Week 5 Reading: 1001 Arabian Nights

This week I am reading The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H.J. Ford. This post will cover part B.

Aladdin and a Genie, from Tales of Faerie

• I am somewhat familiar with the story of Aladdin, but only the Disney version. I am interested in seeing just how Scheherazade changes the story from what I know to save her own skin. Changing the villian to be African seems mildly racist to me. 
• The change from a lamp to a ring is interesting, I like the idea of the lamp being a container for the genie. I suppose that the genies are magical beings, and can inhabit a ring. I also find it odd that the genie of the ring is unhappy, calling himself a slave. I wonder if he will be bitter and try to trick Aladdin. 
• Aladdin seems to be getting everything he wants, I wonder how it will backfire for him.  
• I feel like genies are maliciously compliant, the genie of the lamp has no sense of loyalty to Aladdin. 
• The magician having an even more evil brother strikes me as a really cliche way to end a story. 
• I'm surprised that Aladdin found a happy ending, usually the older fairy tales don't end as happily as the Disney versions. 

Thanks for reading.