Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3Sylvester, Charles Herbert
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Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
"Sire," said Aladdin, "though great is my impatience to enter on the
honor granted me by your majesty, yet I beg you to permit me first to
build a palace worthy to receive the princess your daughter. I pray
you to grant me sufficient ground near your palace, and I will have it
completed with the utmost expedition." The sultan granted Aladdin his
request, and again embraced him. After which Aladdin took his leave
with as much politeness as if he had been bred up and had always lived
at court.
Aladdin returned home in the order he had come, amidst the
acclamations of the people, who wished him all happiness and
prosperity. When Aladdin entered his room, he took down the lamp,
rubbed it, and when the genie appeared as usual, said, "Genie, build
me a palace fit to receive the Princess Buddir al Buddoor. Let it be
made of nothing less than porphyry, jasper, agate, lapis lazuli, and
the finest marble. Let its walls be massive gold and silver brick laid
alternately. Let each front contain six windows, and let the lattices
of these, excepting one, which must be left unfinished, all sparkle
with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Let there be an inner and an outer
court in front of the palace, and a spacious garden; provide a safe
treasure-house, and fill it with gold and silver. Let there be also
kitchens and storehouses, stables full of the finest horses, with
their equerries and grooms, and hunting equipage, officer, attendants,
and slaves, both men and women, for the princess and myself. Go and
execute my wishes."
As Aladdin gave these commands to the genie, the sun was setting. It
was morning when the genie returned and transported Aladdin in a
moment to the palace he had made. The genie led Aladdin through all
the apartments, where were officers and slaves, clothed according to
their rank. The treasury was opened by a treasurer, and there Aladdin
saw large vases of different sizes ranged around the chambers, and all
filled to the top with money. In the stables were some of the finest
horses in the world, and the grooms were busy dressing them. In the
storehouses was everything necessary, both for food and ornament.
Aladdin examined every portion of the palace, and particularly the
hall with the four and twenty windows, which far exceeded his fond
expectations.
"Genie," he said, "everything is as I wished. Only one thing now is
lacking. Lay immediately a fine carpet for the princess to walk upon
from the sultan's palace to mine."
In an instant the carpet was laid, and the genie disappeared.
When the sultan's porters came to open the gates the next morning,
they were amazed to find what had been an unoccupied garden filled
with a magnificent palace. They ran with the strange tidings to the
grand vizier, who hastened to the sultan.
"It must be the palace," said the sultan, "which I gave Aladdin
permission to build for my daughter. He has wished to let us see what
wonders can be done in a single night."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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