AladdinandtheEnchantedLampL1Manyyearsago,inacityinArabia, therewasaboycalledAladdin.Helivedwithhismotherinalit tlehousenearthemarket,andtheywereverypoor.Aladdin’smot herworkedallday,andsometimeshalfthenight,butAladdinnev erhelpedher.Hewasalazyboyandhedidnotliketowork.Heo nlywantedtoplayallthetime.Everymorningheranthroughthe streetstothemarket.There,hetalkedandlaughedandplayedw ithhisfriendsallday.Thenintheeveninghewenthomeforhis dinner.Andeverynighthismothersaidtohim:‘Oh,Aladdin,Ala ddin!Youarealazyboy-agood-for-nothing!Whenareyougoingt odosomework,myson?’ButAladdinneverlistenedtohismother .Onedayinthemarkettherewasanoldmaninalongblackcoat. Aladdindidnotseehim,buttheoldmanwatchedAladdinveryca refully.Aftersomeminuteshewentuptoanorange-sellerandas ked:‘Thatboyinthegreencoat-whoishe?’‘Aladdin,sonofMust afa,wastheanswer.Theoldmanmovedaway.‘Yes,’hesaidquiet ly.‘Yes,thatistheboy.Therightname,andtherightfather. ’ThenhecalledouttoAladdin:‘Boy!Comehereforaminute.Is yournameAladdin?Aladdin,sonofMustafa?’Aladdinlefthisfri endsandcametotheoldman.Yes,’hesaid,‘IamAladdin,sono fMustafa.Butmyfatherisdead.Hediedfiveyearsago.’‘Dead! ’Saidtheoldman.‘Oh,no!’Heputhisfaceinhishandsandbe gantocry.‘Whyareyoucrying?’askedAladdin.‘Didyouknowmy father?’Theoldmanlookedup.‘Mustafawasmybrother!’hesaid .‘Iwantedtoseehimagain,andnowyoutellmeheisdead.Oht hisisnotahappydayforme!”ThenheputhishandonAladdin’s arm.“Buthereismybrother’sson,andIcanseeMustafainyou rface,myboy.Aladdin,Iamyouruncle,Abanazar’‘Myuncle?’sa idAladdin.Hewasverysurprised.‘Didmyfatherhaveabrother? Ididn’tknowthat.’‘Iwentawaybeforeyouwereborn,myboy,’ saidtheoldman.‘Look.’Hetooktenpiecesofgoldoutofhis bag,andputthemintoAladdin’shands.‘Gohometoyourmotheran dgivethismoneytoher.Tellheraboutme,andsaythis:Herhu sband’sbrotherwantstomeether,andheisgoingtovisithert omorrow.’TenpiecesofgoldisalotofmoneyandAladdinwasver yhappy.Heranhomequicklyandgavethegoldtohismother.At firstshewasafraid.‘Wheredidyougetthis,Aladdin?Didyouf indit?Itisn’tourmoney.Youmustgiveitback.’‘Butitisour money,Mother,’saidAladdin.‘Myuncle,myfather’sbrother,ga vethemoneytous.UncleAbanazariscomingtovisitustomorrow .’‘Who?Youdon’thaveanuncleAbanazar.’‘Butheknowsmyname, andmyfather’sname,’Aladdinsaid.‘Andhegavetenpiecesof goldtome.He’sverynice.Youmustmakeagooddinnerforhim.’ AladdinandtheEnchantedLampL2ThenextdayAbanazararrivedat Aladdin’shouse.‘Mysister!’hesaidandsmiled.‘Mydeadbrothe r’swife!IamhappytofindyouandAladdin.’‘Sitdown,Abanazar .We’rehappytoseeyouinourpoorhome,’Aladdin’smothersaid .Sheputmeat,riceandfruitonthetable.‘ButIdon’tunderst and.Whydidmyhusbandneverspeakaboutyou?’‘Iamsorry,mysi ster.Whenwewereyoung,mybrotherandIwerenotfriendsform anyyears.ThenIwentawaytoafarcountry.Iamanoldmannow andwantedtoseemybrotheragainandtakehishand.Butheis dead,andIcannotspeaktohimorsaygoodbyetohimnow!’Abanaz arhadtearsinhiseyesandAladdin’smotherbegantocrytoo.‘B utIamhomeagainnow,’theoldmansaid,‘andIcanhelpmybro ther’swifeandhisson,becauseIamarichman.’HelookedatA laddin.‘Aladdin,myboy,whatworkdoyoudo?’Aladdindidnota nswerandhisfacewasred.‘Oh,don’taskAladdinquestionsabout work!’Hismothersaid.‘Heneverworks.Heplayswithhisfrien dsallday,andonlycomeshomewhenheishungry.’‘Well,myboy, tomorrowwemustgetanewcoatforyou.Thenwecantalkabout work.Wouldyouliketohaveashopinthemarketperhaps?’Aladd insmiled.‘Ashop,”hethought,‘andme,arichmarket-seller.W hynot?’Earlythenextmorning,AbanazararrivedatAladdin’shou seandthenheandAladdinwalkedtothemarket.‘Firstofallwe mustlookatcoats.’Abanazarsaid.SoonAladdinhadanexpensive newcoatandhefeltveryhappy.ThenAbanazarandAladdinwalked throughthemarketandlookedattheshops.Theydrankcoffee,t alkedtopeople,andhadaverygooddinner.Itwasawonderfuld ayforAladdin.OnFriday,whenthemarketwasclosed,Abanazarto okAladdintothebeautifulgardensinthecity.Theywalkedunde rthetreesandtalkedaboutashopforAladdin.‘Youareverygo odtome,Uncle,’Aladdinsaid.Abanazarsmiled,‘Butofcourse,’ hesaid,‘Youaremybrother’sson.Now,letusleavethecityan dgoupintothehills.Thereissomethingwonderfulthere,andy oumustseeit.’Theyleftthegardens,walkedpasttheSultan’sp alace,andoutofthecityupintothehills.Theywalkedforal ongtimeandAladdinbegantofeeltired.‘It’snotfarnow,’said Abanazar.‘We’regoingtoseeabeautifulgarden—morebeautiful thanthegardenoftheSultan’spalace.’AtlastAbanazarstopped .‘Hereweare,’hesaid.AladdinandtheEnchantedLampL3Aladdin looked,buthecouldseenogardensonthehills.‘Whereisthis garden,Uncle?’hesaid.‘Firstwemustmakeafire,’saidAbanaz ar.Aladdindidnotunderstand,buthemadeafireforhisuncleo ntheground.ThenAbanazartooksomepowderoutofasmallbox, andputitonthefire.Heclosedhiseyesandsaid,‘Abracadabra !’Atonce,theskywentdark.Blacksmokecamefromthefire,and thegroundunderthefirebegantoopen.Thenthesmokewentawa y,andinthegroundtherewasnowabigwhitestonewitharing init.Aladdinwasveryafraid.Hebegantorunaway,butAbanazar tookhisarmandhithimonthehead.ForaminuteortwoAladdin couldnotspeakormove.Thenhecried,‘Whydidyoudothat,Un cle?’‘Youmustbeamannow,notachild,’saidAbanazar.‘Iamy ourfather’sbrother,andyoumustobeyme.Don’tbeafraid.Ina shorttimeyou’regoingtobearichman.Now,listencarefully. ’HetookAladdin’shand.‘Onlyyoucanmovethisstone.Putyour handontheringandsayyournameandyourfather’sname.’Verya fraid,Aladdinputhishandonthering.Itwasnothot,butvery cold.‘IamAladdin,sonofMustafa,’hesaid.Thestonemovede asily,andnowAladdincouldseestairsundertheground.‘Godown thosestairs,’Abanazarsaid,‘andthenthroughfourbigrooms. Inthelastroomthereisadoorintoagarden,andunderoneof thetreesthereisalamp.Youcantakesomefruitfromthetrees ,butfirstyoumustfindthelamp.Bringthelamptome.’Please comewithme,Uncle!’Aladdinsaid.‘No.Onlyyoucandothis,my boy.’AbanazartookagoldringoffhisfingerandgaveittoAla ddin.‘Thisringismagicandcanprotectyou,’hesaid.‘Becare ful,andbringmethelampquickly!’AladdinandtheEnchantedLam pL4Aladdinputtheringonthelittlefingerofhislefthanda ndbegantogodownthestairs.Itwasdarkandhewasafraid,bu thewasmoreafraidofAbanazar.AndAladdinwasrighttobeafra id,becauseAbanazarwasnothisuncle.HewasamagicianfromMo rocco,andhewantedthislampverymuch.Itwasamagiclamp,an donlyapoorboyfromthecitycouldgetitforhim—aboycalled Aladdin.Aladdinwentdownahundredstairsandintothefirstro om.Downhere,itwasnotdarkandhewentquicklythroughthero omstothedoorintothegarden.Thereweretreesinthegarden, withbeautifulfruitofdifferentcolours—white,red,greenandy ellow.Hesoonfoundthelamp,underoneofthetrees.‘Whydoesm yunclewantthisdirtyoldlamp?’heputitinhispocket.Then hebegantotakefruitfromthetrees,andtoputitineverypoc ketofhiscoat.Afterthathewentbacktothestairsandbegan togoup.SoonhecouldseeAbanazarandthebluesky.‘Givethel amptome,’Abanazarsaid,andputouthishand.‘Quickly,boy,t helamp!’Aladdincouldnotgetthelampoutofhispocketbecause itwasunderthefruit.HelookedatAbanazar’sangryfaceandw asafraid.‘Firsthelpmeout,thenyoucanhavethelamp,’hesa id.‘Please,Uncle!’‘Firstthelamp,’criedtheAbanazar.‘Givem ethelamp!’‘No!’Aladdinsaid.‘Yougood-for-nothing!Youdog! Youandthelampcanstaydownthere!’Angrily,Abanazarrantoth efireandputmorepowderonit.‘Abracadabra!’hecalled.Thebi gwhitestonemovedagain,andnowAladdincouldnotseethesky. Hewasinthedark,undertheground,andcouldnotgetout.Unc leAbanazar!Uncle!’Aladdinhitthestonebutnothingmoved.‘Do n’tleavemehere!Please!’Aladdinputhiseartothestone,but hecouldhearnothing.‘IamAladdin,sonofMustafa,’hesaid,a ndlistenedagain.Butthestonedidnotmove.ThenAladdinbegan tocry.‘WhatamIgoingtodo?’hethought,andputhisheadin hishands.Afteratimehebegantofeelhungry,andtooksomeof thefruitoutofhispocket.Heputsomeinhismouth,butheco uldnoteatthem.‘Thesearestones,notfruit,’hethought.‘I’m ,goingtodiedownhere.’ForthreedaysandthreenightsAladdin satonthestairsandwaited,butnohelpcame.Onthethirdday herememberedAbanazar’sringonhisfinger—theringtoprotect him.Hecouldnotseetheringinthedarksoheputhisrightha ndonit…WHOOSH!Therewasasuddennoise,andbluesmokecameout ofthering.Andthen,outofthesmokecameabigjinnee.‘Iamh ere,master,Iamhere,’thejinneecried.‘Iamtheslaveofthe ring.Whatisyourwish?’Aladdinwasverysurprised,andveryaf raid.Atfirsthecouldnotspeak,thenhesaid,‘Takemeoutof here.’‘Tohearistoobey,’thejinneesaid,andasecondlaterA laddinwasbackonthehillsunderthebluesky.Therewasnobody there,andthefirewascoldandblack.Happily,Aladdinbeganto walkhome.Whenhegotthere,hismotherwasveryhappytoseehi m.‘Oh,Aladdin!’shecried,‘Whathappenedtoyou?Andwhereis youruncle?’‘Abanazarisnotmyuncle,Mother.Heisamagiciana ndabadman.Henearlykilledme.’ThenAladdintoldhismother allaboutthefire,themagicstone,andthegardenunderthegro und.‘Oh,Iamverytired,Mother,’hesaid.‘Imustsleep.’Aladd inandtheEnchantedLampL5Aladdinclosedhiseyesandsleptfor manyhours.Thenextmorningheopenedhiseyesandsaid,‘Mothe r,I’mhungry!’‘Myson,I’msorry,’shesaid.‘Wehavenoriceor meatinthehouse.Wehavenothing.Imustsellyournewcoatan dgetsomericewiththemoney.’ThenAladdinrememberedthelamp fromthegarden.‘Waitaminute,Mother,’hesaid,‘Takethislamp andsellthatfirst.’‘Thatdirtyoldthing?’Aladdin’smothersa id.‘Imustcleanitfirst,’Shebegantorubitand…WHOOSH!Noise,fire,andredsmokecamefromthelamp,andoutofthesmokecameaverybigjinnee.‘Iamtheslaveofthelamp,’criedthejinnee.‘Whatisyourwish,mistress?’Aladdin’smotherwasafraidandcouldnotspeak,butAladdinsaid,‘Bringriceandmeattous.Wearehungry.’Thejinneewentaway,andcamebackinasecondwithrice,meat,breadandfruitontwelvegoldplates.Heputtheplatesinfrontofthemandwentaway.Aladdinandhismotherateandate.ThenAladdintookoneoftheplatestothemarketandsolditfortwopiecesofgold.Everydayafterthat,Aladdinrubbedthelamp.Andwhenthejinneecame,Aladdinsaid,‘Bringusriceandmeat.’Andeverydayhesoldthegoldplates.Soon,Aladdinandhismotherwererich. |
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