Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Magpie Tales #1


I walked into the dusty, dark antique store in Ankara, Turkey. Stopping to adjust my eyes to the lack of light, I gradually began to see outlines of objects scattered here and there in the dusky light.

My eyes scanned ancient swords, broken pottery, stuffed owls, long out of date clothing, and then - - - the pot. A pewter pot. It was about 12 inches tall, with an intricately curved handle on one side, engraved with strange cueniform along the top edge and a wreath on it’s front surface.

I carefully reached out and picked it up. It was heavier than it looked. I used my right hand to grasp the handle and my left caressed the other side as I balanced it in my hands.

And then.

A puff of smoke came from the inside of the vessel, rising and building in the air and slowly forming into the turbaned head of . . . a genie. He gazed down on me with a fierce expression. He opened his mouth to speak.

And then I woke up.

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This was a writing exercise prompted by Willow. It is explained at Magpie Tales. Click on it for the rules and to join in, if you like.

14 comments:

  1. hehe, of course, a genie! I hope you bought the pot before you woke up!

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  2. Good one, Mr. Cat. I LOVE genies. And, darn, it was only a dream. Well done. I'm looking forward to more of your writing. xx

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  3. Nice magpie tale! I love genies too.

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  4. Sounds like you smoked a little pot before you picked up the pot (grin).

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  5. Very nice shot! But why did the genie have a fierce expression?

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  6. very mysterious, I wonder what your three wishes would have been?

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  7. Ah! Oh, there you go smoking the pot again. Fun take on the theme and I felt like I was in Turkey for a few minutes. Well done.

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  8. ha. wonderful fun...if only it was not a dream...

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  9. This was fun! Just wandering by from the Tales' page. Too bad it was just a dream...

    Jen

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  10. Jennifer - I might have used my first wish to obtain the pot.

    Willow - Thank you for the inspiration.

    Spacedlaw - Thank you!

    Kevin - And thank you!

    Steve - Well . . . one must have a muse.

    Tombo - Didn't you know? Genies always have a fierce expression when they're disturbed.

    Vicki - Sorry.

    Evening Light Writer - As do I.

    Ronda - Thank you!

    Brian - Dreams for the dreamer, yes?

    Jen - Thanks for reading my dream.

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  11. Ankara, Turkey -- the tone was set immediately....and it forces the reader to slow down and absorb. I figure we all need a genie....even in our dreams.

    I enjoyed this.

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