Episode 4

But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin, and byhis magic arts discovered that Aladdin, instead of perishingmiserably in the cave, had escaped, and had married a princess,with whom he was living in great honour and wealth.He knew thatthe poor tailor's son could only have accomplished this by meansof the lamp, and travelled night and day till he reached thecapital of China, bent on Aladdin's ruin.As he passed throughthe town he heard people talking everywhere about a marvelouspalace."Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is the palace youspeak of?"Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace," wasthe reply, "the greatest wonder in the world?I will direct youif you have a mind to see it."The magician thanked him who spoke,and having seen the palace knew that it had been raised by the Genieof the Lamp, and became half mad with rage.He determined to gethold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.

Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days, which gavethe magician plenty of time.He bought a dozen lamps, put theminto a basket, and went to the palace, crying:"New lamps for old!"followed by a jeering crowd.The Princess, sitting in the hall offour-and-twenty windows, sent a slave to find out what the noisewas about, who came back laughing, so that the Princess scolded her.

"Madam," replied the slave, "who can help laughing to see an old fooloffering to exchange fine new lamps for old ones?"Another slave,hearing this, said, "There is an old one on the cornice there whichhe 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 knowingits 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 jeersof 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 tillnightfall, when he pulled out the lamp and rubbed it.The genieappeared, and at the magician's command carried him, together withthe palace and the Princess in it, to a lonely place in Africa.

Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window towards Aladdin'spalace and rubbed his eyes, for it was gone.He sent for theVizier and asked what had become of the palace.The Vizier lookedout too, and was lost in astonishment.He again put it down toenchantment, and this time the Sultan believed him, and sentthirty men on horseback to fetch Aladdin back in chains.They methim riding home, bound him, and forced him to go with them on foot.

The people, however, who loved him, followed, armed, to seethat he came to no harm.He was carried before the Sultan, whoordered the executioner to cut off his head.The executioner madeAladdin kneel down, bandaged his eyes, and raised his scimitar tostrike.At that instant the Vizier, who saw that the crowd hadforced their way into the courtyard and were scaling the wallsto rescue Aladdin, called to the executioner to stay his hand.

The people, indeed, looked so threatening that the Sultan gaveway and ordered Aladdin to be unbound, and pardoned him in thesight of the crowd.Aladdin now begged to know what he had done.

"False wretch!" said the Sultan, "come hither," and showed him fromthe window the place where his palace had stood.Aladdin was soamazed he could not say a word."Where is your palace and mydaughter?" demanded the Sultan."For the first I am not so deeplyconcerned, but my daughter I must have, and you must find her orlose your head."Aladdin begged for forty days in which to findher, promising if he failed to return to suffer death at theSultan's pleasure.His prayer was granted, and he went forthsadly from the Sultan's presence.

For three days he wandered about like a madman, asking everyonewhat had become of his palace, but they only laughed and pitied him.

He came to the banks of a river, and knelt down to say his prayersbefore throwing himself in.In doing so he rubbed the ring hestill wore.The genie he had seen in the cave appeared, andasked his will."Save my life, genie," said Aladdin, "and bringmy palace back."That is not in my power," said the genie;"I am only the Slave of the Ring; you must ask him of the lamp.""Even so," said Aladdin, "but thou canst take me to the palace,and set me down under my dear wife's window."He at once foundhimself in Africa, under the window of the Princess, and fellasleep out of sheer weariness.

He was awakened by the singing of the birds, and his heart was lighter.

He saw plainly that all his misfortunes were owning to the loss of the lamp,and vainly wondered who had robbed him of it.

That morning the Princess rose earlier than she had done sinceshe had been carried into Africa by the magician, whose companyshe was forced to endure once a day.She, however, treated himso harshly that he dared not live there altogether.As shewas dressing, one of her women looked out and saw Aladdin.

The Princess ran and opened the window, and at the noise she made,Aladdin looked up.She called to him to come to her, and greatwas the joy of these lovers at seeing each other again.After hehad kissed her Aladdin said:"I beg of you, Princess, in God'sname, before we speak of anything else, for your own sake andmine, tell me what has become of an old lamp I left on the cornicein the hall of four-and-twenty windows when I went a-hunting.""Alas," she said, "I am the innocent cause of our sorrows," andtold him of the exchange of the lamp."Now I know," criedAladdin, "that we have to thank the African magician for this!

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