Aladdin left the palace with his head hanging down.
Feeling hopeless, he walked through the city gate.
The land was wide open outside the city walls.
Soon Aladdin came to a swift river and sat down.
"Oh, Princess, how will I ever find you?" Aladdin wondered.
"Will I ever see you again?"
He stared at the rippling water.
"I should just throw myself into this river."
He put his face in his hands and wept.
When he finally wiped the tears away, he noticed something on one of his fingers.
"Magrib's ring!" cried Aladdin. "The little genie!"
He rubbed the ring until a cloud of bright smoke appeared.
"The genie of the ring has come!" squeaked the little man with bells on his cap.
"What's the problem?"
"Oh, genie," said Aladdin, "bring back my palace and my wife!"
"Your wish is my command, master!"
said the little genie as he raised his arms.
Then he stopped.
"Did you ask me to bring back your palace and your wife?"
"Yes, I did," Aladdin answered.
"Well, I've got bad news," said the genie of the ring.
"I can't do it.
The genie of the lamp's magic took your palace and your wife.
Where is the lamp?"
"I don't know," said Aladdin, feeling sad again.
"Sorry, I cannot undo another genie's magic," replied the genie.
"Those are the rules."
"Wait, can you take me to the princess?"
"Of course!" said the genie. "Let's go!"
When Aladdin found himself outside his palace, it was night.
His home was dark and quiet.
"I'll wait until morning," Aladdin told himself.
He lay down under Princess Badra's window and fell asleep.
The next morning, the princess was sitting in her room with her attendants.
From time to time, she sighed and wiped away a tear.
"This is such a strange place," she cried.
"And where is my Aladdin?"
"Maybe some fresh air will bring color to your cheeks,"
said one attendant as she opened a window.
"Nothing will help me feel better," said the princess sadly.
"Princess!" shouted the woman at the window.
"Look! I see Aladdin asleep under the window!"
Princess Badra ran over to look.
"Aladdin!" she called out. "My dear husband!"
Aladdin's eyes quickly opened, and he looked up to see his wife's beautiful face.
"Run and open the door!" said the princess to a servant.
Within moments, Aladdin was racing up the steps toward the princess's room.
But instead of embracing her, he ran straight into his bedroom.
"My lamp!" he cried as he rushed back to the princess.
"Where is my lamp?"
"It is gone," said the princess.
"I traded it to an old man for a new lamp.
Then all of a sudden, I ended up in Egypt."
"Egypt!" said Aladdin. "Magrib must have done this!"
Aladdin described the magician to his wife.
"Was he the old man?"
"Yes, husband," the princess replied.
"I don't like him. He smells funny."
"Where does Magrib keep the lamp?" Aladdin asked.
"He carries it in his coat," said the princess.
"He shows it to me and smiles strangely when he visits."
"He visits you?" said Aladdin.
"Yes," answered the princess.
"He comes every day and asks me to marry him.
He told me you were dead, but I didn't believe him."
Aladdin thought a moment.
Then he told Princess Badra what she had to do.