Chapter 2 A walk to nowhere

Judith Dean

Scene 1 The special plan 特殊的計劃

Early the next morning,Abanazar arrived at Aladdin's house and then he and Aladdin walked to the market.

“First of all we must look at coats,”Abanazar said.

Soon Aladdin had an expensive new coat and he felt very happy.Then Abanazar and Aladdin walked through the market and looked at the shops.They drank coffee,talked to people,and had a very good dinner.It was a wonderful day for Aladdin.

On Friday,when the market was closed,Abanazar took Aladdin to the beautiful gardens in the city.They walked under the trees and talked about a shop for Aladdin.

“You are very good to me,Uncle,”Aladdin said.

Abanazar smiled.“But of course,”he said.“You are my brother's son.Now,let us leave the city and go up into the hills.There is something wonderful there,and you must see it.”

They left the gardens,walked past the Sultan's palace,and went out of the city up into the hills.They walked for a long time and Aladdin began to feel tired.

“It's not farnow,”said Abanazar.“We're going to see a beautiful garden—more beautiful than the garden of the Sultan's palace.”

At last Abanazar stopped.“Here we are,”he said.

Aladdin looked,but he could see no gardens on the hills.“Where is this garden,Uncle?”he said.

“First we must make a fire,”said Abanazar.

Aladdin did not understand,but he made a fire for his uncle on the ground.Then Abanazar took some powder out of a small box,and put it on the fire.He closed his eyes and said,“Abracadabra!”

At once,the sky went dark.Black smoke came from the fire,and the ground under the fire began to open.Then the smoke went away,and in the ground there was now a big white stone with a ring in it.

Aladdin was very afraid.He began to run away,but Abanazar took his arm and hit him on the head.

For a minute or two,Aladdin could not speak or move.Then he cried,“Why did you do that,Uncle?”

“You must be a man now,not a child,”said Abanazar.“I am your father's brother,and you must obey me.Don't be afraid.In a short time you're going to be a rich man.Now,listen carefully.”He took Aladdin's hand.“Only you can move this stone.Put your hand on the ring and say your name and your father's name.”

Scene 2 Aladdin was trapped 阿拉丁被困

Very afraid,Aladdin put his hand on the ring.It was not hot,but very cold.“I am Aladdin,son of Mustafa,”he said.The stone moved easily,and Aladdin could see stairs under the ground.

“Go down those stairs,”Abanazar said,“and then through four big rooms.In the last room there is a door into a garden,and under one of the trees there is a lamp.You can take some fruit from the trees,but first you must find the lamp.Bring the lamp to me.”

“Please come with me,Uncle!”Aladdin said.

“No.Only you can do this,my boy.”Abanazar took a gold ring off his finger and gave it to Aladdin.“This ring is magic and can protect you,”he said.“Be careful,and bring me the lamp quickly!”

Aladdin put the ring on the little finger of his left hand and began to go down the stairs.It was dark and he was afraid,but he was more afraid of Abanazar.

And Aladdin was right to be afraid,because Abanazar was not his uncle.He was a magician from Morocco,and he wanted this lamp very much.It was a magic lamp,and only a poor boy from the city could get it for him—a boy called Aladdin.

Aladdin went down a hundred stairs and into the first room.Down here,it was not dark and he went quickly through the rooms to the door into the garden.There were trees in the garden,with beautiful fruit of different colours—white,red,green and yellow.

He soon found the lamp,under one of the trees.“Why does my uncle want this dirty old lamp?”he thought.He put it in his pocket.Then he began to take fruit from the trees,and put them in every pocket of his coat.After that he went back to the stairs and began to go up.Soon he could see Abanazar and the blue sky.

“Give the lamp to me,”Abanazar said,and put out his hand.“Quickly,boy,the lamp!”

Aladdin could not get the lamp out of his pocket because it was under the fruit.He looked at Abanazar's angry face and was afraid.

“First help me out,and then you can have the lamp,”he said.“Please,Uncle!”

“First the lamp,”cried Abanazar.“Give me the lamp!”

“No!”Aladdin said.

“You good-for-nothing!You dog!You and the lamp can stay down there!”Angrily,Abanazar ran to the fire and put more powder on it.“Abracadabra!”he called.

The big white stone moved again,and now Aladdin could not see the sky.He was in the dark,under the ground,and could not get out.

Reading Check

1.What did Abanazar do for Aladdin before going to the beautiful garden?

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2.What did Abanazar want according to this chapter?

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