Few stories are as spellbinding and everlasting as Aladdin!
This classic has been told for generations. Being passed down as a book, and even as a cartoon and an animated movie! Who can forget Disney’s gorgeous version? It truly is a classic!
But do you know all about the origin of the Aladdin story? The moral of it? All of its characters?
Well, if you do not, there is absolutely no need to fret. Because we have got the full scoop of the whole Aladdin and the Magic Lamp story for you right here! Let us dive in.
What is the origin of the Aladdin and the Magic Lamp story?
Long, long ago…in a land far, far away Aladdin and the Magic Lamp story was born.
Wait a minute. That was not very clear, was it?
Let us try again. The Aladdin and the Magical Lamp actually comes from the Arabic story of “One Thousand and One Nights”. You know the collection of Middle Eastern folktales that were passed on from generation to generation for their morals? “The Arabian Nights” in English? That is the one!
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Who translated Aladdin and the Magical Lamp, you ask?
It was Antoine Galland. He did so in the 18th century after listening to Hanna Diyab, a Syrian storyteller, tell him all the stories of One Thousand and One Nights during his travels. He was quite enamoured so he decided to translate the story so Western audiences would know about them too.
Tell me the Aladdin and the Magical Lamp short story!
Okay, enough history lessons! Now let us tell you this magical story in brief so you get to know what it is all about too.
Shall we start with the characters in it? Here is a list!
- First up, we have got Aladdin himself
- Then Aladdin’s mom
- Next, we have the evil magician
- The genie
- And finally, Princess Jasmine
The story begins with a little bit of a tragedy. In a bustling city with a busy marketplace, lives a poor named Aladdin. A boy who lost his father recently, leaving him and his mother to fend for themselves.
As they struggled to make ends meet, working round the clock at their little shop, a strange man came to meet them there one day. He claimed to be Aladdin’s uncle and promised he could help them go from rags to riches if only Aladdin did him a favour.
Tired of their miserable fortunes, Aladdin and his mother agreed. And, in turn, the mysterious uncle (cue: evil magician) asked Aladdin to go on a treacherous journey with him to retrieve something valuable.
So Aladdin went, facing the dreadful desert and all it had to offer before landing at a desolate spot in the middle of nowhere. And that is when the evil magician revealed who he really was!
By sprinkling up a handful coloured powder, he whipped up a smoke screen that lifted to reveal a cave, its wide entrancing waiting to gulp in whoever stepped inside.
Before asking him to step inside and get a dusty, old oil lamp for him, the evil magician told Aladdin that riches beyond his wildest imagination lie within this cave.
And that was reason enough for Aladdin to enter the cave despite his hesitation. He stepped in and saw the walls gleaming with gold. Everywhere he could see were rows and rows of trees glistening with precious gems instead of fruits. He filled his pockets with as many precious gems and metals as he could.
Until he finally came to where the old oil lamp was, perched upon a flat stone, looking harmless. He went ahead and scooped it up, pouring out the oil that was inside. He was ready to leave the cave now and as soon as he called out to the evil magician, a massive rock fell at the entrance of the cave, leaving poor Aladdin trapped!
Frightened and not knowing what to do, Aladdin rubbed the lamp in desperation. And lo behold! To his surprise, a genie appeared! A genie bound to eternity to the lamp and ready to grant him three wishes!
Aladdin wished to be free of the cave so the genie obliged and got him back outside. But once he was out, Aladdin decided to keep the lamp with him, in secret. Not letting anyone know that he had it.
He got back home and decided to polish the lamp one fine day. Again, much to his surprise, another genie appeared! But this was one bound to a magic ring. And he asked Aladdin the same question. To ask him for wishes that he could grant.
So Aladdin, very wisely, chose to wish for riches and to win the heart of his beloved, princess Jasmine, who was the daughter of the Sultan of the city. But as soon as his wishes came true, he felt something was not right. He could see now that this was not what would bring him real happiness. This is like being someone else.
At this point in the story, the evil magician returned, demanding his lamp back! He challenged Aladdin for the lamp and the two locked in a mind battle to win it. Due to his sheer wit and wisdom, Aladdin won and got to keep the lamp! But the evil magician got angry and trapped the princess, capturing the kingdom.
Aladdin, with the genie’s help, set the princess free and restored the kingdom back to its old glory. That is when he realised that true happiness does not come from magic or gold. It comes from courage and integrity.
Having found real happiness, he and the princess soon married and lived and ruled the city happily forever after!
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What is the moral of the story of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp?
Great question!
As you can tell, the moral of the story of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp is about finding happiness, not in gold and riches, but within. It is in your heart where true happiness lives. Being rich does not make you a good person but it is your choices and the character you build that do. Just like Aladdin’s kindness and courage make him who he is. His good qualities are his real treasures!
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Some commonly asked questions about Aladdin and the Magic Lamp short story
You know we got you covered no matter what your question about Aladdin and the Magical Lamp is! Here are the answers to a few common ones. For your convenience only.
- Who exactly is Aladdin?
- What can the magical lamp do?
- Does this story have a villain? Who is it?
- How does Aladdin defeat this evil magician?
- The lesson that Aladdin (and everybody else) learns through this story is?
Aladdin is a common boy who lives with his mother and runs a small store. But he is far from ordinary! He is our story’s hero. A young man with a good heart who turns his rags into riches with the help of his good character and his trusty magic lamp.
When rubbed on its side, the magical lamp can make a powerful genie appear! A genie so powerful that it can grant any wish to the person who invoked him.
The villain is the evil magician, who wants the magical lamp at any cost! All to fulfil his own selfish desires!
Through sheer wit, wisdom and bravery. And with the help of the genie, of course!
We all learn that being ourselves is only the way to being happy. And that the real treasures of life are the morals and values we have and cherish.
Love knowing all about Aladdin and the Magic Lamp? It truly is a fascinating story with a good moral that is both timeless and valuable. For more such interesting stories, visit the EuroSchool blog.
Check out other stories for your kids:
Pinocchio
The Wolf and The Lamb
Little Red Riding Hood
Beauty and The Beast
The Ant and The Dove
The Gift of Magi
Snow White and Seven Dwarfs
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
