Volume 3 — ALAEDDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. (continued 4)

After these words, the magician drew a ring off his finger, and put it upon one of Aladdin’s telling him that it was a preservative against all evil, while he observed what he had prescribed to him. After this instruction, he said, “Go down boldly, child, and we shall both be rich all our lives.”

Aladdin jumped into the cave, went down the steps, and found the three halls just as the African magician had described them. He went through them with all the precaution the fear of death could inspire, if he failed to observe all that he was told very carefully; crossed the garden without stopping, took down the lamp from the niche, threw out the wick and the liquor, and, as the magician told him, put it in his bosom. But as he came down from the terrace, seeing it was perfectly dry, he stopped in the garden, to observe the fruit, which he only had a glimpse of in crossing it. All the trees were loaded with extraordinary fruit, of different colours on each tree: 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 colours. The white were pearls; the clear and transparent, diamonds; the deep red, rubies; the paler, ballas rubies; the green, emeralds; the blue, turquoises; the purple, amethysts; and those that were of yellow cast, sapphires; and so of the rest. All these fruits were so large and beautiful, that nothing was ever seen like them. Aladdin was altogether ignorant of their value; and would have preferred figs and grapes, or any other fruits, before them; and though he took them only for coloured glass of little value, yet he was so pleased with the variety of the colours, and the beauty and extraordinary size of the fruit, that he had a mind to gather some of every sort; and accordingly filled his two pockets, and the two new purses his uncle had bought for him with the clothes which he gave him; and as he could not put them in his pockets, he fastened them to his girdle. Some he wrapped up in the skirts of his gown, which was of silk, large and wrapping, and crammed his breast as full as it could hold.

Aladdin, having thus loaded himself with riches he knew not the value of, returned through the three halls with the same precaution, and made all the haste he could, that he might not make his uncle wait, and soon arrived at the 203mouth of the cave, where the African magician awaited him with the utmost impatience. As soon as Aladdin saw him, he cried out, “Pray, uncle, lend me your hand to help me out.” “Give me the lamp first,” replied the magician; “it will be troublesome to you.” “Indeed, uncle,” answered Aladdin, “I cannot now; it is not troublesome to me; but I will as soon as I am up.” The African magician was so obstinate, that he would have the lamp before he would help him up; and Aladdin, who had encumbered himself so much with his fruit, that he could not well get at it, refused to give him it till he was out of the cave. The African magician, provoked at this obstinate refusal of the lad, flew into a terrible passion, and threw a little of his incense into the fire, which he had taken care to keep in, and no sooner pronounced two magical words, but the stone which had closed the mouth of the cave moved into its place, with the earth over it, in the same manner as it lay at the arrival of the magician and Aladdin.

This action of the African magician’s plainly shewed him to be neither Aladdin’s uncle, nor Mustapha, the tailor’s brother, but a true African, a native of that part of the world. For as Africa is a country whose inhabitants delight most in magic of any other in the whole world, he had applied himself to it from his youth; and after about forty years’ experience in enchantments, works of geomancy, fumigations, and reading of magic books, he had found out that there was in the world a wonderful lamp, the possession of which would render him more powerful than any monarch in the world, if he could obtain it; and by a late operation of geomancy, he found out that this lamp lay concealed in a subterraneous place in the midst of China, in the situation, with all the circumstances, already described. Fully persuaded of the truth of this discovery, he set out from the farthest part of Africa, and, after a long and fatiguing journey, came to the town nearest to this treasure. But though he had a certain knowledge of the place where the lamp was, he was not permitted to take it himself, nor to enter the subterraneous place where it was, but must receive it from the hands of another person. For this reason, he addressed himself to Aladdin, whom he looked upon as a young lad of no consequence, and fit to serve his purpose; resolving, as soon as he got the lamp into his hands, to sacrifice poor Aladdin to his avarice and wickedness, by making the fumigation mentioned before, and saying those two magical words, the effect of which was to remove the stone into its place again, that he might have no witness of the transaction.

The blow he gave Aladdin, and the authority he assumed over him, was only to use him to fear him, and to make him obey him more readily, and give him the lamp as soon as he asked for it. But his too great precipitation in executing his wicked intention on poor Aladdin, and his fear lest somebody should come that way during their dispute, and discover what he wished to keep secret, produced an effect quite contrary to what he proposed to himself.

When the African magician saw that all his great hopes were frustrated for ever, he returned that same day for Africa; but went quite round the town, and 204at some distance from it, for fear lest some persons who had seen him walk out with the boy, seeing him come back without him, should entertain any jealousy of him, and stop him.

According to all appearances, there was no prospect of Aladdin being any more heard of. But the magician, when he contrived his death, had forgotten the ring he put on his finger, which preserved him, though he knew not its virtue; and it is amazing that the loss of that, together with the lamp, did not drive the magician to despair; but magicians are so much used to misfortunes, and events contrary to their wishes, that they do not lay them to heart, but still feed themselves all their lives with unsubstantial notions and chimeras.

As for Aladdin, who never suspected this bad usage from his pretended uncle, after all his caresses, and what he had done for him, his surprise is more easily to be imagined than expressed by words. When he found himself buried alive, he cried, and called out to his uncle to tell him he was ready to give him the lamp; but all in vain, since his cries could not be heard by him and he remained in this dark abode. At last when he had quite tired himself with crying, he went to the bottom of the steps, with a design to get into the garden, where it was light; but the door, which was opened before by enchantment, was now shut by the same means. Then he redoubled his cries and tears, and sat down on the steps, without any hopes of ever seeing the light again, and in a melancholy certainty of passing from the present darkness into that of a speedy death.

Aladdin remained in this state two days, without eating or drinking, and on the third day looked upon death as inevitable. Clasping his hands with an entire resignation to the will of God, he said, “There is no strength or power but in the great and high God.” In this action of joining his hands, he rubbed the ring which the magician put on his finger, and of which he knew not yet the virtue, and immediately a genie of an enormous size and frightful look rose out of the earth, his head reaching the vault, and said to him, “What wouldst thou have with me? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all who have the ring on thy finger; I, and the other slaves of that ring.”

At another time, Aladdin, who had not been used to such visions, would have been so frightened, that he would not have been able to speak at the sight of so extraordinary a figure; but the danger he was in made him answer without hesitation, “Whoever thou art, deliver me from this place, if thou art able.” He had no sooner made an end of these words, but the earth opened, and he found himself on the very spot where the magician first brought him.

It was some time before Aladdin’s eyes could bear the light, after having been so long in total darkness; but after he had endeavoured by degrees to support it, and began to look about him, he was very much surprised not to find the earth open, and could not comprehend how he had got so soon out of its bowels. There was nothing to be seen but the place where the fire had been, by which he could nearly judge whereabouts the cave was. Then 205turning himself about towards the town, he perceived it in the midst of the gardens that surrounded it, and knew the way back by which the magician had brought him to it; then, returning God thanks to see himself once more in the world, where he never more expected to be, he made the best of his way home. When he got within his mother’s door, the joy to see her, and his faintness for want of sustenance for three days, made him faint, and he remained for a long time as dead. His mother, who had given him over for lost or dead, seeing him in this condition, omitted nothing to bring him to himself again. As soon as he recovered, the first words he spake were, “Pray, mother, give me something to eat, for I have not put a morsel of anything into my mouth these three days.” His mother brought what she had, and set it before him. “My son,” said she, “be not too eager, for it is dangerous; eat but a little at a time, and take care of yourself. Besides, I would not have you talk; you will have time enough to tell me what has happened to you when you are recovered. It is a great comfort to me to see you again, after the affliction I have been in since Friday, and the pains I have taken to learn what had become of you, ever since I found it was night, and you were not returned.”

Aladdin took his mother’s advice, and ate and drank moderately. When he had done, “Mother,” said he to her, “I cannot help complaining of you, for abandoning me so easily to the discretion of a man who had a design to kill me, and who at this very moment thinks my death certain. You believed he was my uncle, as well as I; and what other thoughts could we entertain of a man who was so kind to me, and made such advantageous offers? But I must tell you, mother, he is a rogue and a cheat, and only did what he did, and made me all those promises, to accomplish my death; but for what reason neither you nor I can guess.—For my part, I can assure you I never gave him any cause to deserve the least ill-treatment from him. You shall judge of it yourself, when you have heard all that passed from the time I left you, till he came to the execution of his wicked design.”

Then Aladdin began to tell his mother all that happened to him from Friday, when the magician took him to see the palaces and gardens about that town, and what fell out in the way, till they came to the place between the two mountains, where the great prodigy was to be performed; how, with incense which the magician threw into the fire, and some magical words which he pronounced, the earth opened, and discovered a cave which led to an inestimable treasure. He forgot not the blow the magician gave him, and in what manner he softened again, and engaged by great promises, and putting a ring on his finger, to go down into the cave. He did not omit the least circumstance of what he saw in crossing the three halls and the garden and his taking the wonderful lamp, which he pulled out of his bosom and shewed to his mother, as well as the transparent fruit of different colours, which he had gathered in the garden as he returned, two purses full of which he gave to his mother. But though these fruits were precious stones, brilliant 206as the sun, and the reflection of a lamp which then lighted the room might have led them to think they were of great value, she was as ignorant of their worth as her son, and cared nothing for them. She had been bred in a middling rank of life, and her husband’s poverty prevented her being possessed of such things, nor had she, or her relations or neighbours ever seen them, so that we must not wonder that she looked on them as things of no value, and only pleasing to the eye by the variety of their colours.

Aladdin put them behind one of the cushions of the sofa he sat upon, and continued his story telling his mother that when he returned and presented himself at the mouth of the cave, upon his refusal to give the magician the lamp till he had got out, the stone, by his throwing some incense into the fire, and using two or three magical words, stopped it up, and the earth closed again. He could not help bursting into tears at the representation of the miserable condition he was in, to find himself buried alive in a dismal cave, till by the touching of his ring, the virtue of which he was then an entire stranger to, he, properly speaking, came to life again. When he had made an end of his story, he said to his mother, “I need say no more; you know the rest. This is my adventure, and the danger I have been exposed to since you saw me.”

Aladdin’s mother heard with so much patience as not to interrupt him this surprising and wonderful relation, notwithstanding it could be no small affliction to a mother, who loved her son tenderly; but yet in the most moving part, which discovered the perfidy of the African magician, she could not help shewing, by marks of the greatest indignation, how much she detested him; and when Aladdin had finished his story, she broke out into a thousand reproaches against that vile impostor. She called him perfidious traitor, barbarian, assassin, deceiver, magician, and an enemy and destroyer of mankind. “Without doubt, child,” added she, “he is a magician, and they are plagues to the world, and by their enchantments and sorceries have commerce with the devil. Bless God for preserving you from his wicked designs; for your death would have been inevitable, if you had not called upon him, and implored his assistance.” She said a great deal more against the magician’s treachery; but finding, while she talked, her son Aladdin, who had not slept for three days and nights, began to nod, she put him to bed, and soon after went to bed herself.

Aladdin, who had not had one wink of sleep while he was in the subterraneous abode, slept very heartily all that night, and never waked till the next morning; when the first thing that he said to his mother was, he wanted something to eat, and that she could not do him a greater pleasure than to give him his breakfast. “Alas! child,” said she, “I have not a bit of bread to give you, you ate up all the provisions I had in the house yesterday; but have a little patience, and it shall not be long before I will bring you some: I have a little cotton, which I have spun; I will go and sell it, and buy bread, and something for our dinner.” “Mother,” replied Aladdin, “keep your cotton 207against another time, and give me the lamp I brought home yesterday; I will go and sell it, and the money I shall get for it will serve both for breakfast and dinner, and perhaps supper too.”

Aladdin’s mother took the lamp, and said to her son, “Here it is, but it is very dirty; if it was a little cleaner I believe it would bring something more.” She took a little fine sand and water to clean it; but had no sooner begun to rub it, but in an instant a hideous genie of gigantic size appeared before her, and said to her in a voice like thunder, “What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their hands; I, and the other slaves of the lamp.”

Aladdin’s mother was not able to speak at the sight of this frightful genie, but fainted away; when Aladdin, who had once before seen such another genie in the cavern, without losing time or reflection, snatched the lamp out of his mother’s hands, and said to the genie boldly, “I am hungry; bring me something to eat.” The genie disappeared immediately, and in an instant returned with a large silver basin on his head, and twelve covered plates of the same metal, which contained some excellent meats: six large white loaves on two other plates, and two bottles of wine, and two silver cups in each hand. All these things he placed upon a table, and disappeared; and all this was done before Aladdin’s mother came out of her swoon.

Aladdin went presently, and fetched some water, and threw it in her face, to recover her: whether that or the smell of the meats the genie procured brought her to life again, it was not long before she came to herself. “Mother,” said Aladdin, “do not mind this; it is nothing at all; get up, and come and eat; here is what will put you in heart, and at the same time satisfy my extreme hunger; do not let such fine meat be cold, but fall to.”

His mother was very much surprised to see the great basin, twelve plates, six loaves, and the two bottles and cups, and to smell the delicious odour which exhaled from the plates. “Child,” said she to Aladdin, “to whom are we obliged for this great plenty and liberality? Has the sultan been made acquainted with our poverty, and had compassion on us?” “It is no matter, mother,” said Aladdin, “let us sit down and eat: for you have almost as much need of a good breakfast as myself, when we have done, I will tell you.” Accordingly, both mother and son sat down, and ate with the better stomach, as the table was so well furnished. But all the time Aladdin’s mother could not forbear looking at and admiring the basin and plates, though she could not well tell whether they were silver or any other metal, so little accustomed were she and her son to see such, and the novelty more than the value attracted their attention.

In short, the mother and son sat at breakfast till it was dinner-time, and then they thought it would be best to put the two meals together; yet, after this, they found they should have enough left for supper, and two meals for the next day.

When Aladdin’s mother had taken away and set by what was left, she went 208and sat down by her son on the sofa. “Aladdin,” said she, “I expect now that you should satisfy my impatience, and tell me exactly what passed between the genie and you while I was in a swoon;” which he presently complied with.

She was in as great amazement at what her son told her, as at the appearance of the genie; and said to him, “But, son, what have we to do with genies? I never in my life heard that any of my acquaintance had ever seen one. How came that vile genie to address himself to me, and not to you, to whom he had appeared before in the cave?” “Mother,” answered Aladdin, “the genie you saw is not the same who appeared to me, though he resembles him in size: no, they had quite different persons and habits; they belong to different masters. If you remember, he that I first saw called himself the slave of the ring on my finger; and this you saw called himself the slave of the lamp you had in your hand: but I believe you did not hear him, for I think you fainted away as soon as he began to speak.”

“What!” cried the mother, “was your lamp, then, the occasion of that cursed genie addressing himself rather to me than to you? Ah! my son, take it out of my sight, and put it where you please. I will never touch it. I had rather you would sell it, than run the hazard of being frightened to death again by touching it: and if you would take my advice, you would part also with the ring, and not have anything to do with genies, who, as our prophet has told us, are only devils.”

“With your leave, mother,” replied Aladdin, “I shall now take care how I sell a lamp, as I was going to do, which may be so serviceable both to you and me. Have not you been an eye-witness of what it hath procured us, and it shall still continue to furnish us with subsistence and maintenance. You may suppose, as I do, that my false and wicked uncle would not have taken so much pains, and undertaken so long and tedious a journey, if it had not been to get into his possession this Wonderful Lamp, which he preferred before all the gold and silver which he knew was in his halls, and which I have seen with my own eyes. He knew too well the merit and worth of this lamp, not to prefer it to so great a treasure; and since chance hath discovered the virtue of it to us, let us make a profitable use of it, without making any great stir, and drawing the envy and jealousy of our neighbours upon us. However, since the genies fright you so much, I will take it out of your sight, and put it where I may find it when I want it. As for the ring, I cannot resolve to part with that neither; for, without that, you had never seen me again; and though I am alive now, perhaps, if it was gone, I might not be so some moments hence; therefore I hope you will give me leave to keep that, and to wear it always on my finger. Who knows what dangers you and I may be exposed to, which neither of us can foresee, and which it may deliver us from?” As Aladdin’s arguments were just, and had a great deal of weight in them, his mother had nothing to say against them, but only replied that he might do what he pleased, but for her part, she would have nothing to do with genies, but, would wash her hands of them, and never say anything more about them.

By the next night they had eaten all the provisions the genie had brought; 209and the next day Aladdin, who could not bear the thoughts of hunger, took one of the silver plates under his coat, and went out early to sell it, and addressing himself to a Jew whom he met in the streets, took him aside, and pulling out the plate, asked him if he would buy it. The cunning Jew took the plate and examined it, and no sooner found that it was good silver, but he asked Aladdin how much he valued it at. Aladdin, who knew not the value of it, and never had been used to such traffic, told him he would trust to his judgment and honour. The Jew was somewhat confounded at this plain dealing; and doubting whether Aladdin understood the material or the full value of what he offered him to sell, he took a piece of gold out of his purse, and gave it him, though it was but the sixtieth part of the worth of the plate. Aladdin took the money very eagerly, and, as soon as he got it in his pocket, retired with so much haste, that the Jew, not content with the exorbitancy of his profit, was vexed he had not penetrated into Aladdin’s ignorance, and was going to run after him, to endeavour to get some change out of the piece of gold; but Aladdin ran so fast, and had got so far, that it would have been impossible for him to overtake him.

Before Aladdin went home to his mother he called at a baker’s, bought a loaf, changed his money, and went home, and gave the rest to his mother, who went and bought provisions enough to last them some time. After this manner they lived, till Aladdin had sold the twelve plates, one at a time, to the Jew, for the same money; who, after the first time, durst not offer him less, for fear of losing so good a chap. When he had sold the last plate, he had recourse to the basin, which weighed ten times as much as the plate, and would have carried it to his old purchaser, but that it was too large and cumbersome; therefore he was obliged to bring him home with him to his mother’s, where the Jew had examined the weight of the basin, he laid down ten pieces of gold, with which Aladdin was very well satisfied.

They lived on these ten pieces in a frugal manner a pretty while; and Aladdin, who had been used to an idle life, left off playing with young lads of his own age ever since his adventure with the African magician. He spent his time in walking about, and talking with people with whom he had got acquainted. Sometimes he would stop at the most capital merchants’ shops, where people of distinction met, and listen to their discourse, by which he gained some little knowledge of the world.

When all the money was spent, Aladdin had recourse again to the lamp. He took it in his hand, looked for the same place where his mother had rubbed it with the sand, and rubbed it also, and the genie immediately appeared, and said, “What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their hands—I, and the other slaves of the lamp.” “I am hungry,” said Aladdin; “bring me something to eat.” The genie disappeared, and presently returned with a basin, and the same number of covered plates, &c., and set them down on a table, and vanished again.

Aladdin’s mother, knowing what her son was going to do, went out at that 210time about some business, on purpose to avoid being in the way when the genie came; and when she returned, which was not long after, and found the table and sideboard so furnished a second time, was almost as much surprised as before, at the prodigious effect of the lamp. However, she sat down with her son, and when they had eaten as much as they had a mind to, she set enough by to last them two or three days.

As soon as Aladdin found that their provisions and money were spent, he took one of these plates, and went to look for his Jew chapman again; but passing by a goldsmith’s shop who had the character of a very fair and honest man, the goldsmith perceiving him, called to him and said, “My lad, I have often observed you go by, loaded as you are at present, and talk with such a Jew, and then come back again empty-handed. I imagine that you carry something that you sell to him; but perhaps you do not know what a rogue he is, and that he is the greatest rogue among all the Jews, and is so well known that nobody will have anything to do with him. What I tell you is for your own good. If you will show me what you now carry, and it is to be sold, I will give you the full worth of it; or I will direct you to other merchants who will not cheat you.”

The hopes of getting more money for his plate induced Aladdin to pull it from under his coat, and shew it to the goldsmith. The old man, who at first sight saw that it was made of the finest silver, asked him if he had sold any such as that to the Jew, and Aladdin told him plainly that he had sold him twelve such, for a piece of gold each. “What a villain!” cried the goldsmith; “but,” added he, “my son, what is past cannot be recalled. By shewing you the value of this plate, which is of the finest silver we use in our shops, I will let you see how much the Jew has cheated you.”

The goldsmith took a pair of scales, weighed the plate, and after he had told Aladdin how much an ounce of fine silver contained and was worth, he demonstrated to him that his plate was worth by weight sixty pieces of gold, which he paid him down immediately. “If you dispute my honesty,” said he, “you may go to any other of our trade, and if he gives you any more, I will be bound to forfeit twice as much; for we gain only the fashion of the plate that we buy, and that the fairest dealing Jews do not.”

Aladdin thanked him for his good advice, so greatly to his advantage, and never after went to any other person, but sold him all his plates and the basin, and had as much for them as the weight came to.

Though Aladdin and his mother had an inexhaustible treasure of money in their lamp, and might have had whatever they had a mind to every time it failed, yet they lived with the same frugality as before, except that Aladdin went more neat: as for his mother, she wore no clothes but what she earned by her spinning cotton. After their manner of living, we may easily suppose that the money Aladdin had sold the plates and basin for was sufficient to maintain them some time. They went on for many years by the help of the produce Aladdin, from time to time, made of his lamp.

211During this time Aladdin frequented the shops of the principal merchants, where they sold cloth of gold and silver, and linens, silk stuffs, and jewellery, and oftentimes joining in their conversation, acquired a complete knowledge of the world, and assumed its manners. By his acquaintance among the jewellers, he came to know that the fine fruit which he had gathered when he took the lamp were not coloured glass, but stones of extraordinary value. For as he had seen all sorts of jewels bought and sold in their shops, but none that were so beautiful or so large as his, he found, that instead of coloured glass, he possessed an inestimable treasure; but had the prudence not to say anything of it to anyone, not even to his mother.

One day, as Aladdin was walking about the town, he heard an order of the sultan’s published, for all people to shut up their shops and houses, and keep within doors, while the princess Badr-oul-boudour, the sultan’s daughter, went to the baths and back again.

This public order inspired Aladdin with a great curiosity to see the princess’s face, which he could not do without getting into the house of some acquaintance, and through a window: but this did not satisfy him, when he considered that the princess, when she went to the baths, had a veil on; but to gratify his curiosity, he presently thought of a scheme which succeeded; that was, to place himself behind the door of the bath, which was so situated that he could not fail of seeing her face.

Aladdin had not waited long before the princess came, and he could see her plainly through a chink of the door without being seen. She was attended with a great crowd of ladies, slaves, and eunuchs, who walked on each side, and behind her. When she came within three or four paces from the door of the baths, she took off her veil, and gave Aladdin an opportunity of a full look at her.

Till then Aladdin, who had never seen any woman’s face but his mother’s, who was old, and never could boast of any such features, thought that all women were like her, and could hear people talk of the most surprising beauties without being the least moved; for whatever words are made use of to set off the merit of a beauty, they can never make the same impression as the beauty herself.

But as soon as Aladdin had seen the princess Badr-oul-boudour, his sentiments were very much changed, and his heart could not withstand all those inclinations so charming an object inspires. The princess was the most beautiful brunette in the world; her eyes were large, lively, and sparkling; her looks sweet and modest; her nose was of a just proportion and without a fault; her mouth small, her lips of a vermilion red, and charmingly agreeable symmetry; in a word, all the features of her face were perfectly regular. It is not therefore surprising that Aladdin, who had never seen, and was a stranger to so many charms, was dazzled, and his senses quite ravished with such an assemblage. With all these perfections the princess had so delicate a shape, so majestic an air, that the sight of her was sufficient to inspire respect.

212After the princess had passed by Aladdin and entered the baths, he remained some time astonished, and in a kind of ecstasy, retracing and imprinting the idea of so charming an object deeply in his mind. But at last considering that the princess was gone past him, and that when she returned from the bath her back would be towards him, and then veiled, he resolved to quit his post and go home. But when he came there, he could not conceal his uneasiness so well but that his mother perceived it, and was very much surprised to see him so much more thoughtful and melancholy than usual; and asked him what had happened to him to make him so, or if he was ill. Aladdin returned her no answer, but sat carelessly down on the sofa, and remained in the same condition, full of the image of the charming Badr-oul-boudour. His mother, who was dressing supper, pressed him no more. When it was ready, she set it on the table before him; but perceiving that he gave no attention to it, she bid him eat, and had much ado to persuade him to change his place; and when he did, he ate much less than usual, and all the time cast down his eyes, and observed so profound a silence, that she could not possibly get the least word out of him in answer to all the questions she put, to find the reason of so extraordinary an alteration.

After supper, she asked him again, why he was so melancholy, but could get no information, and he determined to go to bed, rather than give her the least satisfaction. Without examining how Aladdin passed the night, his mind full as it was with the beautiful charms of the princess Badr-oul-boudour, I shall only observe that as he sat next day on the sofa, over against his mother, as she was spinning cotton, he spoke to her in these words: “I perceive, mother, that my silence yesterday has very much troubled you; I was not, nor am I sick, as I fancy you believed; but I can tell you, that what I felt then, and now endure, is worse than any disease. I cannot tell what ails me, but doubt not what I am going to tell you will inform you.

“It was not known in this quarter of the town, and therefore you could know nothing of it, that the princess Badr-oul-boudour, the sultan’s daughter, was to go to the baths after dinner. I heard this as I walked about the town, and an order was issued, that, to pay all the respect that was due to that princess, all the shops should be shut up in her way thither, and everybody keep within doors, to leave the streets free for her and her attendants. As I was not then far from the bath, I had a great curiosity to see the princess’s face; and as it occurred to me that the princess, when she came nigh the door of the bath, would pull her veil off, I resolved to get behind that door. You know the situation of the door, and may imagine that I must have a full view of her, if it happened as I expected. The princess threw off her veil, and I had the happiness of seeing her lovely face with the greatest satisfaction imaginable. This, mother, was the cause of my melancholy and silence yesterday; I love the princess with so much violence, that I cannot express it; and as my lively passion increases every moment, I cannot live without the possession of the amiable princess Badr-oul-boudour, and am resolved to ask her in marriage of the sultan her father.”

213Aladdin’s mother listened with attention to what her son told her; but when he talked of asking the princess Badr-oul-boudour in marriage of the sultan, she could not help bursting out into a loud laugh. Aladdin would have gone on with his discourse, but she interrupted him. “Alas! child,” said she, “what are you thinking of? You must be mad to talk so.”

“I assure you, mother,” replied Aladdin, “that I am not mad, but in my right senses: I foresaw that you would reproach me with this folly and extravagance; but I must tell you once more, that I am resolved to demand the princess Badr-oul-boudour of the sultan in marriage, and your remonstrances shall not prevent me.”

“Indeed, son,” replied the mother, seriously, “I cannot help telling you, that you have quite forgot yourself; and if you would put this resolution of yours in execution, I do not see who you can get to venture to propose it for you.” “You yourself,” replied he immediately. “I go to the sultan!” answered the mother, amazed and surprised. “I shall take care how I engage in such an affair. Why, who are you, son,” continued she, “that you can have the assurance to think of your sultan’s daughter? Have you forgot that your father was one of the poorest tailors in the capital, and that I am of no better extraction? and do not you know that sultans never marry their daughters but to princes, sons of sultans like themselves?”

“Mother,” answered Aladdin, “I have already told you that I foresaw all that you have said, or can say: and tell you again, that neither your discourse nor your remonstrances shall make me change my mind. I have told you that you must ask the princess Badr-oul-boudour in marriage for me: it is a favour I desire of you, with all the respect I owe you; and I beg of you not to refuse me, unless you would rather see me in my grave, than by so doing give me new life.”

The good old woman was very much embarrassed, when she found Aladdin so obstinately persisting in so foolish a design. “My son,” said she again, “I am your mother, who brought you into the world, and there is nothing that is reasonable but I would readily do for you. If I was to go and treat about your marriage with some neighbour’s daughter, whose circumstances were equal with yours, I would do it with all my heart: and then they would expect you should have some little estate or fortune, or be of some trade. When such poor folks as we are have a mind to marry, the first thing they ought to think of is how to live. But without reflecting on the meanness of your birth, and the little merit and fortune you have to recommend you, you aim at the highest pitch of fortune; and your pretensions are no less than to demand in marriage the daughter of your sovereign, who with one single word can crush you to pieces. I say nothing of what respects yourself. I leave you to reflect on what you have to do, if you have ever so little thought. I come now to consider what concerns myself. How could so extraordinary a thought come into your head, as that I should go to the sultan, and make a proposal to him, to give his daughter in marriage to you? Suppose I had, not to say the boldness, but the 214impudence to present myself before the sultan, and make so extravagant a request, to whom should I address myself to be introduced to his majesty? Do you not think the first person I should speak to would take me for a mad woman, and chastise me as I should deserve? Suppose there is no difficulty in presenting myself to an audience of the sultan, as I know there is none to those who go to ask justice, which he distributes equally among his subjects; I know too that to those who ask some favour, he grants it with pleasure when he sees it is deserved, and the persons are worthy of it. But is that your case? And do you think you have deserved the favour you would have me ask for you? Are you worthy of it? What have you done to deserve such a favour? What have you done either for your prince or country? How have you distinguished yourself? If you have done nothing to merit so great a favour, nor are worthy of it, with what face shall I ask it? How can I open my mouth to make the proposal to the sultan? His majestic presence and the lustre of his court would presently silence me, who used to tremble before my late husband your father, when I asked him for anything. Here is another reason, my son, which you do not think of, which is, nobody ever goes to ask a favour of the sultan without a present; for by a present, they have this advantage, that if for some particular reasons the favour is denied, they are sure to be heard. But what presents have you to make? And if you had any that was worthy of the least attention of so great a monarch, what proportion could it bear to the favour you would ask? Therefore, reflect well on what you are about, and consider, that you aspire to a thing which is impossible for you to obtain.”

Aladdin heard very calmly all that his mother could say to endeavour to dissuade him from his design, and after he had weighed her representation in all points, made answer: “I own, mother, it is great rashness in me to presume to carry my pretensions so far; and a great want of consideration, to ask you with so much heat and precipitancy to go and make the proposal of my marriage, to the sultan, without first taking proper measures to procure a favourable reception, and therefore beg your pardon. But be not surprised, that through the violence of my passion I did not at first see everything that was necessary to be done, to procure me that happiness I seek after. I love the princess Badr-oul-boudour beyond all you can imagine; or rather I adore her, and shall always persevere in my design of marrying her; which is a thing I am determined and resolved on. I am obliged to you for the hint you have given me, and look upon it as the first step I ought to take to procure me the happy success I promise myself.

“You say, it is not customary to go to the sultan without a present, and that I have nothing worthy of his acceptance. As to what you say about the present, I agree with you, and own that I never thought of it; but as to what you say that I have nothing fit to present him with, do not you think, mother, that what I brought home with me that day on which I was delivered from an inevitable death, may be an agreeable present. I mean those things you and I both took 215for coloured glasses; but now I am undeceived, and can tell you that they are jewels of an inestimable value, and fit for the greatest monarchs. I know the worth of them by frequenting the jewellers’ shops; and you may take my word for it, all the jewels that I saw in the most capital jewellers’ shops were not to be compared to those we have, either for size or beauty, and yet they value them at an excessive price. In short, neither you nor I know the value of ours, but be it as it will, by the little experience I have, I am persuaded that they will be received very favourably by the sultan: you have a large porcelain dish fit to hold them; fetch it, and let us see how they will look, when we have ranged them according to their different colours.”

Aladdin’s mother fetched the china dish, and he took the jewels out of the two purses in which he had kept them, and placed them in the dish. But the brightness and lustre they had in the day-time, and the variety of the colours, so dazzled the eyes both of mother and son, that they were astonished beyond measure; for they had only seen them by the light of a lamp; for though Aladdin had seen them hang on the trees like fruit, beautiful to the eye, yet as he was but a boy, he did not take much notice of them; but looked on them only as trinkets.

After they had admired the beauty of this present some time, Aladdin said to his mother, “Now you cannot excuse yourself from going to the sultan, under the pretext of not having a present to make him, since here is one which will gain you a favourable reception.”

Though Aladdin’s mother, notwithstanding the beauty and lustre of the present, did not believe it so valuable as her son esteemed it, she thought it might nevertheless be agreeable to the sultan, and found that she could not have anything to say against it, but was always thinking of the request Aladdin wanted her to make to the sultan by favour of his present. “My son,” said she, “I cannot conceive that your present will have its desired effect, and that the sultan will look upon me with a favourable eye; and I am sure, that if I attempt to acquit myself on this message of yours, I shall have no power to open my mouth; and therefore I shall not only lose my labour, but the present, which you say is so extraordinary, and shall return home again in confusion, to tell you that your hopes are frustrated. I have told you the consequence, and you ought to believe me; but,” added she, “I will exert my best endeavour to please you, and wish I may have power to ask the sultan as you would have me; but certainly he will either laugh at me, or send me back like a fool, or be in so great a rage, as to make us both the victims of his fury.”

She used a great many more arguments to endeavour to make him change his mind; but the charms of the princess Badr-oul-boudour had made too great an impression on his heart to dissuade him from his design. Aladdin persisted in desiring his mother to execute his resolution, and she, as much out of tenderness as for fear he should be guilty of a greater piece of extravagance, condescended to his request.

As it was now late, and the time of day for going to the sultan’s palace was 216past, it was put off till the next. The mother and son talked of different matters the remaining part of the day; and Aladdin took a great deal of pains to encourage his mother in the task she had undertaken to go to the sultan; while she notwithstanding all his arguments, could not persuade herself she could ever succeed; and it must be confessed she had reason enough to doubt. “Child,” said she to Aladdin, “if the sultan should receive me as favourably as I wish for your sake, and should hear my proposal with calmness, and after this kind reception should think of asking me where lie your riches and your estate, (for he will sooner inquire after that than your person,)—if, I say, he should ask me the question, what answer would you have me return him?”

“Let us not be uneasy, mother,” replied Aladdin, “about what may never happen. First, let us see how the sultan receives, and what answer he gives you. If it should so fall out, that he desires to be informed of all that you mention, I have thought of an answer, and am confident that the lamp, which hath subsisted us so long, will not fail me in time of need.”

Aladdin’s mother could not say anything against what her son then proposed; but reflected that the lamp might be capable of doing greater wonders than just providing victuals for them. This consideration satisfied her, and at the same time removed all the difficulties which might have prevented her from undertaking the service she had promised her son with the sultan; when Aladdin who penetrated into his mother’s thoughts, said to her, “Above all things, mother, be sure to keep the secret, for thereon depends the success we have to expect;” and after this caution, Aladdin and his mother parted to go to bed. But violent love, and the great prospect of so immense a fortune, had so much possessed the son’s thoughts, that he could not rest as well as he could have wished. He rose at daybreak, and went presently and awakened his mother, pressing her to get herself dressed to go to the sultan’s palace, and to get in first, as the grand vizier, the other viziers, and all the great officers of state, went in to take their seats in the divan, where the sultan always assisted in person.

Aladdin’s mother did all her son desired. She took the china dish, in which they had put the jewels the day before, tied up in two napkins, one finer than the other, which was tied at four comers for more easy carriage, and set forwards for the sultan’s palace, to the great satisfaction of Aladdin. When she came to the gates, the grand vizier, and the other viziers and most distinguished lords of the court, were just gone in; and, notwithstanding the crowd of people who had business at the divan was extraordinarily great, she got into the divan, which was a large spacious hall, the entry into which was very magnificent. She placed herself just before the sultan, grand vizier, and the great lords, who sat in that council, on his right and left hand. Several causes were called, according to their order, and pleaded and adjudged, until the time the divan generally broke up, when the sultan rising, dismissed the council, and returned to his apartment, attended by the grand vizier; the other viziers and ministers of state returned, as also did all those whose business called them thither; some pleased with 217gaining their causes, others dissatisfied at the sentences pronounced against them, and some in expectation of theirs being heard the next sitting.

Aladdin’s mother, seeing the sultan rise and retire, and all the people go away, judged rightly that he would not come again that day, and resolved to go home. When Aladdin saw her return with the present designed for the sultan, he knew not at first what to think of her success, and in the fear he was in lest she should bring him some ill news, he had not courage enough to ask her any questions, till his mother, who had never set foot into the sultan’s palace before, and knew not what was every day practised there, freed him from his embarrassment, and said to him, with a great deal of simplicity, “Son, I have seen the sultan, and am very well persuaded he has seen me too; for I placed myself just before him, and nothing could hinder him from seeing me; but he was so much taken up with all those who talked on all sides of him, that I pitied him, and wondered at his patience in hearing them. 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 very well pleased, for indeed I began to lose all patience, and was extremely tired with staying so long. But there is no harm done: I will go again to-morrow; perhaps the sultan may not be so busy.”

Though Aladdin’s passion was very violent, he was forced to be satisfied with this excuse, and to fortify himself with patience. He had at least the satisfaction to find that his mother had got over the greatest difficulty, which was to procure access to the sultan, and hoped that the example of those she saw speak to him would embolden her to acquit herself better of her commission when a favourable opportunity offered to speak to him.

The next morning she went to the sultan’s palace with the present, as early as the day before; but when she came there, she found the gates of the divan shut, and understood that the council sat but every other day, therefore she must come again the next. This news she carried to her son, whose only relief was to guard himself with patience. She went six times afterwards on the day appointed, placed herself always directly before the sultan, but with as little success as the first time, and might have perhaps come a thousand times to as little purpose, if the sultan himself had not taken a particular notice of her: for it is very probable that only those who came with petitions approached the sultan, and each pleaded their cause in its turn, and Aladdin’s mother was not one of them.

That day at last, after the council was broke up, when the sultan was returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier, “I have for some time observed a certain woman, who comes constantly every day that I go into council, and has something wrapped up in a napkin: she always stands up from the beginning to the breaking up of the council, and affects to place her self just before me. Do you know what she wants?”

“Sir,” replied the grand vizier, who knew no more than the sultan what she wanted, but had not a mind to seem uninformed, “your majesty knows 218that women often form complaints on trifles; perhaps this woman may come to complain to your majesty, that somebody has sold her some bad flour, or some such trifling matter.” The sultan was not satisfied with this answer, but replied, “If this woman comes again next council-day, do not fail to call her, that I may hear what she has to say.” The grand vizier, made answer by kissing his hand, and lifting it up above his head, signifying his willingness to lose it if he failed.

By this time, Aladdin’s mother was so much used to go to the council, and stand before the sultan, that she did not think it any trouble, if she could but satisfy her son that she neglected nothing that lay in her power to please him; so the next council-day she went to the divan, and placed herself before the sultan as usual; and before the grand vizier had made his report of business, the sultan perceived her, and compassionating her for having waited so long, he said to the vizier, “Before you enter upon any business, remember the woman I spoke to you about; bid her come near, and let us hear and dispatch her business first.” The grand vizier immediately called the chief of the officers, who stood ready to obey his commands; and pointing to her, bid him go to that woman and tell her to come before the sultan.

The chief of the officers went to Aladdin’s mother, and, at a sign he gave her, she followed him to the foot of the sultan’s throne, where he left her, and retired to his place by the grand vizier. Aladdin’s mother, by the example of a great many others whom she saw salute the sultan, bowed her head down to the carpet which covered the steps of the throne, and remained in that posture till the sultan bid her rise, which she had no sooner done, than the sultan said to her, “Good woman, I have observed you to stand a long time, from the beginning to the rising of the divan; what business brings you here?”

At these words, Aladdin’s mother prostrated herself a second time; and when she got up again, said, “Monarch of monarchs, before I tell your majesty the extraordinary and almost incredible business which brings me before your high throne, I beg of you to pardon the boldness or rather the impudence of the demand I am going to make, which is so uncommon, that I tremble, and am ashamed to propose it to my sultan.” In order to give her the more freedom to explain herself, the sultan ordered everybody to go out of the divan but the grand vizier, and then told her that she might speak without restraint.

Aladdin’s mother, not content with this favour of the sultan’s to save her the trouble and confusion of speaking before so many people, was notwithstanding for securing herself against his anger, which, from the proposal she was going to make, she was not a little apprehensive of; therefore resuming her discourse, she said, “I beg of your majesty, if you should think my demand the least injurious or offensive, to assure me first of your pardon and forgiveness.” “Well,” replied the sultan, “I will forgive you, be it what it will, and no hurt shall come to you: speak boldly.”

When Aladdin’s mother had taken all these precautions, for fear of the 219sultan’s anger, she told him faithfully how Aladdin had seen the princess Badroul-boudour, the violent love that fatal sight had inspired him with, the declaration he had made to her of it when he came home, and what representations she had made to dissuade him from “a passion no less injurious,” said she, “to your majesty, as sultan, than to the princess your daughter. But,” continued she, “my son, instead of taking my advice and reflecting on his boldness, was so obstinate as to persevere in it, and to threaten me with some desperate act, if I refused to come and ask the princess in marriage of your majesty; and it was not till after an extreme violence on myself, I was forced to have this complaisance for him, for which I beg your majesty once more to pardon not only me, but forgive Aladdin my son, for entertaining such a rash thought as to aspire to so high an alliance.”

The sultan hearkened to this discourse with a great deal of mildness, without shewing the least anger or passion; but before he gave her any answer, he asked her what she had brought tied up in that napkin. She took the china dish, which she had set down at the foot of the throne, before she prostrated herself before him; she untied it, and presented it to the sultan.

The sultan’s amazement and surprise were inexpressible, when he saw so many large, beautiful, and valuable jewels collected in one dish. He remained for some time motionless with admiration. At last, when he had recovered himself, he received the present from Aladdin’s mother’s hand, and crying out in a transport of joy, “How rich and how beautiful!” After he had admired and handled all the jewels, one after another, he turned about to his grand vizier, and shewing him the dish, said, “Look here, and confess that your eyes never beheld any thing so rich and beautiful before.” The vizier was charmed. “Well,” continued the sultan, “what sayest thou to such a present? Is it not worthy of the princess my daughter! And ought I not to bestow her on one who values her at so great price?”

These words put the grand vizier into a strange agitation. The sultan had some time before signified to him his intention of bestowing the princess his daughter on a son of his; therefore he was afraid, and not without grounds, that the sultan, dazzled by so rich and extraordinary a present, might change his mind. Thereupon, going to him, and whispering him in the ear, he said to him, “Sir, I cannot but own that the present is worthy of the princess; but I beg of your majesty to grant me three months before you come to a resolution. I hope, before that time, my son, on whom you have had the goodness to look with a favourable eye, will be able to make a nobler present than Aladdin, who is an entire stranger to your majesty.”

The sultan, though he was very well persuaded that it was not possible for the vizier to provide so considerable a present for his son to make the princess, yet he hearkened to him, and granted him that favour. So turning about to Aladdin’s mother, he said to her, “Good woman, go home, and tell your son that I agree to the proposal you have made me; but I cannot marry the princess my daughter till some furniture I design for her be got ready, which 220cannot be finished these three months; but at the expiration of that time come again.”

Aladdin’s mother returned home much more overjoyed than she could have imagined, for she looked upon her access to the sultan as a thing impossible; and besides, she had met with a favourable answer instead of the refusal and confusion she expected. From two circumstances Aladdin, when he saw his mother return, judged that she brought him good news; the one was, that she returned sooner than ordinary; and the next was, the gaiety of her countenance. “Well, mother,” said he to her, “may I entertain any hopes, or must I die with despair?” When she had pulled off her veil, and had sat herself down on the sofa by him, she said to him, “Not to keep you long in suspense, son, I will begin by telling you, that instead of thinking of dying, you have every reason to be very well satisfied.” Then pursuing her discourse, she told him how that she had an audience before everybody else, which made her come home so soon; the precautions she had taken lest she should have displeased the sultan, by making the proposal of marriage between him and the princess Badr-oul-boudour, and the favourable answer she had from the caliph’s own mouth; and that, as far as she could judge, the present wrought that powerful effect. “But when I least expected it,” said she, “and he was going to give me an answer, the grand vizier whispered him in the ear, and I was afraid it might be some obstacle to his good intentions towards us.”

Aladdin thought himself the most happy of all men, at hearing of this news, and thanked his mother for all the pains she had taken in the pursuit of this affair, the good success of which was of so great importance to his peace. Though, through his impatience to enjoy the object of his passion, three months seemed an age, yet he disposed himself to wait with patience, relying on the sultan’s word, which he looked upon to be irrevocable. But all that time he not only counted the hours, days, and weeks, but every moment. When two of the three months were passed, his mother one evening going to light the lamp, and finding no oil in the house, went out to buy some, and when she came into the city, found a general rejoicing. The shops, instead of being shut up, were open, dressed with foliage, every one striving to shew their zeal in the most distinguished manner. The streets were crowded with officers in habits of ceremony, mounted on horses richly caparisoned, each attended by a great many footmen. Aladdin’s mother asked the oil-merchant what was the meaning of all those doings. “Whence came you, good woman,” said he, “that you don’t know that the grand vizier’s son is to marry the princess Badr-oul-boudour, the sultan’s daughter, to-night? She will presently return from the baths; and these officers that you see, are to assist at the cavalcade to the palace, where the ceremony is to be solemnised.”

This was news enough for Aladdin’s mother. She ran, till she was quite out of breath, home to her son, who little suspected any such thing. “Child,” cried she, “you are undone! you depend upon the sultan’s fine promises, but they will come to nothing.” Aladdin was terribly alarmed at these words. “Mother,” 221replied he, “how do you know the sultan has been guilty of a breach of promise?” “This night,” answered the mother, “the grand vizier’s son is to marry the princess Badr-oul-boudour.” She then related how she had heard it; so that from all circumstances he had no reason to doubt the truth of what she said.

At this account, Aladdin was thunderstruck. Any other man would have sunk under the shock; but a secret motive of jealousy soon roused his spirits, and he bethought himself of the lamp, which had till then been so useful to him; and without venting his rage in empty words against the sultan, the vizier, or his son, he only said, “Perhaps, mother, the vizier’s son may not be so happy to-night as he promises himself: while I go into my chamber a moment, do you go and get supper ready.” She accordingly went about it, and she guessed that her son was going to make use of the lamp, to prevent if possible, the consummation of the marriage.

When Aladdin had got into his chamber, he took the lamp, and rubbed it in the same place as before, and immediately the genie appeared, and said to him, “What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their hands; I and the other slaves of the lamp.” “Hear me,” said Aladdin; “thou hast hitherto brought me whatever I wanted as to provisions; but now I have business of the greatest importance for thee to execute. I have demanded the princess Badr-oul-boudour in marriage of the sultan her father: he promised her to me, but he asked three months’ time: and instead of keeping that promise, has this night, before the expiration of that time, married her to the grand vizier’s son. I have just heard this, and have no doubt of it. What I ask of you is, that as soon as the bride and bridegroom are in bed, you bring them both hither in their bed.” “Master,” replied the genie, “I will obey you. Have you any other commands?” “None, at present,” answered Aladdin; and then the genie disappeared.

Aladdin went down stairs, and supped with his mother, with the same tranquillity of mind as usual; and after supper, talked of the princess’s marriage as of an affair wherein he had not the least concern; and afterwards returned to his own chamber again, and left his mother to go to bed; but he for his part, sat up till the genie had executed his orders.

In the meantime, everything was prepared with the greatest magnificence in the sultan’s palace, to celebrate the princess’s nuptials; and the evening was spent with all the usual ceremonies and great rejoicings till midnight, when the grand vizier’s son, on a signal given him by the chief of the princess’s eunuchs, slipped away from the company, and was introduced by that officer into the princess’s apartment, where the nuptial bed was prepared. He went to bed first, and in a little time after, the sultaness, accompanied by her own women, and those of the princess, brought the bride, who, according to the custom of new-married ladies, made great resistance. The sultaness herself helped to undress her, put her into bed by a kind of violence; and 222after having kissed her, and wished her good night, retired with all the women, and the last who came out shut the door.

No sooner was the door shut, but the genie, as the faithful slave of the lamp, and punctual in executing the command of those who possessed it, without giving the bridegroom the least time to caress his bride, to the great amazement of them both, took up the bed, and transported it in an instant into Aladdin’s chamber, where he set it down.

Aladdin, who waited impatiently for this moment, did not suffer the vizier’s son to remain long in bed with the princess. “Take this new-married man,” said he to the genie, “and shut him up in the house of office, and come again to-morrow morning after daybreak.” The genie presently took the vizier’s son out of bed, and carried him in his shirt whither Aladdin bid him; and after he had breathed upon him, which prevented his stirring, he left him there.

Great as was Aladdin’s love for the princess Badr-oul-boudour, he did not talk much to her when they were alone; but only said with a passionate air, “Fear nothing, adorable princess; you are here in safety; for, notwithstanding the violence of my passion, which your charms have kindled, it shall never exceed the bounds of the profound respect I owe you. If I have been forced to come to this extremity, it is not with any intention of affronting you but to prevent an unjust rival’s possessing you contrary to the sultan your father’s promise in favour of me.”

The princess, who knew nothing of these particulars, gave very little attention to what Aladdin could say. The fright and amazement of so unexpected an adventure had put her into such a condition, that could not get one word from her. However, he undressed himself and got into the vizier’s son’s place, and lay with his back to the princess, putting a sabre between himself and her, to show that he deserved to be punished, if he attempted anything against her honour.

Aladdin, very well satisfied with having thus deprived his rival of the happiness he had flattered himself with enjoying that night, slept very quietly, though the princess Badr-oul-boudour never passed a night so ill in her life; and if we consider the condition the genie left the grand vizier’s son in, we may imagine that the new bridegroom spent it much worse.

Aladdin had no occasion the next morning to rub the lamp to call the genie; he came at the hour appointed, and just when he had done dressing himself, and said to him, “I am here, master; what are your commands?” “Go,” said Aladdin, “fetch the vizier’s son out of the place where you left him, and put him into his bed again, and carry it to the sultan’s palace, from whence you brought it.” The genie presently returned with the vizier’s son. Aladdin took up his sabre, the bridegroom was laid by the princess, and in an instant the nuptial bed was transported into the same chamber of the palace from whence it had been brought. But we must observe, that all this time the genie never appeared either to the princess or the grand vizier’s son. His hideous form would have made them die with fear. Neither did they hear anything of the 223discourse between Aladdin and him; they only perceived the motion of the bed, and their transportation from one place to another; which we may well imagine was enough to frighten them.

As soon as the genie had set down the nuptial-bed in its proper place, the sultan, curious to know how the princess his daughter had spent the wedding-night, opened the door to wish her good morning. The grand vizier’s son, who was almost perished with cold, by standing in his shirt all night, and had not had time to warm himself in bed, no sooner heard the door open, but he got out of bed, and ran into the wardrobe, where he had undressed himself the night before.

The sultan went to the bed-side, kissed the princess between the eyes, according to custom, wishing her a good-morrow, and asked her smiling, how she had passed the night. But lifting up her head, and looking at her more earnestly, he was extremely surprised to see her so melancholy, and that neither by a blush nor any other sign she could satisfy his curiosity. She only cast at him a sorrowful look, expressive of great affliction or great dissatisfaction. He said a few words to her; but finding that he could not get a word from her, he attributed it to her modesty, and retired. Nevertheless, he suspected that there was something extraordinary in this silence, and thereupon went immediately to the sultaness’s apartment, and told her in what a state he found the princess, and how she received him. “Sir,” said the sultaness, “your majesty ought not to be surprised at this behaviour; all new-married people always have a reserve about them the next day; she will be quite another thing in two or three days’ time, and then she will receive the sultan her father as she ought; but I will go and see her,” added she; “I am very much deceived if she receives me in the same manner.”

As soon as the sultaness was dressed, she went to the princess’s apartment, who was still in bed. She undrew the curtain, wished her good-morrow, and kissed her. But how great was her surprise when she returned no answer; and looking more attentively at her, she perceived her to be very much dejected, which made her judge that something had happened which she did not understand. “How comes it, child,” said the sultaness, “that you do not return my caresses? Ought you to treat your mother after this manner? And do you think I do not know what may have happened in your circumstances? I am apt to believe you do not think so, and something extraordinary has happened: come, tell me freely, and leave me no longer in a painful suspense.”

At last the princess Badr-oul-boudour broke silence with a great sigh, and said, “Alas! madam, most honoured mother, forgive me if I have failed in the respect I owe you. My mind is so full of the extraordinary things which have befallen me this night, that I have not yet recovered my amazement and fright, and scarce know myself.” Then she told her how the instant after she and her husband were in bed, the bed was transposed into a dark dirty room, where he was taken from her and carried away, where she knew not, and she was left alone with a young man, who, after he had said something to her, which her 224fright did not suffer her to hear, laid himself down by her, in her husband’s place, but first put his sabre between them; and in the morning her husband was brought to her again, and the bed was transported back to her own chamber in an instant. “All this,” said she, “was but just done, when the sultan my father came into my chamber. I was so overwhelmed with grief, that I had not power to make him one word of answer; therefore I am afraid that he is offended at the manner in which I received the honour he did me: but I hope he will forgive me, when he knows my melancholy adventure, and the miserable state I am in at present.”

The sultaness heard all the princess told her very patiently, but would not believe it. “You did well, child,” said she, “not to speak of this to your father: take care not to mention it to anybody, for you will certainly be thought mad if you talk at this rate.” “Madam,” replied the princess, “I can assure you I am in my right senses: ask my husband, and he will tell you the same story.” “I will,” said the sultaness; “but if he should talk in the same manner I shall not be better persuaded of the truth. Come, rise, and throw off this idle fancy; it will be a fine story indeed, if all the feasts and rejoicings in the kingdom should be interrupted by such a vision. Do not you hear the trumpets sounding, and drums beating, and concerts of the finest music? Cannot all these inspire you with joy and pleasure, and make you forget all the fancies you tell me of?” At the same time, the sultaness called the princess’s women, and after she had seen her get up, and set her toilet, she went to the sultan’s apartment, and told him that her daughter had got some old notions in her head, but that there was nothing in them.

Then she sent for the vizier’s son, to know of him something of what the princess had told her; but he, thinking himself highly honoured to be allied to the sultan, resolved to disguise the matter. “Son-in-law,” said the sultaness, “are you as much infatuated as your wife?” “Madam,” replied the vizier’s son, “may I be so bold as to ask the reason of that question?” “Oh! that is enough,” answered the sultaness; “I ask no more, I see you are wiser than her.”

The rejoicings lasted all that day in the palace, and the sultaness, who never left the princess, forgot nothing to divert her, and induce her to take part in the various diversions and shows: but she was so struck with the idea of what had happened to her that it was easy to see her thoughts were entirely taken up about it. Neither was the grand vizier’s son’s affliction less, but that his ambition made him disguise it, and nobody doubted but he was a happy bridegroom.

Aladdin, who was well acquainted with what passed in the palace, never disputed but that the new-married couple were to lie together again that night, notwithstanding the troublesome adventure of the night before; and therefore, having as great an inclination to disturb them, he had recourse to his lamp, and when the genie appeared, and offered his services, he said to him, “The grand vizier’s son and the princess Badr-oul-boudour are to lie together again to-night: 225go, and as soon as they are in bed, bring the bed hither, as thou didst yesterday.”

The genie obeyed Aladdin as faithfully and exactly as the day before: the grand vizier’s son passed the night as coldly and disagreeably as before, and the princess had the mortification again to have Aladdin for her bedfellow, with the sabre between them. The genie, according to Aladdin’s orders, came the next morning, and brought the bridegroom and laid him by his bride, and then carried the bed and new-married couple back again to the palace.

The sultan, after the reception the princess Badr-oul-boudour had given him that day, was very anxious to know how she passed the second night, and if she would give him the same reception, and therefore went into her chamber as early as the morning before. The grand vizier’s son, more ashamed and mortified with the ill success of this last night, no sooner heard him coming, but he jumped out of bed, and ran hastily into the wardrobe. The sultan went to the princess’s bed-side, and after the caresses he had given her the former morning, bid her good-morrow. “Well, daughter,” he said, “are you in a better humour than you were yesterday morning?” Still the princess was silent, and the sultan perceived her to be more troubled, in greater confusion than before, and doubted not but that something very extraordinary was the cause; but provoked that his daughter should conceal it, he said to her in a rage, with his sabre in his hand, “Daughter, tell me what is the matter, or I will cut off your head immediately.”

The princess, more frightened at the menaces and tone of the enraged sultan, than at the sight of the drawn sabre, at last broke silence, and said, with tears in her eyes, “My dear father and sultan, I ask your majesty’s pardon if I have offended you, and hope, that out of your goodness and clemency you will have compassion on me, when I have told you in what a miserable condition I have spent this last night and the night before.”

After this preamble, which appeased and affected the sultan, she told him what had happened to her in so moving a manner, that he, who loved her tenderly, was most sensibly grieved. She added, “If your majesty doubts the truth of this account, you may inform yourself from my husband, who, I am persuaded, will tell you the same thing.”

The sultan immediately felt all the extreme uneasiness so surprising an adventure must have given the princess. “Daughter,” said he, “you are very much to blame for not telling me this yesterday, since it concerns me as much as yourself. I did not marry you with an intention to make you miserable, but that you might enjoy all the happiness you deserve and might hope for from a husband, who to me seemed agreeable to you. Efface all these troublesome ideas out of your memory; I will take care and give orders that you shall have no more such disagreeable and insupportable nights.”

As soon as the sultan got back to his own apartment, he sent for the grand vizier. “Vizier,” said he, “have you seen your son, and has he not told you anything?” The vizier replied, “No.” Then the sultan related all that the 226princess Badr-oul-boudour had told him, and afterwards said, “I do not doubt but that my daughter has told me the truth; but nevertheless I should be glad to have it confirmed by your son; therefore go and ask him how it was.”

The grand vizier went immediately to his son, and communicated to him what the sultan had told him, and enjoined him to conceal nothing from him, but to tell him the whole truth. “I will disguise nothing from you, father,” replied the son, “for indeed all that the princess says is true; but what relates particularly to myself she knows nothing of. After my marriage, I have passed two such nights as are beyond imagination or expression; not to mention the fright I was in, to feel my bed lifted up four times, and transported from one place to another, without being able to guess how it was done. You shall judge of the miserable condition I was in, to pass two whole nights in nothing but my shirt, standing in a kind of privy, unable to stir out of the place where I was put, or to make the least movement, though I could not perceive any obstacle to prevent me. Yet I must tell you that all this ill-usage does not in the least lessen those sentiments of love, respect and latitude I entertain for the princess, and of which she is so deserving; but I must confess, that notwithstanding all the honour and splendour that attends my marrying my sovereign’s daughter I would much rather die, than live longer in so great an alliance, if I must undergo what I have already endured. I do not doubt but that the princess entertains the same sentiments, and that she will readily agree to a separation, which is so necessary both for her repose and mine. Therefore, father, I beg you, by the same tenderness you had for me to procure me so great an honour, to get the sultan’s consent that our marriage may be declared null and void.”

Notwithstanding the grand vizier’s ambition to have his son allied to the sultan, the firm resolution he saw he had formed to be separated from the princess, made him not think it proper to propose to him to have a little patience for a few days, to see if this disappointment would not have an end; but left him to go and give the sultan an account of what he had told him, assuring him that all was but too true. Without waiting till the sultan himself, whom he found pretty much disposed to it, spoke of breaking the marriage, he begged of him to give his son leave to retire from the palace; alleging for an excuse, that it was not just that the princess should be a moment longer exposed to so terrible a persecution upon his son’s account.

The grand vizier found no great difficulty to obtain what he asked. From that instant the sultan, who had determined it already, gave orders to put a stop to all rejoicings in the palace and town, and sent expresses to all parts of his dominions to countermand his first orders; and in a short time all rejoicings ceased.

This sudden and unexpected change gave rise, both in the city and kingdom, to various speculations and inquiries; but no other account could be given of it, except that both the vizier and his son went out of the palace very much dejected. Nobody but Aladdin knew the secret. He rejoiced within himself for the happy success procured for him by his lamp, which now he had no more 227occasion to rub to produce the genie, to prevent the consummation of the marriage, which he had certain information was broken off, and that his rival had left the palace. But, what is most particular, neither the sultan nor the grand vizier, who had forgotten Aladdin and his request, had the least thought that he had any hand in the enchantment which caused the dissolution of the marriage.

Nevertheless, Aladdin waited till the three months were completed, which the sultan had appointed for the communication of the marriage between the princess Badr-oul-boudour and himself; but the next day sent his mother to the palace, to remind the sultan of his promise.

Aladdin’s mother went to the palace, as her son had bid her, and stood before the divan in the same place as before. The sultan no sooner cast his eyes upon her, but he knew her again, and remembered her business, and how long he had put her off; therefore, when the grand vizier was beginning to make his report, the sultan interrupted him, and said, “Vizier, I see the good woman who made me the present some months hence: forbear your report till I have heard what she has to say.” The vizier then, looking about the divan, presently perceived Aladdin’s mother, and sent the chief of the officers for her.

Aladdin’s mother came to the foot of the throne and prostrated herself as usual, and when she rose up again, the sultan asked her what she would have. “Sir,” said she, “I come to represent to your majesty, in the name of my son, Aladdin, that the three months, at the end of which you ordered me to come again, are expired; and to beg you to remember your promise.”

The sultan, when he took his time to answer the request of this good woman, the first time he saw her, little thought of hearing any more of a marriage which he imagined must be very disagreeable to the princess, when he only considered the meanness and poverty of Aladdin’s mother in her dress, not above the common run; but this summons for him to be as good as his word was somewhat embarrassing to him; he declined giving an answer till he had consulted his vizier, and signified to him the little inclination he had to conclude a match for his daughter with a stranger whose fortune he supposed to be very mean indeed.

The grand vizier freely told the sultan his thoughts on the matter, and said to him, “In my opinion, sir, there is an infallible way for your majesty to avoid a match so disproportionable, without giving Aladdin, were he better known to your majesty, any cause of complaint; which is, to set so high a value upon the princess, that were he never so rich, he could not come up to it. This is the only way to make him desist from so bold, not to say rash, an undertaking, which he never weighed before he engaged in it.”

The sultan, approving of the grand vizier’s advice, turned about to Aladdin’s mother, and after some reflection, said to her, “Good woman, it is true sultans ought to be as good as their words, and I am ready to keep mine, by making your son happy by the marriage of the princess, my daughter. But as I cannot marry her without some valuable consideration from your son, you may tell him, 228I will fulfil my promise as soon as he shall send me forty basins of massy gold, brimful of the same things you have already made me a present of, and carried by the like number of black slaves, who shall be led by as many young and handsome well-made white slaves, all dressed magnificently. On these conditions, I am ready to bestow the princess, my daughter, on him; therefore, good woman, go and tell him so, and I will wait till you bring me his answer.”

Aladdin’s mother prostrated herself a second time before the sultan’s throne, and retired. On her way home, she laughed within herself at her son’s foolish imagination. “Where,” said she, “can he get so many such large gold basins and enough of that coloured glass to fill them? Must he go again to that subterraneous abode, the entrance into which is stopped up, and gather them off the trees? But where will he get so many such slaves as the sultan requires? It is altogether out of his power, and I believe he will not be well satisfied with my embassy this time.” When she came home, full of these thoughts, she said to her son, “Indeed, child, I would not have you think any farther of your marriage with the princess Badr-oul-boudour. The sultan received me very kindly, and I believe he was well inclined to you; but if I am not very much deceived, the grand vizier has made him change his mind, as you will guess from what I have to tell you. After I had represented to his majesty that the three months were expired, and begged of him to remember his promise, I observed that he whispered with his grand vizier before he gave me this answer.” Then she gave her son an exact account of what the sultan said to her, and the conditions on which he consented to the match. Afterwards she said to him, “The sultan expects your answer immediately; but,” continued she, laughing, “I believe he may wait long enough.”

“Not so long, mother, as you imagine,” replied Aladdin; “the sultan is mistaken if he thinks by this exorbitant demand to prevent my entertaining thoughts of the princess. I expected greater difficulties, and that he would have set a higher price upon that incomparable princess. But I am very well pleased; his demand is but a trifle to what I could have done for her. But while I think of satisfying his request go and get us something for dinner, and leave the rest to me.”

As soon as Aladdin’s mother was gone out to market, Aladdin took up the lamp, and rubbing it, the genie appeared, and offered his service as usual. “The sultan,” said Aladdin to him, “gives me the princess, his daughter, in marriage; but demands first of me forty large basins of massy gold, brimful of the fruits of the garden from whence I took this lamp you are slave to; and these he expects to have carried by as many black slaves, each preceded by a young handsome well-made white slave, richly clothed. Go, and fetch me this present as soon as possible, that I may send it to him before the divan breaks up.” The genie told him his command should be immediately obeyed, and disappeared.

In a little time afterwards the genie returned with forty black slaves, each bearing on his head a basin of massy gold of twenty marks’ weight, full of 229pearls, diamonds, rubies and emeralds, all larger and more beautiful than those presented to the sultan before. Each basin was covered with a silver stuff, embroidered with flowers of gold: all these, and the white slaves, quite filled the house, which was but a small one, and the little court before it, and the little garden behind. The genie asked Aladdin if he had any other commands. Aladdin telling him that he wanted nothing farther then, the genie disappeared.

When Aladdin’s mother came from market, she was in a great surprise to see so many people and such vast riches. As soon as she had laid down her provisions, she was going to pull off her veil; but Aladdin prevented her, and said, “Mother, let us lose no time: but before the sultan and the divan rise, I would have you return to the palace, and go with this present, as the dowry he asked for the princess Badr-oul-boudour, that he may judge by my diligence and exactness of the ardent and sincere zeal I have to procure myself the honour of this alliance.” Without waiting for his mother making a reply, Aladdin opened the street door, and made the slaves walk out; a white slave followed always by a black one with a basin on his head. When they were all got out, the mother followed the last black slave, and he shut the door, and then retired to his chamber, full of hopes that the sultan, after this present, which was such as he required, would at length receive him as his son-in-law.