Week 4: Arabian Nights

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 1: It's funny how easily the human race falls prey to greed. Even in the midst of fear, Aladdin heard the word treasure and instantly became interested in what his "uncle" had to say. The uncle was both the tempted and the tempter in this story. In this version of Aladdin, he rubs the ring to expel the genie versus the lamp.

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 2: Aladdin is freed from the cave via wish granted from one of the genies and goes home to his mother. It was his mother that rubbed the lamp to expel that genie. Aladdin falls in the love with the Sultan's daughter. It is Aladdin's mother who goes to the Sultan to ask for his daughters hand in marriage to her simple son. I love that the Sultan was so pleased by the mother's gift for the princess's hand and that he was was not immediately appalled at the idea.

*Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 3: The vizir's son and the princess divorce and Aladdin's mother returns to remind the sultan of his promise. He tells her that he requires a gift of far more value for his daughter's hand. Aladdin met this demand and married the princess. This is the part of the story where the vizir begins to question whether or not magic is involved.

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 4: Uh-oh. Big-bad bad guy discovers Aladdin's fortunes and is not so okay with that idea. The sly magician was very cunning to offer new lamps for old ones in order to obtain the magical lamp. With it's power, he sent the palace and princess to a deserted area in Africa.

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 5: "'Alas!' she said 'I am the innocent cause of our sorrows.'"Aladdin discovers the fate of his lamp and the magician's desire to steal his wife. Aladdin must finally rely on his own wits to save them versus magic.

Arabian Nights: Aladdin 6: No happily ever after just yet! The magician had a vengeful and even more wicked brother. The magician disguises himself as a holy woman, but is outed by the genie of the lamp upon Aladdin's wish for a roc's egg. NOW it's happily ever after time.

(Aladdin in the Garden: Wikipedia)