In the classic folk tale of Aladdin, the young boy Aladdin is granted three wishes by a genie who lives inside a magic lamp. Aladdin uses his first two wishes to marry the princess Jasmine and become prince of Agrabah. But what exactly is Aladdin’s third and final wish in the original story?
Aladdin’s First Two Wishes
In the original telling of the Aladdin folk tale, Aladdin is a poor young boy living on the streets. One day he is recruited by an evil sorcerer who tricks him into retrieving an old oil lamp containing a genie from a magical cave. Once Aladdin rubs the lamp, the genie appears and grants him three wishes.
For his first wish, Aladdin asks the genie to make him a prince so he can marry Princess Jasmine. The genie grants his wish, providing Aladdin with riches, fine clothes, and a grand palace. With his new princely status, Aladdin is able to woo and marry Jasmine.
For his second wish, Aladdin asks the genie to make him the most powerful prince in the world. The genie obliges, ensuring that Aladdin has vast lands, immense wealth, and great power and influence as the prince of Agrabah.
Origins of the Third Wish Storyline
In the original Aladdin story, there is no depiction of a third wish. The story ends after Aladdin’s marriage to Jasmine and ascension to prince. So where did the popular notion of a third wish come from?
The idea of a third wish seems to have originated in later adaptions of the Aladdin tale, most notably in the 1992 Disney animated film. In the Disney version, the villain Jafar steals the magic lamp and becomes the genie’s new master after Aladdin uses his first two wishes. Aladdin then has to use his cunning to trick Jafar into wishing to become an all-powerful genie himself, losing control of the lamp in the process. This allows Aladdin to make one last wish to free the genie and live happily ever after with Jasmine.
This climactic plot point introduced the idea of a third wish into popular consciousness. Other retellings of Aladdin since have also incorporated a third wish as a key part of the narrative.
What Was Aladdin’s Third Wish in the Disney Film?
In the 1992 animated Disney film, Aladdin’s third and final wish is to set the genie free. After using his first two wishes to become a prince and marry Jasmine, Aladdin promises to use his last wish to free the genie from eternal servitude. However, he then declines to actually make the wish in order to keep the genie around to help him win Jasmine’s love.
At the film’s climax, the evil sorcerer Jafar gains control of the lamp and becomes the genie’s new master. After outsmarting Jafar, Aladdin reclaims possession of the lamp and finally uses his last wish to grant the genie his freedom. The genie is overjoyed to be released after thousands of years of imprisonment in the lamp.
Why Did Aladdin Free the Genie?
Aladdin freed the genie for several key reasons:
- He had promised the genie he would use his third wish to free him from the lamp
- It was the right thing to do after the genie had granted him so much
- He saw that being trapped in the lamp made the genie miserable
- He cared about the genie and wanted him to be able to live freely and experience the world
- Freeing the genie removed the potential for others like Jafar to abuse his powers
Overall, Aladdin’s compassion and moral character led him to make the altruistic choice to liberate the genie rather than make a more selfish wish.
How Does the Third Wish Play Out in Other Versions?
The third wish storyline varies across other retellings and adaptions of Aladdin:
- In the 1994 live action film The Thief and the Cobbler, Aladdin wishes to undo all of the evil sorcerer’s plots.
- In the 2019 live action Disney remake, Aladdin wishes for the genie’s freedom like in the animated film.
- In the TV series adaptation, Aladdin never uses a third wish as he wants to keep the genie around. The finale sees the genie freed when the lamp is destroyed.
- In the Broadway musical version, Babkak, one of Aladdin’s friends, wishes for more wishes, inadvertently freeing the genie.
- In some books and comics, Aladdin wishes for things like eternal happiness or to become a genie himself.
So while the specific wish varies, most retellings incorporate a third wish in some form as a key narrative element.
What Might Have Been a More Selfish Third Wish?
While Aladdin nobly wished for the genie’s freedom, here are some more selfish things he could have wished for instead:
Immortality/Invincibility
Aladdin could have wished to become immortal or invincible, protecting himself from all harm and allowing him to live forever.
Vast Riches/Treasure
A wish for mountains of gold, jewels, money, or other valuables would have made Aladdin incredibly wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.
Power Over the Entire World
Aladdin could have wished to become the supreme emperor or sultan ruling over all the kingdoms of the world.
Magical Abilities
He could have wished for magical powers like being able to fly, shape-shift, teleport, control the elements, or cast spells.
Altering Fate
Aladdin could have wished to be able to change destiny or control all outcomes and events.
A Harem of Beautiful Women
Some retellings have Aladdin wishing for a harem of dozens or hundreds of beautiful princess brides.
Cure All Diseases/End All Suffering
A more altruistic but still far-reaching wish could have been to cure all diseases, eliminate poverty and hunger, or end all suffering in the world.
Conclusion
In the original Aladdin folk tale, there is no third wish depicted at all. The notion of a climactic final wish was introduced in later retellings, most prominently in Disney’s animated film adaptation. In the Disney version, Aladdin wished for the genie’s freedom after promising to release him from the lamp. While Aladdin could have made any number of more selfish wishes, his compassion led him to make the noble choice that reflected his character growth over the course of the story. The specifics of the third wish vary across other adaptions, but it remains a key narrative element of the Aladdin tale.