Arabian Nights Page #5

and Death had given him a terrible look...

he was so frightened

he was leaving for Samara that night...

I went to see death to find

out what was going on...

And?

Another time, perhaps.. you must learn

how to leave your audience in suspense...

... As the crowd were leaving the courtroom,

the most famous magician in Africa,

Mustappa, passed by on

his way to Samarkand.

He was a charismatic man with piercing

eyes, a seductive voice and a manner that

would freeze friends at twenty paces...

when he came into a room the

mice jumped on chairs...

but he isn't the hero of this story.

Who is then?

Eh... Sinbad...

... Aladdin.

Cheat... It's all a cheat.

That race was fixed!

No question... anyone

could see that, Aladdin!

Honest men like us go for a day

at the races and get cheated blind

out of our hard earned money.

It just shows honesty doesn't pay.

Let's get back to work.

Sorry, excuse me.

My purse! I've been robbed!

- What's the matter, sir?

- That young rogue...

the one who bumped into

me... picked my pocket!

I saw which way he went.

This way... follow me!

Stop thief!

Who's in the coach?

Let's find out.

Who's that?

Princess Zobeide, the Caliph's daughter.

I'm in love!

There they are.

Where did you come from?

From the other side of the world... Africa.

What do you want with me?

Stay calm, Aladdin, do I look like

I'm with the Caliph's guards.

I'm always calm.

How do you know my name?

I was a friend of your late father.

I didn't know he had any friends.

Oh very few... just me.

Your father was so crooked,

he could hide in the shadow of a corkscrew.

You did know him!

Do you want to become rich?

Yes, but quick!

It's the best way.

Business? Shady business?

Shady... shadowy... shifty... but profitable.

What do I have to do?

First of all, I have to

check your suitability...

Good. Meet me tomorrow outside

the city gates at dawn.

Here's a small token of my good faith.

That's the first thing I did, Mother.

It never hurts to get a second

opinion. They taste right.

He says he knew your father...

did you believe him?

No, I believed his money.

He must want something big from you...

twenty gold coins is a mighty

expensive introduction...

he could have four men killed

for that kind of money.

There's only nineteen coins here.

Are you accusing your poor old mother?

I'm accusing you of palming a piece.

Did you see me?

No... I know by the weight.

Oh, I thought my hands

had lost their cunning!

Your pick-pocketing hands'll

never do that Mother...

you're still the best!

You know how to flatter

a body, you young rogue!

Take care tomorrow morning,

when you meet Mustappa!

Trust me Mother.

That's what you're dear father

used to say, but nobody ever did!

And so Aladdin and Mustappa

left Samarkand.

He didn't trust Mustappa, but

when there was money involved...

Aladdin was prepared to take a few risks...

I don't want to boast,

but I've never met anyone

who can live with me in a

straight fight, magic to magic...

So what do want me for if

you're so powerful?

All power has its limits... I want

you to retrieve an object for me

I can't get it myself,

for reasons too complicated to get into

its to do with the rules of magic...

they're tiresome, but they must be obeyed.

Why pick me?

You didn't believe I was a

friend of your father's?

Not for a moment... so, why me?

I saw larceny in your soul.

What do you want me to do?

I want you to go into a tomb...

You'll find an old lamp there...

I want you to bring it to me.

What tomb?

- There. - How much?

- We'll discuss that when you get back.

- No, we'll discuss it now, or I don't go.

Fifty gold pieces.

Please, don't insult me and

don't ask me to trust you...

I don't even trust my own

shadow... Two hundred!

Done! Here's half.

You gave me to easily. I

should have asked for more.

You do so remind me of me

when I was young!

Here - now - Take this ring... rub it

if you get into any kind of trouble.

Trouble? What sort of trouble?

Two hundred is not enough!

A deal is a deal! Don't try and betray me...

if you do, I swear by Hector's feathers,

you'll never see your wedding day.

Who's Hector?

My pet raven and my best friend.

Aladdin didn't know what kind of

trouble he was getting into...

if he had, he wouldn't have

taken the two hundred...

on the other hand, he probably would...

Go on... go on!

Aladdin - have you got the lamp?

Hand it up to me... it'll be

easier for you to get out.

It's no trouble, I can get up myself.

- Pass it up to me... there's a

good boy. - I'm not a good boy!

Give it to me or you will

make me very angry.

I'm angry already! Do you think I'm

gullible enough to fall for that old trick?

You get the lamp and ride off

without paying what you owe me... It's

an insult to my professional integrity.

You get your lamp when I get my gold!

- You think I'd ride off?! - Yes!...

You've got those shifty eyes!

- You cheap street scum! -

I resent the word "cheap."

I was going to raise you up, now

I cast you down into the depths!

You want the lamp? Keep it, damn you!

Rot in darkness... Ingrate!

Mustappa... Musatappa... Mustappa...

why, why, why must you always

lose your temper? Why?

Now you lost the lamp!

Plenty more wonders in the

world for me to steal...

Iet's go home.

This was a crisis. And in a crisis, there's

nothing more effective than magic...

Who're you?

Omar Khayyam! I'm the Genie of

the Ring... who else? Look...

Stamp of authenticity! But before

I answer anymore questions,

what color was my smoke?

Was it blue? If it was blue, it means

that I am melancholy and sanguine.

That means that I need more "me" time.

What do you want. I have

enemies, I have a migraine...

What do you think I want...

I want out!

I, l, l, l-l-l-l, always

about you, never about me.

Get me out of here, take me

home, put me out, I'm on fire.

Ah! Allah! Allah! We're going

to die! I don't want to die!

Come on, pull yourself together!

Please spare me, I'm only seven hundred and

nineteen years old! I was going to repent,

I was going on a diet, oh please...

Get us out of here!

Have you ever heard of the

magic word please?

Because I work for you doesn't mean

you can treat me like some sort of

manslave or unic or less than that.

Are we understood?

The light, the light... I

can not see... I'm blind!

It's too bright! Oh... My bones,

they ache. I shall go home.

I don't understand...

why did Mustappa pick the

best rogue in Samarkand

to get this piece of junk?... It's demeaning!

It must be worth something or he

wouldn't have gone to all that trouble.

Hmmm... You're right, son.

Maybe it's a priceless antique!

Don't' just stand there like a leaning

tower of jelly... talk to him.

Why me?

I'm just a poor, weak

widow-woman... It's your lamp.

Good Evening,... friend.

Speak up insignificant mortal lowly one!

Who are you?

Who am l... Who am l?!

Have you not heard of me?

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