Once upon a time in a far-off land there lived a poor boy. His name was Aladdin. Every day he walked through the markets among the people, he liked the hustle and bustle and he loved to look at all the beautiful things the merchants offered. But he could only look, for he and his mother were poor and could not afford any of it.
One day Aladdin met an interesting man in the market. He looked like a rich merchant from far away lands, but he was really a wizard. He told Aladdin stories full of adventure. The boy loved to listen to them and told them to his mother in the evening.
“I’m not sure, Aladdin,” said his mother. “Something about the man seems fishy. He has interesting stories, but be careful with him. You don’t know him at all, and you’re so trusting. Not all people are good and honest.”
But the next day Aladdin met the wizard again. His stories were even more interesting than yesterday. Then he took Aladdin out of town.
“Would you like to have a little adventure too?” the wizard asked.
“Of course I would. But there are hardly any here in town.”
“Here is the entrance to the underground tomb. You’re slim, you’ll squeeze in there.”
“I don’t see anything. Just rocks and sand,” Aladdin frowned at where the wizard was pointing.
“Well, you have to say the password. I mean, the spell. Once the entrance opens, you slip in and bring me an old oil lamp. And don’t touch anything else in there, okay?”
Aladdin still had a lot of questions, but the wizard had already begun to mumble the magic formula. The stones pushed apart, opening a gap so narrow that even Aladdin had to struggle to squeeze through.
Once he was down, he was surrounded by darkness and the musty smell of a place no foot had set foot in for a long time. When he looked around and got used to the dimness, he almost sat on his butt in amazement. There was so much gold, jewels and precious stones around him that he was unable to move. He had never seen this in his life.
“Come on, come on. Go get the lamp and don’t mind anything,” the wizard shouted from above.
Aladdin ran to the end of the tomb to get the lamp. He picked it up and carried it back. But then he was bewitched by a beautiful ring. He couldn’t resist, he picked it up and put it on his finger. And why take just the ring? Something else for Mom, so she will be a bit better off. He pocketed a handful of gold.
“Aladdin, come on! The hole will close soon. Throw me the lamp,” the wizard urged.
“Then pull me up first,” said Aladdin, for he was not so foolish.
Reluctantly, the wizard pulled Aladdin up, snatched the lamp from his hands, and tried to throw him back down the hole. He succeeded, but Aladdin managed to snatch the lamp from him and fell into the tomb with it. The hole closed and the wizard was out of luck.
Aladdin sat surrounded by darkness, wondering why such an old dusty lamp was so important to the wizard. He stroked it to shake the dust off, when all of a sudden the lamp began to shake. Aladdin placed it carefully on the ground and watched the smoke billow from the lamp’s spout. It formed into the shape of a man in strange clothes.
“I am the genie of this lamp. I grant a wish for whoever summons me. What do you wish, my lord?” the genie spoke.
“Why are you wearing a pink baby skirt and a pirate’s hat?” Aladdin asked suspiciously.
“I’m sorry, but it gets kind of boring in the lamp. I have to have some fun, too. Hang on, I’ll change.”
The smoke sucked into the lamp and in an instant the genie was back. This time he looked normal.
“As for the wish, I’ll grant you anything.”
“Really?” Aladdin didn’t believe him. “Then get me home with a good chunk of treasure that is lying around here.”
Before he knew it, he was home with the treasure. He hugged his mother and they both rejoiced that they were going to be well.
“I’m going to be rich! I will be able to propose to the Sultan’s daughter,” Aladdin rejoiced.
He had liked the Sultan’s daughter Jasmine for a long time. He used to see her as she rode in a carriage along the main road through the markets. And as he thought, so he did.
The Sultan agreed, but he had one condition.
“I’ll give you my daughter to be your wife. But you must build her a beautiful palace that no one else has.”
Aladdin just smiled. With a magic lamp, that wouldn’t be a problem. He gave the genie his instructions and within moments the palace was in place. Jasmine was happy, because she too liked young Aladdin.
No one knew that the wizard was plotting a plan to seize his lamp. The news of the rich man who had built a palace out of nothing had not escaped him and led him to Aladdin’s trail. He disguised himself as a poor oil-lamp merchant and set off for the palace.
“Old lamps for new! A great bargain! I’ll trade your old lamps for new ones!”
Princess Jasmine heard that. Aladdin wasn’t home, so she took their old lamp and said she would replace it. She had no idea there was a genie sleeping in it. She replaced the lamp. At that moment, the palace disappeared with Jasmine. The wizard took her to his hideout.
Aladdin wanted to go looking for Jasmine right away, but where would he go to find her? Fortunately, he was clever and remembered the ring he had picked up in the tomb that day. If the lamp had magic powers, the ring might have them, too. He immediately began to rub it, and indeed. Within moments, another genie, slightly smaller than the one from the lamp, was standing in front of him, waiting for his wish.
No sooner had Aladdin uttered it than the palace was back with Jasmine and the wizard. The wizard was captured by the soldiers, and the Sultan had him thrown into prison.
They’ve all lived there happily ever since. Aladdin has never forgotten that he used to be a poor boy, he didn’t become proud and always tried to help those in need like he did then.
