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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