Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3Sylvester, Charles Herbert
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Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
Aladdin was just ready to go, when the magician knocked at the door,
and came in loaded with wine and all sorts of fruits, which he brought
for a dessert. After he had given what he brought into Aladdin's
hands, he saluted his mother, and desired to show him the place where
his brother Mustapha used to sit on the sofa; and when she had done
so, he fell down, and kissed it several times, crying out, with tears
in his eyes, "My poor brother! how unhappy am I, not to have come soon
enough to give you one last embrace!"
Aladdin's mother desired him to sit down in the same place, but he
declined.
"No," said he, "I shall not do that; but give me leave to sit opposite
it, that although I see not the master of a family so dear to me, I
may at least behold the place where he used to sit."
When the magician had comfortably seated himself, he began to talk
with Aladdin's mother.
"My good sister," said he, "do not be surprised that you have never
seen me in all the time you were married to my brother Mustapha,
blessed be his memory. I have been forty years traveling in India,
Persia, Arabia, Syria and Egypt. In Africa I lived for many years, but
at last I wished to see my native country again, and to embrace my
dear brother. Nothing ever afflicted me so much as hearing of my
brother's death. But God be praised for all things! It is a comfort
for me to find in my nephew one who has my brother's most remarkable
features."
The widow wept so sorrowfully at these kind allusions to her husband,
that the sorcerer changed the conversation.
"What business do you follow, my nephew," he asked; "have you any
trade?"
The youth hung down his head and could make no answer, but his mother
began to complain. "Aladdin is an idle fellow. When his father was
alive, he tried to teach the boy his trade, but without success. Now I
can do nothing with the boy, who forgets that he is no longer a child.
He idles away his time in the streets till I have resolved one of
these days to turn him out to provide for himself."
"This is not well, my nephew; you must think about helping yourself.
There are many trades, and if you do not like your father's, I will
try to help you. If you wish, I will hire a shop for you and furnish
it with linens and fine cloths, and with them you can make money with
which to buy new goods, and thus support yourself in an honorable
way."
This plan just suited the lazy Aladdin. He told the magician that he
felt more inclined to be a business man than to engage in any trade.
"Very well, then," said the pretended uncle, "I will take you with me
to-morrow to the best merchants in the city, clothe you properly, and
set you up in a shop."
The widow could no longer doubt that the magician was her husband's
brother, and after exhorting Aladdin to be worthy of his uncle's
kindness, served the supper, and the three chatted on various subjects
until the time came for the magician to take his leave.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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