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Long ago, in a land far away, there lived a young boy called Aladdin and his widowed mother. They lived in a small village in China, and life was very hard for them.
One day a strange man came to the village.
"Perhaps I will find what I'm looking for here," he muttered as he came to the houses and saw some boys playing.
"Aha!" he said. " I think my search is over." He watched for a few minutes, and then went up to the boys.
"Can you tell me where young Aladdin and his mother live?" he asked.
"I'm Aladdin," said Aladdin. "Why do you want to know?"
"My boy!" cried the man. "I'm your uncle, your father's brother! Take me to your mother."
Aladdin lived close by, so he led the way.
"Good morning," said the uncle to Aladdin's mother. "I'm your husband's brother, returned at last. Is my brother around?"
"He's dead," said Aladdin's mother. "It's been five years."
"I'm so sorry," said the man. "Can Aladdin help me this afternoon?"
"How?" asked Aladdin.
"There is a cave in the hillside above, and when we were small we hid something down there. I've come back to collect it and I'm too big to get in the hole. Maybe you can help. I'll give you a precious ring."
"Yes, I'll help you," said Aladdin. "How far is it?"
"Not far," said the uncle. "Let's go."
They climbed the hillside, and came to a small hole in the ground. The uncle was much too big to climb down, but Aladdin was just the right size.
"Here's the ring," said the uncle. Aladdin put it on.
"What am I looking for?" he asked.
"Oh, just an old lamp," said the uncle. "Battered looking. Not good for much, but I'd really like it back."
Aladdin climbed down the hole, and entered a cave that twinkled and shone from floor to ceiling with gold and jewels.
"There's treasure down here," called Aladdin.
"I know," said the uncle. "Just bring me the old lamp."
'How strange,' thought Aladdin. 'All this treasure and all he wants is an old lamp. Ah! There it is.'
Aladdin went back to the cave entrance.
"Do you have the lamp?" asked his uncle.
"Yes, give me a hand to get out," said Aladdin, holding up his hand.
"Give me the lamp, then I'll pull you out."
"Pull me out first," said Aladdin.
"I want the lamp," said the uncle, becoming angry.
"Why?" asked Aladdin. "It's tatty. All this treasure and you only want this."
"Just give it to me," shouted the uncle.
"No, I won't," said Aladdin. "Help me out first."
"Never!" said the uncle. " You can stay down there! Stay with the treasure!"
There was a sudden thunderclap, and the tunnel closed! Aladdin was trapped. He had the lamp and the treasure, but he couldn't get out.
" He's not my uncle," said Aladdin. He sat down and absentmindedly began to rub the ring his 'uncle' had given him.
There was a sudden flash of light and a puff of smoke, and a figure stood in front of him wearing a turban. How strange! And stranger still:
"Master of the ring! How can I serve you?" asked the figure.
"Who are you?" asked Aladdin.
Your wish is my command."
A moment later, Aladdin was outside his cottage. He was still holding the lamp. He ran in and told his mother of his adventure. Then he called up the Genie of the ring again. His mother nearly fell over in amazement.
"Can you bring some food, please? said Aladdin.
A moment late, the table was groaning under the weight of lots of exotic dishes. Aladdin and his mother ate and ate, and for the first time in a long while they went to bed well-fed and happy.
Little by little, as the days passed, Aladdin made the cottage comfortable for his mother with the help of the Genie, and there was always plenty to eat.
One evening, by the fire, Aladdin's mother took the lamp. "We may as well use this," she said. "I'll give it a polish."
She began to rub with a cloth, when there was a huge thunderclap and flash of light. In a puff of smoke a new figure appeared. He was much bigger than the Genie of the ring.
"Oh Master, How can I serve you? asked the Genie.
Aladdin's mother was speechless.
'This is what the man was after,' thought Aladdin, and then he quickly said, "Can you build us a new home just outside the village and please take us there."
"Your wish is my command," boomed the Genie.
An instant later, Aladdin and his mother were sitting in comfortable chairs beside a huge fire in their new home.
"I can't quite get used to the speed they do thing," said Aladdin's mother.
The Genie of the lamp was much more powerful than the Genie of the ring, and soon there were servants and carriages, taking Aladdin and his mother wherever they wanted to go.
One day, Aladdin said to his mother, "It is time I married. I want to marry the Emperor's daughter."
"The Princess!" cried his mother. "You must be mad! You cannot marry the Princess!"
"I love her," said Aladdin. "I'd like you to take a present to the Emperor and ask him for his daughter's hand in marriage."
Aladdin finally persuaded his mother. She took with her a basket of fruit as a present. But these were no ordinary fruit. They were made of precious stones. It was a fabulous gift for the Emperor.
The Emperor was very impressed, but he did not want his daughter to marry a peasant's son.
Aladdin went to the palace the very next day, dressed finely, with a gift of six beautiful white horses.
"No," said the Emperor.
Aladdin went day after day, with the most amazing gifts. each time the Emperor said, "No!"
The Princess had seen Aladdin and each day she fell more and more in love with him. She finally spoke to her father.
"Very well," he said. "I shall give him a task to perform. If he can do it you will both be married."
Aladdin arrived at the palace, and the Emperor gave him his task.
"I would like you to build the Princess a palace that she can live in," said the Emperor. "It must have four domes, two fine towers, marble staircases, a beautiful garden, and it must be joined to this palace by a crystal bridge."
"Very well," said Aladdin.
"That is not all," said the Emperor. " I want it built overnight. If you want to marry my daughter, the palace must be here by tomorrow morning."
Aladdin returned home and called up the Genie of the lamp. He described what the Emperor wanted.
" Your wish is my command," said the Genie.
The next morning, the Emperor awoke to find the tip of a crystal bridge against his balcony, and a beautiful palace shimmered in the distance. everything he had asked for had been built. He was astounded, but the Princess made sure he kept his promise.
Meanwhile, high in the mountains, the magician who had pretended to be Aladdin's uncle, heard of the marvelous presents given to the Emperor by a peasant boy, and then of the fantastic palace.
"That is the work of the lamp," he said. He collected his belongings and prepared to go down into the valley in search of the lamp.
One day Aladdin went hunting and the Princess was in Aladdin's rooms and saw the lamp on a table.
"What a tatty looking lamp," she said.
"How strange that Aladdin keeps it when he can so easily buy another."
A servant came to tell the Princess that there were travelling peddlers in the main hall.
"I might be able to buy a present for Aladdin," she said, running to the hall.
There were many traders there, but one call caught her attention immediately.
"New lamps for old! New lamps for old!"
"That's what I shall do for Aladdin," said the Princess, and she ran to fetch the old lamp.
Aladdin returned from hunting later that day to find a very angry and worried Emperor, and no Princess, palace or lamp!
"You must bring back my daughter at once!" cried the Emperor.
Aladdin didn't know what to do! Without the Genie of the lamp, he was powerless. Then he remembered the ring that he still wore. He rubbed it gently and the Genie appeared in his usual puff of smoke.
"Master of the ring! How can I serve you?" asked the Genie.
"Can you bring back the palace with the Princess? asked Aladdin.
"Unfortunately, no," said the Genie. "That is the Genie of the lamp's magic."
"Can you take me there?" asked Aladdin.
"Yes," said the Genie, and in an instant Aladdin was standing in a strange place with the Princess by his side.
"Aladdin!" she cried. "The magician told me you were dead."
"Well, I'm not," said Aladdin. "We must get the lamp back from him. It's the only way to get you back to your father."
"The magician never lets it out of his sight," said the Princess.
"We must wait until he is asleep and get it from him then," said Aladdin. He called the Genie of the ring and asked him for a sleeping potion.
The Princess put it in the magician's drink. He was soon yawning and fell fast asleep. Aladdin took the lamp and called up the Genie.
"Take us and the palace back home," said Aladdin. "And as for the man who tricked us -- leave him to wander the desert forever."
"Your wish is my command," said the Genie.
A moment later the Princess and Aladdin were standing on the crystal bridge. Everything was as it had been before and the Emperor was waiting with open arms to greet them.
The Emperor was delighted to see them. They were never troubled by the magician again, who is probably still wandering around the desert. | | |