■ 5 The Last Wish

The next day there was a letter to say that the children's mother was coming home that afternoon. So they decided to wish for something for their mother. They were busy trying to think of something when Martha came into the room， very excited.

' There were thieves at Lady Chittenden's last night， 'she said. ' They took all her jewels！ She's got lots of beautiful dia-monds— they cost thousands of pounds， I've heard. '

' When I'm older， I'm going to buy Mother jewels like that ， 'Robert said.

' I'd lide Mother to have all Lady Chittenden's beautiful jewels now， 'said jane. ' I wish she could. '

'Oh Jane ！ 'cried the others. ' What have you said？ '

'Well， she will have them， 'said Robert. ' You've wished！ Everyont will think she stole them！ We'll have to try to find the Psammead and ask it to take the wish back. '

They hurried down to the gravel-pit， but they could not find the Psammead. So they hurried home again and looked in their mother's room for the jewels， but they were not there yet.

' Well， we'll tell Mother about the Psammead， and she'll give back the jewels when they come， 'Anthea said.

Cyril shook his head slowly. ' She isn't going to believe us. Can anyone believe about a Psammead if they haven't seen it？ And adults never believe things like that. No， she'll think we are the thieves and we'll all go to prison， and everything will be terrible！ '

And that afternoon， when Mother came home， the children ran to meet her， and put their arms round her— and tried to stop her from going upstairs to her room.

' But I must take my coat off， and wash my hands！ 'she cried， laughing. And she went up to her room.

The children went after her— and there， on the table， was a green box. Mother opened it.

' Oh， how beautiful！ ' she cried.

It was a ring. A beautiful diamond ring.

' Perhaps it's a surprise present from Father， ' she said. ' But how did it get here？ '

But then she found a diamond necklace— and brooches—and bracelets. There were jewels in every cupboard in her room. The children began to look unhappy， and Jane began to cry.

Mother was no longer smiling. ' Jane， what do you know about this？ 'she said slowly. ' The true story， please. '

' We met a sand-fairy， Mother， 'Jane began.

' Don't be stupid， Jane， 'Mother said angrily.

'Some thieves stole all Lady Chittenden's jewels from her house last night， 'Cyril said quickly. ' Perhaps these are her jewels！ '

Then Mother called for Martha. ' Have any strangers been inthis room， Martha？ ' she asked.

' Yes， but it was just my young man， ' Martha answered， afraid. ' He was moving a heavy cupboard for me. '（ This， of course， was Mr Beale， the vicar's nice young servant， who was now very friendly with Martha. ）

So， of course， Mother thought that he was one of the thieves. She would not listen to the children and decided to go at once into town to tell the police. The children could not stop her.

' This is terrible！ ' said Anthea. ' Poor Martha！ And poor Mr Beale—he isn't a thief！ What are we going to do？ ' Then she cried， ' Come on！ We must find the Psammead！ '

They all hurried down to the gravel-pit， and this time they found the Psammead， sitting on the sand and enjoying the evening sun. When it saw them， it tried to get away， but Anthea put her arms round it. ' Dear， kind Psammead…'she began.

' Oh， you want something， don't you？ ' it said. 'Well， I can't give you any more wishes today. '

' Don't you like giving wishes？ 'Anthea asked.

' No， I don't， 'he said. ' Go away and leave me alone！ '

But Anthea went on. ' Listen， 'she said. ' If you do what we want today， we'll never ask you for another wish. '

'I'll do anything for that， 'it said. ' I really don't enjoy giv-ing wishes. It's very hard work， you know， and I get so tired. '

'Well， first I wish that Lady Chittenden will find that she has never lost her jewels. '

The Psammead got bigger， and then went small again. 'Done！ 'it said.

'I wish that Mother won't get to the police. '

'Done！ 'the Psammead said again.

' And I wish， ' said Jane suddenly， 'that Mother and Martha will forget all about the jewels. '

'Done！ 'the Psammead said， but its voice was tired. 'Now， it went on ， ' will you wish something for me？ '

'Can't you give yourself wishes？ ' asked Cyril.

'Of course not， 'the Psammead said. 'Wish that you will never tell anyone about me. '

' Why？ ' asked Robert.

' Well， you children always ask for stupid things. But adults aren't like that. If they get hold of me， they'll want to wish for real， important things—like free houses for poor people， and new schools for children everywhere in the country， and money to give to old people. Boring things like that. And they'll find a way to keep them after the sun goes down. And what will happen to the world if all those changes come at once ？ There'll be terrible trouble. So go on ， wish it！ Quick！ '

Anthea said the Psammead's wish， and it got very， very big. When it was small again， it said， ' Now， I'm very tired. Do you want one last wish？ '

'Thank you for everything， 'said Jane. ' Have a good long sleep— and I wish that we'll see you again someday. '

Then， for the last time， the Psammead went big， then small again. It looked at them all once more with its long eyes， and then dug itself quickly into the sand.

And when they arrived home again， everything was all right. Mother came home and she and Martha remembered nothing， and Lady Chittenden found that her jewels were not lost.

' Will we ever see the Psammead again， do you think？ 'Jane said to the others， later in the garden.

And， of course， they did， but not in this story. It was in a very， very different place. It was in a… But I must say no more.

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