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My names Al. Al
Kazam. You may not know me. But you may want to hear the story of
an old friend of mine, by the name of Aladdin.
Aladdin lived with his mother Sharon in a tiny house in a far away
country.
They were very poor and Aladdin's mother didn't like that
one bit.
"How am I supposed to buy nice things for my boy?" she would
complain to the cockroaches, who would mutter and nod and agree that
life was tough.
Aladdin himself was happy.
"Who wants to be rich?" he would always say. "As long
as I get my 3 meals a day and get to go for walks in the forest, I'm
happy. What else is there?"
Well, Aladdin was about to find out !
The next day, as he walked, Aladdin met Sultan's daughter, Virginia,
jogging along in the forest. She stopped jogging for a moment to feed
some ducks that waddled up to her.
"Wow", thought Aladdin, "She's kind, gentle, beautiful
and she likes exercise! She's perfect."
Aladdin wanted to be friends with her, but he had a problem. She was
the Sultan's daughter. She was used to being around rich people.
Why would she want to be friends with someone poor, like him?
Sadly, Aladdin turned to walk back home and along the way he tripped
over an old lamp hidden under some leaves.
Rubbing his sore toe, he picked up the lamp.
"Hey, this old thing may be worth a few dollars. I could sell
it and take Virginia for ice-cream. It just needs a quick polish."
He started polishing the lamp and was astounded to see a handsome
genie appear.
"What'll it be, pal?" asked the genie.
"Wow! I've got to get home and tell mum about this!"
gasped Aladdin.
"Sure thing, boss" said the genie.
And suddenly, they were inside Aladdin's home, before his astonished
mother.
His mother got more and more excited as Aladdin explained the story
of the genie. She looked at the lamp with excitement.
"Now we can be rich!" she said. "I can buy you things.
I can buy me things!"
"But I don't want to be rich" said Aladdin. "I'm
happy just to go for walks. Though I would like to be friends with
Virginia.
"Look" said the mother to her son. "The Sultan is a
rich man. Do you think he wants his daughter playing with someone
poor like you?"
Aladdin scratched his head and thought about this. Maybe his mother
was right?
He picked up the lamp and rubbed it. The genie appeared in a puff
of smoke.
"What'll it be, Boss?" he asked.
"I need to be rich, so I can be friends with the Sultan's
daughter." Said Aladdin. "Is there anything you can do?"
The genie smiled a charming smile.
"Leave it to me, Boss"
An hour later, the Sultan was sitting in his palace with his daughter,
playing a game of cards.
"No friends to play with today?' asked the Sultan.
"Oh, they're so silly!" said the daughter.
"All they think about is money"
"You and your strange ideas scare them off" said the Sultan.
"Fancy not liking being rich!"
A butler entered and cleared his throat politely.
"Excuse me, your Highness, but there are a Mr Aladdin and his
mother here to see you"
Aladdin and his mother entered and the Sultan gasped.
The genie had done a wonderful job on Aladdin and his mother. They
were dressed in the finest clothes and wore the brightest jewellery
and had the most fabulous hair of anyone the Sultan had ever seen.
They were rich!
Aladdin's mother moved forward.
"This is my son, Aladdin. He's rich!"
The Sultan smiled.
"Indeed?" he said. "Let's leave these two young
ones to get to know each other"
He led Aladdin's mother out of the room.
Aladdin looked at Virginia adoringly.
This was his chance!
"I don't suppose you'd like to go for lunch in Paris?"
asked Aladdin awkwardly. "I've got my boat made of gold
waiting outside."
Virginia sneered at Aladdin.
"No I would not" she snapped. "I'm not going to
be friends with you just because you're rich. I don't even
like rich people."
Aladdin looked miserable.
"What do I do now?" he asked his genie.
"Leave it up to me, Boss" said the genie. He clicked his
fingers and Aladdin's jewels and hairstyle disappeared. He looked
like his normal self again.
"Time for your walk isn't it, Boss" asked the genie.
"You're right" said Aladdin. Exercise always made him
feel happy.
"You like exercising?" asked Virginia excitedly.
"I love it" said Aladdin. "Want to go for a walk?"
The two youngsters held hands as they walked to the door. Aladdin
turned to the genie.
"Thanks for your help, Al. I don't think I'll be needing
you anymore."
Aladdin and Virginia walked outside into the forest, hand in hand.
And they're still outside playing together, to this very day.
Poor, but happy.
The Sultan and Aladdin's mother had been listening to the two
youngsters.
"He doesn't like money" said Aladdin's mother.
"Incredible." said the Sultan.
Sharon took his hand.
"Feel like lunch in Paris?" she said. "I have a gold
boat waiting outside"
"Love to' he replied.
And they sailed out across the sea - rich, but happy.
As for the genie, well I retired from magic. Now I travel all over
the country, telling stories about my adventures.
© Banksia Productions Pty Ltd
ALADDIN
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