Many years ago,in a city in Arabia,
there was a boy called Aladdin. He lived with his mother in a little house near
the marker, and they were very poor. Aladdin's mother worked all day, and
sometimes half the night, but Aladdin never helped her. He was a lazy boy and he did not like to
work. He only wanted to play all the time. Every morning he ran through the streets
to the market. There, he talked and laughed and played with his friends all
day. Then in the evening he went home to his dinner.
And every night his mother said to him: 'Oh, Aladdin, Aladdin! You
are a lazy boy - a good - for-nothing! When are you going to do some work, my
son? ' But Aladdin never listened to
his mother. One day in the market there
was an old man in a long black coat. Aladdin did not see him, but the old man
watched Aladdin very carefully. After some minutes, he went up to an orange-seller
and asked: 'That boy in the green coat — who is he? ' 'Aladdin, son of Mustafa, ' was the
answer.
The old man moved away. 'Yes,' he said quietly. 'Yes, that is the
boy. The right name and the right father. '
Then he called out to Aladdin: 'Boy! Come here for a minute. Is your
name Aladdin? Aladdin, son of Mustafa? '
Aladdin left his friends and came to the old man. 'Yes, ' he said, 'I am
Aladdin, son of Mustafa. But my father is dead. He died five years ago.' 'Dead! ' Said the old man. ' Oh, no!' He put
his face in his hands and began to cry.
'Why are you crying?' Asked Aladdin. 'Did you know my father? '
The old man looked up. 'Mustafa was my brother!' He said. 'I wanted
to see him again, and now you tell me he is dead. Oh, this is not a happy day
for me!' Then he put his hand on Aladdin's arm. 'But here is my brother's son,
and I can see Mustafa in your face, my boy. Aladdin, I am your uncle.
Abanazar.' 'My uncle?' Said Aladdin. He
was very surprised. 'Did my father have a brother? I didn't know that.' 'I went away before you were born. My boy,'
said the old man. 'Look.' He took ten pieces of gold out of his bag, and put
them into Aladdin's hands. 'Go home to your mother and give this money to her.
Tell her from me, and say this: "Her husband's brother wants to meet her,
and he is going to visit her tomorrow." '
Ten pieces of gold are a lot of money and Aladdin was very happy. He ran
home quickly and gave the gold to his mother. At first, she was afraid. 'Where did you get this, Aladdin? Did you
find it? It isn't our money. You must give it back.' 'But it is our money. Mother,' said Aladdin.
'My uncle, my father's brother, gave the money to us. Uncle Abanazar is coming
to visit us tomorrow.' 'Who? You don't
have an uncle Alanazar.' 'But he knows
my name, and my father's name,' Aladdin said. 'And he gave ten pieces of gold
to me. He's very nice. You must make a good dinner for him.' The next day at Abanazar arrived at Aladdin's
house. 'My sister!' He said and smiled.
'My dead brother's wife! I am happy to find you and Aladdin.' 'Sit down, Abanazar. We're happy to see you
in our poor home,' Aladdin's mother said. She put meat, rice and fruit on the
table. ' But I don't understand. Why did my husband never speak about you?'
'I'm sorry, my sister. When we were young, my brother and I were not
friends for many years. Then I went away to a far country. I am an old man now
and wanted to see my brother again and take his hand. But he is dead, and I
cannot speak to him or say goodbye to him now!'
Abanazar had tears in his eyes and Aladdin's mother began to cry too.