Long time ago in China, there lived a poor boy, whose name was Aladdin. Aladdin
lived with his mother. One day a rich and distinguished looking man came to
their house and said to Aladdin's mother, "I am a merchant from Arabia and want
your son to come with me. I will reward him handsomely." Aladdin's mother
instantly agreed. Little did she know that the man pretending to be a rich
merchant was in reality a magician.
Next day, Aladdin having packed his belongings left with the 'merchant'. After
many hours of traveling the 'merchant' stopped. Aladdin too stopped, surprised
that they should stop in such a desolate spot. He looked around; there was
nothing in sight for miles.
The 'merchant' pulled out some colored powder from his pocket and threw in the
ground. The next instant the whole place was filled with smoke. As the smoke
cleared, Aladdin saw a huge opening in the ground; it was a cave. The 'merchant'
turned to Aladdin and said, "I want you to go inside this cave; there will be
more gold than you have ever seen; take as much as you want. You will also see
an old lamp; please bring that back to me. Here, take this ring; it will help
you." Aladdin was very suspicious but the decided to do as was told.
He lowered himself into the cave, thinking all the while that it would be
difficult to climb out without help. Aladdin entered the cave and just like the
'merchant' had said saw gold, jewelry, diamonds and other valuables. He filled
his pockets. When this was done, he looked for the lamp; it was lying in the
corner, full of dust and dirty. He picked it up and ran to the cave's opening
and shouted to the 'merchant', "I have your lamp. Can you please pull me out?"
"Give me the lamp," said the 'merchant'. Aladdin was not sure that he would be
pulled out if he gave back the lamp; so he said, "First, please pull me out."
This angered the 'merchant'. With a loud cry, he pulled out the same colorful
powder and threw it on the cave opening, sealing it with a huge boulder. Aladdin
was depressed. He thought, "That was no rich merchant; he was surely a magician.
I wonder why this lamp was so important to him." As he was thinking he rubbed
the lamp. All of sudden a strange mist filled the room and from the mist emerged
a stranger looking man. He said, "My master, I am the genie of the lamp, you
have rescued me; what would your wish be?" Aladdin was scared but he said in
quivering voice, "Ta.. Take me back home."
And the next moment Aladdin was home hugging his mother. He told her of the
magician and the lamp. Aladdin again summoned the genie. This time when the
genie appeared he was not scared. He said, "Genie, I want a palace, not an old
hut." Again to Aladdin and his mother's amazement in front of them was a
magnificent palace.
Time passed. Aladdin married the Sultan's daughter and was very happy. It so
happened that the evil magician got to know of Aladdin's good fortune. He came
by Aladdin's palace pretending to exchange old lamps for new. The princes,
Aladdin's wife, not knowing the value of the lamp to Aladdin called out to the
magician to wait.
As soon as the magician saw the lamp he grabbed it from the princess' hand and
rubbed it. The genie appeared, "you are my master and your wish is my command,"
he said to the magician. "Take Aladdin's palace to the great desert faraway from
here," ordered the magician.
When Aladdin came home, there was no palace and no princess. He guessed it must
be the evil magician who had come to take revenge on him. All was not lost,
Aladdin had a ring that the magician had given to him. Aladdin pulled out that
ring, rubbed it. Another genie appeared. Aladdin said, "Take me to my princess."
Soon, Aladdin was in Arabia with his princess. He found his lamp lying on a
table next to the magician. Before the magician could react, Aladdin jumped for
the lamp and got hold of it. As soon as he had the lamp, Aladdin rubbed it.
The genie appeared again and said, "My master, Aladdin, it is indeed good to
serve you again. What is it that you wish?" "I want you to send this magician to
another world so that he never harms anybody," said Aladdin. Aladdin's wish was
carried out; the evil magician disappeared forever.
The genie carried Aladdin, the princes and the palace back to China. He stayed
with Aladdin for the rest of his life.