you, and in the niche a lighted lamp.  Take it down and put it out.  Throw away the wick and pour out the liquor, which is not oil and will not hurt your clothes; then put the lamp into your waistband and bring it to me.”  The magician then took a ring from his finger and put it on Aladdin’s, saying, “This is a talisman against all evil, so long as you obey me.  Go, therefore, boldly, and we shall both be rich all our lives.”

Aladdin descended, found all to be as the magician had said, and carefully obeyed his orders.  When he had put the lamp into his waistband, he wondered at the beauty of the fruit in the garden, white, red, green, blue, purple, yellow, and of all other colors, and gathered some of every sort.  The fruits were really precious jewels; but Aladdin, ignorant of their immense value, would have preferred figs, grapes, or pomegranates.  Nevertheless, he filled two purses his uncle had given him, besides the skirts of his vest, and crammed his bosom as full as it would hold.

Then he returned with extreme care, and found the magician anxiously waiting.

“Pray, uncle,” he said, “lend me your hand to help me out.”

“Give me the lamp first,” replied the magician.  “It will be troublesome to you.”

“Indeed, uncle, I cannot now, but I will as soon as I am up.”

The magician was bent on taking it at once from his hand, but the boy was so laden with his fruit that he flatly refused to give it over before getting out of the cave.  This drove the magician into such a passion that he threw more incense into the fire, spoke two magical words, and instantly the stone moved back into its place, with the earth above it, as it had been when they first reached the spot.  Aladdin now saw that he had been deceived by one who was not his uncle, but a cruel enemy.  In truth, this man had learned from his magic books about the secret and value of the wonderful lamp, which would make him richer than any earthly ruler if he could but receive it freely given into his hands by another person.  He had chosen Aladdin for this purpose, and when it failed he set out immediately on his return to Africa, but avoided the town, that none might ask him what had become of the boy.

II

Aladdin was indeed in a sorry plight.  He called for his uncle, but in vain.  The earth was closed above him, and the palace door at the foot of the steps.  His cries and tears brought him no help.  At last he said, “There is no strength or power but in the great and high God;” and in joining his hands to pray he rubbed the ring which the magician had put on his finger.  Instantly a genie of frightful aspect appeared and said, “What wouldst thou have?  I am ready to obey thee.  I serve him who possesses the ring on thy finger,—­I and the other slaves of that ring.”

At another time Aladdin would have been frightened at the sight of such a figure; but his danger gave him courage to say, “Whoever thou art, deliver me from this place.”