The Phoenix and the Carpet

heir own nursery floor was really the wishing carpet, which would take them anywhere they chose. The carpet had transported them

nd delicately, the right eye of Cyril. 'I hear the slaves below preparing fo

for Cyril had hit out, as boys do when they are awakened suddenly, and the

minute. 'Do come back! What was it you were

back to the brass rail

said Cyril. 'How rip

, rather contemptuously; 'but, of course, a carpet's onl

t luck! Wake up, Bobs! There's jolly well someth

d not avoid the conclusion that you were quite insufficiently astonished at my appearance yes

,' Cyri

hen she heard the silvery voice of the Phoenix, 'we could neve

erhaps you've neve

ane, for the morning was chill, 'we've had things happen to us

ime. I remember I used to be called the Psammead of the Desert

then?' asked Jane, w

uously, 'at least-but I hear footsteps approa

ce with a party of friends, so Jane and Anthea of course had to help to make beds and to wash up the breakfast cups, and little things

yself. I've often been told that mine is a valuable life.' So it nestled down inside an old hatbox of father's, which had been brought down from the box-room some days before, when a helmet was suddenly needed for a game of tournaments,

t's rather sneakish to b

then a thing inside him, which tiresome books sometimes call

cups, and to dust the drawing-room. Robert was so interested that he proposed to clean the front doorsteps-a thing he had n

r dress and got ready to take him over to granny's. Mother always went to granny's every Saturday, and generally some of the children went with her; but today they were to keep

Ark game with him. It is quite simple. He just sits on your lap and tells you what anim

haven't got any poetry, because they are so difficult to rhy

d the Lamb, snugging d

y little

nose and to

hold him

m VERY safe

ry', of course there

amb was tickled till he wrig

y little

squidglet

n eel when

's just-a-

a snig was a baby eel? It is,

' he said; and

dgehog, how

back's so pr

s very soft,

ve you front

ront ways round, while h

meant for very, very small people-not for people who are old

e and the Lamb, having been kissed by everybody and hugged as thoroughly as it is possible to be when you're dressed fo

ow

oor, and they fastened all the windows. They moved th

he said kindly. 'We'll give it tea-leav

hey didn't know where they might be going, and it makes people star

to lift it on to the middle of the carpet, where it instantly went to sleep again with its

warmly discussed. Anthea wanted to go to Japan. Robert and C

are donkeys t

; and the discussion got warmer and

So they stroked it till it woke. 'We want to go somewhere

p ITS mind, if it has

ou wish to

pside down, and when it was right way up again and they wer

lear air, with the pale bright blue of the sky above them, and far down below the pale bright sun-diamonded waves of the sea. The carpet had stiffened itself somehow, so that it wa

'Where do you wish to go? I should always keep one wish, of course-for emergenc

re far too deeply i

go on and on, and when we see a place we really want

ight roads bordered with poplar trees-'like express trains, only in trains you never can see anything because of grown-ups wanting

o fast and smooth, only there's no door-

doing. Oh, look at that ducky little church and t

said the Phoenix, wi

that was in every heart. 'Look at it all-lo

went on, and they looked down on strange and beautiful things, and held their breath

ght that jam tart and cold mutton with us. It wo

use was at that moment tasting the outside of the raspberry jam part of the tart (she had nibbled a sort of gulf, or bay, through the pastry edge) to see whether it

ce, and you boys have the fourpence each that your trams didn't cost the oth

to the top of a church tower, and had had a feast there of chicken and tongue and new bread and soda-water. And this again reminded them how hungry they were. And just as they were a

at, because then none of the Abby-what's-its-names-I mean natives-would be able to take the carpet away even if they want

went-' Anthea was beginning; but

just because I'm the youngest. I wish the carpet wou

the square top of the tower. Then slowly and carefully it began to sink und

thout all agreeing to them first,' said R

carpet. It was as if a wall were being built by magic quickness. It was a foot high-

ky and the walls that now

ed. 'THERE WASN'T ANY TOP TO IT. So the car

prang to

oth piece of grey stone, and reached his hand into a deep window slit-bro

ough. By the time he had drawn his hand out of the owl's nest-t

koo!' cried Cyril, w

eet above the others, who were still sinking with the carpet, and Robert found himself in the embrasure of a window; alone, for even the owls were not at home that day. The wall was smoothish; there was no cl

ing between the stones and little shiny gems; but between him and it there was the width of the tower, and nothing in it but empty air. The situation was terrible. Rob

very bottom of the tower, leaving Robert clinging to the wall. Robert did not even

nd spread itself limply over the loose stones and little earthy mounds at the bottom of the tower, just exactly like any ordinary carpet. Also it shrank suddenly, so that it seemed to draw away from under their feet, and th

very chin was tilted up and every eye sought vainly to see w

hadn't come

ook here, we can't leave Robert up there

en below craned their heads back, and nearly broke their necks in doing it. The carpet rose and rose. It hung poised darkly above them for an anxious moment

say, I've had about enough for a bit. Let's wish ourselves at home again

re had shaken the nerves of all. So they

we were

ore. The carpet never moved. The Phoenix had taken th

ere,' s

ng,' said

ome, and we're still

bout it at the high dark walls of

to be at home

said the bir

asn't moved an in

Phoenix, 'I s

t it was a wi

,' said t

sked the child

so fond of listening to the music of your own voices. It is,

WHAT?' interrupte

y gives you three wishes

a heartfel

ing to get home?' s

e Phoenix, kindly. 'Can I fly ou

carry the money

what they want. It is not regarded as s

supposing this to be the case, on the day when they

d-' ('If it will be so kind you mean,' corrected Anthea, in a whisp

ace of the tower and vanished at the top, and i

t never co

of its word,' a further gloom was cast by the idea. For, curiously enough, there was no door to the tower, and all th

it's like being at t

stiff necks with holding their little heads back to look up the

And in its beak was a very large pear. The pear was juicy, and as good as a very small drink. When the meal was over every one felt better, and the question of how to get home was discussed without any disagreeableness. But no one could think

then, and some one will hear us and bring ropes and ladders, and rescue us like

and then father'll take away the carpet and

e hadn't com

up,' except Anthea, who sudden

YOU can help us. Oh,

n my power,' said the Phoenix, at

to get home,'

x. 'Ah, hum! Yes. Hom

last night-where the altar is

fluttered on to the carpet and walked up and down for a f

ed I can help you. You won't mind my leaving you for an hour or two?' and without waiti

ns and catacombs and things awaiting release, and I know each moment is an eternity. Those people always do s

' said Jane,

tch our names on the

at corner. Well, I'm certain there's a hole in the wall there-and I believe it's a door. Yes, loo

nd climbed up to it-dislodged the top stone

wn the heap of stones, and very soon every o

, wiping his face, 'and no

but he didn't for fear of frightening Jane. He was not a

r; it grew larger because the children kept pulling off the stones and throwing them down into another heap. The stones must have been there a

the inside, and lit matches. How thankful they felt then that they had a sensible father, who did not forbid them to carry matches,

the girls, after the first match had flared up, flickered,

the girls saw the dark archway leading to unknown things. All doubts and fears as to ge

n places that have been shut up. It makes your torches go out, and t

jacket and fanned the dark arch with it, so as to make the air fresh inside. When Ant

ession lest 'something' should come in after her, and catch at her from behind.

er, don't keep pulling at my jacket! The air must be all right becaus

hing, by the way, to be in). 'I'm sure there are snakes, or dens of lions, or something.

bert, from behind. 'This is exactly the place for buried treas

urse, Jane cons

he bottom of the steps were more passages branching four ways, and a sort of low arch on the right-ha

t a match, and stooping

It touched something that felt more like a damp bag of

S a buried trea

t out!' Cyril pulled out a rotting canvas bag-about as big as the pap

of it, a lot m

d coins ran and span and jumped and bumped and ch

asure? What Cyril said was, 'Oh, bother-I've burnt my fingers!' an

desperate silence. T

ssy-you'll exhaust the air if yo

has come back and gone away again-because it thought we'

nthea cuddled Jane up to her and t

'that's my EAR-I'm not

ctly which way they had come. It is very difficult to remember things in the dark, unless you

e floor seemed to tip up-and a strong sensation of being in a whirling lift came upon every one. All eyes were closed-one's eyes al

seemed after that dark underground tunnel! The carpet lay on the floor, looking as calm as though it had never been for an excursio

asked, when every one had than

got a wish from your

you know wher

reatures always know all about each other-they're

rpet can't t

N

en

ad's address? I tell you

t spea

ak, but I gathered my information from something in

time to regret the golden treasure which had been left scattered on the floor of the underground passage, and which,

said Robert. 'Look how we've

ke the best of it. 'We'll go back again and get

nts should be given to whom, and, when the claims of generosity had been sat

st too technical account of the motor-car

s no good. We can't ever go ba

Jane asked the P

Phoenix replied, in a

e treasure,' said C

carpet and the Ph

d dignity, 'I do SO HATE to seem to interfere, bu