United States or Botswana ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
'I wish we were all as beautiful as the day, she said in a great hurry. The children looked at each other, but each could see that the others were not any better-looking than usual. The Psammead pushed out its long eyes, and seemed to be holding its breath and swelling itself out till it was twice as fat and furry as before. Suddenly it let its breath go in a long sigh.
'And so we've lost the other half of the Amulet again, said Anthea, when they had told the Psammead all about it. 'Nonsense, pooh! said the Psammead. 'That wasn't the other half. It was the same half that you've got the one that wasn't crushed and lost. 'But how could it be the same? said Anthea gently. 'Well, not exactly, of course.
Anthea and Robert timidly tried to conceal their inmost thought, which was that the Psammead was not to be trusted; but Cyril said: 'Speak out say what you've got to say I hate hinting, and "don't know", and sneakish ways like that.
He could only think of things the others would not have cared for such as a football, or a pair of leg-guards, or to be able to lick Simpkins minor thoroughly when he went back to school. 'Well, said the Psammead at last, 'you'd better hurry up with that wish of yours. Time flies. 'I know it does, said Robert. 'I can't think what to wish for.
Now say something. Of course no one could think of anything to say, but at last Robert thought of 'How long have you lived here? and he said it at once. 'Oh, ages several thousand years, replied the Psammead. 'Tell us all about it. Do. 'It's all in books. 'You aren't! Jane said. 'Oh, tell us everything you can about yourself! We don't know anything about you, and you are so nice.
And safe they were, for she never thought of them again for weeks and weeks. One really good thing happened when they took the Psammead to a magic-lantern show and lecture at the boys' school at Camden Town. The lecture was all about our soldiers in South Africa.
The Psammead sat up and shook the sand out of its fur. 'How's your left whisker this morning? said Anthea politely. 'Nothing to boast of, said it, 'it had rather a restless night. But thank you for asking. 'I say, said Robert, 'do you feel up to giving wishes to-day, because we very much want an extra besides the regular one? The extra's a very little one, he added reassuringly.
'Hold tight, Jane! Cyril cried, and he dashed through the arch, dragging Anthea and the Psammead after him. Robert followed, clutching Jane.
She was very delighted with the flowery-boweryness of the house; and everything seemed so natural and pleasant, now that she was home again, that the children almost thought they must have dreamed the Psammead.
"Look out dig with your hands, now!" So they did, and presently uncovered the spider-shaped brown hairy body, long arms and legs, bat's ears and snail's eyes of the Sand-fairy himself. Everyone drew a deep breath of satisfaction, for now of course it couldn't have been a dream. The Psammead sat up and shook the sand out of its fur. "How's your left whisker this morning?" said Anthea politely.
Word Of The Day