Journeys Through Bookland V3

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

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The next day he learned that Aladdin had gone on a hunting expedition
that was to last eight days, and that but three of the days had
expired. Consequently the magician began at once to carry out his
plans. He went to a coppersmith and asked for a dozen copper lamps.
The master of the shop did not have so many by him, but said that if
the magician would call the next day, he would have them ready and
well polished.

Early the next day the magician called, and found the twelve lamps
awaiting him. Paying the man the full price demanded, he put the lamps
into a basket hanging on his arm, and started for Aladdin's palace. On
the way he began to cry out, "Who will exchange old lamps for new
ones?"

As he went along, a crowd of children and idle people followed
hooting, for all thought him a madman or a fool to offer to exchange
new lamps for old ones. The sorcerer regarded not their scoffs,
hooting, or anything they could say, but continued to cry shrilly,
"Who will exchange old lamps for new ones?"

When he reached the palace he walked back and forth in front of it.
The crowds kept increasing every moment, and his voice became more and
more shrill. At last the princess heard the noise and commotion, and
looking from one of the four and twenty windows, sent a slave to find
out what the crowd meant and what the man was saying.

"Madam," answered the slave, who soon returned laughing, "every one
laughs to see an old man carrying on his arm a basket full of fine new
lamps, and asking to exchange them for old ones. The children and mob
crowd about him so that the old man can hardly stir, and make all the
noise they can in derision of him."

"Now you speak of lamps," replied another female slave, "I know not
whether the princess has observed it, but there is an old lamp in
Prince Aladdin's robing room; whoever owns it will not be sorry to
change it for a new one. If the princess wishes, she may find out if
this old man is as silly as he appears to be, and will give a new lamp
for an old one without expecting anything in addition."

The princess, who knew not the value of the lamp nor Aladdin's
interest in it, entered into the amusement and ordered the slave to
make the exchange. No sooner had the slave reached the gates of the
palace than the magician snatched the lamp eagerly, and thrusting it
as far as he could into his breast, offered the slave his basket, and
bade her choose the lamp she liked best. The slave picked out a
handsome one and carried it to the princess, while the children
crowded around, deriding the magician's folly.

The African magician cried "New lamps for old ones" no more, but made
the best of his way from the palace through unfrequented streets and
having no use for lamps or basket, set them down where nobody saw
them, and after dodging about among the short and crooked streets,
hurried through the city gates and out into the country.

Having reached a lonely spot, he stopped till the darkness of the
night gave him the opportunity of carrying out his design. Then he
drew out the lamp and rubbed it. At that summons the genie appeared to
him as he had to Aladdin and said, "What wouldst thou have? I and the
other slaves of the lamp that is in your hands are ready to obey
thee."

"I command thee," replied the magician, "to transport me immediately
to Africa, and with us take Aladdin's palace and all the people in
it."

The genie made no reply, but with the assistance of his fellows the
slave of the lamp transported the magician and the palace and every
one in it to that spot in Egypt where the sorcerer wished to be.

Early the next morning when the sultan, according to custom, went to
admire Aladdin's palace, his amazement was unbounded to find that it
could nowhere be seen. He could not understand how so large a palace,
which he had seen plainly every day for some years, should vanish so
soon and not leave the least trace behind. In his perplexity he sent
for his grand vizier.

That official, who in secret bore no good will to Aladdin, intimated
his suspicion that the palace was built by magic, and that Aladdin had
made this hunting expedition an excuse for the removal of his palace.
The sultan sent a detachment of his guard to arrest Aladdin as a
prisoner of state.

The vizier's plan was carried out, and Aladdin would have been put to
death had not the people, whose affection he had earned by his
generosity, urged the sultan to grant him life. As soon as Aladdin had
gained his liberty, he addressed the sultan as follows:

"Sire, I pray you to let me know the crime by which I have thus lost
the favor of your countenance."

"Your crime," answered the sultan, "wretched man! do you not know it?
Follow me and I will show you."

The sultan then took Aladdin into the apartment from whence his son-
in-law's palace could best be seen, and said, "You ought to know where
your palace stood; look from mine and tell me where it has gone."

Aladdin looked, and, utterly amazed, stood speechless. After
recovering himself, he said, "It is true I do not see the palace, but
I was not concerned in its removal. I beg you to give me forty days,
and if in that time I cannot restore the palace, I will offer my head
to be disposed of at your pleasure."

"I grant your petition," said the sultan, "but remember, at the end of
forty days to present yourself before me."

Exceedingly humiliated, Aladdin went out of the sultan's palace, and
the lords, who had courted him in his days of splendor, now refused to
have any communication with him.

For three days he wandered about the city, exciting the wonder and
compassion of the multitude by asking everybody he met if they had
seen his palace, or could tell him anything of it. On the third day he
wandered into the country, where he fell down the bank of a river in
such a way, that while he was attempting to hold himself, he rubbed
the ring which the magician had given him.

Instantly the same genie that he had seen in the cave appeared before
him and said, "What wouldst thou? I and the other slaves of the ring
serve him who wears it. I am ready to obey."

Aladdin, surprised at the offer of help so little expected, replied,
"Genie, show me where the palace I caused to be built now stands, or
transport it back to where it first stood." "Your command," answered
the genie, "is not wholly in my power. I am the slave of the ring, not
of the lamp."

[Illustration: ALADDIN SALUTED THE PRINCESS JOYFULLY]

"I command thee, then," continued Aladdin, "by the power of the ring,
to transport me to the spot where my palace stands, in whatsoever part
of the world it be."

These words were no sooner out of his mouth than Aladdin found himself
before his own palace in the midst of a large plain, at no great
distance from a city. Indeed, he was placed exactly under the window
of the princess's apartment.

Now it so happened that a moment later one of the attendants of the
Princess Buddir al Buddoor, looking through the window, saw Aladdin,
and reported the fact to her mistress at once. The princess, scarcely
believing the joyful tidings, hastened to the window, and seeing
Aladdin, opened the window. The noise attracted Aladdin's attention so
that he turned his head, and seeing the princess, saluted her
joyfully.

"I have sent to have the private chamber opened for you," she said;
"enter and come up."

A few moments later, the happy couple were united in the princess's
chamber. It is impossible to describe the joy they felt at seeing each
other after so long a separation. After embracing each other and
weeping for joy, they sat down, and Aladdin said, "I beg you, my
princess, tell me what has become of an old lamp which stood upon the
shelf of my robing chamber?"

"Alas!" answered the princess, "I was afraid our misfortune might be
owing to that lamp, and what grieves me most is that I was the cause
of it. I was foolish enough to change the lamp for a new one, and the
next morning I found myself in this unknown country, which I am told
is Africa."

"Princess," interrupted Aladdin, "you have explained everything by
telling me we are in Africa. Can you tell me where the old lamp now
is?"

"The African magician carries it carefully wrapped up in his bosom,"
replied the princess. "I can assure you of this, because he pulled it
out and showed it to me one time."

"My princess," said Aladdin, "I think I can regain possession of the
lamp and deliver you. But to execute this design, I must go to the
town. I shall return by noon and will then tell you what to do. In the
meantime I shall disguise myself, and I beg that the private door may
be opened at my first knock."

When Aladdin came out of the palace, he saw a peasant going into the
country and hastened after him. After some persuasion the peasant
agreed to change clothes with Aladdin, and the latter entered the city
in disguise. Here, after traversing several streets, he entered one of
the largest and best drug stores, and asked the druggist if he had a
certain powder.

The druggist, noticing Aladdin's poor clothing, said, "I have the
powder, but it is very costly."

Aladdin, understanding the druggist's insinuation, drew out his purse,
showed him some gold, and asked for a half a dram of the powder, which
was weighed and passed over. Aladdin gave the druggist a gold piece
and hastened back to the palace which he entered by the private door.

"Princess," he said, as he came into her apartment, "you must carry
out your part in this scheme for our deliverance. Overcome your
aversion for the magician; assume a friendly manner, and invite him to
an entertainment in your apartment. Before he leaves, ask him to
exchange cups with you. Gratified at the honor you do him, he will
gladly exchange, when you must hand him the cup into which I place
this powder. On drinking it he will fall instantly asleep, and we
shall obtain the lamp with its slaves, who will restore us and the
palace to the capital of China."

The princess obeyed her husband's instructions, and the next night at
the entertainment, when the magician drank the glass out of compliment
to the princess, he fell back lifeless on the sofa. Anticipating
success, she had arranged it so that the moment the magician fell
senseless, Aladdin should be admitted to her apartment.

The princess arose from her seat and ran overjoyed to embrace her
husband, but he stopped her, saying, "Princess, retire to your own
room and leave me alone while I try to transport you back to China as
speedily as you were brought hither."

When everybody had withdrawn, Aladdin shut the door and went directly
to the body of the magician, opened his vest, took out the lamp,
unwrapped it carefully, and rubbed it as of old. The genie immediately
appeared.

"Genie," said Aladdin, "I command thee to transport the palace
instantly back to the place from which it was brought."

Everything happened as Aladdin commanded, and the removal was felt
only by two little shocks: one when the palace was lifted up, and the
other when it was set down, and both in a very short interval of time.

The next morning the sultan, looking out of his window, and mourning
over the fate of his daughter, was astonished to see the vacant place
again filled up with his son-in-law's palace. Joy and gladness
succeeded to sorrow and grief. Ordering a horse to be saddled, he
mounted it that instant, but could not make haste enough to satisfy
himself.

That morning Aladdin rose at daybreak, put on one of his most
magnificent habits and walked out into the hall of the four and twenty
windows, from whence he saw the sultan approaching, and hastened down
to assist his ruler in dismounting.

He conducted the sultan directly to the princess's apartment, and the
happy father and his daughter embraced each other with tears of joy.

For a short interval they were engaged in mutual explanations, and the
sultan said, "My son, be not displeased at my proceedings against you;
they arose from my paternal love, and therefore, you ought to forgive
any harshness that I may have shown."

"Sire, I have not the least reason to complain of your conduct, since
that infamous magician, the basest of men, was the sole cause of my
misfortune," replied Aladdin.

Now the African magician, who had thus been twice foiled in his
endeavor to ruin Aladdin, had a younger brother who was as skilful a
magician, and who exceeded him in wickedness and hatred of mankind.
For many years they had been under an agreement to communicate with
each other once a year, no matter how widely separated they might be.

The younger brother, not having received his usual annual
communication, cast a horoscope to find out what was amiss, and
discovered that his brother had been poisoned, and that the poisoner,
though a person of mean birth, was married to a princess, a sultan's
daughter, and lived in the capital of the kingdom of China. This
discovery caused the younger brother to resolve upon immediate
revenge, and he set out across plains, rivers, mountains and deserts
for China. After incredible fatigue, he reached the capital city, and
there he took lodging at a khan. Here by his magic powers he found
that Aladdin was the person who caused the death of his brother. At
that time the city was talking about the wonderful miracles of a woman
called Fatima, who had retired from the world to a little cell, where
she performed marvelous cures.

Thinking this woman might be serviceable to him in the project he had
conceived, the magician inquired minutely about the holy woman.

"What!" said the person whom he asked, "have you never seen nor heard
of her? The whole town admires her for her fasting, her austerities
and her exemplary life. Excepting Mondays and Fridays, she never stirs
out of her little cell. When she does come forth into the town, she
does an infinite amount of good, healing men of all kinds of diseases
by simply placing her hand upon them." That very night the wicked
magician went to the hermitage of the holy woman and stabbed her to
death. Then in the morning he dyed his face the same hue as hers, put
on her garb, covered his face with her veil, drew her large belt about
his waist, and taking his stick, went to the palace of Aladdin.

The people gathered about this holy woman, as they imagined the
magician to be, in a great crowd. Some begged his blessing, others
kissed his hand, while others, more reserved, touched only the hem of
his garment; still others, suffering from disease, stooped for him to
lay his hands upon them. The magician, muttering some words in the
form of a prayer, did continually as he was asked, counterfeiting so
well that no one suspected he was not the holy woman.

Finally he came before the square of the palace. The crowd and the
noise was so great that the princess, who was in the hall of the four
and twenty windows, heard it and asked what was the matter. One of her
women told her that it was a great crowd of people collected about the
holy woman, to be cured by the laying on of her hands.

The princess, who had long heard of this holy woman, desired to have
some conversation with her, and sent her chief officer to bring Fatima
to her apartment.

The crowd parted before the attendants from the palace, and the
magician, seeing that they were coming to him, advanced to meet them,
overjoyed that his plot was succeeding so well.

"Holy woman," said one of the attendants, "the princess wishes to see
you, and has sent us for you."

"The princess does me too great an honor," replied Fatima; "I am ready
to obey her command."

When the pretended Fatima had made her obeisance, the princess said,
"My good mother, I have one thing to request, which you must not
refuse me. Stay with me that you may edify me with your way of living,
and that I may learn from your good example."

"Princess," said the counterfeit Fatima, "I beg of you not to ask me
what I cannot consent to without neglecting my prayers and devotions."

"That shall be no hindrance to you," answered the princess. "I have a
great many unoccupied apartments. Choose whichever you wish, and you
may have as much liberty to perform your devotions as if you were in
your own cell."

The magician, who really desired nothing more than an introduction
into the palace, where he could easily execute his designs, soon
allowed himself to be persuaded to accept the offer which the princess
had made him.

Then the princess, rising, said, "Come with me; I will show you what
vacant apartments I have, that you may choose what you like best." The
magician followed, and after looking at all, chose the worst one,
saying that it was too good for him and that he accepted it only to
please her.

Afterward the princess would have brought him back into the great hall
to dine with her, but he, knowing he would have to show his face,
which he had all this time concealed under Fatima's veil, begged her
to excuse him, saying that he never ate anything but bread and dried
fruits, and desiring to eat that slightest repast in his own
apartment.

"You are as free here, good mother, as if you were in your own cell. I
will order you a dinner, but remember, I expect you as soon as you
have finished."

After the princess had dined, the false Fatima was again brought
before her.

"My good mother," said the princess, "I am overjoyed to have so holy a
woman as yourself confer, by your presence, a blessing upon this
palace. Now that I am speaking of the palace, pray how do you like it?
Tell me first what you think of this hall."

The counterfeit Fatima, surveying the palace from one end to the
other, said: "As far as such a solitary being as myself, who am
unacquainted with what the world calls beautiful, can judge, this hall
is truly admirable; there wants but one thing."

"What is that, good mother?" demanded the princess. "Tell me, I
conjure you. I have always believed and heard that it lacked nothing,
but if it does, the want shall be supplied."

"Princess," said the false Fatima with great dissimulation, "forgive
the liberty I take, but in my opinion, if it is of any importance, if
a roc's egg were hung up in the middle of the dome, this hall would
have no parallel in the four quarters of the world, and would be the
wonder of the universe."

"My good mother," said the princess, "what is a roc, and where may one
get an egg?"

"Princess, it is a bird of prodigious size that lives on Mount
Caucasus; the architect who built your palace can get you one."

After the princess had thanked the false Fatima for what she believed
her good advice, she conversed upon other matters, but she could not
forget the roc's egg, and that evening when she met Aladdin, she
almost immediately addressed him.

"I always believed that our palace was the most superb, magnificent,
and complete in the world, but I will tell you now what it wants, and
that is a roc's egg hung up in the midst of the dome."

"Princess," replied Aladdin, "it is enough that you think it wants
such an ornament; you shall see by my diligence that there is nothing
that I should not do for your sake."

Aladdin left the Princess Buddir al Buddoor that moment, and went up
into the hall of the four and twenty windows, where, pulling from his
bosom the lamp, which he now always carried upon him, he rubbed the
lamp till the genie came.

"Genie," said Aladdin, "I command that in the name of this lamp you
bring me a roc's egg to be hung up in the middle of the dome of the
hall of the palace." Aladdin had no sooner pronounced these words than
the hall shook as if it would fall, and the genie cried in a loud
voice, "Is it not enough that I and the other slaves of the lamp have
done everything for you, but you, by an unheard-of ingratitude,
command me to bring my master and hang him up in the midst of this
dome? For this attempt, you and the princess deserve to be immediately
reduced to ashes; I spare you simply because this request does not
come from yourself. The true author is the brother of the African
magician, your enemy, whom you have destroyed. He is now in your
palace, disguised in the habit of the holy woman, Fatima, whom he has
murdered. It is at his suggestion that your wife makes this pernicious
demand. His design is to kill you, therefore take care of yourself."
After these words the genie disappeared.

Aladdin resolved at once what to do. He returned to the princess's
apartment, where, saying nothing of what had happened, he sat down,
complaining of a great pain in the head. The princess told him how the
holy Fatima was in the palace, and the prince requested that she be
brought to him at once.

"Come hither, good mother," said Aladdin, when the pretended Fatima
appeared; "I am glad to see you. I have a violent pain in my head, and
hope you will not refuse to cure me as you do other afflicted
persons."

So saying, Aladdin arose, holding his head down. The counterfeit
Fatima advanced, keeping his hand all the time on a dagger concealed
under his gown. Aladdin saw all this, and the moment the pretended
woman came within reach, he snatched the dagger and plunged it into
the heart of the traitorous magician, at the same time pushing him to
the floor.

"My dear prince," cried the terrified princess, "what have you done?
You have killed the holy woman!"

"No, my princess, I have not killed Fatima, but a villain, who would
have assassinated me if I had not prevented him. This wicked man," he
said, uncovering the face of the magician, "is the brother of the
magician who attempted our ruin. He has murdered Fatima, disguised
himself in her clothes, and come here with intent to murder me."

Aladdin then told her how the genie had explained these facts, and how
narrowly she had escaped destruction through the treacherous
suggestion which had led to her request.

Thus was Aladdin delivered from the persecution of the two magicians.
Within a few years afterward, the sultan died in a good old age, and
as he left no male children, the Princess Buddir al Buddoor succeeded
him, and with Aladdin reigned many long years in happiness and
prosperity.

THE SECOND VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR

From THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Among the popular tales in the Arabian Nights collection are those in
which Sinbad, the wealthy merchant of Bagdad, tells to a poor porter
the story of seven marvelous voyages, to illustrate the fact that
wealth is not always easily obtained. The most interesting voyage is
the second, of which Sinbad gives the account as follows:

I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days at
Bagdad, but it was not long ere I grew weary of an indolent life, and
I put to sea a second time, with merchants of known probity. We
embarked on board a good ship, and, after recommending ourselves to
God, set sail. We traded from island to island, and exchanged
commodities with great profit. One day we landed on an island covered
with several sorts of fruit trees, but we could see neither man nor
animal. We walked in the meadows, along the streams that watered them.
While some of the sailors diverted themselves with gathering flowers,
and others fruits, I took my wine and provisions, and sat down near a
stream betwixt two high trees, which formed a thick shade. I made a
good meal, and afterward fell asleep. I cannot tell how long I slept,
but when I awoke the ship was gone.

[Illustration: THE VALLEY WAS STREWED WITH DIAMONDS]

In this sad condition, I was ready to die with grief. I cried out in
agony, beat my head and breast, and threw myself upon the ground,
where I lay some time in despair. I upbraided myself a hundred times
for not being content with the produce of my first voyage, that might
have sufficed me all my life. But all this was in vain, and my
repentance came too late. At last I resigned myself to the will of
God. Not knowing what to do, I climbed up to the top of a lofty tree,
from whence I looked about on all sides, to see if I could discover
anything that could give me hopes. When I gazed toward the sea I could
see nothing but sky and water; but looking over the land, I beheld
something white; and coming down, I took what provision I had left and
went toward it, the distance being so great that I could not
distinguish what it was.

As I approached, I thought it to be a white dome, of a prodigious
height and extent; and when I came up to it, I touched it, and found
it to be very smooth. I went round to see if it was open on any side,
but saw it was not, and that there was no climbing up to the top, as
it was so smooth. It was at least fifty paces round.

By this time the sun was about to set, and all of a sudden the sky
became as dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. I was
much astonished at this sudden darkness, but much more when I found it
occasioned by a bird of a monstrous size, that came flying toward me.
I remembered that I had often heard mariners speak of a miraculous
bird called the roc, and conceived that the great dome which I so much
admired must be its egg. In short, the bird alighted, and sat over the
egg. As I perceived her coming, I crept close to the egg, so that I
had before me one of the legs of the bird, which was as big as the
trunk of a tree. I tied myself strongly to it with my turban, in hopes
that the roc next morning would carry me with her out of this desert
island. After having passed the night in this condition, the bird flew
away as soon as it was daylight, and carried me so high that I could
not discern the earth; she afterward descended with so much rapidity
that I lost my senses. But when I found myself on the ground, I
speedily untied the knot, and had scarcely done so, when the roc,
having taken up a serpent of a monstrous length in her bill, flew
away.

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