Tale #48 -- The Genie and I (a poem by Ben)

I found a funny bottle
just lying in the sand.
The ocean must have brought it
from a far-off foreign land.

The cork was covered over
with purple sealing wax.
I picked it up and took it home
to show my brother Max.

Max pulled out his jack knife.
"What's going on?" I cried.
"I'm going to pop this cork," he said,
"And take a look inside."

He scratched and cut and struggled
until that cork gave way.
The room filled up with purple smoke
mixed with some wisps of grey.

And suddenly a genie
began to laugh and shout:
"Hooray! I've waited centuries
for you to let me out!"

"Now listen up," my brother said,
"We helped you out, and so
you owe us each three wishes
before we let you go."

The genie laughed. "That's just a myth!
"You're lucky that I'm nice.
"I could have crushed you like a bug
"Or turned you into mice!"

He jumped out of our window.
He took off with a ZOOM.
And I can prove my story!
The bottle's in my room.