Chapter 1

Aladdin was a very simple and good boy. He lived in a small village with his mother and father. He wanted to go and see the big city. His uncle lived in the big city. Aladdin always talked about the big city. He had never seen it before. He was very keen about it.

Then slowly his eagerness turned into stubbornness. He always talked about the big city and used to say ‘I want to go, I want to go’. His father was very annoyed by this and one day he let Aladdin go and stay with his uncle. Aladdin was very happy. That night he did not even sleep properly. After midnight he got up, dressed, and got ready. He knew he was going to his uncle and visiting his uncle meant the big city. He shivered with joy and happiness. His parents told him not to get off the bus in the midway and not to get lost. They also told him not to talk to any strangers. He nodded and the dawn came. Aladdin’s father took him to the bus station on his motorbike and Aladdin got on the bus.

Honestly, he had never ever seen a big city before. He looked through the bus and saw the big buildings and wide roads, the motorway and big queues of traffic. He was shocked and thought about his little village. This big city was better than his home.

Anyway, he got off the bus and remembering the directions his father told him, he went looking here and there. He asked a few people and like that, he was in front of his uncle’s door before dusk.

Aladdin’s aunt didn’t even recognize him but his uncle did and he hugged him. Aladdin had bought some gifts and things from his village. He handed them to his aunt.

After a few days, Aladdin began to remember some of the roads and towns in the big city. His uncle’s son showed him big locations and sites. Aladdin was so happy that he was about to jump and never stop. After a few days, he began to go out by himself. Alone.

One day Aladdin had the urge to go and see the sea. Aladdin had heard some stories about sea that it was big and full of water but actually, he had never seen one. So, he made a decision and started walking towards the sea.

The sea came and Aladdin was very amazed and stunned. He thought people were always talking about sea is this and that but it is just a big river. Why can’t they just call it a river?

Aladdin enjoyed the view and the cool breeze. By looking at the sea, he began to fear swimming that he might drown. After thinking a moment, he decided to just give it a go. Therefore, he took off his clothes. He stood there for a moment then he slowly got in the sea. The water was cold and freezing and Aladdin was feeling very cold. Then his body warmed so he began to enjoy himself. He splashed the water here and there. There was a whole sea behind his back. He dared not look back. Because if he did, he will faint. But, he was a brave boy. So he looked back and saw this big layer of water coming. He screamed and began to run towards the beach. He was shouting help but the wave of water was very fast so it took over Aladdin and his body was in the water. Luckily, the water helped him get on the beach but the big problem came. The water took his clothes away. He looked around for his clothes. No clothes at all. He was wearing shorts and that was all. He thought how he was going to go to his aunt with just shorts on. No, he had to find his clothes.

He began to look through the sand but the very next moment he saw a reflection. A gold reflection. It was quite far away. He stood up and walked towards the reflection. When he came near, he saw it was a lamp. A gold lamp. He took the lamp in his hands and began to look at it with some great interest. The lamp was closed at the end. He forgot about his clothes and that he was only wearing shorts. He shook the lamp and listened. There wasn’t even a thing in it. He didn’t hear any voice and he didn’t even feel anything.

Aladdin decided that this lamp might be cheap. Very cheap. He thought about opening it and checking what's in it. He opened the top bit but it was like stuck with super glue. He tried harder but it was not opening. He began walking towards the city and off the beach. The road was on the other side. He felt naked. Some boys were laughing at him. Aladdin was very angry at this. He started running but forgot what was under his feet. He was bare foot. He slipped and fell down. The lamp fell down and there was a noise from it. Aladdin looked around and saw nobody noticing. The lamp was shaking slightly. He grabbed the lamp and went back towards the beach, in a quiet place.

When he was there on the beach, away from the public, he saw the mouth of the lamp was open and dark coloured smoke came out. Aladdin got worried and he dropped the lamp on the sand. The smoke was still coming out. It was thick black smoke. Aladdin couldn’t see through it. Aladdin was looking at the lamp, wide eyed. The smoke began to gather at one place and rose. Aladdin’s eyes followed the smoke and began to rise too. The smoke began to stretch and Aladdin fell back on the sand, worried and terrified.

Now the smoke began to disappear and it turned out to be something weird and creepy. Now, there was a ten or twelve feet tall man standing in front of him. Aladdin’s senses faded away with this. He began to crawl back on the sand. The man was in his shorts too. With whatever little courage he had, Aladdin stood up. They were standing now, facing each other. Aladdin was just about to faint but a strict and heavy voice belled in his ears.

‘My lord. Your slave is at your service.’ Aladdin heard and first, he didn’t believe he was hearing this but he saw the man’s lips moving and Aladdin knew it was a genie. He had heard many good stories about ghosts and genies and that’s why he believed that this man, standing in front of him, was a real genie. At this thought, he got in some control.

‘Who are you?’ Aladdin asked, already knowing he was a genie.

‘I am a genie and your slave because you freed me from this lamp,’ Genie said in a shrilled voice.

At this, Aladdin became happy and all the fear had gone from his heart.

‘Who trapped you in the lamp?’ Aladdin asked.

‘Do you know the story of the famous Aladdin and the lamp?’ Genie asked.

‘Yes yes, my father used to tell me the story of Aladdin,’ Aladdin spoke with some joy and happiness.

‘Then just say I am the genie of the lamp and a magician trapped me in this lamp because he was so angry. And I was here in this lamp for thousand years. Is your name Aladdin also?’ Genie asked.

‘Yeah, but how do you know my name? I never told you,’ Aladdin asked, worried and nervous.

Genie smiled. ‘Because the magician told me that one time my master is going to be a boy called Aladdin. That is you,’ he said.

‘Yeah, but how did you get to the magician from Aladdin?’ Aladdin asked.

‘Oh, don’t ask. This information is not told in the stories. But I tell you. Aladdin didn’t treated me right too. He used to send me to do big things and he once send me to the magician where I got trapped,’ the Genie said in a low and sad voice.

‘Really?’ Aladdin was very into the story.

‘Okay, enough of that. Tell me what I can do for you. I am getting late,’ the Genie said.

Suddenly, Aladdin remembered his clothes. He wanted to test this genie and he commanded him to bring him clothes.

‘Very well, my lord,’ the Genie said and bowed. The Genie disappeared and Aladdin just stood there looking.

Then, Aladdin was thinking that the genie might be a fraud and he could run away too. Aladdin realized he had done a big mistake telling him to bring clothes. He could have told him to bring some cash and gold and then he would enjoy the rest of his life.

Aladdin was deep in these thoughts when the Genie appeared out of nowhere. Aladdin saw the clothes Genie had bought and he had now fully trusted that this is a real Genie. The Genie handed over clothes.

‘Huh? What's this? These clothes are old and dirty?’ Aladdin said, sounding a bit angry.

‘Yes lord, I can’t afford new clothes. They are very pricey these days. That’s why I bought them from some cheap market,’ the Genie answered.

Aladdin didn’t speak and kept quiet.

‘Can I go now?’ the Genie asked.

Aladdin remembered the story of Aladdin and the lamp. ‘Brother Genie, if I want any other thing, will you do it for me?’

‘Yes of course. I will complete your every good wish,’ the Genie said.

‘Then how can I call you back?’ Aladdin asked like wise men.

The genie gave him a thin hair from his head. ‘If you ever need me just rub this hair with your hand till it warms up. I will come but beware. Do not make the hair so hot that it burns. Then I will never come and I will be free for ever,’ the Genie said.

Aladdin looked in his hand and saw the hair was thin and small. He was very happy.

‘Okay. You can go now,’ Aladdin said and the Genie disappeared.

Aladdin wore the cheap clothes then he remembered he had no shoes. But nothing can be done now. He does not want to call the Genie again so soon and he feared that the genie might escape.

He grabbed the lamp and began walking home bare foot. He thought about his uncle. If his uncle questioned him about shoes. What will he say? He thought on it and began walking towards the shops. He saw this old shop and he handed the lamp over to the shopkeeper and asked how much. The shopkeeper looked at him from toe to head.

‘Did you steal it from somewhere?’ shopkeeper asked. He was very clever. He saw Aladdin’s bare foot and his face told him that this boy is from a small village.

‘No. I didn’t steal it. My uncle gave it to me and told me to sell it and get a pair of new shoes,’ Aladdin lied.

‘New shoes? New shoes are expensive and this lamp is cheap,’ the shopkeeper said.

‘Oh, then don’t you have any cheap shoes?’ Aladdin asked.

‘Yes this pair of shoes. They are cheap. Equal to this lamp. Want them?’

‘Yes please,’ Aladdin said and the shopkeeper handed them to Aladdin. He wore the shoes. They were okay. He was quite calm now but in his heart, he was worried about his uncle and aunt.

He needed some more money and he regretted selling the lamp. He could call the Genie and get some money and saying goodbye to his uncle; he would go to his village and get a big house and stay. The same castle that Aladdin built in the story. He thought about his father. Aladdin would call the Genie and would clear all the debts of his father. Then, he would stay in the big castle with his father and mother. And nobody will ever look at them with a bad eye. Everybody would respect Aladdin and he would become the king and rule the village.

He was thinking and walking. He was so deep thinking that he didn’t realized he slipped in a manhole and into the drain of dirty water and waste. Falling, his shoes slipped off and fell somewhere and his elbows were injured.

Few people saw him falling in. Soon, there was a crowd surrounding the sewer hole. Aladdin was buried in seven feet dirty waste. People helped him and he got out. There was a tap nearby. They washed him and now he was wet but clean. Once again, he had no shoes on. He looked at the manhole with hatred eyes and hid somewhere. He was so embarrassed about all this.

Now his home was near, so he made his way through alleys to his home, avoiding public.

He thought about the hole and how unlucky he is. He didn’t even saw a big hole in front of him. There wasn’t any time for thinking because his uncle’s home was just round the corner. He can see it now. He stood in front of the door and sighed. Let’s see what happens, he thought and walked in.