Aladdin, who knew that all the sultan's endeavors to make this window
like the rest were in vain, sent for the jewelers and goldsmiths, and
not only commanded them to desist from their work, but ordered them to
undo what they had begun, and to carry all their jewels back to the
sultan and to the vizier. They undid in a few hours what they had been
six weeks about, and retired, leaving Aladdin alone in the hall. He
took the lamp, which he carried about him, rubbed it, and presently
the genie appeared.
"Genie," said Aladdin, "I ordered thee to leave one of the
four-and-twenty windows of this hall imperfect, and thou hast executed
my commands exactly; now I would have thee make it like the rest."
The genie immediately disappeared. Aladdin went out of the hall, and
returning soon after, found the window, as he wished it to be, like
the others.
In the meantime the jewelers and goldsmiths repaired to the palace,
and were introduced into the sultan's presence, where the chief
jeweler presented the precious stones which he had brought back. The
sultan asked them if Aladdin had given them any reason for so doing,
and they answering that he had given them none, he ordered a horse to
be brought, which he mounted, and rode to his son-in-law's palace,
with some few attendants on foot, to inquire why he had ordered the
completion of the window to be stopped.
Aladdin met him at the gate, and without giving any reply to his
inquiries conducted him to the grand saloon, where the sultan, to his
great surprise, found that the window, which was left imperfect,
corresponded exactly with the others. He fancied at first that he was
mistaken, and examined the two windows on each side, and afterward all
the four-and-twenty; but when he was convinced that the window which
several workmen had been so long about was finished in so short a
time, he embraced Aladdin and kissed him between his eyes.
"My son," said he, "what a man you are to do such surprising things
always in the twinkling of an eye! There is not your fellow in the
world; the more I know, the more I admire you."
The sultan returned to the palace, and after this went frequently to
the window to contemplate and admire the wonderful palace of his
son-in-law.
Aladdin did not confine himself in his palace, but went with much
state, sometimes to one mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers,
or to visit the grand vizier or the principal lords of the court.
Every time he went out he caused two slaves, who walked by the side of
his horse, to throw handfuls of money among the people as he passed
through the streets and squares. This generosity gained him the love
and blessings of the people, and it was common for them to swear by
his head.[46] Thus Aladdin, while he paid all respect to the sultan,
won by his affable behavior and liberality the affection of the
people.
[Footnote 46: There is a trace of this custom in Joseph swearing to
his brethren, "By the life of Pharaoh, ye are spies!"]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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