An evil magician in faraway China learned through his secret arts of a magic lamp. Since the lamp was hidden in a dangerous place, the magician decided to find someone to fetch it for him. He happened upon an innocent boy named Aladdin, who was the son of a poor widow and, pretending to be the boy's long-lost uncle, invited Aladdin to walk with him outside the city.

After passing through many beautiful gardens, they came at last to a faraway hill. The magician built a fire and threw some magic powder upon the flames. There was a great burst of smoke, then suddenly a door appeared in the ground. Aladdin shrank back, but the magician cuffed his ears and ordered him in a rough voice to open the door. A flight of narrow steps was revealed, winding into the darkness. Giving him a ring, the magician said, "Put this on your finger and descend the steps, being careful not to touch the walls with your garmets, for if you do, you will die. There is an old lamp in the cave which I want you to fetch for me. Now go quickly!" Aladdin obeyed, walking carefully until he had made his way safely to the bottom. Here he saw trees shining with colorful fruits, which he picked and stuffed into his pockets. Then, spying the lamp in a niche, he snatched it up and hurried back.

As Aladdin was climbing the steps, the magician reached down for the lamp. Suspecting that the magician would close him in the cave, the boy said, "You shall have the lamp when I have climbed out." The magician grew furious and slammed shut the heavy door, leaving Aladdin trapped in darkness, afraid to move lest he should touch the deadly walls. As he wrung his hands in despair, Aladdin happened to rub the magician's ring. A spirit appeared! "I am the genie of the ring," said the spirit. "Command and I obey." "I wish to escape!" cried Aladdin. Instantly, he was outside the cave.

Aladdin told his mother all that had happened and showed her the lamp. "Perhaps we can sell this if we polish it a bit first," she said. So Aladdin set to work rubbing the lamp and, behold! Another spirit appeared. "I am the genie of the lamp," he said. "Command and I obey." Delighted, Aladdin asked the genie for some food, and immediately a great feast appeared before them. Now Aladdin began to dream of accomplishing wondrous things with the help of the genie. He told his mother that he wished to marry the princess.

"Marry the princess!" she cried. "But the King will be insulted if a poor woman like me should ask such a thing for her son." By this time, Aladdin had begun unloading his pockets. To his delight, he discovered that the fruits were actually precious gems of all kinds. "Mother," said Aladdin, "do not fear the King's displeasure, for look at the gifts you can take him!"

Indeed, the King was so impressed with the jewels that he allowed Aladdin to court his daughter. The two fell in love and soon began to plan their wedding. "But first, I must build a castle for us," said Aladdin. The princess and her father protested. That could take years! "I shall do it in one day," said Aladdin. He went home and rubbed the lamp. When the genie appeared, Aladdin told him to build a fine castle next to the King's. "Command and I obey," said the genie.

The next morning the King and all of the court were amazed to see a magnificent new palace standing nearby. Aladdin married the princess that very day and took her to their new home, and in the days that followed, he made many friends at court.

Then one day, the evil magician heard of the King's impressive new son-in-law, who had built his palace overnight. Immediately he suspected the truth. Disguised as a peddler, he waited outside the palace gate until he saw Aladdin ride away. Then he approached the palace calling, "New lamps for old, new lamps for old." One of the palace maids, hoping to please her mistress, grabbed up Aladdin's tarnished old lamp and traded it to the disguised magician for a shiny new one. No sooner had the peddler obtained the old lamp, than he rubbed it and commanded the genie to transport the whole palace, with the princess inside, to a remote desert.

When Aladdin returned, he guesed what had happened and summoned the genie of the ring. "Restore my princess and my palace!" he cried. But the genie of the ring could not undo the magic of the lamp. "Then take me to them!" said Aladdin. Instantly he found himself at the side of his wife, who was overjoyed to see him. Aladdin gave her a small vial conatining a powder. "When the magician joins you at dinner tonight," said Aladdin, "pour this into his wine." The princess did as he said, and after drinking his wine the magician immediately fell to the floor, senseless. Then Aladdin snatched up the lamp, rubbed it, and commanded the genie to take them all home. Instantly the palace was returned to it's rightful place. The magician was sent to a faraway land, and Aladdin and his princess lived together in happiness and prosperity for the rest of their days.