she ran and told Aladdin, who was
overwhelmed at first, but presently bethought him of the lamp. He
rubbed it and the genie appeared, saying: "What is thy will?" Aladdin
replied: "The Sultan, as thou knowest, has broken his promise to me,
and the vizier's son is to have the Princess. My command is that
to-night you bring hither the bride and bridegroom." "Master, I obey,"
said the genie. Aladdin then went to his chamber, where, sure enough,
at midnight the genie transported the bed containing the vizier's son
and the Princess. "Take this new-married man," he said, "and put him
outside in the cold, and return at daybreak." Whereupon the genie took
the vizier's son out of bed, leaving Aladdin with the Princess. "Fear
nothing," Aladdin said to her; "you are my wife, promised to me by your
unjust father, and no harm will come to you." The Princess was too
frightened to speak, and passed the most miserable night of her life,
while Aladdin lay down beside her and slept soundly. At the appointed
hour the genie fetched in the shivering bridegroom, laid him in his
place, and transported the bed back to the palace.
Presently the Sultan came to wish his daughter good-morning. The
unhappy Vizier's son jumped up and hid himself, while the Princess
would not say a word and was very sorrowful. The Sultan sent her
mother to her, who said: "How comes it, child, that you will not speak
to your father? What has happened?" The Princess sighed deeply, and
at last told her mother how, during the night, the bed had been carried
into some strange house, and what had passed there. Her mother did not
believe her in the least, but bade her rise and consider it an idle
dream.
The following night exactly the same thing happened, and next morning,
on the Princess's refusing to speak, the Sultan threatened to cut off
her head. She then confessed all, bidding him ask the Vizier's son if
it were not so. The Sultan told the Vizier to ask his son, who owned
the truth, adding that, dearly as he loved the Princess, he had rather
die than go through another such fearful night, and wished to be
separated from her. His wish was granted, and there was an end of
feasting and rejoicing.
When the three months were over, Aladdin sent his mother to remind the
Sultan of his promise. She stood in the same place as before, and the
Sultan, who had forgotten Aladdin, at once remembered him, and sent for
her. On seeing her poverty the Sultan fe
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