Cassim, Aladdin's father, looked over some receipts from his merchant business. Three-and-a-half-year-old Aladdin noticed the serious expression on his father's face. "Is everything ok, daddy?" Young Aladdin asked.
"Everything is fine," Cassim answered, "what do you want?"
Aladdin was taken back by the tone in his father's voice. He looked up at his father with his big sad brown eyes, "I came to see if you could tell me a bedtime story," the young boy looked down trying not to make his father mad, "I put on my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and I even went potty for mommy," a smile creeped up on his face, feeling proud about how grown up he felt.
"All right," Cassim sighed, "just because you have been so good, but if I tell you a story you have to promise you will go to sleep right away and not bother me."
"Yes, daddy," the young boy answered. Aladdin made his way to the small bed in the corner of the room.
"Have I ever told you the story of Alibaba and the forty thieves?" Cassim asked his son.
"I think that story is too scary for bedtime," Aladdin's mother interjected.
"He has to learn about the difficulties of life, Rahna," Cassim fussed at his wife.
Aladdin listened to his father telling of the horrible deeds of the forty thieves and how Alibaba was able to find out the secret password, sneak in and return the items the thieves stole. After he finished his story Cassim wished his young son goodnight.
As Aladdin lay in bed with images of horrendous thieves in his head, he heard his father talking to his mother.
"You coddle that boy too much," Cassim barked at Rahna.
"Praising him when he does what I want him to do, is not coddling him," Aladdin's mother whispered angerly back at her husband, "All he wants is for you to be proud of him. He's very smart and very excited about starting school in two years. He also talks better than most children his age. You need to show him you, actually like him. Why don't you take him to work with you tomorrow at your stand?" Rahna suggested to her husband.
"I suppose as long as he promises to stay out of trouble, he can go to work with me tomorrow," Cassim agreed with an unenthusiastic tone in his voice.
The next morning while they were eating breakfast, Cassim turned to his young son. "If you are on your best behavior, you can join me at the stand in the market."
"Sure," Aladdin answered his father.
"Sit there," Cassim directed his son to the corner of the tent, "don't move, and don't talk to anyone."
"Yes, daddy," Aladdin answered. The young boy held the small doll his mother had made him and an apple she had given him to eat.
While Cassim started to unroll carpets, polish pots, and layout jewelry, Aladdin amused himself by watching the people in the marketplace go by. Old men pushed carts of vegetables, mothers held crying babies while they inspected fabric, and young children ran through the street.
As he studied the people of the marketplace Aladdin saw some people he didn't recognize. His mother had taught him not to judge people by appearances, but with their dark turbans and scarves pulled to cover there faces they seemed very sinister to young Aladdin.
"Cassim," A tall skinny man with a black turban and dark blue tunic whispered loudly to Aladdin's father, "do you really believe you have found the location of the Hand of Midas?"
"Careful," Cassim hissed as he pointed to his son, "little boys can have big ears."
The stranger nodded. "I know exactly what you mean, I have also been forced to take my son with me." The man pointed to a young boy who looked about six years old who was standing behind him. The boy had ghostly pale skin, glossy black hair and was dressed in black satin pants, a blue brocade jacket, and expensive looking pants. "May I introduce you to my son, Mozanrath."
"Why don't you sit next to my son Aladdin, Mozenrath." Cassim suggested.
"Oh, ok," Mozenrath replied as he rolled his eyes and sat next to Aladdin. "Move over," Mozenrath snapped.
Cassim pulled Mozenrath's dad to him on the other side of the tent yes, I believe I have finally found the map."
.The two boys sat silently in their spot for hours while the adults kept talking about things they didn't understand and clearly weren't supposed to know about or they wouldn't have to keep sitting still and quite far from the heated discussion.