Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing.
He was made captain of the Sultan's armies, and won several
battles for him, but remained as courteous as before, and lived
thus in peace and content for several years.

But far away in Africa the magician remembered Aladdin, and by
his magic arts discovered that Aladdin, instead of perishing
miserably in the cave, had escaped, and had married a princess,
with whom he was living in great honour and wealth. He knew that
the poor tailor's son could only have accomplished this by means
of the lamp, and travelled night and day till he reached the
capital of China, bent on Aladdin's ruin. As he passed through
the town he heard people talking everywhere about a marvelous
palace. "Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is the palace you
speak of?" Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace," was
the reply, "the greatest wonder in the world? I will direct you
if you have a mind to see it." The magician thanked him who spoke,
and having seen the palace knew that it had been raised by the Genie
of the Lamp, and became half mad with rage. He determined to get
hold of the lamp, and again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.

Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight days, which gave
the magician plenty of time. He bought a dozen lamps, put them
into a basket, and went to the palace, crying: "New lamps for old!"
followed by a jeering crowd. The Princess, sitting in the hall of
four-and-twenty windows, sent a slave to find out what the noise
was about, who came back laughing, so that the Princess scolded her.
"Madam," replied the slave, "who can help laughing to see an old fool
offering to exchange fine new lamps for old ones?" Another slave,
hearing this, said, "There is an old one on the cornice there which