Arabian Nights

by Richard Burton

  “Please don’t consider this mere kindness,” said the Moor. “The boy is my own son, and it is incumbent on me to assume the role of my brother, his sire. So I hope you will be satisfied.”

  “May Allah bless you and grant you long life for my sake so that you may keep this orphan under your wing. And I hope that he will be obedient and do whatever you ask him to do.”

  “Aladdin has now become a man of good sense,” the Moor replied. “I pray to Allah that he will follow in his father’s footsteps and be a comfort to you in your old age. But I regret that tomorrow being Friday, I shall not be able to open his shop, since it is the day when all the merchants go to the parks and gardens after congregational prayer. On Saturday, however, we shall start his business, Allah willing. Meanwhile, tomorrow I’ll come and take Aladdin for a pleasant stroll to see the parks and gardens outside the city that he has perhaps never seen before. He’ll also be able to see the merchants and notables who go there and make their acquaintance.”

  After saying this, the Moor went away and spent the night at the khan.

  * * *

  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,

  Early the next morning the Moor arrived at Aladdin’s house and knocked at the door. Now, after all the delights that the boy had experienced the day before, he had not been able to sleep a wink all night and could hardly wait until daybreak. So as soon as he heard the knock, he rushed to the door, opened it, and saw his uncle, the magician, who embraced and kissed him. Then, as they began walking, the Moor said to him, “Nephew, today I’m going to show you a sight that you’ve never seen before in your life.” And he began to make the boy laugh and cheer him up with his pleasant talk.

  Once they left the city gate, the Moor took him through the gardens and pointed out the fine buildings and marvelous pavilions. Whenever they stopped and stared at a mansion or palace, the Moor would ask Aladdin whether he liked it. Indeed, the boy was ecstatic and in seventh heaven because of the sights he had never seen in his entire life. Thus, they continued to stroll about and enjoy themselves until they became tired. Then they entered a huge wonderful garden that was nearby, a place that delighted their hearts and eyes, for it had a fountain that spouted water from the jaws of a golden lion, and the water flowed swiftly among an abundance of flowers. They found a nice place to sit down in the garden near a pond and rested a little while. Soon Aladdin began to jest with the magician and to have fun with him as though the Moor were really his father’s brother. Then the Moor stood up, loosened his belt, and pulled out a bag full of dried fruits and other good things to eat.

  “Perhaps you’re hungry, nephew,” he said. “Take whatever you’d like to eat.”

  Aladdin responded by sticking his hand into the bag, and the Moor ate with him. After they were refreshed and rested, the magician said, “Get up, nephew. If you’re no longer tired, let’s stroll onward and finish our walk.”

  Thereupon Aladdin arose, and the Moor accompanied him from garden to garden until they had left them all behind and reached the base of a huge and barren hill. Since the boy had never gone beyond the city gates and had never taken such an extensive walk as this, he asked the Moor, “Where are we going, uncle? We’ve left the gardens behind us, and there’s nothing but open country from here on. I’m tired and can’t go on. So if there are no more gardens after this, let’s return to the city.”

  “No, my son,” said the magician. “This is the right way. You see, there are more gardens after this, and we’re going to look at one that is more splendid than any royal garden in the world and beyond comparison with those you have just seen. So, pluck up your courage. You’re a man now. Praise be to Allah!”

  The Moor began to cajole the boy and to tell him wondrous tales, true stories as well as lies, until they reached the spot the magician had come all the way from Morocco to China to see. Upon arriving at their destination, the Moor said to Aladdin, “Nephew, sit down and take a rest, for this is the spot we’ve been looking for. If Allah is merciful, I’ll soon be able to show you marvelous things that nobody in the whole world has ever seen before. Indeed, no one has ever had the pleasure of viewing that which you are about to see.”

  After they had relaxed awhile, the Moor spoke again. “Once you have rested, my son, I want you to get up and look for some wood chips and dry sticks so that we can start a fire. Then I’ll show you things beyond your imagination.”

  Now, when Aladdin heard these words, he longed to see what his uncle intended to do, and forgetting how tired he was, he arose right away and began gathering small wood chips and dry sticks until the Moor cried to him, “Enough, nephew! Enough!”

  Soon the magician took out a small box from his breast pocket, and after opening it, he took some incense, set fire to the wood, and sprinkled the incense on the fire. Then he conjured and uttered some strange words, and the sky darkened. Suddenly there was a burst of thunder, and the ground split open. Aladdin was so startled and frightened that he wanted to flee, but the Moor saw this and grew extremely angry, for without the boy his work would come to nothing. It was only with Aladdin’s help that he would be able to obtain and open the hidden treasure. So he got up and gave the boy such a hard smack on the back of his head that his back teeth were almost knocked out, and Aladdin fell to the ground in a swoon. After a while the Moor revived him with some magic, and Aladdin wept and asked, “Uncle, what have I done to deserve such a beating?”

  In response, the Moor began to comfort him and said, “My boy, it is my intention to make a man out of you. Therefore, don’t contradict me, for I’m your uncle, and you are like a son to me. Obey everything that I tell you to do, and soon you’ll forget all your hardships and become absorbed by all the marvels I’m about to show you.”

  Then the Moor looked down into the crack in the ground and showed Aladdin a marble slab that had a copper ring attached to it. After striking a geomantic table, he turned to Aladdin and said, “If you do everything I tell you, you’ll become richer than all the kings of the world. That’s why I struck you. There is a treasure down there in your name, and you were about to run away and abandon it. But now, pull yourself together.”

  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,

  “The treasure is under that marble slab,” the Moor continued, “so place your hand on the ring and raise the slab. Nobody but yourself has the power to open it, and no mortal on this earth except yourself may set foot in this hidden place, for the treasure has been destined for you. But you must follow all my instructions carefully and remember every word I tell you. All this, my son, is for your own good. The treasure is of immense value, and it is worth more than any king on this earth has ever accumulated. Bear in mind that we shall share all this together.”

  So poor Aladdin forgot the slap on his head and his tears. Indeed, he was dumbfounded and overjoyed that he was fated to become richer than a sultan. Therefore, he cried out, “Uncle, tell me what to do, and I’ll obey all your orders.”

  “Nephew,” replied the magician, “you are like my own child and even dearer to me because you are my brother’s son. Since I have no other relatives, you will be my heir and successor.” After saying this, he went over to Aladdin and kissed him. “Now you know why I have done all this work. It has been all for your sake, my son. You will become a rich and great man. So do exactly as I tell you, and go to the ring and lift it.”

  “But, uncle,” Aladdin answered, “the ring is much too heavy for me. I can’t lift it all by myself. You must come and help me, for you’re stronger than I am.”

  “Nephew,” the Moor replied, “if I help you, all our work will be in vain. You must place your hand on the ring and pull it, and the slab will rise right away. Remember, I told you that
nobody can touch the ring but you. However, while you are raising it, you must pronounce your name and the names of your father and mother, and you’ll see that you’ll be able to lift the slab with ease.”

  Thereupon the boy mustered up his strength and set his mind to the task. He followed the Moor’s instructions carefully, and before he knew it, he had lifted the slab and had cast it aside. Right below him was a stairway with twelve steps that led to a subterranean cave.

  “Aladdin,” the Moor said, “get a grip on yourself and do exactly what I tell you. I want you to descend the stairs to the vault as carefully as possible. Once you are at the bottom, you will find a space divided into four apartments, and in each one of these you will see four golden jars and other valuable articles made of gold and silver. Beware of all these things! Do not touch them or allow your garments to even brush the jars or the walls! Leave them where they are and continue walking forward until you reach the fourth apartment. If you don’t do what I say, you’ll be turned into a black stone. Now, when you reach the fourth apartment, you’ll find a door, which you will open, and after pronouncing the words that you spoke over the slab, you’re to enter and go through a garden adorned by fruit trees. The path that you’re to take is about fifty yards long, and it leads to a terrace that has a ladder with some thirty rungs. And you will also see a lamp hanging from the ceiling of the terrace. You’re to climb the ladder and take the lamp. After pouring out the contents, place it in your breast pocket. You don’t have to worry about damaging your clothes, since the contents are not made of common oil. On your return, you may pluck whatever you want from the trees, for they are yours as long as the lamp is in your hands.”

  Now, when the Moor finished giving his instructions to Aladdin, he drew a ring from his finger, placed it on one of Aladdin’s, and said, “My son, this ring will protect you from all harm and threat, but only on the condition that you bear in mind all that I’ve told you. So it’s up to you now. Go to it, and be brave and determined. You’re a man now and no longer a child. And very soon, you’ll be the richest man in the world.”

  Eagerly, Aladdin descended into the cave, where he found the four apartments, each containing four jars of gold. He walked by them with utmost care and caution, just as the Moor had told him to do. From there, he entered the garden and walked down the path until he came upon the terrace, where he mounted the ladder and took the lamp, which he extinguished by pouring out the oil. After placing the lamp in his breast pocket, he descended the ladder and returned to the garden, where he began gazing at the trees and noticed that the birds were singing songs in praise of the Great Creator. Now, he had not realized upon entering that all the trees were covered with costly gems as their fruit, Moreover, each one had a different kind of jewel with various colors of green, white, yellow, and red. They all glistened, and their radiance made the rays of the sun in its midday brightness appear pale in comparison. Indeed, the size of each stone was beyond description, and it was evident that there was not a king in the world who owned a single gem equal to the larger sort or who could boast of even one that was half the size of a smaller kind.

  Aladdin began walking among the trees and was surprised and bewildered by what he saw. In place of common fruit, there were all sorts of fine jewels and precious stones such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, spinels, balasses, pearls, and other gems that were dazzling to the eyes. And since the boy had never seen anything like this in all his livelong days, and since he had no idea of the worth of such valuables (he being still but a boy), he thought that all these jewels were made of glass or crystal. So he gathered them and began filling his pockets, checking to see whether they were fruit such as grapes or figs. However, he found that they were all made of some glassy substance and said to himself, “They’ll make wonderful playthings when I get home.” He continued plucking numerous gems and crammed them in his pockets until they were stuffed full. After that he picked others and placed them in his belt and the folds of his garments. Then he hurried back along the path for fear that his uncle might become angry with him. As he went through the four apartments and passed by the four jars of gold, he did not touch them, even though he would have been allowed to take some of the contents on his way back. Finally, when he came to the stairs of the cave, he began climbing until he reached the last step. However, finding that this one was higher than all the others, he needed help to mount it. So he said to the Moor, “Oh uncle, lend me a hand so I can climb out.”

  But the magician answered, “First give me the lamp and lighten your load. It’s probably weighing you down.”

  “It’s not the lamp that’s weighing me down,” Aladdin responded. “Just lend me a hand, and as soon as I reach the ground, I’ll give it to you.”

  Since the Moor’s only goal was to obtain the lamp and none other, he began to insist that Aladdin give it to him at once. But the boy had placed it at the bottom of his breast pocket and his other pockets were bulging with gems. Therefore, he could not reach it with his fingers to hand it over, causing the magician to explode with rage. Indeed, the Moor persisted in demanding the lamp, while poor Aladdin could not get at it. Thinking that the boy wanted to keep the lamp for himself, the magician was now convinced that he would not be able to obtain it. In his fury he ran over to the fire, threw more incense on it, and uttered some magic words. Within seconds the power of the magic caused the marble slab to slide over the entrance to the cave, preventing Aladdin’s escape.

  Now, as I mentioned before, the sorcerer was really a stranger and was not related to Aladdin in any way. He had lied to the boy and had used him only so that he could obtain the treasure that had been intended for Aladdin. This Moor was an African, born in the interior of Morocco, and from his childhood on, he had been addicted to witchcraft and had studied and practiced every kind of occult science. Indeed, the city of Tunis itself is notorious for this unholy lore, and he continued to read and hear lectures there until he became a master in all kinds of sorcery and spells that he had acquired after forty years of study. Then one day he discovered through a satanic inspiration that there was a treasure hidden in one of the remote cities of China named Al-Kal’áas, a treasure that no king on earth could ever match. The most marvelous thing in this enchanted treasure was a wonderful lamp, and whoever possessed this magic lamp would become the richest man on earth and mightier than any king of the universe. However, the magician discovered that this treasure could only be opened by a poor boy named Aladdin, who lived in that Chinese city, and after he ascertained how easy it would be to obtain the lamp through the boy, he traveled to China and did what he did with Aladdin, thinking that he would become lord of the lamp. But when his attempt and hopes were thwarted and all his work went to waste, he decided to let the boy die there and heaped the soil on top of the entrance while saying to himself, “I have not touched a hand to him, and hence there is no murder.” Once he was sure that it would be impossible for the boy to escape with the lamp, he made his way back to Africa, sad and dejected.

  So much for the magician.

  As for Aladdin, he began shouting to the Moor when he heard the earth being heaped on top of the marble slab, for he still believed that the magician was his uncle. He begged him to lend a hand so that he might get out of the cave, but no matter how loudly he yelled, there was no reply. Soon it became apparent to him that the Moor had deceived him, and that the man was no uncle but a liar and a wizard. Consequently, poor Aladdin became desperate, for he was certain there was no escape. After weeping awhile about his misfortune, he stood up and descended the stairs to see if Allah Almighty had somehow provided him with a way of escape. He turned to the right and to the left but saw nothing but darkness and four walls, for the sorcerer had locked all the doors through magic and had even cut him off from the garden to make sure that the boy would die. Then Aladdin’s weeping became greater, and his wailing louder when he found all the doors shut tight, especially since he had hoped to find some solace in the garden. So there was nothing to
do but to return and sit upon the stairs that led to the entrance of the cave.

  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,

  As Aladdin sat on the stairs in utter misery and wept about his predicament, he began rubbing his hands together, as people who are in trouble generally do, and he raised them in prayer to Allah and begged for mercy. While he was thus imploring the Lord and chafing his hands, his fingers chanced to rub the ring that the sorcerer had given to him for his protection. All at once, there was some smoke and an enormous jinnee appeared before him and said, “I’m at your service, master! Your slave has come. Ask whatever you want, for I am the thrall of whoever wears my lord and master’s ring.”

  Aladdin trembled at the sight of this ifrit, for he was as huge and terrifying as one of Solomon’s jinn. However, when he recalled that the ifrit was to obey him because he was wearing the ring, he recovered his spirits. In fact, he was overjoyed and cried out boldly, “Slave of the ring, I want you to carry me to the face of the earth.”

  No sooner had he spoken than the ground split open, and he found himself outside at the entrance to the treasure in full view of the world. Since he had been sitting in the darkness of the cave for three whole days, the bright light of the sun hurt his eyes, and he was unable to keep them open. So he had to accustom himself to the light gradually to regain his vision. Astounded to be above earth once more, he thought at first that he was at some other place than the entrance to the cave. But then he saw the spot where they had lit the fire of wood chips and dried sticks and where the magician had uttered the magic spells over the incense. Then he turned right and left and caught sight of the gardens from afar, and his eyes recognized the road that they had taken. So he thanked Allah Almighty, who had brought him back to the face of the earth and had freed him from death after he had given up all hope of living. Soon he arose and walked toward the city until he reached the streets and made his way home. When he went into his apartment and saw his mother, he was so overcome by joy and so relieved to be at home again that he fainted right in front of her.