Ella takes us on her flying carpet ride

We had a fantastic response to our Arabian Nights storytelling competition but in the end we had to pick a winner. 10 year old Ella Langston was chosen by our director Amy Leach for her story Paddy’s Magic Carpet . She and her family will be watching the show on Monday, get chance to meet the cast, plus her story has featured in the Manchester Evening News. Ella told the MEN “I want to be the new JK Rowling, writing fairy tales but not normal fairy tales, different ones with strange characters.” Congratulations Ella.

Paddy’s Magic Carpet, by Ella Langston

Paddy Hopkins is the average eight-year-old boy with brown hair and blue eyes. He’s quite a clever lad but he doesn’t really have any friends, especially now he’s just moved. Paddy lives with his mum and dad, his back garden is small with only an apple tree and a swing, though he doesn’t play on his swing because it reminds him of his old house.

It was the first night at Paddy’s new house. His room was large with a wooden floor and a carpet under his bed. Paddy lay eyes closed and thought of his new school with dread. Finally he fell into a deep slumber. He woke with a start and sat up, his head hit the ceiling. His bed was floating in the air! Paddy looked closely at the carpet. In each corner there was a box, with one word inside: Hoca tari cuw, begila, fowcu.

“Fowcu,” Paddy said and suddenly the carpet rose into the air! “Wow, so I wasn’t dreaming!”, he said, smiling. “Begila” the carpet softly drifted down back to the floor.

Paddy ran to the window, opened it and jumped on to the carpet. “Fowcu” he said and the carpet rose into the air. “I wonder what forward is?” Paddy looked under where he was sitting and found another word. “Atutheboo” – the carpet went forward and through the window. “Wow!” he cried. “Hoca.” The carpet turned right! “Tari cuw,” he said. The carpet turned left. “I’ve figured it out! It all makes sense! I must have said a word whilst I was asleep!”

Paddy flew to the clouds, the wind in his face. “Wee, this is amazing! I wonder if any of my old friends will want a go?” Paddy flew for a couple of minutes and then started his descent. First, he flew to his old friend Sam’s house. “Sam, Sam, it’s me, Paddy. Do you want a go?” he cried.

Sam came to the window and jumped away. “No, I’m busy.” So Paddy flew to his old friend Jon. But Jon backed away… “My old friends aren’t interested, I could try a friend from my new school.”

So Paddy said the magic words and off he went. Soon he came out of his new next door neighbour James’s house. “Wow, look at you! Can… can I have a go?”, asked James nervously. “Of course, jump on!” So off went the two friends flying the carpet for an adventure. “It’s lucky I moved after all,” thought Paddy.

Arabian Nights runs from Fri 30 Nov 2012 – Sat 12 Jan 2013. Tickets are available here or from The Lowry Box Office on 0843 208 6010.