aid. "How would it please thee to
have a shop of thy own? I could buy one for thee, and stock it with
silks and rich stuffs."

Aladdin danced with joy at the very idea, and next day set out with
his supposed uncle, who bought him a splendid suit of clothes, and
took him all over the city to show him the sights.

The day after, the Magician again took Aladdin out with him, but this
time they went outside the city, through beautiful gardens, into the
open country. They walked so far that Aladdin began to grow weary, but
the Magician gave him a cake and some delicious fruit and told him
such wonderful tales that he scarcely noticed how far they had gone.
At last they came to a deep valley between two mountains, and there
the Magician paused.

"Stop!" he cried, "this is the very place I am in search of. Gather
some sticks that we may make a fire."

Aladdin quickly did as he was bid, and had soon gathered together a
great heap of dry sticks. The Magician then set fire to them, and the
heap blazed up merrily. With great care the old man now sprinkled some
curious-looking powder on the flames, and muttered strange words. In
an instant the earth beneath their feet trembled, and they heard a
rumbling like distant thunder. Then the ground opened in front of
them, and showed a great square slab of stone with a ring in it.

By this time Aladdin was so frightened that he turned to run home as
fast as he could, but the Magician caught him, and gave him such a
blow that he fell to the earth.

"Why dost thou strike me, uncle?" sobbed Aladdin.

"Do as I bid thee," said the Magician, "and then thou shalt be well
treated. Dost thou see that stone? Beneath it is a treasure which I
will share with thee. Only obey me, and it will soon be ours."

As soon as Aladdin heard of a treasure, he jumped up and forgot all
his fears. He seized the ring as the Magician directed, and easily
pulled up the stone.

"Now," said the old man, "look in and thou wilt see stone steps
leading downwards. Thou shalt descend those steps until thou comest to
three great halls. Pass through them, but take care to wrap thy coat
well round thee that thou mayest touch nothing, for if thou dost, thou
wilt die instantly. When thou hast passed through the halls thou wilt
come into a garden of fruit-trees. Go through it until thou seest a
niche with a lighted lamp in it. Put the light out, pour forth the
oil, and bring the lamp to me."

So saying the Magician pla