Reading Notes: Arabian Nights Part B

I am continuing on with reading Arabian nights and in the second half of these readings I get to the part that drew me in to the story in the first place, stories about Aladdin and his lamp! Something that was unique compared to the Disney version was the fact that Aladdin had his mother around during the story. I like this better because the mother played a role that supported Aladdin but did not parent him to where he lost his hero like qualities.

Aladdin was a lot more assertive in these stories than the movies. The way he used the genie's to break up the princess and her first husband so that he could have her rubbed me the wrong way. How the princess did not recognize that he was the man who had did that and yet she married him anyways is beyond me. If I could go and re-write the story, I would have the princess reject Aladdin for the way he had handled himself earlier by kidnapping her and sleeping next to her while he betrothed slept outside in the cold. It would be an interesting turn of events for the princess to be a strong female lead like Jasmine was in the Disney version.

The way the Genie of the Lamp was willing to warn and help Aladdin when he knew that the magicians even more evil brother was the one who had been corrupting the thoughts of Aladdin's wife was a winning point for me. It was curious though that the Genie of the Ring had such a small role in this story. I wish he would have had more opportunities to shine and be helpful like the Genie of the Lamp. Not just in granting wishes to Aladdin, but be able to help him in friendly ways like the Genie of the Lamp was able to. That also brought the question to my mind of why the first magician wanted the Genie of the Lamp but did not care to go for the Genie of the Ring. Was there a difference in power? That would be a cool story tell! The power struggle between two genies (possibly brothers?) to be the most powerful one in the entire universe. This is something I may look into.

In conclusion, I'm glad the story did end happily ever after with Aladdin getting then princess, his genies and his castle. At least that factor was the same between the original stories and the Disney version.

Genie of the Lamp

Bibliography: Arabian Nights by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898).