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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

" After he had supped Aladdin retired to his chamber
and, locking the door, brought out the lamp and rubbed it, whenas
forthright appeared to him its familiar, who said: "Ask whatso thou
wantest, for I am thy slave and slave to him who holdeth the lamp in
hand, I and all the Slaves of the Lamp." He replied: "Hear me! I
prayed the Sultan for his daughter to wife and he plighted her to me
after three months, but he hath not kept his word- nay, he hath given
her to the son of the Wazir, and this very night the bridegroom will
go in to her. Therefore I command thee (an thou be a trusty servitor
to the lamp), when thou shalt see bride and bridegroom bedded together
this night, at once take them up and bear them hither abed. And this
be what I want of thee." The Marid replied, "Hearing and obeying,
and if thou have other service but this, do thou demand of me all thou
desirest." Aladdin rejoined, "At the present time I require naught
save that I bade thee do."
Hereupon the slave disappeared and Aladdin returned to pass the rest
of the evening with his mother. But at the hour when he knew that
the servitor would be coming, he arose and retired to his chamber, and
after a little while, behold, the Marid came, bring to him the newly
wedded couple upon their bridal bed.


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