Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6) Part 1
General
Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6) Part 1
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
Aladdin, amazed at all he saw and heard the magician say of the
treasure, which was to make him happy for ever, forgot what was past,
and rising up, said to the magician, “Well, uncle, what is to be done?
Command me, I am ready to obey you.” “I am overjoyed, child,” said the
African magician, embracing him, “to see you take the resolution; come,
take hold of the ring, and lift up that stone.” “Indeed, uncle,” replied
Aladdin, “I am not strong enough to lift it; you must help me.” “You
have no occasion for my assistance,” answered the magician; “if I help
you, we shall be able to do nothing: you must lift it up yourself: take
hold of the ring, only pronounce the names of your father and
grandfather, then lift it up, and you will find it will come easily.”
Aladdin did as the magician bade him, and raised the stone with a great
deal of ease, and laid it on one side.
When the stone was pulled up, there appeared a cavity of about three or
four feet deep, with a little door, and steps to go down lower.
“Observe, my son,” said the African magician, “what I am going to say to
you: go down into that cave, and when you are at the bottom of those
steps, you will find a door open, which will lead you into a large
vaulted place, divided into three great halls, in each of which you will
see four large brass vessels placed on each side, full of gold and
silver, but take care you do not meddle with them. Before you go into
the first hall, be sure to tuck up your gown, and wrap it well about
you, and then go through the second into the third without stopping.
Above all things, have a care that you do not touch the walls, so much
as with your clothes; for if you do, you will die instantly. At the end
of the third hall, you will find a door, which leads into a garden
planted with fine trees loaded with fruit; walk directly across the
garden by a path which will lead you to five steps that will bring you
upon a terrace, where you will see a niche before you, and in that niche
a lighted lamp. Take the lamp down, and put it out; when you have thrown
away the wick, and poured out the liquor, put it in your breast, and
bring it to me. Do not be afraid that the liquor will spoil your
clothes, for it is not oil, and the lamp will be dry as soon as it is
thrown out. If you have a mind to any of the fruit of the garden, you
may gather as much as you please.”
After these words, the magician drew a ring off his finger, and put it
upon one of Aladdin’s telling him that it was a preservative against all
evil, while he observed what he had prescribed to him. After this
instruction, he said, “Go down boldly, child, and we shall both be rich
all our lives.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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