The Third-Class Genie by Robert Leeson Read Free Book Online Page A

her own.”
    “Aieee, such misfortunes. Nay, Alec, I know a livelier tale than that.”
    “What’s that?”
    “How Shiraz the Fair outwitted the rich old man that would have her as his bride.”
    Alec chuckled. “Tell on, O Abu. But not so flipping fast, so that I can get it down.”
    It was a long story and between bites of shish kebab and bread it took most of the evening to write down. By the time Alec had cleared away the tell-tale crumbs and opened the window to waft out the cooking aroma, it was dark.
    Mum knocked on the ceiling for Alec to go to bed.
    “Now then, Abu, if you’re ready,” he said, when the house was quiet and all lights were out.
    “Thy will is my command.”
    Alec told Abu the sorry story of Tom, Elaine and the baby, of the boxroom and his own gloomy future. Abu hummed and ha-ed a little. “If you would have me make a new place for thy brother and his family, I fear that may take time.”
    “Don’t be daft, Abu. All I want is for you to make an extension to the house.”
    “Extension?”
    “Oh, Abu, didn’t they ever have do-it-yourself at the court of Haroun Al Raschid?”
    “Why, Alec, who would do-it-himself when there were slaves to command?”
    “I see your point, Abu.”
    So Alec tried to explain with diagrams and much pointing out of the window into the back yard, what he wanted. At last Abu said, “It is well; it shall be done. Now I must depart for a while. Ma’asalaama.”
    “Ma’aslaama, Abu.”
    There was silence for several minutes. Through the window Alec could see the familiar shape of the railway arch in the night sky.
    Suddenly the wall of his room began to tremble. Then it glowed with a strange green light and began to fade away until it had vanished completely, and all that was left was a dark emptiness.
    “Hey, Abu. What are you playing at?”
    “One moment, O Alec…” The genie sounded breathless.
    Out of the dark emptiness came a shape, first of walls and then of a floor extending into the night. Again there was a strange glow, but this gradually merged with the light of the room. Now the room stretched away in front of him. It seemed to be yards long and it was covered wall-to-wall with a luxurious, deep blue carpet; on either side were couches, chairs, and a soft-looking bed under a silk canopy. At the end of the room a big window opened to the sky. Abu had done him proud; it was a do-it-yourself extension palace and no mistake.
    He sprang off the bed and ran barefoot into the new room. He sank his feet into the soft carpet and threw himself down on the floor, rolled around, then leapt up on the bed and bounced on it like a trampoline. He didn’t know where to sit next, it all seemed so comfortable. Last of all he raced to the big window and looked out to see how far the extension reached.
    As he did, there came a strange noise.
    Someone was calling, “Help! Help!”
    He looked down into the yard and he gave a horrified shout.
    “Abu, come back! Salaam Aleikum… as quick as you can.
    “Help! Help! Help!…”
    All was dark at the back of the house, but Alec could vaguely see what had happened. Abu’s do-it-yourself king-size extension had filled the back yard completely and there wasn’t room for the caravan any more. It had been thrown on its side, with one wheel whirling madly away. From the window Granddad’s white head poked out with his hair blowing in the night breeze, while he shouted for help.
    “Abuuuu!” yelled Alec.
    “What is thy will, O Alec?” The genie was completely out of breath.
    “Quick! We’ve caused a catastrophe here. Get this extension out of the way and put the caravan right way up again.”
    “But this palace was made only at the cost of much effort.”
    “Well, you’d better make some more effort and do away with it. Granddad is going daft in there.”
    “Thy will is my command,” said Abu, but he sounded very peeved. There was a rushing sound, a creaking and crumbling and the magnificent room, its furnishings,