How The Peaceful Aladdin Gave Way To His Madness

His name was Aladdin.     The clothes he was clad in     Proclaimed him an Arab at sight,     And he had for a chum     An uncommonly rum     Old afreet, six cubits in height.     This person infernal,     Who seemed so fraternal,     At bottom was frankly a scamp:     His future to sadden,     He gave to Aladdin     A wonderful magical lamp.     A marvel he dubbed it.     He said if one rubbed it     One's wishes were done on the spot.     Now what would you do     Were it offered to you?     Refuse it undoubtedly (not)!     It's thus comprehensive     With pleasure extensive     Aladdin accepted the gift,     And, by it befriended,     Erected a splendid     Chteau, with a bath and a lift!     Not dreaming of malice,     One year in his palace     He led a luxurious life,     Till his genius dread     Put it into his head     That he needed a beautiful wife.     Responding to friction,     The lamp this affliction     At once for Aladdin secured;     The latter, delighted,     Imagined he sighted     A future of quiet assured.     When gladly he chose her,     He didn't suppose her     A philatelist, always agape     For novelties, yet     She had all of the set     Of triangular stamps of the Cape.     Some people malicious     Proclaimed her Mauritius     One-penny vermilion a sell.     But that was all rot. It     Was true she had got it,     And the tuppenny blue one as well!     Since thus she collected,     As might be expected,     She didn't for bric--brac care,     So she traded the lamp     For an Ecuador stamp     That somebody told her was rare!     This act served to madden     The mind of Aladdin,     But, 'spite of his impotent wrath,     His manor-house vanished,     To nothingness banished,     And while he was taking a bath!     The average Arab     Is hard as a scarab     When some one has wounded his pride,     So he jumped up and down,     With a cynical frown,     On the face of his beautiful bride!     He had picked up a cargo     Of curious argot     While living in Paris the gay;     In the slang of that city     He cried without pity:     "Comme a tu me fich'ras la paix!"     The Moral: When stamps you're adept on     Of risks you are reckless, and yet     Beware! If your face is once stepped on,     That's the last stamp you're likely to get!