Aladdin was so happy!
He was married to his beautiful princess and lived in his grand palace.
Aladdin had forgotten about the evil magician.
But Magrib had not forgotten about the lamp, my young friends.
Oh no. Magrib never stopped thinking about it.
In fact, he had used a spell to create a blue crystal ball that could find anything.
He hoped to see the magic lamp through the mist in the ball.
"Oh, I can see inside the enchanted treasury!"
he said, staring into the ball.
"Hmmm—but where is the lamp?"
He moved around the crystal ball, hoping to get a better view.
"I don't see the lamp.
I don't see that boy either.
He should be lying there dead."
Magrib paced up and down his room.
Then he pressed his bony hands against the sides of the crystal ball.
"Show me where Aladdin is!" demanded the magician.
He looked deep into the mist again.
"What's this?" he hissed.
His face grew dark.
His pale eyes flashed.
Magrib saw Aladdin in a palace, not dead in the enchanted treasury.
He was dressed in fine clothes and walking with a beautiful woman.
"He is alive," cried Magrib.
"He is rich!"
He looked into the ball again.
"And he has married a princess!"
That day, before the sun set, the magician was on his way back to Aladdin's home.
"I'll find him again!" he said.
"And this time, I'll get the lamp!"
When Magrib arrived in Aladdin's city, everyone he passed was talking about Aladdin's palace.
"It's grander than the sultan's," one man said.
"Wait until you see it!"
"It is the magic of the lamp!"
Magrib growled to himself.
He turned to the man.
"Where is his palace?"
The man pointed the way, and then added,
"But Aladdin's not home.
He's away hunting for a week."
When the wicked Magrib heard this, he thought of a plan.
The next day, he went and bought a dozen new lamps.
They looked exactly like the magic lamp.
Magrib dressed in rags and carried the lamps through the streets.
"Who will trade an old lamp for a new lamp?" he called out.
People shook their heads when they heard him.
"New for old?" a woman laughed.
"Whoever heard of such a silly trade?"
Magrib did not pay any attention.
He went up and down the streets, shouting louder and louder,
"Who will trade an old lamp for a new one?"
Slowly, he made his way to Aladdin's palace.
Princess Badra and her attendants sat by an open window in the palace.
They were eating fruit sherbets and sewing pretty scarves with silk thread.
"What is that noise?" asked Princess Badra.
"Who is shouting?"
One of her attendants ran to the window.
"Who will trade an old lamp for a new lamp?" called Magrib.
The attendant at the window started laughing.
"What are you laughing about, girl?" asked the princess.
"A madman!" cried the attendant.
"He wants to trade his new lamps for old ones!"
When Princess Badra heard this, she jumped up.
"We have an old brass lamp," she said.
"I'll go and get it."
Princess Badra ran out of the room.
When she returned, she was carrying Aladdin's wonderful lamp.
"Here," she said to a servant.
"Take this dirty, old lamp downstairs.
Let's see if that man is telling the truth.
Here is an old lamp for a new one!"