What happened in Chapters 1 to 8 of Haroun and the Sea of Stories?

Chapter 1, The Shah of Blah

• The reader is introduced to Haroun, the protagonist.

• Haroun lives with his father and mother, and he has no siblings.

• Haroun and his family live next to Mr. Sengupta and his wife Oneeta.
• Rashid, Haroun's father, is a story teller.

• Haroun's dislikes the silly stories his father tells. He thinks they are pointless.

• Haroun asks his father what the point is of telling untrue stories.
• One morning at precisely 11:00 in the morning, Soraya runs off with Mr. Sengupta.

• Rashid and Haroun are crushed by the departure of Soraya.

• Rashid and Haroun go by train to the Town of G and the Valley of K.

• Once there, Haroun and Rashid are met by shady politicos.

• Th politicos threaten Rashid when he is unable to say anything other than "Ark".

Chapter 2, The Mail Coach

• Haroun and Rashid are dropped off at the bus station by thugs.

• Rashid enters the fray at the ticket counter.

• Haroun finds Mr. Butt, driver of the Express Mail Coach.

• Haroun convinces Butt to drive them to Dull Lake in the Valley of K.
• Butt drives like a maniac though the cliff side and up into the Tunnel of I.

• Haroun and Rashid fear for their lives.

• Butt stops the coach so that everyone can view the lovely vista outside of Tunnel of I.
• Mr. Buttoo meets Haroun and Rashid once they arrive.

• Mr. Buttoo is unaware of Rashid's recent storytelling failure.

• Haroun, Rashid, and Mr. Buttoo and his men go to Mr. Buttoo's houseboat.

• A thick mist kicks up across Dull Lake.