fictwrig8 Rama and the Camel

Rama and the Camel

by Will Wright

Rama’s father’s birthing day was in two days, and she had nothing to give him. She’d heard stories of genies that granted wishes when you rubbed an oil lamp. If she could find a genie, she could get her father a mountain of gold or a great palace. Rama loved her father very much and wanted to give him something he would like.

But she was too small to reach the lamp.

Being only six, she could only reach the candleholders, the water jar, the oil cruse, and the incense box. She considered each, but decided that, with her small hands, the incense box was best.

So, she took the incense box from the shelf and began to rub it.

She was glad there was no fire in the box, because as she rubbed, the box started getting warm. She was sure she had rubbed the box longer than the hero in the story had.

Shouldn’t a genie have come out by now?

She kept rubbing the box.

She started rubbing after the morning meal, and was still rubbing at noon. She stirred the soup with one hand while she rubbed the incense box with the other. At table, she ate with one hand and kept the other beneath the table rubbing the little incense box. As she gathered the goats, she had to put down the goad in order to close the gate – she needed one hand to rub the incense box.

Lying in her blankets, she worried that she might fall asleep before the genie came.

Her left eye blinked, but she rubbed the incense box.

Her right eye drooped, but she rubbed the incense box

Just when she couldn’t stay awake another moment, the little box jumped in her hand, let off a puff of incense, and there on her blanket stood a man no bigger than Rama’s little finger.

“I am the genie of the incense box,” said the tiny man in a squeaky voice. “I grant you one wish.”

Rama would have clapped her hands in glee, but her hands were too sore from rubbing the incense box all day. She set her face to her most adult expression and said, “I wish, for my dear father, a mountain of gold for his birthing day.”

The genie crossed his arms, shut his eyes, and held his breath till he turned red… but nothing happened.

“I’m sorry mistress,” he said. “I am not able to bring a mountain of gold.”

Rama was a little disappointed. She remembered hearing her father say, “Our lives will be wonderful when I find us a mountain of gold.”

It was, perhaps, too much to wish from such a small genie. Still, there was one other thing her father desired.

She set her face to her most adult expression and said, “I wish, for my dear father, a great palace for his birthing day.”

The genie crossed his arms, shut his eyes, and held his breath till he turned purple… but nothing happened.

“I’m sorry mistress,” he said. “I am unable to bring a great palace.”

Rama was even more disappointed. She remembered hearing her father say, “Our lives will be wonderful when we live in a great palace.”

It was perhaps, too much to wish from such a small genie.

Once again, she set her face to her most adult expression and asked, “What wishes can you grant for my dear father on his birthing day?”

The tiny genie bowed. “Great Mistress,” he answered, “I can turn his nose into a clove of garlic.”

Rama thought, but not hard. She didn’t think her father would like his nose changed into a clove of garlic for his birthing day.

“I do not wish that,” she told the genie.

The tiny genie bowed. “Great Mistress,” he said, “I can turn his nose into a wad of wet wool.”

Rama thought, but not hard. She didn’t think her father would like his nose changed into a wad of wet wool for his birthing day.

“I do not wish that,” she told the genie.

The tiny genie bowed. “Great Mistress,” he said, “there is only one other magic I can do. I can make his camel smell any way you wish.”

Rama thought, and this time, much harder than the other times. A camel can smell very bad indeed. Perhaps her father would like a sweet smelling camel for his birthing day.

“I do wish that,” she told the genie.

The little genie crossed his arms, shut his eyes, and held his breath till he turned blue.

“It is done, Mistress,” he said, and disappeared in a little puff of incense.

Rama woke early the next morning. Though her father’s birthing day was still a day away, she decided to surprise him with a good smelling camel a day early.

“Jasmine,” she said aloud. She crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and held her breath as she had seen the genie do. “I wish the camel to smell like jasmine.”

She hurried to wash and dress herself. She couldn’t wait to see how her father would like his surprise.

When she got to the table, she greeted her mother. Her father was outside tending the animals.

What if the genie lied to her or couldn’t do what he promised? He was such a tiny genie. Perhaps even the wish of changing the camel’s smell was too great for him.

Father entered the house. He looked angry.

“Papa!” called Rama.

“One moment, dear Rama,” he answered. He turned to Mother. “Did you hear anyone moving around the animals last night?”

“No,” Mother answered. “I would have wakened you.”

“Someone,” Papa said, “has played a trick on me. He has spilled perfume all over the camel. How can I do my business at the bazaar with a camel that smells like flowers?”

It had not occurred to Rama that her father would prefer a camel that smells like a camel. If only she could take back her wish.

What had the genie said?

“I can make his camel smell any way you wish.”

Perhaps, if she wished it, the camel would go back to normal.

She crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and held her breath. Silently she thought, “I wish the camel to go back to normal.”

Rama went about her chores without her normal enthusiasm. She was tired and disappointed. She had gotten a wish and wasted it. She should have known her father wouldn’t want a camel that smelled of jasmine. She didn’t even know if her second wish had changed the camel back.

Her father returned from the bazaar at dusk. She walked out to the pen to smell the camel for herself. Her father was feeding the animals when she arrived.

“I can do that, Papa,” she said.

Her father looked at her. “Maybe you are big enough. What a helpful little daughter I have.” He patted her on the head. “Make sure you’re inside before dark.”

The feed sacks were heavy, but Rama managed to pour feed for the goats and draw water for the trough. She put fresh hay in the manger.

She went over to the camel and took a good sniff. All she smelled was camel.

“It was a silly thing to wish a camel to smell of jasmine,” she said.

“I liked smelling that way.”

Rama had never heard the camel speak before, nor any other animal. She had been pretty sure that animals couldn’t talk like humans did. Still, the camel had just spoken to her.

She was only six; there were probably a lot of things she didn’t know.

“You like jasmine?” she asked

“It’s a lot better than how I usually smell,” the camel replied. “Though I think I like the smell of lemons better.”

Rama crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and held her breath. “I wish for you to smell like lemons,” she said.

Instantly the pen was filled with the delicious smell of lemons. It was very strong, but not overpowering.

“Ah yes,” said the camel. “That’s very nice.”

Rama agreed, but she still liked jasmine better.

She was just about to wish the camel back to normal again, when a large group of people she’d never seen before came over the hill from the north. The crowd went right up to the animal pen where she and the camel were standing. They were holding shovels, and pick axes, and rock drills, and every one of them had a clove of garlic for a nose.

“Since the day we were cursed,” said the first person to reach the pen, “I have smelled nothing but garlic. Now, I can smell lemons.”

“We all smell lemons,” another agreed.

“I never thought I would smell something so wonderful again,” added a third.

“Is it you child, that I’m smelling?” asked the first.

“No,” Rama replied. “It is this camel.”

“We are gold miners,” said the first. “If we dig gold for you all night, may we sit by this wonderful camel during the day?”

Rama knew she should ask her father, but here was a way of getting a real present for him. If she asked permission, it would ruin the surprise.

“I agree,” she said.

The miners went to their work.

“If father comes and smells lemons,” said Rama, “he may think someone has tricked him again.”

“It is true,” said the camel. “You should wish me back to normal.”

“I will return in the morning,” promised Rama “and you will smell of lemons then.”

Rama woke before the dawn and rushed out to the pen to see the camel. Next to the pen lay a mound that sparkled even in the deep blue pre-dawn.

“Good morning, Rama,” the camel greeted her politely.

“Good morning, Camel,” she replied. “Are you ready to smell like lemons again?”

“There’s no hurry. It’s not day yet,” said the camel. “I’ve been thinking. I also like the smell of cinnamon a lot. Can we try that?”

“Oh, I like cinnamon too,” said Rama. She crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and held her breath. “I wish for you to smell like cinnamon,” she said.

Instantly the pen was filled with the delicious smell of cinnamon. It was very strong, but not overpowering.

“Ah yes,” said the camel. “That’s very nice. I like it as much as I like the smell of lemons.”

Rama agreed, but she still liked jasmine better.

She was just about to wish the camel to smell of lemons, when a large group of people she’d never seen before came over the hill to the south. The crowd went right up to the animal pen where she and the camel were standing. They were holding hammers, and trowels, and chisels, and every one of them had a wad of wet wool for a nose.

“Since the day we were cursed,” said the first person to reach the pen, “I have smelled nothing but wet wool. Now I can smell cinnamon.”

“We all smell cinnamon,” another agreed.

“I never thought I would smell something so wonderful again.” Added a third.

“Is it you, Child, that I am smelling?” asked the first.

“No,” Rama replied. “It is this camel.”

“We are palace builders,” said the first. “If we build a palace for you all day, may we sit by this wonderful camel at night?”

Rama knew she should ask her father, but here was a way of getting a second present for him. If she asked permission, it would ruin the surprise.

“I agree,” she said.

Rama’s father was surprised to find a large group of people sitting in his animal pen all day, and a different group at night, but as he saw the beginning of a great palace, and the beginning of a mountain of gold, he didn’t seem to mind.

Rama found that her father was right. Things were wonderful living in a palace with a mountain of gold. Many things were different, but as she and her parents still loved each other, the best parts of her life remained the same.

The builders and miners were happy, her parents were happy, and even the camel was happy, with all his new friends, and smelling like lemons during the day, and cinnamon at night.

And during dusk and dawn, when it wasn’t fully day, nor was it fully night, and the world was most beautiful, Princess Rama rode out among the hills on her wonderful camel that smelled of jasmine.