This week on the Myths and Legends podcast, I'll start the story of Aladdin as it was originally put down to paper,

and we'll learn how to motivate a lazy kid. Just give him two supernatural servants of limitless power.

Last week's theme of terrorizing the warming you love in order to get her to love you will continue,

and we'll also see the dire consequences of using the power of the gods to your own myopic, selfish gain.

Spoiler alert, there are none.

And the mythological creature of the week's segment is the root of all nightmares,

who just wants to have coffee with you.

This is the Myths and Legends podcast, episode 2A, the Magicians Nephew.

First off, I know I said this would be a one part episode,

but to quote Tolkien, the tale grew in the telling,

and I'd rather have two 25-ish minute episodes than one that's nearly an hour long.

Since I've already quoted the last one, I'll just have to remain inaccurate,

but today is just the first half of the story of Aladdin.

The story of Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale set in China.

It's not the historical China though, but rather just a land that's really, really far away and exotic.

It's set in China's capital, though really it's just like a medieval Middle Eastern kingdom

that's been plopped out in that setting. It has a sultan, most of the people are Muslim,

and it's completely plausible that Aladdin, who is born and raised in China's capital,

has an African uncle from the Barbarian coast.

China here is really just China in name only, so sorry if you were looking for a long,

in-depth description of medieval China.

Our story starts with Aladdin, a young man being a complete scoundrel.

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