from his throne and led him into a hall. He wanted to marry him to the princess that very day.[56]
But Aladdin refused, and said, “I must build a palace for her.”
At home he said to the Jinn, “Build me a palace of the finest marble, with jasper, agate, and other precious stones.”
The Jinn finished the palace by next day.
The Sultan sent musicians with trumpets and cymbals to meet them. The air resounded with music and cheers.
At night the princess said good-bye to her father. She was charmed at the sight of Aladdin.
The next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace.
Aladdin became the captain of the Sultan’s armies. He won several battles for him but remained modest and courteous. They lived in peace and content for several years.
But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin. He discovered that Aladdin escaped from the cave, married a princess and was living in great honour and wealth!
He decided to steal the Lamp. He travelled night and day till he reached the capital. When he was passing through the town, the people everywhere were talking about a marvellous palace.
“Forgive my ignorance,” he asked, “what is this palace you speak of?[57]”
“Did you not hear about Prince Aladdin’s palace,” was the reply, “the greatest wonder of the world?”
The magician saw the palace and became half mad with rage.
He bought a dozen copper lamps and put them into a basket. Then he went to the palace, crying, “New lamps for old![58]”
Aladdin was not at the palace at the moment. The princess sent a slave to find out what the noise was about.[59]
“Your Majesty,” replied the slave, “an old fool offers to exchange fine new lamps for old ones.”
Another slave said, “We have a very old lamp, let’s change it.”
But this was the magic Lamp, which Aladdin left there. The princess did not know its value. She went and said to the magician, “Give me a new lamp for this.”
The wizard immediately exchanged the lamps. After that the wizard went away and rubbed the Lamp. The Jinn appeared. The magician ordered the Jinn to carry him, together with the palace and the princess, to a lonely place in Africa.
The next morning the Sultan did not see the Aladdin’s palace: it disappeared! He sent thirty men on horseback[60] to fetch Aladdin in chains.
“Where is my palace and my daughter?” asked the Sultan.
Aladdin could not say a word.
“I must have my daughter back![61] And you must find her or lose your head.”
Aladdin begged for forty days to find her. For three days he asked everyone what became of his palace. Nobody knew the answer.
He came to the banks of a river and rubbed the magic ring he still wore. Another Jinn appeared.
“Save my life, Jinn,” said Aladdin, “and bring my palace back.”
“That is not in my power,” said the Jinn. “I am only the Slave of the Ring. You must ask the Slave of the Lamp.”
“But you,” said Aladdin, “can take me to the palace and set me down under my wife’s window.”
He at once found himself in Africa, under the window of the princess. That morning the princess rose earlier than usual. As she was dressing, one of her women saw Aladdin. The princess ran and opened the window. They were very happy to see each other again.
“Please forgive me,” said the princess. “I didn’t know anything about the Lamp. So I gave it to the wizard. He is very evil, and he wants to marry me.”
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