Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3Sylvester, Charles Herbert
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Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
After the banquet the sultan summoned his jewelers and goldsmiths, and
showed them the unfinished window. "I sent for you," said he, "to fit
up this window in as great perfection as the rest. Examine them well
and make all the haste you can."
The jewelers and goldsmiths examined the three and twenty windows, and
after they had consulted to know what each could furnish, they
returned to the sultan.
The principal jeweler, speaking for the rest, said: "Sire, we are
willing to do our best to obey you, but among us all we cannot furnish
jewels enough for so great a work."
"I have more than are necessary," said the sultan. "Come to my palace
and choose what you need." Thereupon the sultan returned to his palace
and ordered his jewels to be brought out, particularly those Aladdin
had given him. The jewelers selected a great quantity and began their
work. Many times more they came back for jewels, and in a month's
time, though they had used everything the sultan had, and borrowed of
the vizier, their work was not half done.
Aladdin, who was now satisfied that the jewelers and goldsmiths saw
that they could not possibly do the work, ordered them to undo what
they had begun, and to return all the jewels to the sultan and the
vizier.
It took them but a few hours to undo what they had been a month in
accomplishing. When Aladdin was left alone in the hall, after the
workmen had gone to the sultan, he took the lamp which he carried
about him and rubbed it till the genie appeared.
"Genie," said Aladdin, "I ordered you to leave one of the four and
twenty windows of this hall imperfect, and you executed my command
punctually. Now make it like the rest."
The genie immediately disappeared, and a few moments after, the window
appeared like all the rest.
In the meantime the jewelers and the goldsmiths were introduced into
the sultan's presence, and returned to him the jewels they had brought
back. The sultan asked if Aladdin had given any reason for returning
the stones, and when he was told that Aladdin had sent no message, he
was much disturbed, and had one of his horses saddled and rode at once
to Aladdin's palace. Aladdin came to the gate, and without replying to
the sultan's inquiries led him to the grand hall, and showed him the
once imperfect window now corresponding exactly to the others. The
Sultan could not at first believe what he saw, and would not admit
until he had examined every one of the four and twenty windows. When
at last he was satisfied, he embraced his son-in-law and kissed him
between the eyes.
"My son," said he, "what a wonderful man you are to do such surprising
things in the twinkling of an eye. There is none such as you in the
world; the more I know you, the more I admire you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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