbors. However, since the
genie frightened you, I will hide the lamp where I can find it in case
I need it. The ring I will never part with, for without it I never
would have seen you again. Let me keep it, therefore, and wear it on
my finger."

Aladdin's mother consented, but declared she would have no more to do
with genii, and would never mention the matter again. When their food
was all gone, Aladdin took one of the silver plates and sold it to an
old Jew, who gave him about a sixtieth of what it was worth. But even
then they were able to live upon the money for several days, and by
selling the other dishes, even at the same low figure, they were able
to live a long time.

When all the money was spent, Aladdin again took the lamp, found the
place where his mother had scrubbed it with sand, and rubbed it once
more.

"What wouldst thou have?" said the genie, who came immediately, as
before. "I and the other slaves of the lamp that is in your hands are
ready to obey thee."

"I am hungry," replied Aladdin; "bring me something to eat."

Then for the second time the genie brought a tray and dishes of silver
loaded with appetizing food, all as fine and valuable as those of the
first gift. After the provisions were eaten, Aladdin started again to
the Jew with one of the plates. As he was passing a goldsmith's shop,
the latter said to him, "My lad, you must have something to sell to
the Jew, whom I have seen you visit so often. Now he is the greatest
of rogues. Let me see what you have, and I will give you all it is
worth, or I will direct you to other merchants who will not cheat
you."

Aladdin pulled the plate from under his vest and showed it to the
goldsmith.

"What does the Jew give you for such a plate?" said the goldsmith.

"I have sold him twelve such for a piece of gold each," replied
Aladdin.

"What a villain!" said the goldsmith. "Let me show you how much the
Jew has cheated you."

The goldsmith weighed the plate and said, "This should bring you sixty
pieces of silver, and I am willing to pay you that for it now."
Aladdin thanked him for his fair dealing, and never again went to any
other person.

With such a thing as the lamp in their possession, you may well
believe that neither Aladdin nor his mother suffered for food or
clothing, but they were wise in the use of their treasure and lived
with as great frugality as before the lamp was found.

Aladdin, too, improved in his conduct, and spent the most of his time
among the merchants who sold gold, silver and fine clothing. Here at
one time he learned that the fruits that he had gathered in the garden
were not glass as he had supposed, but were precious jewels of
inestimable value. He took care, however, not to mention this fact to
any one, even his mother.

One day, as Aladdin was walking through the town, he heard a
proclamation that commanded the people to shut up their shops and
houses and stay within doors while the sultan's daughter, the Princess
Buddir al Buddoor, passed through the streets. Aladdin was instantly
inspired with curiosity to see the princess's face, and determined to
gratify his wish by concealing himself behind a door. As it happened,
the princess actually took off her veil just as she passed Aladdin,
and he was able to see her face clearly. She was indeed a noted
beauty. Her eyes were large, lively and sparkling; her smile
bewitching; her nose faultless; her mouth small; her lips vermilion.
It is not surprising, then, that Aladdin, who had never before seen
any one so beautiful, was both dazzled and enchanted.

After the princess had passed, he hurried home and told his mother his
adventure, concluding, "I love the princess more than I can express,
and am resolved to ask her in marriage of the sultan."

"Alas, child," said the mother. "What are you thinking of? You must be
mad to dream of such a thing."

"Far from it," replied Aladdin. "I am not mad, but in my right senses.
I knew you would reproach me, but I must tell you once more that I am
resolved to ask the princess in marriage, and I do not despair of
success. With the slaves of the ring and of the lamp to help me, how
can I fail? Moreover, I have another secret for you; those pieces of
glass which I took from the trees in that underground garden are
jewels of inestimable value, and fit for the greatest of monarchs.
There is nothing to be compared with mine for size or beauty. I am
sure that they will secure me the favor of the sultan. You have a
large porcelain dish fit to hold them; let us see how they will look
when we have arranged them by colors."

Aladdin's mother brought the dish, and Aladdin placed the jewels in it
according to his fancy. Their brightness and luster and great variety
of colors dazzled the eyes of both mother and son, who had never
before seen them thus together.

Aladdin's mother, fearing that he might be guilty of even greater
extravagance, promised to do as he wished, and early the next morning
she took the china dish in which the jewels had been arranged the day
before, wrapped it in two fine napkins, and set forth to the sultan's
palace, where the grand vizier, the other viziers, and the most
distinguished lords of the court were gathered. Despite the fact that
the crowd was great, she got into the divan, a spacious hall with a
magnificent entrance, and placed herself before the sultan and the
great lords who sat with him in council. After several causes had been
called, pleaded and adjudged according to their order, the divan broke
up, and the sultan, rising, returned to his apartment, accompanied by
all the high officials.

Aladdin's mother, thinking rightly that the sultan would not appear
again that day, hurried back to her home, where she said to Aladdin
with much simplicity, "Son, I have seen the sultan, and am very well
persuaded he has seen me, too, for I placed myself just before him;
but he was so much taken up with those who attended on all sides of
him that I pitied him, and wondered at his patience. At last I believe
he was heartily tired, for he rose up suddenly, and would not hear a
great many who were ready prepared to speak to him, but went away, at
which I was well pleased, for indeed I began to lose all patience, and
was extremely fatigued with staying so long. But there is no harm
done; I will go again; perhaps the sultan may not be so busy."

She went six times afterward on the days appointed, and placed herself
always directly before the sultan, but with as little success as the
first morning.

On the sixth day, however, after the divan was broken up, when the
sultan returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier: "I
have for some time observed a certain woman, who attends constantly
every day that I give audience, with something wrapped up in a napkin;
she always stands from the beginning to the breaking up of the
audience, and affects to place herself just before me. If this woman
comes to our next audience, do not fail to call her, that I may hear
what she has to say." The grand vizier made answer by lowering his
hand, and then lifting it up above his head, signifying his
willingness to lose it if he failed.

On the next audience day, when Aladdin's mother went to the divan, and
placed herself in front of the sultan as usual, the grand vizier
immediately called the chief of the mace-bearers, and pointing to her
bade him bring her before the sultan. The old woman at once followed
the mace-bearer, and when she reached the sultan bowed her head down
to the carpet which covered the platform, of the throne, and remained
in that posture until he bade her rise, which she had no sooner done,
than he said to her, "Good woman, I have observed you to stand many
days from the beginning to the rising of the divan; what business
brings you here?"

After these words, Aladdin's mother prostrated herself a second time;
and when she arose, said, "Monarch of monarchs, I beg of you to pardon
the boldness of my petition, and to assure me of your pardon and
forgiveness."

"Well," replied the sultan, "I will forgive you, be it what it may,
and no hurt shall come to you; speak boldly."

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