Thus, it will be seen, popular tales containing all the essential elements of the story of Aladdin are spread over Europe, though hardly any of the versions was probably derived from it; and the conclusion at which I have arrived is that those elements, or incidents have been time out of mind the common property of European and Asiatic peoples, and that the tale of Aladdin may be considered as an almost unique version.  The Mecklenburg legend is the only variant which has the incident of the Magician requiring the Lamp before helping the hero out of the Cave and that of the transporting of the princess from her palace to the hero’s house during the night, but these are not, I think, sufficient evidence that it was adapted from Galland.

The royal command that all shops are to be closed and everybody must keep within doors while the Princess Badr al-Badur proceeds to the bath and Aladdin’s playing the part of Peeping Tom of Coventry occur in many Eastern stories and find a curious analogue in the Adventures of Kurroglu, the celebrated robber-poet, as translated by Dr. Alexander Chodzko m his “Popular Poetry of Persia,” printed for the Oriental Translation Fund, and copies of that work being somewhat scarce, I daresay the story will be new to most of my readers: 

Listen now to the tale about the Princess Nighara, daughter of the Turkish sultan Murad.  In the neighbourhood of Constantinople lived a man who was known there under the name of Belli Ahmad.  One day the Princess Nighara went out for a walk through the bazars of Constantinople.  At the same time Kurroglu’s fame spread all over Turkey; everybody was telling stories about him, and all were struck with wonder.  The Princess Nighara’s fond heart particularly was filled with an ardent wish of seeing this extraordinary hero, and she often thought in her mind, “O my God, when will you allow me to behold Kurroglu?” It happened that while Belli Ahmad was taking a walk in the bazars of Istambul, he looked and beheld on the platform of the building daroghs beating drums, whilst all the inmates of the bazar, the workmen as well as the merchants, were flying in a great hurry after having left their shops ajar.  “Why are they thus running;” inquired Belli Ahmad of a Turk.  “Doss thou know nothing?  Then listen:  Our king, Sultan Murad, is gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca.  His son Burji Sultan reigns until his father’s return.  He has a sister whose name is the Princess Nighara.  Every Friday she goes to pray in the great mosque.  The Sultan’s will is that during the passage of the princess through the bazars, no man should remain there, but that all the shops be left open.  This is the reason of this panic and flight.  As soon as the princess has passed, the merchants and workmen will return to their shops again.”