"Anonymous - Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anonymous)

came up quite easily, and some steps appeared. "Go down," said
the magician; "at the foot of those steps you will find an open
door leading into three large halls. Tuck up your gown and go
through them without touching anything, or you will die instantly.
These halls lead into a garden of fine fruit trees. Walk on till
you come to niche in a terrace where stands a lighted lamp. Pour
out the oil it contains, and bring it me." He drew a ring from
his finger and gave it to Aladdin, bidding him prosper.

Aladdin found everything as the magician had said, gathered some
fruit off the trees, and, having got the lamp, arrived at the
mouth of the cave. The magician cried out in a great hurry:
"Make haste and give me the lamp." This Aladdin refused to do until
he was out of the cave. The magician flew into a terrible passion,
and throwing some more powder on to the fire, he said something,
and the stone rolled back into its place.

The man left the country, which plainly showed that he was no
uncle of Aladdin's but a cunning magician, who had read in his
magic books of a wonderful lamp, which would make him the most
powerful man in the world. Though he alone knew where to find it,
he could only receive it from the hand of another. He had picked
out the foolish Aladdin for this purpose, intending to get the
lamp and kill him afterwards.

For two days Aladdin remained in the dark, crying and lamenting.
At last he clasped his hands in prayer, and in so doing rubbed
the ring, which the magician had forgotten to take from him.
Immediately an enormous and frightful genie rose out of the earth,
saying: "What wouldst thou with me? I am the Slave of the Ring,
and will obey thee in all things." Aladdin fearlessly replied,
"Deliver me from this place!" whereupon the earth opened, and he
found himself outside. As soon as his eyes could bear the light
he went home, but fainted on the threshold. When he came to
himself he told his mother what had passed, and showed her the
lamp and the fruits he had gathered in the garden, which were in
reality precious stones. He then asked for some food. "Alas!
child," she said, "I have nothing in the house, but I have spun a
little cotton and will go sell it." Aladdin bade her keep her
cotton, for he would sell the lamp instead. As it was very dirty,
she began to rub it, that it might fetch a higher price.
Instantly a hideous genie appeared, and asked what she would have.
She fainted away, but Aladdin, snatching the lamp, said boldly:
"Fetch me something to eat!" The genie returned with a silver
bowl, twelve silver plates containing rich meats, two silver cups,
and two bottles of wine. Aladdin's mother, when she came to herself,
said: "Whence comes this splendid feast?" "Ask not, but eat,"
replied Aladdin. So they sat at breakfast till it was dinner-time,
and Aladdin told his mother about the lamp. She begged him to sell it,
and have nothing to do with devils. "No," said Aladdin, "since chance