Aladdin: The Thief of Aisha

Chapter 4

ALADDIN

Days went by, and I was working harder than ever. But it didn't seem like I was making any headway. The moneylender was breathing down my neck. I should have insured the goods.

"Look at that," said the man with an eye patch.

I raised my head. "Hmm?" The manager of the stone selling business brought me back to reality.

"Another prince has made a donkey of himself," said the eye patch man.

I looked up, and there was an entourage leaving the gate of the kingdom. A sulking young man dressed in beautiful robes sat on a camel; his expression looked like he had eaten a sour lemon.

"The princess must be very picky," I said.

"Maybe," said eye patch. "I believe there is a man for every woman and vice versa. She's not for him." He paused and looked at me. "You can marry the princess, Aladdin. But you must take yourself more seriously. You work hard, but you don't give yourself credit. Stop berating yourself, and learn to accept yourself the way you are, then others will accept you too."

"Me, marry the princess? Get out of here," I said. Since I came back and after I saw the princess by the pond, my dreams about her had ebbed. Reality gives you and your dreams a kick now and then to clear your mind. I made fun of myself for ever thinking I could marry the princess. I barely had enough money to eat.

"It's up to you, Aladdin," said the eye patch man, then he burst out laughing. He slapped my horse on the romp, and he walked, pulling the cart with the stones to where they were needed.

I got home later that evening exhausted. My horse wasn't doing better. I longed for my mat but standing by my door as a welcome committee was Jubril, the moneylender.

"Did they pay you?" asked Jubril, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"Tomorrow."

"You know the interest has started to add on," said Jubril. "I'll be back tomorrow. If you don't have the money, I must take your horse and sell it."

"Don't talk about my horse, he's family. You'll get your money tomorrow."

"You better do," Jubril said and turned to walk away. "I don't want the Sultan to put you in chains, sell you as a slave, or cut off your hand. Or whatever else they do to people that borrow money and refuse to pay it back."

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I had a few coins in my pocket, but that wouldn't be enough. I felt eyes on me and turned. A man in rags walked towards me.

"God is merciful," said the man. "I've come to see you, my son."

I smiled. "A good evening to you, sir." I dug my hands into my pocket. The man looked like he needed more than felicitations. "This is for you, sir." I held the coins out to him.

At first, the man looked puzzled, then a big smile crossed his face. He exhaled and stood up straight. "You are the one I've been looking for."

I folded my hands over my chest. "How so?" I asked.

"Your father was a..." The old man tapped his forehead as if he was trying to remember.

"Tailor," I said.

"Yes, yes, and before that...?"

"A tracker," I blurted.

"Yes, yes," said the old man. "The desert fox."

My breath caught, my heart beating fast. I leaned closer. People who knew my father as a tracker were from a long time ago. "How did you know my father?"

"It was from a long time ago. He was such a nice man, the best." The old man cleared his throat. "However, today, it is you that I seek."

"Me, why?"

"Treasure..." The man's voice trailed off.

"Treasure?" I asked and leaned back.

The man nodded. "Your help is needed to retrieve buried treasure from the forbidden cave..."

"What?" A moment passed, then I threw my head back and laughed. "Old man, the forbidden cave filled with riches is all myth. Save your strength." I put the coins in the man's hands and folded his fingers over them. "Get yourself something to eat and a place to sleep. That would do you a lot of good and clear your mind of this treasure nonsense." I headed towards my door, my mind shifting back to my own problems.

"I have a map. All I need is a guide," said the man.

Still laughing, I shook my head, waved him goodbye and entered my room.

The next morning, I berated myself for giving the old man my last coins. It would have been more money to add to what I offered to Jubril. But the old man seemed to need it more than I did.

I worked as hard as I had ever done, but it was of no use. I would never get enough money. I finished for the day and was about to head home when Jubril appeared at my workplace with three of his sons.

"Aladdin, do you have my money?" asked Jubril.

My eyes drifted from him to his sons. An itch developed in my scalp and crawled all the way to my armpit and then down my back. A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "Jubril...you know I can pay you. Here." I reached into my pocket, took out what they paid me today, and handed it over to him.

Jubril counted it. "Where's the rest?"

"A few more weeks and I'll have all your money," I said.

Jubril jerked his head towards his son. "Grab his horse."

His three sons, who had remained quiet, stepped forward and took the bridle of my horse.

Desperation tightened around my chest like a rope. "Sir? Jubril," I said. "Without my horse, I can't work."

"That's your problem," said Jubril. "We'll see how much it fetches." He looked the horse over and ran his hand over its back. "It's still a good horse. My boys will clean it up, and tomorrow we'll take it to market."

I walked over to my horse, rubbed his neck and told him to go with them, it would turn out all right. I watched them walk away, my horse turning now and then to look at me.

"Remember what I said yesterday," said the eye patch man, his one good eye fixed on my face. "You have what it takes inside of you."

I continued to stare as they walked away with my horse, and the eye patch man's words died in the air.

The eye patch man sighed. "You just have to accept yourself for who you are and make it happen."

"Others have the touch of Midas," I mumbled. "But alas, anything I touch turns into what comes out from the rear end of a horse." For the first time in a long time, I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel.