Soon work started and the huge roof stones were lowered one by one into place, until, after a few weeks the entire roof was in place.
Kharmoun stood alone under the massive flat roof to admire his work.
"Oh oh, it’s sagging," he muttered under his breath, "I'd better get something to prop it up before it all comes down."
Quickly he erected a stone pillar in the centre to support the roof. Now it was sagging to the left, so up went another pillar, then another, and another, and another, until the room had sixty-four huge stone pillars. "Oops!"
The priest returned. "What in the name of the gods!" he yelled.
"Ah well, you see, I, I."
"YES?"
"You see I thought, ah, I thought, well, er, if you decorate the pillars with religious writings, then while everyone is dancing round the pillars in circles, they could read the stories."
"Excellent," enthused the priest, and paid Kharmoun in gold.
"Phew!"
Kharmoun's roofing style became the fashion and was soon being copied by all the builders in all the temples across Egypt.
Flushed with success, and with money, Kharmoun decided it was time to return to his family home in Cairo.
“Mum,” he called as he entered his home, “it’s me, Kharmoun, I'm back.”
“Ah, welcome home Kharmoun. Now then, tell your mother all
about your time away. Where did you go and what have you been up to?”
He told his mum how he had built the vestibule roof, that he'd become famous in Luxor and earned a small fortune.
“But did you find love?” She enquired.
“I didn't have time for that,” Kharmoun replied, “and I wanted to leave quickly in case that roof collapsed.”
“Well, son, why don't you seek out that nice girl you used to know at school. What was her name, something beginning with p?”
“Ooh, do you mean Pahmi, mum?”
“Yes, Pahmi, she works for that second-hand camel dealer in the bazaar, you know the one. I'm sure she'd be pleased to see you Kharmoun.”
Kharmoun headed straight off to the bazaar to find Pahmi, he was quite keen to see her once again.
The bazaar was jam packed; he couldn't find a parking space anywhere. Eventually, as a last resort, he double parked his camel beside a chariot with a disabled sticker displayed on the front.
The second-hand camel dealer enclosure was located right next to the parking area and, as he approached the enclosure, he spotted Pahmi sat at her desk.
“Coooee, Pahmi.” He called out as he entered the enclosure; Pahmi pretended she hadn't seen him.
He decided to ask her out on a date.
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