He then redoubled his cries and tears, sat
down on the steps without any hopes of ever seeing light again, and in
an expectation of passing from the present darkness to a speedy death.
In this great emergency he said, "There is no strength or power but in
the great and high God"; and in joining his hands to pray he rubbed
the ring which the magician had put on his finger. Immediately a genie
of frightful aspect appeared, and said, "What wouldst thou have? I am
ready to obey thee. I serve him who possesses the ring on thy finger;
I, and the other slaves of that ring."
At another time Aladdin would have been frightened at the sight of so
extraordinary a figure, but the danger he was in made him answer
without hesitation, "Whoever thou art, deliver me from this place." He
had no sooner spoken these words than he found himself on the very
spot where the magician had last left him, and no sign of cave or
opening, nor disturbance of the earth. Returning thanks to God for
being once more in the world, he made the best of his way home. When
he got within his mother's door, joy at seeing her and weakness for
want of sustenance made him so faint that he remained for a long time
as dead. As soon as he recovered, he related to his mother all that
had happened to him, and they were both very vehement in their
complaints of the cruel magician.
Aladdin slept very soundly till late the next morning, when the first
thing he said to his mother was, that he wanted something to eat, and
wished she would give him his breakfast.
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