g that he had a good
heart, and she believed that as he grew older he would do better, and
become at last a worthy and prosperous man. One day, when Aladdin was
walking outside the town, an old man came up to him, and looking very
hard in his face, said he was his father's brother, and had long been
away in a distant country, but that now he wished to help his nephew
to get on. He then put a ring on the boy's finger, telling him that no
harm could happen to him so long as he wore it. Now, this strange man
was no uncle of Aladdin, nor was he related at all to him; but he
was a wicked magician, who wanted to make use of the lad's services,
as we shall see presently.

[Illustration]

The old man led Aladdin a good way into the country, until they came to
a very lonely spot between two lofty black mountains. Here he lighted a
fire, and threw into it some gum, all the time repeating many strange
words. The ground then opened just before them, and a stone trap-door
appeared. After lifting this up, the Magician told Aladdin to go below,
down some broken steps, and at the foot of these he would find three
halls, in the last of which was a door leading to a garden full of
beautiful trees; this he was to cross, and after mounting some more
steps, he would come to a terrace, when he would see a niche, in which
there was a lighted Lamp. He was then to take the Lamp, put out the
light, empty the oil, and bring it away with him.

[Illustration]

Aladdin found all the Magician had told him to be true; he passed
quickly but cautiously through the three halls, so as not even to
touch the walls with his clothes, as the Magician had directed. He
took the Lamp from the niche, threw out the oil, and put it in his
bosom. As he came back through the garden, his eyes were dazzled with
the bright-coloured fruits on the trees, shining like glass. Many of
these he plucked and put in his pockets, and then returned with the
Lamp, and called upon his uncle to help him up the broken steps. "Give
me the Lamp," said the old man, angrily. "Not till I get out safe,"
cried the boy. The Magician, in a passion, then slammed down the
trap-door, and Aladdin was shut up fast enough. While crying bitterly,
he by chance rubbed the ring, and a figure appeared before him,
saying, "I am your slave, the Genius of the Ring; what do you desire?"

[Illustration]

Aladdin told the Genius of the Ring that he only wanted to be set
free, and to be taken back to his