Breaking News
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Son of well-known tailor has been missing for 72 hours.
Camera man: "And.. we're rolling."
News Anchor: "This is Lisa Lawson with Channel 82 News. Aladdin, the famous son of the founder of Mustapha's Tailor Co., has been missing for 72 hours now. Police are here at the gardens located on the outskirts of the city. This was the last place that he was seen. A couple, who we spoke to earlier, is claiming to have seen him with a man about fifty years old, dark hair, a beard, and he was wearing a nice black suit. We will keep you all updated. If you have any information on this young man's whereabouts please notify the police immediately."
Update: 1:16 p.m.
News Anchor: "We're back at the gardens where Aladdin was last seen, and after watching security camera footage it has been confirmed that he was here three days ago. We are glad to be getting some information about his disappearance. Police were also able to speak to Aladdin's mother, and we have now identified the man who may have been responsible for this. We will provide a picture of him on our website. His mother says she trusted the man and let him into her home because he was pretending to be a distant uncle. He even had pictures of Aladdin's late father as a child, so she believed it was the real deal. Police have taken the next step and are now tracking their cell phones to see where they may be located."
Update: 3:08 p.m.
News Anchor: "Aladdin has been found unharmed! And he has a very interesting story to tell. Here he is now."
Aladdin: "Well, this all began with my fake "uncle" which as you all already know, tricked me. I believed he was trying to help me out because my father died recently. But boy, was I wrong. He bought me clothes, showed me around town, and gave me hope for finding a trade. We ate lunch at the gardens, and then he took me out into the forest. He told me to gather firewood and he would show me something wonderful. Next, I heard him chanting. All of a sudden, the earth started to rumble, and the land began to split between the two mountains! He placed a ring on my finger and shoved me into the split earth. I saw a glowing, golden lamp and he yelled for me to grab it. So, I grabbed the lamp and took off running deeper in until I couldn't see him anymore! I knew then that he used me to get the lamp that he wanted, and he also wanted to hurt me. I had to get away from him. I wondered why he went through all this trouble for a simple lamp? But, there I waited for a couple of days. I was afraid and lonely. One night, I was so cold and began to rub the lamp. Then, that's when my magic genie appeared! He came out of the lamp and told me that he was a slave to me because I was wearing the ring that was given to me. He saved me! That's how I made it back to town safely. I'm happy to go home to my mother and my new friend the genie. I hope that harmful man gets caught."
Author's Note: This story is quite different than the original because I decided to tell it through a news report. In the original story it begins with introducing Aladdin as the son of Mustapha, a poor tailor. He is disappointed in Aladdin for not learning a trade, so much that he dies. Aladdin still does not mend his ways, and his mother is upset too. One day a man approaches Aladdin claiming to be his uncle. He comes over for dinner, and then takes Aladdin out to the gardens and then out to the mountains. When they arrived at a valley between two mountains Aladdin was asked to gather wood for a fire. When the fire was lit the "uncle" threw a powder on it and the ground began to shake, opening the earth below. A stone appeared and steps leading down into the earth. the magician told Aladdin to go down for a treasure awaiting him. He asked Aladdin to get the lamp, but Aladdin knew better and stayed down there until the uncle left. He stayed down there for days when he realized his "uncle" was a lying magician who used him. Finally, the genie came out of the lamp and said that he was now a slave to Aladdin.
The main thing that is different about my story is the way that I told it through a news report. I also added in that Aladdin was missing for three days and everyone was worried about him. When Aladdin tells the story himself, it is quite similar to the story, but it is a more summarized version.
Bibliography: The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 1
Hi McKenna!
ReplyDeleteI love how you started off this story! The dialogue and times really draw the reader in and I can almost hear the voices out loud as I read.
I would love to know more details about how this man got away with pretending to be his father. I really like how you modernized this story by making it a news broadcast and including cell phones.
Overall, this was a great story and I am going to keep this writing style in mind for myself in the future! Very creative!
Hey again, McKenna!
ReplyDeleteThis was definitely a very creative take on the story of Aladdin! I had never thought about retelling a story like a news report. This is definitely one of the more creative things that I have seen. I loved to watch the classic Disney Aladdin film during my childhood. It brings back a lot of great memories. Overall, I think you did an awesome job with this! Keep up the good work.
Hello again McKenna!
ReplyDeleteGreat job with the story! You had some incredibly good and descriptive detail and I have to say, this style was one of the more creative I have ever seen. Believe it or not, I am one of those people who gets destroyed by groups of friends when Aladdin gets brought up because I have never seen it before, but now I have at least somewhat of an idea in a totally different context haha :) Thanks!