This seemed to the mother a wise plan. “I will do as you say,” said she, “but first I will brighten the lamp, for it is very black and dirty.”
She took some sand and water to polish it, but scarcely had she begun to rub it when a genie, even more terrible looking than the genie of the ring, appeared before them.
“What dost thou wish?” he asked in a voice of thunder. “I and the other slaves of the lamp stand ready to serve thee in all things.”
The widow was so terrified at the sight of the genie, and at the sound of his voice, that she fell down on her face and lay there. But Aladdin caught the lamp from her hand.
“If you would serve me bring us something to eat,” he cried.
“To hear is to obey,” answered the genie. At once he disappeared, but scarcely was he gone before he appeared again with a great silver tray and a number of silver dishes and cups full of all sorts of delicious things to eat and drink. The genie set it upon a table. “Hast thou any further commands?” he asked in a voice of thunder.
“Not at present,” answered Aladdin.
At once the genie disappeared.
Aladdin called to his mother, and when she looked up and saw the genie had gone she was able to raise herself from the floor, though she still shook and trembled. She and her son sat down and ate and drank to their hearts’ content, and there was enough food left over to serve them another day. Aladdin then took the silver tray and the dishes out to a merchant he knew and sold them for a good price; so in this way he had money to spend.
After this Aladdin and his mother lived very comfortably. Whenever they were hungry Aladdin had only to rub the lamp and command the genie to bring them food, and it was served to them immediately. It was always brought to them in silver dishes and upon a silver tray, and as Aladdin could sell these for a good price he and his mother lacked for nothing.