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Riding a yellow genie
Hudoyberdi Tukhtabaev
Once upon a time, there lived a boy named Khoshim, who did not want to study, help his mother with the housework. But one day this lazy boy finds a fabulous magic cap that could fulfil any desire of the owner. Full of confidence that with the help of a wonderful cap he will make a lot of heroic deeds and become famous all over the world, Khoshimjon goes to wander around the world. And what kind of tests, what adventures-dangerous and noble, funny and touching – did not happen to him until he finally realized that without difficulty, without knowledge, a person will not achieve anything.Illustration by: Matkarimov M.
“RIDING A YELLOW GENIE” by famous Uzbek writer, Hudoyberdi Tuhtabaev
A Magic Cap
Chapter 1
Kicked out of the house
Hello! My name is Khoshim, politely – Khoshimjon. Surname – Ruziev, the son of the tractor driver, Rozivoy. Let me introduce my family: over the past couple of years my father has been driving a bulldozer in the field. My mother said it would be a cotton field soon. He used to come home every month, sometimes once every two months. Every time he came he brought us presents. And the best surely was mine. As for my mother, she is a milkmaid at a farm near our house. Last year she was even awarded a medal for a record yield. I wore it twice hiding it from my mom. Once I wore it and went to the market and brought some vegetables. Next time I wore it to school, but our school principal punished me for this.
My elder sister is a fourth form pupil. Sweeping the yard, washing the dishes – all these tasks are on her shoulders. Mom calls her: “My dear Snow White, my helpmate”. Each time she hugs her, I tickle her and call her “My piglet”.
My little sister is Donokhon. She is in the first form. My mother thinks someday she will be a doctor. But I have different opinion on that. Because every time she sees a nurse she runs away thinking they will give her a jab . Yesterday she saw a milkmaid in white and jumped out the window and ran away.
Frankly speaking, I’m not so bad – sharp minded, with good behavior, one of the best pupils in sixth form. I don’t like playing all day long like other boys. Rather than playing stupid games, for me it is better to play football.
Mom sometimes call me: Khoshim!
– Yes, mom?
– Bring some firewood.
I always say: OK dear mom! – I look around and call Oysha.
– Yes dear brother?
– Bring some firewood!
– With great pleasure brother! – Oysha says. If she doesn’t say so she surely gets a smack from me. In a word, everything that mom says will be done. In my opinion, there is no need to do it yourself. The head of our farm, Sirojiddin aka
, also always does the same. When he receives a task from others, he gives it to others. I don`t know, but I like the way Sirojiddin aka is doing his job. If only others would do the jobs you should do, you would have time to play.
– Orif! – I shout sometimes. By the way, I have forgotten to tell you. Orif is my friend. Even though he looks a little odd, he is very clever. He can finish any task in a couple of seconds, then I copy it out it in my notebook even faster. Sometimes I leave a few mistakes so there is no chance for our teacher to notice I copied. So:
– Orif! – I shout.
– What do you want? – says Orif.
– Come on, let’s do the homework.
– No, better you come to me.
Over and over I ask him to repeat what he said, for my mom allow me to go out. Finally, I take my bag and disappear. A minute is enough to copy out the homework. As I said before, I prefer using my spare time with something important, so I go to play football.
Today I had the same plan. When I had just put on my shoes, suddenly my mom called me.
– Yes, dear mom?
– Why didn’t you feed the chickens?
She told me to feed them in the morning, but I have forgotten. I don`t know what to do…
– What did you say, mom?
– I said, why haven`t you fed the chickens?!
– Those freeloaders have to start thinking of finding food for themselves mom, – I said trying
to change the subject.
– Boy, seems like you haven`t even given them water!
– Mom, I don`t know why, but they are not drinking water anymore.
– Really?!
– Yes…
It seems that I said something wrong and my mom started to look for a stick to hit me. I don`t know how, but I found a way to run away.
I thought that it’s over. The day before I had a similar situation. Every day when I return home from school mom asks:
– What mark did you get son?
– Five (excellent mark) as always!
– Oh you are my dear, – she says. Then she gives me some sweets and allows me to play.
Yesterday she said nothing, but asked me to show my mark book. It was the end for me.
– Our teacher has taken our mark book mom.
– I said, open your bag!
I had no choice…
– What is this? – mom asked.
– Two.
– What about this?
– Three.
– Are you kidding? Why did you say you always get five?!
– I am not a liar mom. Two plus three is five, mom!
– Really?
– Yes…
With shaking hands, she continued.
– What is this?
– Two, mom.
– And this?
– This Is what I got from physics.
– Ok, and what about this?
– I can’t say anything, but in total, they all will be five, mom.
– Really?
– Yes…
Thanks god I was good in physical training. With a single jump I found myself in the middle of our yard. I was sure she was ready to beat me.
So, yesterday was not the best day for me. I told my sister to bring my bag from the house and went to see Orif. But he was not at home. I told his mom that I had brought his bag.
– But he has taken his bag, – said Orif`s mom.
– So, your son has lied to me! – I said.
I didn`t know what to do. I had lots of homework to finish. I don`t know why, but at that moment I would have been happy to throw some punches at Orif. If I only could find him…
Me, and some other guys from school were going to write a demand letter to our principal. I decided to write it myself and went to school.
“To a school principal named after Pushkin, Mr. O. Azizov”
Demand letter
Mr. O. Azizov, it is becoming hard for pupils to study here, since we are always given lots of homework. That`s why we kindly ask you to exclude some subjects from the schedule: mathematics, geometry, native language. They give us nothing other than muddling our brains. They could be replaced with subjects about football instead. If you do so, we promise to do our best to study well. On behalf of other pupils:
Khoshimjon Ruziev.
Even though I finished the letter, I found no strength to give it to our principal. With eyes closed I finally went directly to Otajon Azizov`s room.
– What do you want son? – The principal asked.
– Hello dear teacher! – I said.
– Hello.
Without saying any word, I handed over the letter. Unfortunately, the situation later on was awful. An hour had passed, but there was no way the principal was going to stop explaining to me how all my proposed for exclusion subjects were important. According to him, without knowing these subjects it is impossible to become neither agronomist, nor an engineer, nor a zootechnician. But my inner voice at that moment was saying: “Rather than studying math, better to take a spanking from mom.
– Am I right? – The principal asked.
– No way! – I said. – Look at our agronomist Anorvoy. He has no education!
– He had no choice, he was forced to go to war to protect our lives!
The bad day was only beginning for me. The first subject was my “lovely” math.
– Ruziev, tell me, what was the previous lesson about? – our teacher asked suddenly.
Slowly standing up I tried to push Orif, who was sitting by me. He turned his face away, like he didn`t understand me. I pushed him harder, and he started to mumble something.
– Imple equations, – I stated.
I don`t know why, but the whole class started laughing. I joined them with great pleasure. I found out later that instead of “simple” I said “imple”.
– Ok, tell me the definition of simple equation? – The teacher continued.
– I know it, but don`t know why, it is hard to pronounce it teacher!
– Answer!
– Just a second, teacher, it is on the tip of my tongue!
– Sit down!
I try not to remember that day. Sometimes, I think: I wish I had never been born. Thank god I have Orif. He allowed me to let my anger out on him. When we went to the street, I said:
– Look, why did you hit my dog?
– I have never hit your dog!
– You hit it last year!
– Are you kidding?
– Let me show you how you did it! Eat this! – I said and threw my fist on his head. We had
a great fistfight. With clothes torn apart, our faces were bleeding. Despite this, I was happy. He always gets excellent marks and nothing happens if he helps me sometimes!
So the mood was perfect. Thinking of plov
being cooked by mom, I headed home. When I got home I realized that the door was locked from inside. I knocked on it. When I looked through the peephole I saw mom coming with a stick! Her first question was: Whom have you fought against this time?
– No one mom…
