Ali Baba was dismayed and cried out angrily, “What have you done? This will be the ruin of me!”
But she replied, “No, my lord, I have slain this man to prevent him from harming you. Undo his garments and see what you will find there.”
So Ali Baba searched the dead man’s clothes and found a dagger concealed there. Then Morgiana said, “This wretch was your mortal enemy. Look at him carefully, for he is none other than the oil merchant and captain of the robbers. He came here to take your life, and when he would not eat your salt and you told me about this, I suspected something was wrong. After I got a look at him I was certain that he was the robber captain and that he had come to kill you. Praise be to Allah, for it was exactly as I thought it was.”
Then Ali Baba lavished thanks upon her and said, “You have saved me from his hand two times, and now I grant you your freedom. And as a further reward for your fidelity, I am going to wed you to my nephew.” Then, turning to the youth, he said, “Do as I bid you, and you will prosper. I want you to marry Morgiana, who is a model of duty and loyalty. You see now how this man only sought your friendship so that he could take my life, but this maiden, with her good sense and wisdom, has slain him and saved us.”
Ali Baba’s nephew consented to marry Morgiana on the spot. After reaching this agreement, the three of them lifted the dead body and carried it carefully into the garden, where they buried it as quickly as possible. For many years thereafter, nobody knew a thing about this.
In due time, Ali Baba married Morgiana to his nephew in great pomp and held a sumptuous wedding feast for his friends and neighbors. It was a joyful event with singing, dancing, and other entertainment. Thereafter, Ali Baba prospered in everything he undertook, and time smiled upon him as new sources of wealth were opened to him. For fear of the thieves, he did not return to the cave for a long time after his brother’s death.
But one day, after some years had passed, he mounted his horse and journeyed there with care and caution. Since he did not find any signs of man or beast, he ventured to draw near the door. Then he got off his horse, tied it to a tree, and went to the entrance, where he pronounced the words, which he had not forgotten: “Open, Sesame!” As usual, the door flew open, and after entering, Ali Baba saw the goods and hoard of gold and silver untouched and lying exactly as he had left them. So he was convinced that none of the thieves remained alive, and with the exception of himself, there was not a soul who knew the secret of the place. Therefore, he carried a load of coins outside, put them in his saddlebags, and took the gold home with him. In the years that followed he showed the hoard to his sons and grandsons and taught them how the door could be opened and shut. Thus, Ali Baba and his family lived all their lives in wealth and joy in that city where he had once been a pauper. Thanks to the blessed secret treasure, he rose to a respectable position and became a dignified man.
No sooner had Scheherazade concluded her tale than she said, “And yet, oh king, this tale is no more wondrous than the remarkable story of ‘Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.’”
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
A long time ago in a city of China there lived a poor tailor with his only son, Aladdin. Now this boy had been obstinate and lazy ever since the day he was born, and when he became ten, his father wanted him to learn a proper trade, but since he lacked the money to pay for his son’s apprenticeship in another craft, he had to take the boy into his own shop and teach him how to use a needle. However, since Aladdin was so stubborn and idle and preferred to play with the scamps in the neighborhood, he did not spend a single day in the shop. Instead, he would wait for his father to leave the shop for some reason or other, like paying a debt, and then he would run off at once to the gardens to be with some other little scoundrels. Such was his situation, and neither punishment nor good advice would help. He would not obey his parents or learn a trade. As a result his father became so sick due to his son’s vicious personality and indolence that he died.
Despite his father’s death, Aladdin continued to carry on as badly as he had done in the past, and when his mother saw that her son would not change, she sold the shop with all its contents and began spinning yarn to make a living. This work enabled her to feed herself and Aladdin, who became increasingly more lazy and wayward, especially when he no longer had to fear his father’s stern reproaches. Indeed, the only time he came home was for his meals. Otherwise, his poor mother continued to toil for the both of them, while he persisted in his idle ways until he turned fifteen.
One day, while Aladdin was playing in the neighborhood with some of the other vagabonds, a dervish from Maghrib, the Land of the Setting Sun, came by and began gazing at the boys. However, he did not appear to notice anyone except Aladdin and kept staring at him. Now, this dervish, a Moor from the interior of Morocco, was a sorcerer whose magic powers were so powerful that he could turn mountains upside down. Moreover, he was adept in astrology, and after looking at Aladdin very closely, he said to himself, “This is the boy I’ve been searching for ever since I left my native land.” So he took one of Aladdin’s friends aside and began asking questions about him, such as who his father was. And he tried to learn all he could about Aladdin and the circumstances of his life. Once he was satisfied, the magician walked up to Aladdin, drew him aside, and asked, “My son, aren’t you the son of the tailor Mustafa?”
“Yes, my lord,” the boy answered, “but he died a long time ago.”
Upon hearing these words, the Moor threw his arms around Aladdin, embraced him, and begin kissing him, while tears trickled down his cheeks. Of course, the boy was surprised by the magician’s behavior, and he asked, “Why are you weeping, my lord? Did you know my father?”
“How can you ask me a question like that, my son?” replied the Moor. “Don’t you realize how sad it makes me to learn that your father, who was my brother, is now dead? I was living in exile for many years and looked forward with joy to seeing him again and talking about the past, but now you’ve told me that he’s passed away. But blood is thicker than water, and I had a feeling that you were my brother’s son. I recognized you at once among all the boys. Of course, when I left the country your father had yet to marry. Unfortunately I’ve lost the joyous opportunity of seeing my brother again and have also missed the funeral services. But this was all due to the fact that I was far away and that Almighty Allah had decreed that this was the way it was to be—and there is no tinkering with fate. Now, my son, you are my only joy and comfort, and you are his replacement. As the saying goes, ‘He who leaves an heir does not die.’”
After the Moor had spoken these words, he stuck his hand into his purse, pulled out ten gold pieces, and gave them to Aladdin. “My son, take this money and give it to your mother with greetings from me. Let her know that your uncle has returned from exile and that, God willing, I’ll visit her tomorrow to see the house where my brother lived and also to have a look at his burial site.”
Thereupon Aladdin kissed the Moor’s hand, and after running at full speed and with great joy to his mother’s house, he entered and surprised her, for he never came home except at mealtimes. “Mother!” he exclaimed in his delight. “I’ve come to bring you good news about my uncle, who’s returned from his exile and has sent me to greet you.”
“My son,” she replied, “you’re mocking me. Who is this uncle of yours? And since when have you ever had a living uncle?”
“How can you say that I don’t have living uncles or relatives when this man is my father’s brother?” Aladdin cried. “Indeed, he embraced and kissed me. And when he heard about my father’s death, he wept bitter tears, and then he told me to inform you about his arrival.”
“My son,” she responded. “I know very well that you had an uncle once. But he’s dead, and I was not aware that you had another.”
The next morning the magician went looking for Aladdin, for his heart could not bear to be separated from him. As he wandered about the city, he finally encountered him, playing in the streets with
other scamps and vagabonds, as he usually did. When the Moor approached him, he took Aladdin’s hand, embraced him, and kissed him. Then he pulled two dinars from his pocket and said, “Go to your mother and give her these ducats. Tell her that your uncle intends to eat with you this evening and that she should prepare a delicious supper for us. But before you do this, show me the way to your house once more.”
“Just follow me, uncle,” said Aladdin, and he ran ahead, pointing out the street leading to the house.
Then the Moor left him and went his way, while Aladdin ran home and gave the ducats and the news to his mother. So she arose right away and went to the market, where she bought all that she needed. After returning to her dwelling, she borrowed pans and platters from her neighbors, and when the meal was cooked and suppertime came, she said to Aladdin, “My child, the meat is ready, but perhaps your uncle does not know the way to our dwelling. So go out and meet him on the road.”
“As you wish,” he replied, but before the two could finish their conversation, they heard a knock at the door, and when Aladdin opened it, the Moor stood there attended by a eunuch, who was carrying wine and fruit. So the boy let them in, and the slave went about his business. After entering, the Moor greeted his sister-in-law with a salaam, began to shed tears, and said, “Show me the place where my brother used to sit.”
She pointed to the place, and the Moor went to it, prostrated himself in prayer, and kissed the floor. “How meager is my satisfaction!” he cried out. “How unfortunate I am, for I’ve lost you, brother, light of my eyes!”
And he continued weeping and wailing like this until he fainted. Consequently, Aladdin’s mother was convinced that he was sincere and that he really was her husband’s brother. She went over to him, and after lifting him up from the floor, she said, “Please stop, or else you’ll kill yourself.”
And Scheherazade noticed that dawn was approaching and stopped telling her story. When the next night arrived, however, she received the king’s permission to continue her tale and said,
Aladdin’s mother began consoling the Moor and led him to the couch. As soon as he was seated at his ease and was waiting for the food to be served, he began talking to her and said, “You must be wondering, my good sister-in-law, why you never saw me or knew anything about me while my late brother was alive. The reason for this is that I left this city forty years ago and wandered all over the lands of India, Sind, and Arabia and finally settled down in the magnificent city of Cairo in Egypt, which is one of the wonders of the world. Thereafter I traveled to the interior of Morocco, where I lived for thirty years. Then, one day, as I was sitting alone at home, I began thinking about my native land and my late brother, and my yearning to see him became so strong that I bemoaned my exile and the distance between my brother and myself. Finally, I decided to return to my birthplace and to see my brother once more, saying to myself, ‘Oh you unhappy man, how long will you wander like a nomad from your birthplace and native land? You only have one brother and no more. So, rise and return to him before you die. Who knows what might happen to you and what changes might happen in the course of time? It would be most sad if you died without ever seeing your brother again. Allah has blessed you with ample wealth, and your brother might not be as fortunate as you are, whereby you might be able to help him in his distress.’ So, I arose at once, prepared myself for the journey, and recited the Fatihah. After the Friday prayers ended, I mounted my steed and traveled to this city, suffering many hardships and encountering all sorts of dangers along the way, but I patiently endured them and was blessed by the Lord’s protection, until I reached my goal. After I entered the city, I wandered about, and the day before yesterday I saw Aladdin playing with some boys on the street. By God, the moment I saw him, my heart went out to him, and I felt deep down that he was my nephew, for we are of the same blood. In fact, as soon as I spotted him, I forgot my trials and tribulations and became ecstatic. However, when he told me about his father’s death, I fainted out of disappointment. Perhaps he has told you how sorrowful I was and how I reacted. Nevertheless, I’m somewhat consoled by the sight of Aladdin, my brother’s son, for whoever leaves an heir does not die.”
After hearing these words, Aladdin’s mother began to weep, and the Moor now sought a way to complete his deception. So, while he comforted her, he turned to Aladdin and asked, “My son, what craft have you learned? What work do you do to support yourself and your mother?”
The boy was abashed and put to shame. He hung his head and lowered his eyes, but his mother spoke out, “What work? Indeed, he’s never learned a thing. I’ve never seen such an ungrateful child as this one! Never! He wastes the entire day with the other scamps and vagabonds of the neighborhood like himself. He drove his father to his grave, and he’ll do the same with me, too. I spin cotton and toil at the spinning wheel day and night so that I can earn a couple of scones of bread that we eat together. By the life of me, the only time I see my son is at mealtimes and none other. Indeed, I’ve been thinking about locking the house door and never opening it to him again. Then he’ll have to go and seek a livelihood and earn a living. After all, I’ve gotten on in years and no longer have the strength to work the way I do. By Allah, I’m forced to provide him with his daily bread when I’m the one who should be provided for!”
Upon hearing this, the Moor turned to Aladdin and said, “Why are you doing this, nephew? Why are you so ungrateful? Your behavior is disgraceful and unworthy. You’re a sensible young man, and the child of honest folk. Indeed, you should be ashamed that your mother at her age should have to struggle to support you. Now that you’ve reached manhood, it is incumbent upon you to learn some trade and to support yourself. Praise be to Allah, there are numerous craftsmen in this city, and there are many different trades. So choose something you would like to learn, and I’ll help you get established. Later, when you’re grown up, you’ll be able to support yourself in your own business. Perhaps you didn’t like your father’s profession, and if that’s the case, then choose some other craft that may suit you better. Then let me know, and I’ll help you as best I can.”
However, Aladdin kept silent, and the Moor realized that Aladdin preferred to continue living the life of a freeloader and vagabond. So he said to the boy, “I did not mean to be so harsh and severe, nephew. If you really don’t want to learn a craft, despite all that I’ve said, I’ll open a merchant’s shop for you and furnish it with expensive stuffs. Then you can deal and trade with other merchants and become well known in the city.”
Now, when Aladdin heard his uncle’s words and his plan of making him a merchant and gentleman, he rejoiced, for he was quite aware of the fact that these people dressed in fine garments and had sumptuous meals. So he looked at the Moor, smiled, and nodded his head to show that he was content.
“Well now,” said the Moor, “since you’re willing to let me open a shop for you and make a gentleman out of you, then I’ll take you to the bazaar first thing tomorrow morning, God willing, and I’ll have a fine suit of clothes cut out for you like the one merchants wear. After that I’ll look for a store for you, as I’ve promised.”
Up to this point, Aladdin’s mother still had some doubts as to whether the Moor was her brother-in-law, but when she heard his promise of opening up a merchant’s shop for her son and providing him with stuffs and capital, she cast them to the wind and decided that the Moor was in truth her husband’s brother, for a stranger would never do as much as he was doing for Aladdin. So she advised her son to mend his ways, get rid of his foolish ideas, and prove himself a man. Moreover, she told him to obey his excellent uncle as though he were the Moor’s son and to make up for all the time he had wasted with his vagabond friends. After this she rose, set the table, and served the supper, whereupon they all sat down and began eating and drinking. During the meal, the Moor conversed with Aladdin about business matters and other similar topics so that later that night, after the Moor had departed and promised to return early the next morning, Aladdin
could barely sleep for joy.
Indeed, as soon as dawn arrived, the Moor knocked at the door, and Aladdin’s mother opened to let him in. However, the Moor would not enter. Instead, he asked permission to take the boy to the market, and Aladdin went straight to him, wished him good morning, and kissed his hand. Then the Moor took him to a clothier’s shop at the bazaar and asked to look at expensive suits that were finely tailored and ready to wear. The merchant brought him what he desired, and the Moor said to the boy, “Choose whatever you like.”
Aladdin was extremely happy about his uncle’s generosity, and he picked out the suit that pleased him most, whereupon the Moor paid the merchant for the garments, and they left. Soon the Moor led the boy to the Hammam baths, and after they bathed, they drank sherbets together. Then Aladdin arose, put on his new garments with great joy, and went to his uncle, kissed his hand, and thanked him for all his favors.
When they left the Hammam, the Moor took Aladdin to the bazaar again and showed him how people traded at the market, buying and selling, and he said, “My son, it’s important for you to become familiar with the people here, especially the merchants, so that you can learn their business, now that you are one of them.” Then he showed Aladdin the city with its mosques and other interesting sights. Finally, they entered a cookery, where dinner was served to them on silver platters. After eating and drinking their fill, they continued on their walk, and the Moor took Aladdin to the parks, the magnificent buildings, and the sultan’s palace, where they visited the grand and elegant apartments. Finally, they went to the khan of foreign merchants, where the Moor had taken his lodgings, and he invited various traders to have supper with them and told them that Aladdin was his nephew. By the time they had finished their meal, it was dark, and the Moor rose up and took the boy back to his mother, who mistook her son for a merchant but was extremely delighted when she recognized him. Immediately, she began expressing her gratitude toward her false brother-in-law for his kindness and said, “I can never thank you enough for your generosity. You’re most kind.”
Arabian Nights Page 15