Aladdin - the Arabian Nights

Chapter 4

"Where are we going, Uncle Jafar?"

Aladdin was in very good shape for someone who never got quite enough to eat, but he found himself having to scramble to keep up with Jafar's long strides as they made their way through a strangely blank expanse of desert. Aladdin had been a little disappointed when he found out they weren't going to the palace for their special outing, but he had soon brightened, supposing that wherever they were heading must be even better. They had been walking for most of the day now, only stopping briefly for a picnic lunch around noon, which had been quite pleasant since Aladdin had had the chance to tell Jafar all sorts of things, including that he hoped to live in a palace too someday. And Uncle Jafar had told him that he thought he could – well, what he said had been something like, "You'll get what you deserve."

"Get what you deserve!" Iago had repeated, which had made Jafar give him another warning look. It was odd how the words Iago chose to repeat always sounded so rude, but after all, he was only a parrot.

But now, they had been wandering for hours without seeing anything the slightest bit interesting, and they hadn't even been able to interact much what with the sand stirring around them and Aladdin out of breath, which was saying something considering the amount of running and jumping he usually did. He couldn't understand why Jafar would have taken him on a walk through an empty desert!

Jafar half-turned, smiling at Aladdin in that way Aladdin had become accustomed to, that strange smile Jafar had that somehow didn't reach his eyes. "Trust me," he said, "it's worth the wait."

And Aladdin had to take him at his word. He needed all the rest of his energy for walking.

He was glad, at least, that he was getting his new merchant outfit tomorrow, because otherwise he would have worn it today and it would have been ruined with sand by now, and Jafar might have had to buy him another one. He didn't care if his old rags were ruined by sand. Jafar, on the other hand, was wearing his usual regal red-and-black robes without any sign of sand damage, and he had as usual brought his golden staff topped with the carved cobra head, which seemed like a good idea on such a long walk. Aladdin couldn't figure out what its purpose was normally, except as a status symbol.

Finally, Jafar stopped, and Aladdin hurried to catch up to him and see where they had come to. But this part of the desert looked exactly like every other part of the desert: blank and featureless. Aladdin turned to Abu on his shoulder and they exchanged a puzzled look. Abu shrugged. He had shown signs several times today of wanting to turn back, but Aladdin had kept going and so of course Abu had stuck with him.

"This?" Aladdin said at last. "This is what we came all this way for?"

Jafar smiled again. "Things aren't always what they seem, boy."

From his robes he drew two small gold pieces, which he tossed onto the sand. There was a rumble that seemed to come from the very depths of the earth, and before Aladdin's amazed eyes, the stretch of desert in front of them began to rise from the ground. The earth shook so that Aladdin could hardly keep his balance, but he stayed rooted to the spot, fascinated and, yes, scared, but Uncle Jafar wouldn't have taken him anywhere dangerous. Slowly, the great mound of sand took shape, into something resembling a feline head. It seemed to have ears, small ears like a big cat's, with tiny earrings inside, and the two golden pieces rested on the mound like glowing yellow eyes. An enormous maw opened at the bottom, a wide, gaping mouth tipped with pointed fangs, looking very sharp in spite of being made of sand, and beyond this, steps stretched downward into what could only be described as the sand feline's throat. Aladdin felt Abu crawl under his vest, shaking uncontrollably. He didn't blame him.

The sand-tiger head spoke, in a deep, rumbling voice that seemed to come from the belly of the earth. "Who disturbs my slumber?"

Aladdin glanced at Jafar, who, he was relieved to see, did not look as though any of this surprised him. "What is it?" he whispered, half-afraid the Cave might hear him.