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 cared, but left off crying his lamps, and went out of
the city gates to a lonely place, where he remained till nightfall, when
he pulled out the lamp and rubbed it. The genie appeared, and at the
magician's command carried him, together with the palace and the
princess in it, to a lonely place in Africa.

Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window towards Aladdin's
palace and rubbed his eyes, for it was gone. He sent for the vizir, and
asked what had become of the palace. The vizir looked out too, and was
lost in astonishment. He again put it down to enchantment, and this time
the Sultan believed him, and sent thirty men on horseback to fetch
Aladdin in chains. They met him riding home, bound him, and forced him
to go with them on foot. The people, however, who loved him, followed,
armed, to see that he came to no harm. He was carried before the Sultan,
who ordered the executioner to cut off his head. The executioner made
Aladdin kneel down, bandaged his eyes, and raised his scimitar to
strike. At that instant the vizir, who saw that the crowd had forced
their way into the courtyard and were scaling the walls to rescue
Aladdin, called to the executioner to stay his hand. The people, indeed,
looked so threatening that the Sultan gave way and ordered Aladdin to be
unbound, and pardoned him in the sight of the crowd.

Aladdin now begged to know what he had done.

"False wretch!" said the Sultan, "come hither," and showed him from the
window the place where his palace had stood.

Aladdin was so amazed that he could not say a word.

"Where is my palace and my daughter?" demanded the Sultan. "For the
first I am not so deeply concerned, but my daughter I must have, and you
must find her or lose your head."

Aladdin begged fo