perfume, that he had ready in his hand, upon them. A dense smoke rose up, while the magician spoke some mysterious words. At the same instant the ground slightly shook, and, opening in the spot where they stood, showed a square stone about a foot5 and a half across, with a brass ring in the center.

Aladdin was frightened out of his wits, and was about to run away, when the African suddenly gave him a box on the ear so violent as to beat him down and very nearly to knock some of his teeth out. Poor Aladdin, with tears in his eyes and trembling 10 in every limb, got up. "My dear uncle," he cried, "what have I done to deserve so severe a blow?" "I have good reasons for it," replied the magician. "Do you but obey me, and you will not repent of it. Underneath that stone is a great hidden treasure, which will make you richer than many kings if you will be 15 attentive to what I shall say to you."

20

Aladdin had now got the better of his fright. "Well," said he, "what must I do? Tell me; I am ready to obey you in everything!" "Well said!" replied the magician; "come to me, then; take hold of this ring, and lift up the stone."

To Aladdin's surprise, the stone was raised without any trouble, and then he could see a small opening between three and four feet deep, at the bottom of which was a little door, with steps to go down still lower. "You must now," said the magician, "go down into this cavern, and when you have come to the bottom 25 of the steps, you will see an open door which leads into three great halls. In each of these you will see, on both sides of you, four bronze vases as large as tubs, full of gold and silver, but you must not touch any of it.

When you get to the first hall bind your robe round you. 30 Then go to the second without stopping, and from thence in the same manner to the third. Above all, be very particular not to go near the walls nor even to touch them with your robe; for if any part of your dress should chance to touch them, your instant death will be the consequence. At the far end of the 35 third there is a door which leads to a garden planted with beauti

5

ful trees, all of which are full of fruit. Go on straight forward, and follow a path which you will see, and which will bring you to the bottom of a flight of fifty steps, at the top of which there is a terrace.

There you will see a niche and in it a lighted lamp. Take the lamp and extinguish it. Then throw out the wick and the liquid that is within, and put it in your bosom: If you should wish very much to gather any of the fruit in the garden, you may do so; and there is nothing to prevent your taking as much 10 as you please."

ALADDIN FINDS THE WONDERFUL LAMP

When the magician had given these directions to Aladdin, lɩe took off a ring which he had on one of his fingers, and put it on his pretended nephew, telling him, at the same time, that it was to secure him against every evil that might otherwise happen 15 to him. "Go, my child," added he; "descend boldly; we shall now both of us become immensely rich for the rest of our lives.”

Aladdin gave a spring, jumped into the opening, with a willing mind, and went down to the bottom of the steps. He found the three halls exactly as the magician had said. He passed 20 through them with the greatest care, as if he was fearful he might be killed if he were careless. He went on to the garden, and mounted to the terrace without stopping. He took the lamp, as it stood lighted in the niche, threw out its contents, and put it into his bosom.

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He then returned to the garden to look at the fruit, which he had seen as he passed along. The trees of this garden were all full of the most extraordinary fruit. Each tree bore fruits of a different color. The white were pearls; the sparkling and transparent were diamonds; the deep red were rubies; the 30 paler, a particular sort of ruby called balas; the green, emeralds ; the blue, turquoises; the violet, amethysts; those tinged with yellow, sapphires. All were of the largest size, and more perfect

than were ever seen in the whole world. Aladdin was not yet of an age to know their value, and thought they were all only pieces of colored glass.

The variety, however, and brilliancy and extraordinary size 5 of each sort, nevertheless tempted him to gather some of each; and he took so many of every color that he filled both his pockets, as well as his two new purses that the magician had bought for him at the time he made him a present of his new dress; and as

his pockets, which were already full, could not hold his two 10 purses, he fastened them on each side of his girdle, or sash, and also wrapped some in its folds, as it was of silk and made very full. In this manner he carried them so that they could not fall out. He did not forget to fill even his bosom quite full, between his robe and shirt.

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Laden in this manner with the most immense treasure, though ignorant of its value, Aladdin made haste through the three halls, in order that he might not make the African magician wait too long. Having passed through them with the same caution as before, he began to ascend the steps he had come down, 20 and reached the entrance of the cave, where the magician was impatiently waiting.

When Aladdin saw his uncle he called to him: "Help me up!" "You had better, my dear boy," replied the magician, "first give me the lamp, as that will only hinder you." "It is not at all in 25 my way," said Aladdin, "and I will give it you when I am out." The magician still persevered in wishing to get the lamp before he helped Aladdin out of the cave; but the latter had in fact so covered it with the fruit of the trees that he absolutely refused to give it. The African magician was in the greatest despair at 30 the obstinate resistance the boy made, and fell into the most violent rage.

He then threw some perfume on the fire, and had hardly spoken two magic words, before the stone, which served to shut up the entrance to the cavern, returned of its own accord to the

place, with all the earth over it, exactly in the same state as it was when the magician and Aladdin first arrived there.

When Aladdin found himself buried alive, he called aloud a thousand times to his uncle, telling him he was ready to give 5 him the lamp. But all his cries were useless, and, having no other means of making himself heard, he remained in perfect darkness.

Finally he went down to the bottom of the stairs, intending to go toward the light in the garden, where he had before been. 10 But the walls, which had been opened by enchantment, were now shut by the same means. He felt all around him several times, but could not discover the least opening. He then redoubled his cries and tears, and sat down upon the step of his dungeon, without the least hope ever again to see the light of day.

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Aladdin remained two days in this state, without either eating or drinking. On the third day, feeling his death was near, he lifted up his hands, and joining them, as in the act of prayer, he said in a loud tone of voice, "There is no strength or power but in the great and high Heavens." In this act of 20 joining his hands, he happened, without thinking of it, to rub the ring which the magician had put upon his finger, and of the power of which he knew nothing.

Upon its being thus rubbed, a Genius of enormous figure, and horrid countenance, instantly rose out of the earth before 25 him. He was so extremely tall that his head touched the roof, and he addressed these words to Aladdin: "What do you wish? I am ready to obey you as your slave; as the slave of him who has the ring on his finger, both I and the other slaves of the ring." Weak and terrified, and scarcely daring to hope, Aladdin 30 cried, "Whoever you are, take me, if you are able, out of this place!" Scarcely had he said it, when he found himself on the outside of the cave, at the very spot where the magician had left him. Scarcely daring to believe his good fortune, he rose up trembling, and seeing the city lying at some distance, made 35 his way back by the same road over which he had come. A long

weary road he found it to his mother's door, and when he reached it he was fainting from hunger and fatigue.

His mother, however, whose heart had been almost broken by the loss of him, received him kindly and joyfully, and refreshed 5 him with food. When he was better again he told his mother all, and showed her the lamp and the colored fruits and the wonderful ring on his finger. His mother, however, thought little of the jewels, as she was quite ignorant of their value, so Aladdin put them all behind one of the cushions of the sofa on 10 which they were sitting.

Next morning, when Aladdin awoke, his first thought was that he was very hungry, and would like some breakfast. "Alas, my child," replied his mother, "I have not a morsel of bread to give you. You ate last night all the food in the house. How15 ever, I have a little cotton of my own spinning. I will go and sell it, and buy something for our dinner."

"Keep your cotton, mother," said Aladdin, "for another time, and give me the lamp which I brought with me yesterday. I will go and sell that, and the money will serve us for breakfast 20 and dinner too, nay, perhaps also for supper."

Aladdin's mother took the lamp from the place she had put it. "Here it is," she said to her son; "but it is, I think, very dirty; if I were to clean it a little, perhaps it might sell for something more." She then took some water and a little fine 25 sand to clean it with. But she had scarcely begun to rub this lamp, when instantly a hideous and gigantic Genius rose out of the ground before her, and cried with a voice as loud as thunder, "What do you wish? I am ready to obey you as your slave, and the slave of those who have the lamp in their hands, both I and 30 the other slaves of the lamp."

Aladdin's mother was much terrified; but Aladdin, who had seen the Genius in the cavern, did not lose his presence of mind. Seizing the lamp, he answered in a firm tone of voice, "I am hungry; bring me something to eat." The Genius disappeared, 35 and returned a moment after with a large silver basin, which