Chapter VII

Only once again were Aladdin and his palace in danger from magic arts. A younger brother of the African magician learned of what had happened, and, in the guise of a holy woman, Fatima, whom he killed that he might pretend to take her place, came to live in the palace. The princess, thinking him really the holy woman, heeded all that he said. One day, admiring the beauty of the hall, he told her that nothing could surpass it if only a roc's egg were hung from the middle of the dome. "A roc," he said, "is a bird of enormous size which lives at the summit of Mount Caucasus. The architect who built your palace can get you an egg."

When the princess told Aladdin of her desire, he summoned the genie of the lamp and said to him,--

"Genie, I command thee in the name of this lamp, bring a roc's egg to be hung in the middle of the dome of the hall of the palace."

No sooner were these words spoken than the hall shook as if ready to fall, and the genie told Aladdin that he had asked him to bring his own master and hang him up in the midst of the hall; it was enough to reduce Aladdin and the princess and the palace all to ashes; but he should be spared, because the request had really come from another. Then he told Aladdin who was the true author of it, and warned him against the pretended Fatima, whom till then he had not known as the brother of the African magician. Aladdin saw his danger, and on that very day he killed his wicked enemy with the dagger which was meant to be his own death.

Thus was Aladdin delivered from the two brothers who were magicians. Within a few years the Sultan died at a good old age, and, as he left no male children, the Princess Buddir al Buddoor came to the throne, and she and Aladdin reigned together many years.

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES