Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. Picture book

Author: Amy
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Aladdin followed. He went home, gave the gold to his mother, and told her about his uncle's intentions. His mother quickly went out to buy plenty of wine and dishes, and borrowed many cups and plates from the neighbors. All day, his mother prepared for dinner. As night fell, the meals were ready, and his mother asked Aladdin to go and fetch his uncle, guiding him. Although Aladdin had already shown the magician the way, he still wanted to go and greet him. But just as he was about to get up, there was a knock on the door—the magician had come with a gift box of fruits. The magician handed the gift to Aladdin, greeted the mistress, and asked to see the chair that the brother had used before. Seeing the chair, the magician fell to the ground, kissed it, and wept uncontrollably, shouting, "My poor brother! I am so to have never been able to hug you one last time!" Aladdin's mother persuaded the magician to sit in the chair, but he refused. "No, I can't," he said, "Let me sit opposite it. I may not have the fortune to witness the master's warm hospitality, but at least I can see the chair he usually sat in." The mistress had no choice but to let him choose his seat. After sitting down, the magician began to talk to Aladdin's mother. "Brother-in-law, please don't blame me," he said, "Since you married my brother Mustafa, we have never met. To be precise, since I parted ways with my brother, I have been away from home for forty years. Over these years, I have traveled across India, Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt, living in the famous cities of those countries. Then I went to Africa. There, I often thought of my distant homeland and family. How I longed to hug my dear brother! When I felt I still had enough strength to make the long journey home, I set off immediately. Think of the time I spent and the hardships I endured to return here, only to hear such terrible news—nothing compares to the pain I felt when I heard of my brother's death. I had such a deep bond with him. I saw my brother's face in my nephew's face, and recognized him among a group of playing children. He must have told you how heartbroken I was when I heard the sad news. Thank God, I have found him again in the descendants of my brother. This child is almost exactly like him." Hearing these touching words, Aladdin's mother began to weep. The magician then turned to Aladdin and asked him his name. "My name is Aladdin." "Aladdin, what craft have you learned? What trade do you follow?" At these questions, Aladdin's head bowed, unable to answer. His mother answered for him: "This child, when his father was alive, he tried very hard to teach him tailoring, but in the end, he achieved nothing. After his father's death, it was even worse. As you can see, he spends his days wandering the streets with a group of idlers, unaware that he is no longer a child. If no one teaches him the meaning of 'shame' and guides him on the right path, this child will have no hope for the rest of his life." The old woman spoke, her eyes brimming with tears. "How can that be?" the magician said to Aladdin, "You really should think about how you will support yourself in the future.