The Flat Stanley Collection. Jeff Brown

said the genie. ‘The young ones mostly are.’

      Stanley patted him, and Arthur tickled behind the neat little ears. The Liophant licked their hands, and Stanley was not at all sorry that he had mixed up his wish.

      Just then, a knock sounded on the bedroom door, and Mrs Lambchop’s voice called out, ‘Homework done?’

      ‘Come in,’ Stanley said, not stopping to think, and the door opened.

      ‘How very quiet you –’ Mrs Lambchop began, and then she stopped.

      Her eyes moved slowly about the room from Prince Haraz to the Askit Basket, and on to the Liophant.

      ‘Gracious!’ she said.

      Prince Haraz made a little bow. ‘How do you do? You are the mother of these fine lads, I suppose?’

      ‘I am thank you,’ said Mrs Lambchop. ‘Have we met? I don’t seem to –’

      ‘This is Prince Haraz,’ Stanley said. ‘And that’s a Liophant, and that’s an Askit Basket.’

      ‘Guess what,’ said Arthur. ‘Prince Haraz is a genie, and he’ll let Stanley have anything he wants.’

      ‘How very generous!’ Mrs Lambchop said. ‘But I’m not sure . . .’ Turning, she called into the living room. ‘George, you had better come here! Something quite unexpected has happened.’

      ‘In a moment,’ Mr Lambchop called back. ‘I am reading an unusual story in my newspaper, about a duck who watches TV.’

      ‘This is even more unusual than that,’ she said, and Mr Lambchop came at once.

      ‘Ah, yes,’ he said, looking about the room. ‘Yes, I see. Would someone care to explain?’

      ‘I tried to before,’ Stanley said. ‘Remember? About the lamp, and –’

      ‘Wait, dear,’ said Mrs Lambchop.

      The Liophant was making snuffling, hungry sounds, so she went off to the kitchen and returned with a large bowl full of hamburger mixed with warm milk. While the Liophant ate, Stanley told what had happened.

      ‘Unusual indeed! And what a fine opportunity for you, Stanley,’ Mr Lambchop said when he had heard everything, and then he frowned. ‘But I do not approve of using the Askit Basket for homework, boys. Nor will your teachers, I’m afraid.’

      ‘My plan is, let’s not tell them,’ Arthur said.

      Mr Lambchop gave him a long look. ‘Would you take credit for work you have not done?’

      Arthur blushed. ‘Oh, no! When you put it that way . . . Gosh, of course not! I wasn’t thinking. Because of all the excitement, you know?’

      Mr Lambchop wrote NOT IN USE on a piece of cardboard and taped it to the Askit Basket.

      ‘It is too late for any more wishing tonight,’ said Mrs Lambchop. ‘Prince Haraz, there is a folding bed in the cupboard, so you will be quite comfortable here with Stanley and Arthur. Tomorrow is Saturday, which we Lambchops always spend together in the park. You will join us, I hope?’

      ‘Thank you very much,’ said the genie, and he helped Stanley and Arthur set up the bed.

      The Liophant was already asleep, and after Mr and Mrs Lambchop had said good night, Mrs Lambchop picked up his bowl. ‘Gracious!’ she said, putting out the light. ‘Three pounds of the best hamburger, and he ate it all!’

      It was quite dark in the bedroom, but some moonlight shone through the window. From their beds, Stanley and Arthur could see that Prince Haraz was still sitting up on his. For a moment they all kept silent, listening to the gentle snoring of the Liophant, and then the genie said, ‘Sorry about that. It’s having all that nose, probably.’

      ‘It’s okay,’ Arthur said sleepily. ‘Do genies snore?’

      ‘We don’t even sleep,’ said Prince Haraz. ‘Your mother was so kind, I didn’t want to tell her. It might have made her feel bad.’

      ‘I’ll try to stay awake for a while, if you want to talk,’ Stanley said.

      ‘No thanks,’ the genie said. ‘I’ll be fine. After all those years alone in the lamp, it’s nice just having company.’