s back,
and the genie finished the window at his command. The Sultan was
surprised to receive his jewels again, and visited Aladdin, who showed
him the window finished. The Sultan embraced him, the envious Vizier
meanwhile hinting that it was the work of enchantment.
Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing. He was
made captain of the Sultan's armies, and won several battles for him,
but remained modest and courteous as before, and lived thus in peace
and content for several years.
But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin, and by his
magic arts discovered that Aladdin, instead of perishing miserably in
the cave, had escaped, and had married a princess, with whom he was
living in great honor and wealth. He knew that the poor tailor's son
could only have accomplished this by means of the lamp, and travelled
night and day till he reached the capital of China, bent on Aladdin's
ruin. As he passed through the town he heard people talking everywhere
about a marvellous palace. "Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is
this palace you speak of?" "Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's
palace," was the reply, "the greatest wonder of the world? I will
direct you if you have a mind to see it." The magician thanked him who
spoke, and having seen the palace knew that it had been raised by the
Genie of the Lamp, and became half mad with rage. He determined to
get hold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest
poverty.
Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days, which gave the
magician plenty of time. He bought a dozen copper lamps, put them into
a basket, and went to the palace, crying: "New lamps for old!"
followed by a jeering crowd. The Princess, sitting in the hall of
four-and-twenty windows, sent a slave to find out what the noise was
about, who came back laughing, so that the Princess scolded her.
"Madam," replied the slave, "who can help laughing to see an old fool
offering to exchange fine new lamps for old ones?" Another slave,
hearing this, said, "There is an old one on the cornice there which he
can have." Now this was the magic lamp, which Aladdin had left there,
as he could not take it out hunting with him. The Princess, not
knowing its value, laughingly bade the slave take it and make the
exchange. She went and said to the magician: "Give me a new lamp for
this." He snatched it and bade the slave take her choice, amid the
jeers of the crowd. Little he ca
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