How the Peaceful Aladdin
by Guy Wetmore Carryl
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
Long ago, there was a boy named Aladdin. He had a special friend. This friend was a Magical Friend. He was a good friend to Aladdin.
The Magical Friend gave Aladdin a gift. It was a wonderful lamp. This lamp was magic. If you rubbed it, you got a wish. The lamp could make wishes come true.
Aladdin took the magic lamp. He was very happy. He rubbed the lamp. He wished for a big house. A beautiful palace stood there.
Aladdin lived in his new palace. He lived a very happy life. He had everything he wanted. He was glad to have the magic lamp.
One day, Aladdin wanted a kind wife. He thought about his wish. He rubbed the magic lamp again. He wished for a kind wife. Soon, he had a wife.
Aladdin's Wife loved collecting stamps. She had many stamps. She looked for new stamps. She liked stamps from far away. She liked very special stamps.
One day, she saw a new stamp. It was a very special stamp. She wanted it very much. She traded the magic lamp. She gave the lamp for the stamp.
The magic lamp was gone. So the magic was gone too. Aladdin's beautiful palace vanished. It just disappeared. Aladdin did not have his big house now.
Aladdin was very sad. He was very angry. His home was gone. His wife traded the magic lamp. She traded it for a stamp. Aladdin felt very bad.
Aladdin and his wife were both very sad. They knew they made a mistake. The magic lamp was very special. A stamp was not so special. It is important to think about what is truly valuable. They learned to be careful with important things.
Original Story
*How the Peaceful Aladdin
Gave Way to His Madness*
His name was Aladdin.
The clothes he was clad in
Proclaimed him an Arab at sight,
And he had for a chum
An uncommonly rum
Old afreet, six cubits in height.
This person infernal,
Who seemed so fraternal,
At bottom was frankly a scamp:
His future to sadden,
He gave to Aladdin
A wonderful magical lamp.
A marvel he dubbed it.
He said if one rubbed it
One’s wishes were done on the spot.
Now what would you do
Were it offered to you?
Refuse it undoubtedly (not)!
It’s thus comprehensive
With pleasure extensive
Aladdin accepted the gift,
And, by it befriended,
Erected a splendid
Château, with a bath and a lift!
Not dreaming of malice,
One year in his palace
He led a luxurious life,
Till his genius dread
Put it into his head
That he needed a beautiful wife.
Responding to friction,
The lamp this affliction
At once for Aladdin secured;
The latter, delighted,
Imagined he sighted
A future of quiet assured.
When gladly he chose her,
He didn’t suppose her
A philatelist, always agape
For novelties, yet
She had all of the set
Of triangular stamps of the Cape.
Some people malicious
Proclaimed her Mauritius
One-penny vermilion a sell.
But that was all rot. It
Was true she had got it,
And the tuppenny blue one as well!
Since thus she collected,
As might be expected,
She didn’t for *bric-à-brac* care,
So she traded the lamp
For an Ecuador stamp
That somebody told her was rare!
This act served to madden
The mind of Aladdin,
But, ’spite of his impotent wrath,
His manor-house vanished,
To nothingness banished,
And while he was taking a bath!
The average Arab
Is hard as a scarab
When some one has wounded his pride,
So he jumped up and down,
With a cynical frown,
On the *face* of his beautiful bride!
He had picked up a cargo
Of curious *argot*
While living in Paris the gay;
In the slang of that city
He cried without pity:
*“Comme ça tu me fich’ras la paix!”*
*The Moral:* When stamps you’re adept on
Of risks you are reckless, and yet
Beware! If your face is once stepped on,
That’s the last stamp you’re likely to get!
[Back to contents](#contents)
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Moral of the Story
Beware of the risks of collecting stamps, especially if it leads to having your face stepped on.
Characters
Aladdin ★ protagonist
Lean to average build, medium height, with a sun-kissed, olive complexion typical of an Arab man. He possesses a generally peaceful demeanor that can quickly turn to intense fury when provoked.
Attire: Traditional Arab attire, likely a flowing white or light-colored thobe (long tunic) made of linen or cotton, possibly with a simple woven pattern. He would wear a keffiyeh (headscarf) secured with an agal (rope band) or a simple turban. Soft leather sandals.
Wants: To live a comfortable, luxurious life; later, to have a beautiful wife. Ultimately, to maintain his possessions and pride.
Flaw: His peaceful nature makes him complacent and trusting, leading to his downfall. His pride is easily wounded, leading to violent outbursts.
Transforms from a peaceful, contented man into a furious, vengeful individual after his wife's betrayal and the loss of his wealth.
Peaceful, luxurious, easily contented, initially trusting, but prone to extreme rage and violence when betrayed or humiliated.
Afreet ◆ supporting
A towering, imposing figure, six cubits (approximately 9-10 feet) in height, with an infernal, possibly demonic or djinn-like appearance. His build is likely powerful and formidable.
Attire: No specific clothing mentioned, but as an 'infernal person,' he might have dark, flowing robes or be depicted with a more elemental, non-human form. If clothed, it would be simple, dark, and imposing.
Wants: To cause trouble or to test Aladdin, possibly for his own amusement or to fulfill a larger, unknown purpose.
Flaw: Not explicitly stated, but his 'scamp' nature suggests he might underestimate human reactions or be bound by certain magical rules.
Remains consistent as a trickster figure; his role is to set the plot in motion.
Fraternal on the surface, but fundamentally a scamp; mischievous and manipulative, with a hidden agenda.
Aladdin's Wife ⚔ antagonist
Described as 'beautiful,' implying conventional attractiveness. Her actions suggest a flighty and somewhat materialistic nature, despite her beauty.
Attire: Elegant and luxurious clothing befitting the wife of a wealthy man, but with a practical or perhaps slightly eccentric touch due to her hobby. Could be a fine silk dress or a two-piece ensemble, perhaps in rich jewel tones, with delicate embroidery. Not explicitly Arab attire, as she is chosen for her beauty and hobby, suggesting a broader origin.
Wants: To acquire rare and novel stamps, driven by her passion for philately.
Flaw: Her obsession with stamp collecting, which leads her to trade away the magical lamp without considering the consequences.
Remains consistent in her obsession with stamps, leading to her downfall.
Beautiful, philatelist (stamp collector), materialistic, easily distracted by novelties, thoughtless, and ultimately betraying.
Locations
Aladdin's Splendid Château
A luxurious, splendid château, erected by Aladdin using the lamp's magic, featuring a bath and a lift. It is implied to be in an Arabian style, though the term 'château' suggests a European influence, perhaps a fusion reflecting Aladdin's travels or the genie's interpretation.
Mood: Luxurious, comfortable, initially peaceful, later chaotic.
Aladdin lives a year of luxury here, acquires a wife, and then the château vanishes while he is bathing.
Aladdin's Bath Chamber
A specific room within Aladdin's château, designed for bathing, where he is present when his manor-house vanishes.
Mood: Relaxing, then suddenly shocking and infuriating.
Aladdin is taking a bath when his entire manor-house disappears, leaving him exposed and enraged.
Story DNA
Moral
Beware of the risks of collecting stamps, especially if it leads to having your face stepped on.
Plot Summary
Aladdin receives a magical lamp from an afreet, which he uses to build a grand château and acquire a beautiful wife. However, his wife is obsessed with stamp collecting and trades the invaluable lamp for a rare stamp. This causes Aladdin's château to vanish, enraging him. In a fit of anger, Aladdin physically assaults his wife, ending their relationship and her collecting hobby.
Themes
Emotional Arc
contentment to rage
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This is a humorous, satirical take on the classic Aladdin story, playing on modern (for its time) hobbies and sensibilities, contrasting them with the fantastical elements.
Plot Beats (11)
- Aladdin, an Arab, has an afreet as a friend.
- The afreet, a scamp, gives Aladdin a magical lamp that grants wishes.
- Aladdin accepts the lamp and uses it to build a splendid château.
- He lives a luxurious life for a year.
- Aladdin decides he needs a beautiful wife and uses the lamp to get one.
- His new wife is a passionate philatelist, collecting rare stamps.
- She trades the magical lamp for a rare Ecuador stamp.
- This act causes Aladdin's château to vanish while he is in the bath.
- Aladdin becomes enraged by the loss of his home and his wife's actions.
- He jumps up and down on his wife's face in anger.
- Aladdin curses her in Parisian slang, effectively ending their relationship and her stamp collecting.
