AladdinwasthesonofHassanthetailor.Hassandied whenAladdinwastwelveandsotheboylivedwith

hismother.Theylivedinalittlehouseinthemiddleofthetown.Theywereverypoor.SometimesAladdinwenttobedwithoutanydinner.

Someyearsafterhisfather’sdeath,Aladdinwasplayingfootballinthestreetwithhisfriends.

‘Kickittome,Aladdin!’saidhisfriend.Aladdinkickedtheballtohisfriend…butanoldman

withalonggreybeardcaughtit!TheoldmancarriedtheballtoAladdin.

‘Goodmorning!’saidtheoldman.‘Youareafineyoungman.Whatisyourname?’

‘MynameisAladdin,’heanswered.Theoldmanstrokedhisbeard.‘Andwhatisyour

father’sname?’heasked.‘Myfather’snamewasHassan.Hewasatailorinthis

town,’repliedAladdin.‘ButhediedwhenIwastwelve.Ilivewithmymother.’

‘Iknewit!’criedtheoldman.Heclappedhishandsandlaughed.‘Hassanthetailorwasmybrother!Youlookjustlikehim,withyourblackhairandyourlonglegs.Iamyouruncle,Aladdin!Here,takethesetwogoldcoins!Theyareapresentforyourmother.Willyoutakemetovisither?’

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‘Yes,Uncle,ofcourse,’saidAladdinhappily.‘Weliveinthenextstreet.’Hewaspleasedtomeethisuncle,andhewaspleasedwiththepresentforhismother.

OnthewaytoAladdin’shouse,theoldmansmiledtohimself.‘Thesillyboydoesn’tknowthatIamreallyawizard!’hethought.‘Ho-ho,Iamnothisuncleatall!’

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AladdinandtheoldmanstoppedoutsideAladdin’shouse.WhenAladdin’smotheropenedthedoor,hesaid,‘Mother,thismanismyuncle!Heismyfather’sbrother!HesaysIlookjustlikemyfather!Andlook,hehasgivenusapresent–twogoldcoins!’

Aladdin’smotherlookedsurprised.‘Thankyou!’shesaidtotheoldman.‘Pleasecomeinandsitdown.’

Themankneltonthefloor.‘Dearlady!’hesaidandhesuddenlybegantocry.‘IamsosorryaboutmypoorbrotherHassan!IwantedtoseehimbutnowIamtoolate!’

Aladdin’smotherfrowned.‘AreyousureyouareHassan’sbrother?’sheasked.‘Hedidn’ttellmehehadabrother.’

‘ThatisbecauseIlefthomewhenIwasveryyoung,’theoldmanreplied.‘Iwentallroundtheworldandmadealotofmoney.Iwasawayfortwentyyears.Ihavejustcomebacktothistownforthefirsttime,toseemyfamily.’

‘NowIunderstand,’saidAladdin’smother.‘Weareveryhappytoseeyou.Willyoustayandhavesomedinnerwithus?Youareverywelcome.’

‘Yes,Iwill.Thankyouverymuch,’repliedtheoldman.‘PleasestayhereandtalktoAladdin,’shesaid.‘Iwillgo

tothemarketandbuysomefood.Iwon’tbelong.’Thenshepickedupabigshoppingbasketandleftthehouse.

Aladdinandtheoldmansatandtalked.Aladdintoldhimallabouthislifewithhismotherandabouthisfriends.His‘uncle’toldhimaboutlifeinthebigcity.‘Iwillmakeyouarichtraderoneday,Aladdin,’hesaid.

WhenAladdin’smothercameback,shewentintothekitchen.Shemadeawonderfulfeast.Chickenandrice,

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cakesandhoney,peachesandapricots.Sheservedthefoodinherbestdishes.

‘Thisisawonderfuldinner!’criedtheoldman.Hetookahugepieceofcakeandputitintohismouth.

‘Itisthankstoyouandyourtwogoldcoins,’saidAladdin’smother.‘Weareverypoorandourfoodisusuallysimple.’

Thethreeofthemateandtalkedforalongtime.Thentheoldmanstoodup.‘Imustgonow,’hesaid.‘Iamstayingataninn–it’snotfaraway.Thankyou,mydearlady,forthewonderfuldinner.Iwillcomebackinthemorning.’

Thenextday,theoldmancamebacktothehouseandtoldAladdinandhismotherabouthisadventures.HetoldthemaboutIndia,China,EgyptandtheNorthPole.Aladdinlovedtolistentohimandhebecameveryfondofhisnewuncle.

Onthethirdday,theoldmancameagain.‘Aladdin,Ihaveenjoyedmytimewithyouandyour

mother.Youhavebothbeenverykindtome.NowIwanttoshowyousomething,’hesaid.‘It’ssomethingstrangeandwonderful.Butwemustgooutofthetownandintothecountrysideforafewdays.Willyoucome?’

Aladdinwasveryexcited.Whatanadventure!‘Yes,please!’hesaid.‘CanIgo,Mother?’

‘Iamsureyouwillbesafewithyouruncle.Goodbye,myson.Comebacksoon!’shereplied.ShehuggedAladdinandgavehimsomewatertotakewithhimonthejourney.

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Aladdinandtheoldmantravelledforalongtime.Theyleftthetownandwentthroughsomewoods,acrossahot,drydesertandintothebluemountains.Theytoldstoriesandlaughedastheywalked.Aladdinwasenjoyinghimself.

Atlast,theoldmansaid,‘Wewillstophere,Aladdin,nearthesetrees.Weneedtomakeafire.Pleasegoandfindsomewood.’

Aladdinwassurprised.Itwasahotdayandtheyhadnofoodtocook.Whydidtheyneedafire?Buthedidwhathisuncletoldhimandcollectedalotofwood.

WhenAladdinputthewooddown,theoldmansprinkledsomegoldpowderontopofit.

‘Abracadabra!’hecried,andhemovedhishandsoverthewood.Thefirebegantoburn.

Aladdinwasverysurprised.Whatwasthatpowder?Whatwashisuncledoing?Suddenly,redandgoldflamescamefromthefire.Theywereashighasthetrees.Aladdinjumpedawayfromtheterribleheat.Itwasahugefire!

‘Abracadabra!’saidtheoldmanagain,andhepointedallhisfingersattheflames.Theflamesloweredstraightawayandthefirequicklywentout.

Thentheearthopenedsuddenlyandacircleofstoneappeared.Ithadabrassringasahandle.

‘Itmustbeadoor!’thoughtAladdin.Hewasveryafraidnow.Whatwashisunclegoingtoshowhim?

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