There once lived, in one of the large and rich cities of China, a tailor, named Mustapha. He was very poor. He could hardly, by his daily labor, maintain himself and his family, which consisted only of his wife and a son.

His son, who was called Aladdin, was a very careless and idle fellow. He was disobedient to his father and mother, and would go out early in the morning and stay out all day, playing in the streets and public places with idle children of his own age.

When he was old enough to learn a trade, his father took him into his own shop, and taught him how to use his needle; but all his father's endeavors to keep him to his work were in vain, for no sooner was his back turned than he was gone for the day. Mustapha chastised him, but Aladdin was incorrigible, and his father, to his great grief, was forced to abandon him to his idleness. The worry made him fall sick and he died within a few months.

Aladdin, who was now no longer restrained by the fear of a father, gave himself entirely over to his idle habits, and was never out of the streets from his companions. This continued until he was fifteen years old, without any useful pursuit or thought about his future.

One day, while playing as usual, a stranger passing by stood and observed him. This man was a sorcerer known as the African magician, who had just arrived from his native land, Africa.

The magician, seeing something special in Aladdin’s face, inquired about him from some of the boys. After learning everything he wanted, he went up to Aladdin and took him aside, saying, “Child, was not your father called Mustapha the tailor?”

“Yes, sir,” answered Aladdin, “but he has been dead a long time.”

At these words, the African magician threw his arms around Aladdin’s neck, kissed him several times with tears in his eyes, and said, “I am your uncle. Your father was my dear brother. I recognized you at once. You look just like him.”

He then gave Aladdin a handful of small coins and said, “Go to your mother, give her my love, and tell her that I will visit her tomorrow to see where my good brother lived and died.”

Aladdin ran home, thrilled about the money. “Mother,” he said, “do I have an uncle?” “No, child,” she replied, “you have no uncle on your father's side or mine.”

“But I just met a man who says he is my uncle—father’s brother. He wept when I told him father was dead, gave me coins, and said he will visit us tomorrow.”

“Indeed, child,” she replied, “your father had no brother. You have no such uncle.”

The next day, the magician found Aladdin playing again in another part of the town. He embraced him and gave him two gold coins. “Take these home,” he said, “Tell your mother I will visit tonight. Ask her to prepare something for supper. But first, show me where you live.”