ALADDIN ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP IT hath reached me, O King of the Age, that there dwelt in a city of the cities of China a man which was a tailor, withal a pauper, and he had one son, Aladdin hight. Now this boy had been from his babyhood a neer-do-well, a scapegrace. And when he reached his tenth year, his father inclined to teach him his own trade, and, for that he was overindigent to expend money upon his learning other work or craft or apprenticeship, he took the lad into his shop that he might be taught tailoring. But, as Aladdin was a scapegrace and a neer-do-well and wont to play at all times with the gutter boys of the quarter, he would not sit in the shop for a single day. Nay, he would await his fathers leaving it for some purpose, such as to meet a creditor, when he would run off at once and fare forth to the gardens with the other scapegraces and low companions, his fellows. Such was his case- counsel and castigation were of no avail, nor would he obey either parent in aught or learn any trade. And presently, for his sadness and, sorrowing because of his sons vicious indolence, the tailor sickened and died. Aladdin continued in his former ill courses, and when his mother saw that her spouse had deceased and that her son was a scapegrace and good for nothing at all, she sold the shop and whatso was to be found therein and fell to spinning cotton yarn. By this toilsome industry she fed herself and found food for her son Aladdin the scapegrace, who, seeing himself freed from bearing the severities of his sire, increased in idleness and low habits. Nor would he ever stay at home save at meal hours while his miserable wretched mother lived only by what her hands could spin until the youth had reached his fifteenth year. It befell one day of the days that as he was sitting about the quarter at play with the vagabond boys, behold, a dervish from the Maghrib, the Land of the Setting Sun, came up and stood gazing for solace upon the lads. And he looked hard at Aladdin and carefully considered his semblance, scarcely noticing his companions the while. Now this dervish was a Moorman from Inner Morocco, and he was a magician who could upheap by his magic hill upon hill, and he was also an adept in astrology. So after narrowly considering Aladdin, he said in himself, Verily, this is the lad I need and to find whom I have left my natal land. Presently he led one of the children apart and questioned him anent the scapegrace saying, Whose son is he? And he sought all information concerning his condition and whatso related to him. After this he walked up to Aladdin, and drawing him aside, asked, O my son, haply thou art the child of Such-a-one the tailor? and the lad answered, Yes, O my lord, but tis long since he died. The Maghrabi, the magician, hearing these words, threw himself upon Aladdin and wound his arms around his neck and fell to bussing him, weeping the while with tears trickling a-down his cheeks. But when the lad saw the Moormans case, he was seized with surprise thereat and questioned him, saying, What causeth thee weep, O my lord, and how camest thou to know my father? How canst thou, O my son, replied the Moorman, in a soft voice saddened by emotion, question me with such query after informing me that thy father and my brother is deceased? For that he was my brother german, and now I come from my adopted country and after long exile I rejoiced with exceeding joy in the hope of looking upon him once more and condoling with him over the past. And now thou hast announced to me his demise. But blood hideth not from blood, and it hath revealed to me that thou art my nephew, son of my brother, and I knew thee amongst all the lads, albeit thy father, when I parted from him, was yet unmarried. Then he again clasped Aladdin to his bosom, crying: O my son, I have none to condole with now save thyself. And thou standest in stead of thy sire, thou being his issue and representative and whoso leaveth issue dieth not, O my child! So saying, the magician put hand to purse, and pulling out ten gold pieces, gave them to the lad, asking, O my son, where is your house and where dwelleth she, thy mother and my brothers widow? Presently Aladdin arose with him and showed him the way to their home, and meanwhile quoth the wizard: O my son, take these moneys and give them to thy mother, greeting her from me, and let her know that thine uncle, thy fathers brother, hath reappeared from his exile and that Inshallah- God willing- on the morrow I will visit her to salute her with the salaam and see the house wherein my brother was homed and look upon the place where he lieth buried. Thereupon Aladdin kissed the Maghrabis hand, and after running in his joy at fullest speed to his mothers dwelling entered to her clean contrariwise to his custom, inasmuch as he never came near her save at mealtimes only. And when he found her, the lad exclaimed in his deli