The Prophet Motive

Narrator: Centuries ago, there lived an evil giant, Fashoom, who amazed a prodigious treasure plundered from a thousand caravans.

(Wall painting of the giant cyclops Fashoom and his treasure; pan to a painting of a thief.)

Narrator: All who tried to steal Fashoom’s treasure fell victim to his eye of destruction.

(Pan to another painting of Fashoom, with fire shooting out of his eye.)

(New painting, of a young man with long black hair and brightly colored clothes holding a glowing magic staff.)

Narrator: His brother, Fasir, cast a spell on Fashoom, turning the monster to stone.

(Painting of stone Fashoom.)

Narrator: For a thousand years, none of this has mattered. Until now.

(Close up of Fashoom painting; his eye is a red precious stone, which glimmers.)

(Setting: the streets of Agrabah.)

(Aladdin and Abu turn a corner onto the street. They walk to the end of the street; it is a dead end. Iago flies around the corner after them and lands on a windowsill.)

Iago: Oh, yeah. Here’s another promising dead end. You don’t get any loster than this. If you’re streetwise, I’d hate to see street-stupid!

Aladdin: But we can’t be lost! I’ve lived in these alleys for seventeen years! Now suddenly everything’s different. All changed around.

Old man: Perhaps I can help you find your way.

(They turn around to see an old man with a long white beard and long hair, wearing ragged brown clothes and with a cloth tied around his eyes and using a stick to walk. Apparently, he is blind.)

Iago: Oh, great, the blind leading the incompetent.

(The man swings his stick at Iago and barely misses. Iago squawks.)

Old man: Appearances can be deceiving, raucous one. Even blind I see more than you, for I see... the future.

Iago: And I see... a rip-off!

Aladdin: I’m sorry, but I can’t afford to be, uh...

(The man blocks Aladdin with his cane.)

Old man: And who mentioned money?

Aladdin: Well, I - I just assumed that, uh...

Old man: That because I choose to dress simply, I must be a beggar. Ah, you see, appearances can be deceiving.

Aladdin: Ah, well, thanks but no thanks. (starts to walk away)

Old man: I understand. Many are afraid of the future.

(Aladdin stops and turns around.)

Aladdin: Afraid?!

Iago: He’s hooked.

Aladdin: Hey, I am not afraid, old man. Go on, tell me what you see.

Old man: I see... (puts hand on his forehead) ... and the Mouth of Mamoon-Ra speaks. (he takes his and away, and there is the shape of a pair of red lips on his blindfold)

(The scenery around Aladdin has changed into gray clouds. A mask in the shape of a female face with blue-green skin and red lips floats out of the man’s blindfold and floats toward Aladdin.)

Mouth of Mamoon-Ra: You’ll race to save a friend so thin. The dark ship flies; you cannot win. A pick you’ll find among the bones, Then meet your doom upon the stones.

(The mask flies back into the man’s blindfold, and the scenery returns to normal.)

Old man: The Mouth of Mamoon-Ra has spoken.

Aladdin: Did you say “doom”?

Iago: Hey, what am I, chopped camel meat? What about my future?

(The old man waves his hands, and a cloud appears, which shows Aladdin lying on the ground as if dead, with Jasmine, Abu, and Iago around him.)

Old man: I see you weeping over his motionless form.

Abu: Ooo....

Aladdin: Oh, this is ridiculous. (starts to walk away) Hey, come on, we’ve wasted enough time here.

Old man: Remember, Aladdin: Appearances can be deceiving.

Aladdin: (turns around) Yeah? Well... what? But I... we were... there was... the marketplace? (Aladdin and the others are now in the marketplace instead of an alley) But...how did we get here?

Iago: Am I the only one having an anxiety attack?

(Setting: in the palace garden.)

(Genie, in the form of a fat woman, is giving a manicure. Carpet is fanning her with a leaf.)

Genie: I swear, honey, just look at your cuticles. How long have you been working on the railroad? Ha, just kidding.

(Carpet hears a rustling sound and turns around to see a pink, feminine- looking carpet in front of a tree holding a small hand fan. It giggles and waves to Carpet. Carpet points to himself, as if to say, “Who, me?” The other carpet waves some more and whistles to him. Carpet jumps into the air excitedly and speeds over to the other carpet who has ducked behind a tree. She flies up into the tree and signals for Carpet to follow. We then see that the lady carpet is a marionette being controlled by Haroud, who lays it on a branch. When Carpet follows, Abis Mal reaches out and grabs him.)

Abis Mal: Gotcha. (Grunts with effort) Quick, Haroud! The moths! The moths!

(Haroud pulls a jar full of moths out of his jacket.)

Abis Mal: (to the audience) Note: piranha moths. From the Congo. (Struggles with Carpet some more) Do what I say or you’ll have more holes than something with a great many holes.

(Carpet stops struggling.)

(Genie pulls out a chainsaw to use on Jasmine’s nails. Jasmine hears Abis Mal laughing, and turns to see him and Haroud flying away on Carpet.)

Jasmine: Abis Mal!

(Carpet flies over the palace.)

Jasmine: Carpet, no!

(Setting: just outside the palace.)

(Aladdin, Iago, and Abu are returning to the palace.)

Aladdin: “save a friend so thin”... Who do I know who’s thin?

Iago: Ahem. (sucks in his gut)

(Jasmine and Genie run out of the palace.)

Jasmine: Aladdin! Abis Mal’s stolen Carpet!

Iago: Oh, *him* ...

Aladdin: We need some transportation, Genie.

Genie: I’ve got just the thing!

(Genie changes into a chariot, and Aladdin and Jasmine jump inside.)

Abu: Uh oh! (Starts to run away, but Genie changes him into a horse and hooks him up to the chariot)

(They chase after Abis and Haroud on Carpet through the marketplace.)

Aladdin: A fortune teller said I’d “race to save a friend so thin”! He must have meant Carpet!

Abis Mal: (looking down) What? Oh, great, it’s that Aladdin kid again. Curse him! May his bones...uh...uh...bones...uh...

Haroud: Crumble, sir?

Abis Mal: Crumble! Yes, ya ha ha! And may his flesh just...hmm...

Haroud: Rot.

Abis Mal: Rot. Rot’s good. I like rot. Let’s, let’s stick with rot. (evil laughter)

(They chase Abis Mal to a village on the sea.)

Haroud: We’ve reached the ship, sir. (they land in a ship)

(Genie and Abu stop. Genie changes into a pelican, and zaps Abu back into a monkey, but still wearing a horse collar.)

(Aladdin, Jasmine, and Iago stand on the pier, watching Abis Mal’s ship get away.)

Jasmine: We’re too late!

Iago: Just like the old man predicted!

Aladdin: “The dark ship flies; you cannot win”!

Iago: Well, that’s that. When we get back to the palace, let’s send out for falafel.

Aladdin: Haven’t lost the race yet. (walks over to a fisherman holding a net) Excuse me, is your boat seaworthy?

Fisherman: Well, yes...

Jasmine: We’ll buy it! (hands him a bag of gold)

Fisherman: (looking at the coins) But...

(They have already left in a boat.)

Fisherman: (to the audience) That’s not my boat!

(Setting: Abis Mal’s ship.)

(Haroud is sewing Carpet to the sail.)

Abis Mal: (calling up to Haroud) If it were me, I’d go for double stitching on the corners!

Haroud: (annoyed; growls) As you wish, O great Abis Mal!

(Setting: Aladdin’s ship.)

(Aladdin pulls down the sail; it is ragged and full of holes.)

Aladdin: I think we overpaid. Genie, we need a new sail!

Genie: I’ll do better than that.

(Genie goes to the back of the boat, pulls on his hair, and makes sounds like an outboard motor starting up. Then he puts his face in the water and uses it as a motor, speeding their boat towards Abis Mal’s.)

(Setting: Abis Mal’s ship.)

Abis Mal: Still he pursues me! What is it with this kid? May he...he...um...

Haroud: Burn in eternal flame, sir.

Abis Mal: Right! Starting tomorrow I learn a new curse every day. Haroud! The moths!

Haroud: Moths it is, sir! (takes out jar and holds it towards Carpet) Fly. Now.

(The carpet starts to glow, and the glow spreads over the entire ship, which starts to rise into the air.)

(Setting: Aladdin’s ship.)

(Aladdin is talking to Jasmine.)

Aladdin: ...Then he said, “A pick you’ll find among the bones, then meet your”...uh...um, uh, I - I forget the rest.

Iago: Are you kiddin’? That’s the best part! “Meet your doo-”

(Aladdin claps his hand over Iago’s beak.)

Jasmine: Meet your what? What are you hiding?

(Aladdin sighs and lets Iago go.)

Aladdin: “Meet your doom upon the stones.”

(Jasmine gasps.)

Aladdin: It’s just a lot of mumbo-jumbo! Doesn’t mean a thing!

Jasmine: But racing to save a thin friend! He was right about that!

Aladdin: Yeah, well, he said Abis Mal’s ship would fly, too...

(Abu screeches and points to something behind Aladdin.)

Aladdin: ...But you don’t see that (turns around) hap...en...ing...

(Abis Mal’s ship flies towards them.)

Aladdin: “The dark ship flies”!

(When the ship is directly over Aladdin’s, it drops its anchor, sinking it.)

Abis Mal: Dropping heavy objects on people! (laughs) I like it! Haroud, remind me to steal more heavy objects. Now, get the net! I want to do... a little fishing.

(Aladdin, Jasmine, and Abu cling to driftwood. The genie turns into a buoy and Iago lands on him.)

Jasmine: Maybe we can reach those rocks! (points to some sharp rocks in the distance)

Aladdin: But we still have to rescue Carpet! And - and he’s...

(Abis Mal’s net drops on them and catches everyone but Iago.)

Abis Mal: (to Haroud) Lucky shot. Now, reel them in.

Haroud: (to himself) Physical labor, ugh. (out loud) As you wish, sir. The thrill of the capture shall be mine. (starts to turn the winch)

Abis Mal: What? No! No! Stop taking my thrills. I don’t get that many thrills! (pushes Haroud out of the way and winds the winch himself) I’m...ugh...oof...

(Haroud smiles.)

(Coughing, Genie, Aladdin, Abu, and Jasmine are slowly lifted out of the water.)

Aladdin: Genie! (coughs) Go check on Carpet!

Genie: Aye aye, Captain! (salutes, turns into a fly, and flies away)

Jasmine: You could have had him get us out of this net first!

Aladdin: Why? We wanted to catch up with Abis Mal, and that’s where we’re headed.

Iago: Oh yeah, this is a good thing...

(They all scream; they are headed for the sharp rocks.)

Mouth of Mamoon-Ra: (voice over) Meet your doom upon the stones....

(Aladdin pushes Abu through the net.)

Aladdin: Save yourself, Abu!

(Abu starts to climb up the rope towards the ship, then stops.)

Aladdin: Go on! Abu, go!

(Abu runs back and grabs Aladdin’s arm.)

Aladdin: Iago!

Iago: I know, I know, save the monkey. (flies down and grabs Abu with his talons) Isn’t it enough I gotta risk life and limb? Now I gotta risk fleas!

(Abu chatters angrily.)

Aladdin: Come on, Jasmine, help me lift!

(Aladdin and Jasmine try to lift themselves up with the rope; they barely miss the sharp rocks, and sigh with relief.)

Abis Mal: (grunting; still turning the winch) Villainy is a lot more rewarding with someone to gloat over, am I right?

Haroud: (leaning against the mast, drinking a cup of tea) Mm, well, that has been my experience, sir.

(Abis Mal pulls Aladdin and Jasmine onto the boat.)

Aladdin: You won’t get away with this, you filthy jackal!

Abis Mal: Ooo! Filthy jackal! Haroud, write that one down!

(Abu and Genie are watching from the sail with Carpet.)

Genie: Pst! Up here! (Genie has turned into a pair of scissors) Do I cut him loose neatly or (turns into a sword) quickly?

Abu: No! No, no no no no! (signals with his hands that the ship will fall if Carpet is cut loose)

Genie: Oh, right. We’d drop like a stockbroker on Black Tuesday! And
 * that* would be *bad*! Sorry, my hands are tied!

(Carpet points to Aladdin and Jasmine.)

Genie: Roger! I’ll stick with Al and Jas! (turns into a fly and flies below deck where Aladdin and Jasmine have been taken)

(Setting: below deck on Abis Mal’s ship.)

(Aladdin and Jasmine are tied to chairs.)

Abis Mal: Admit it, (Iago looks in the window) you’re dying to know why I stole your tasseled friend.

Jasmine: Obviously to make him fly your stupid ship.

Abis Mal: But why do I want him to fly my stupid ship? That’s what you should be asking.

(Genie as a fly flies in Abis Mal’s face, who tries to swat him with his hand. Genie lands on Aladdin’s nose.)

Genie: Should I make with the semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic powers?

Aladdin: Not yet, I wanna hear his plan!

Abis Mal: Beg all you want! I’ll never reveal my plan! Ha ha! Go ahead! Beg me!

(Aladdin and Jasmine yawn.)

Aladdin: Couldn’t care less, actually.

Abis Mal: OK, you dragged it out of me. (pulls up a chair) I’m going to steal the treasure of Fashoom!

Aladdin: (laughs) Fashoom?

Jasmine: He’s just a myth!

Abis Mal: Myth? Ha ha. It’s a cover-up. And I have learned the location of his secret castle.

Jasmine: But that doesn’t explain why you need a flying ship.

(Haroud enters, holding a bottle.)

Haroud: Uh, approaching the castle, sir.

Abis Mal: Well, Fashoom’s castle is a little off the beaten path.

(The clouds part to show a castle floating in the air.)

Haroud: One more thing, sir. (holds up the bottle) I found this buzzing about the garbage pail. (it is Genie as a fly, who changes into a miniature Genie) Seems to be a genie of some sort. Absolutely powerless when confined.

Abis Mal: This is great! (sticks the bottle in his belt) First I steal your carpet, then your genie! (laughs) What else have you got for me to take, I wonder? (touches Jasmine’s chin; she tries to bite him) Ah ah ah!

(Setting: a cell on the ship.)

(Abis Mal throws Aladdin into a cell, which has two skeletons in it.)

Abis Mal: Now, play nice. You guys will be rooming together for the next few centuries. (slams the door)

Aladdin: What about Jasmine? Where are you taking her?

Abis Mal: Don’t worry, she’s going with us. Somebody has to check for booby traps.

(Haroud drags Jasmine above deck; Abis Mal follows them.)

Jasmine: Aladdin!

Aladdin: Jasmine!

(Aladdin looks at the skeletons.)

Aladdin: What are you grinning at? (thinking) Hmm...

(Setting: the sail of the ship.)

(Abu is starting to pull out the string Carpet is sewn to the sail with.)

Iago: OK, OK, as soon as Genie gets them free, you rip out those stitches, and we’re outta here. Got it?

Abu: Uh huh!

(Carpet sees Abis Mal, Haroud, and Jasmine leaving the ship and starts flapping around. Abu starts chattering at him.)

Iago: Hey! Chill your tassels!

(Setting: Aladdin’s cell.)

(Aladdin picks the lock of the cell with a finger bone and lets himself out.)

Aladdin: Huh! Now that’s what I call a skeleton key.

Mouth of Mamoon-Ra: (voice over) A pick you’ll find among the bones...

Aladdin: ... “Then meet your doom”...

(The ship rocks, and knocks Aladdin over.)

Aladdin: What was that? (runs above deck)

(Setting: the sail of the ship)

(Carpet is thrashing around.)

Iago: Hey, simmer down! We’ll rescue Jasmine in a minute!

(Carpet rips himself almost all the way out, knocking down Abu, who grabs a rope on the way down.)

Iago: No! Aaaahh!

(Carpet is all the way out; the ship starts to fall.)

Iago: (to Carpet) Uh oh, we blew it.

(Setting: the deck of the ship.)

(Aladdin has just come up the stairs.)

Aladdin: What’s goin’ on? Huh?

(Abu swings down and hits him in the face, knocking him against the side of the ship. They look over the side and see that they’re falling.)

(Aladdin and Abu fall over the side of the ship and start yelling. They fall through some clouds; a second later they come flying back through the clouds on Carpet.)

Aladdin: Huh! You weren’t worried, were you, Abu?

Abu: Who, me? Hah! (falls over)

(Setting: Fashoom’s castle)

(Abis Mal pushes open the door to the castle.)

Jasmine: Oh...

Abis Mal: ...boy!

Haroud: And, might I add, wow!

(The entire castle is filled with piles of gold and jewels.)

Abis Mal: As treasures go, this one’s a real, um, uh, oh...

Haroud: A lollapalooza, sir?

Abis Mal: Yahoo! (jumps headfirst into a pile of gold, and spits out some coins. He looks up and sees a giant stone statue of a cyclops with a ruby for an eye) Yeaaaahhhhh!

(Setting: just outside the castle.)

Iago: (pacing in a circle) Oh, boy. If they’re not back in ten minutes, I call all the hospitals.

(Aladdin and Abu fly up on Carpet.)

Iago: Take a little longer next time! Oh, why don’t you just go for some espresso? (sees the finger bone) Wait a minute, what, praytell, have we here?

Aladdin: Just the bone I used to pick the lock of my cell!

Iago: You mean you found the pick among the bones? Eh, that’s it. Prophesy fulfilled. You’re dead.

Aladdin: Forget the prophesy! Hey, who’s in charge of my destiny, anyway? I am, that’s who! Not some back-alley fortune teller!

Abu: Uh huh!

Iago: Yeah, we are talking some serious denial here.

Aladdin: Let’s go, Carpet!

(Carpet flies away with all of them, Iago squawks.)

(Setting: inside Fashoom’s castle)

Haroud: (knocking on the statue of Fashoom) It’s solid stone, see. Perfectly harmless. Now let’s be a grown-up villain and stop gibbering and drooling.

(Abis Mal is making gibbering noises and trying to run away, but Haroud is holding on to the end of his coat. After Haroud finishes talking, he gets a grip on himself.)

Abis Mal: Uh...uh...Oh. Uh, yes. Ahem. Ahem. Of course. Focus. Focus. Well, what are you waiting for? Get me that eye!

Haroud: (laughs) You mean, *I* will have the honor of being first to touch the eye?

Abis Mal: Yes! I mean, no, no! Of course not! You? Ha ha ha! Don’t make me laugh! Nyah ha ha! (starts climbing the statue) Ha ha, once I’ve got that eye, the whole world will, will, uh...

Haroud: Shudder at your name. (pulls out a nail file; Jasmine starts to sneak away)

Abis Mal: (pulling out the eye) Oh, you think? Shudder! (pulls out the eye and falls off the statue) Yeow! Ooh... (Haroud looks concerned) I’m OK... My fall was broken by my spine. Now, who will be my first victim? (sees Jasmine almost out the door) Ha ha! (zaps the pillar next to her, blocking her path; she gasps) I like this thing!

Haroud: It’s you, sir.

(Aladdin, Abu, and Iago swoop down on Carpet, and Aladdin grabs the eye from Abis Mal.)

Abis Mal: Huh? What?

Jasmine: Aladdin!

Aladdin: (stops Carpet in front of the statue and aims the eye at Abis Mal and Haroud) Now you’ll do as *I* command!

Abis Mal: (grabs Jasmine and uses her as a shield) Go ahead. Use it to turn your princess to cinders!

(The statue roars and comes to life.)

Fashoom: Who has Fashoom’s eye? (waves his hands around searching, and knocks into Carpet, knocking Aladdin to the floor.)

(Jasmine gasps. Fashoom picks up the fallen eye and puts it back; it changes into a real eye.)

Fashoom: Ah, yes. (picks up Aladdin’s limp body) No one steals from Fashoom!

Abis Mal: Told you we shouldn’t steal from Fashoom! (lets go of Jasmine)

Fashoom: (puts down Aladdin) So, you stole Fashoom’s eye!

Abis Mal: Stole is a very strong word!

(Abis Mal and Haroud run away; Fashoom tries to step on them.)

Jasmine: (Goes over to Aladdin, who still isn’t moving) Aladdin?

Abu: Oh... Aladdin? (lifts up Aladdin’s eyelid)

Jasmine: Aladdin! (hugs him)

(Abu and Iago start crying; it looks just like the scene the old man showed earlier.)

Iago: “And meet your doom upon the stones”! (blows his nose)

Jasmine: No! No!

Fashoom: (roars and tries to zap Abis and Haroud)You stole Fashoom’s eye! (Abis jumps into Haroud’s arms)

Aladdin: (opens his eyes) Pst! Princess!

(Jasmine gasps; Iago squawks with surprise.)

Jasmine: I thought you were...You looked...!

Aladdin: Hey, appearances can be deceiving! Now listen closely...

Fashoom: (roars) All who steal from Fashoom must pay!

Abis Mal: (gets down on his knees) Oh, please! Spare me! Do what you want to him, (gestures to Haroud) but leave me alone! Please!

Haroud: (sarcastically) Your loyalty is touching, O great one. (bows)

Fashoom: Foolish mortal! Fashoom spares no one!

Jasmine: Fashoom! We’re warning you to stop, or else!

Fashoom: (laughs) You cannot stop Fashoom! Fashoom will once again rain destruction upon the land! And he begins with you!

(Fashoom tries to zap Jasmine and the others, but they jump out of the way, and the bolt hits a silver shield Aladdin is holding and bounces off it to the ceiling just above Fashoom.)

Fashoom: What? Aahh! (the ceiling caves in trapping Fashoom)

Jasmine: It worked!

Aladdin: Ha! He won’t bother anyone again!

Abis Mal: (holding a bottle) Forgetting something, Aladdin? (sing-song voice) I’ve got your genie! Until I let him out, then he’ll be my genie.

Iago: Oh, that *can’t* be right. Can it?

Aladdin: Uh, I - I don’t know! Well, it’s never come up before!

Abis Mal: Well, let’s just pop her open and see. (opens the bottle) Destroy them! (piranha moths come flying out of the bottle and eat all of Abis Mal and Haroud’s clothes except their hats and boxers)

Haroud: Wrong bottle, sir.

(They run away from the moths, screaming.)

Jasmine: But if that jar was the moths, then where’s Genie?

Abu: Oh! Ho ho ho ho! (pulls the genie’s bottle out of his vest)

Aladdin: Ha! Abu, you little thief! (takes the bottle)

Genie: Oh, it’s great to be back, Al. Uh, now how about letting me out? I’ve got such a leg cramp!

(Setting: on the carpet, flying back to Agrabah)

Jasmine: Aladdin, what about Abis Mal and Haroud? We can’t just leave them there!

Aladdin: Eh, we’ll come back for them... after we stock up on mothballs. (pats the carpet, who gives him a thumbs up)

Jasmine: I’d like that fortune teller to read my future. Do you think you could find him again?

Aladdin: I don’t know. Somehow, I think he’s the one who’ll find us.

(Setting: an alley in Agrabah)

Old man: Don’t worry, Aladdin. Fasir will keep an eye out for you.

(Fasir takes off his blindfold; he has one eye like a cyclops, with a red iris. He chuckles and starts to walk away, then disappears.)