Aladdin is a young man from a very poor family whose laziness causes his parents great stress. After his father, Mustapha, dies, his mother seeks to provide for her family through her own hard work. One day, a wizard who claims to be Aladdin’s uncle visits Aladdin and gives him a valuable ring, which the wizard says will protect Aladdin from harm. The wizard then leads Aladdin to a cave and asks Aladdin to retrieve a lamp from it. Aladdin retrieves the lamp; however, after an argument, the wizard becomes enraged and utters a spell that causes the entrance to the cave to close, trapping Aladdin inside. After multiple days in the cave, Aladdin rubs his ring and a genie appears, asking Aladdin what he desires. Aladdin requests to be freed from the cave and after his wish is granted, he goes home. By chance, Aladdin rubs the lamp, and a genie appears and asks what he desires. Aladdin asks for food, and a banquet appears before him. Soon after, Aladdin comes across the daughter of the Sultan, a princess, and falls in love. His mother gives the Sultan a gift of gems, but the Sultan requests that Aladdin give a much larger gift to marry his daughter. Using the genie’s powers, Aladdin gives the Sultan the gift he requests and wishes for many luxurious things such as servants, gems and gold, a horse, and fine clothes. The Sultan, impressed by Aladdin’s incredible wealth, promises his daughter to Aladdin. Once Aladdin and the Sultan meet, Aladdin requests that the Sultan grant him a plot of land and time to build a castle upon it before marriage, to which the Sultan agrees. Aladdin uses the genie’s powers yet again to build a castle more exquisite than even the Sultan’s. Aladdin and the princess enjoy a great feast at his new palace, and Aladdin makes himself well-known to all the nobles and clergymen of the town. However, the wizard finds out about Aladdin’s success and vows to take the lamp from him. The wizard uses trickery to take Aladdin’s lamp from his palace and when he summons to genie, wishes that he, the palace, and the princess be transported to a faraway land. The Sultan, upon seeing the empty land where Aladdin’s palace used to be, becomes angry and requests that Aladdin be brought to him in chains in order to cut off his head. When Aladdin is brought before him, all the townspeople take up arms to defend Aladdin’s life. Upon seeing the love, the people have for Aladdin, the Sultan agrees to give Aladdin 12 days to find the palace. Using his ring, Aladdin finds his palace, poisons the wizard, and takes the princess to be his bride.

Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

None listed

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

None listed

Common Tale Type

Aladdin

Tale Classification

ATU 561

Page Range of Tale

pp. 67-98

Full Citation of Tale

“Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp.” Fairy Tales in Easy Words, Springfield, MA: McLoughlin Brothers, Inc., [1923], pp. 67-98.

ONCE UPON A TIME, a young man’s father died. Aladdin, as that was the young man’s name, took his father’s place in running the family store with his mother. One day, a stranger walked into the store.

“I am your uncle,” said the stranger to Aladdin. “I have come to see you.”

“My father never spoke of a brother,” said Aladdin.

Aladdin’s mother turned around. “My husband had no brother,” said she to the stranger, narrowing her eyes.

“I assure you it is true,” said the stranger. “Years ago your husband and I agreed that if something should happen to him, since I have been very fortunate in my life, I would help to bring the same good fortune to your family.”

The mother was interested. “What do you have in mind?” she said.

“I know of a secret place that holds many riches,” said the stranger. “I will take your son there. With the wealth he will find, you and he will be set for life.”he Greatest Gift: Audun and his Bear | Fun Folktale Read-along | Bedtime Stories For Children

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Aladdin Story

“I know of a secret place that holds many riches,” said the stranger. “I will take your son there. With the wealth he will find, you and he will be set for life.”

And so the mother agreed. The old man and the boy traveled for days throughout the desert. At last they came to a cave. “You should know that I learned a bit of magic in my life,” said the old man to Aladdin. “Do not be surprised by anything you might see.”

They stepped inside the cave, and it was pitch-black. The old man shook open his fist. A ball of light suddenly appeared, brightening the cave.

Under the light with one long finger, the uncle drew on the ground the shape of a circle. He pulled from his pocket some red dust and threw it over the circle. He recited magic words, and the earth trembled. The circle on the cave floor cracked wide open, and up through the cracks rose a giant white quartz crystal. It hovered in the air.

“Do not be alarmed,” said the magician. “What we want is under this crystal.”

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He chanted a few more magic words and the giant crystal moved to the side, and landed. Aladdin peered into the hole in the circle. The first few steps led into a deep abyss.

“Fear nothing,” said the magician to Aladdin. “You must go down these steps. At the bottom of the steps you will see a long hallway. Follow the hallway to a garden of fruit trees. Touch nothing! Go on and you will see a large flat stone. On top of the stone is an oil lamp that is lit. Pour out the oil and bring the lamp to me. Now go!”