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

said, "blame your beauty for my boldness if I have displeased you."
She told him that, having seen him, she willingly obeyed
her father in this matter. After the wedding had taken place,
Aladdin led her into the hall, where a feast was spread, and she
supped with him, after which they danced till midnight.

Next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the palace. On
entering the hall with the four-and-twenty windows with their
rubies, diamonds and emeralds, he cried, "It is a world's wonder!
There is only one thing that surprises me. Was it by accident
that one window was left unfinished?" "No, sir, by design,"
returned Aladdin. "I wished your Majesty to have the glory of
finishing this palace." The Sultan was pleased, and sent for the
best jewelers in the city. He showed them the unfinished window,
and bade them fit it up like the others. "Sir," replied their
spokesman, "we cannot find jewels enough." The Sultan had his own
fetched, which they soon used, but to no purpose, for in a month's
time the work was not half done. Aladdin knowing that their task
was vain, bade them undo their work and carry the jewels back, and
the genie finished the window at his command. The Sultan was
surprised to receive his jewels again, and visited Aladdin, who
showed him the window finished. The Sultan embraced him, the
envious vizier meanwhile hinting that it was the work of enchantment.

Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing.
He was made captain of the Sultan's armies, and won several
battles for him, but remained as courteous as before, and lived
thus in peace and content for several years.

But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin, and by
his magic arts discovered that Aladdin, instead of perishing
miserably in the cave, had escaped, and had married a princess,
with whom he was living in great honour and wealth. He knew that
the poor tailor's son could only have accomplished this by means
of the lamp, and travelled night and day till he reached the
capital of China, bent on Aladdin's ruin. As he passed through
the town he heard people talking everywhere about a marvelous
palace. "Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is the palace you
speak of?" Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace," was
the reply, "the greatest wonder in the world? I will direct you
if you have a mind to see it." The magician thanked him who spoke,
and having seen the palace knew that it had been raised by the Genie
of the Lamp, and became half mad with rage. He determined to get
hold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.

Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days, which gave
the magician plenty of time. He bought a dozen lamps, put them
into a basket, and went to the palace, crying: "New lamps for old!"
followed by a jeering crowd. The Princess, sitting in the hall of
four-and-twenty windows, sent a slave to find out what the noise