Stanley and the Magic Lamp (6 page)

Prince Haraz rubbed his eyes. “What a fine family this is,” he said, beginning to smile. “I thank you all. The name of Lambchop will be honored always, wherever genies meet.”

His smile enormous now, he shook hands with each of the Lambchops. The last shake was with Stanley, and the genie was already a bit smoky about the edges. By the time he let go of Stanley’s hand, he was all smoke, a dark cloud that swirled briefly over the little lamp on the desk, then poured in through the spout until not a puff remained.

Full of wonder, the Lambchops gathered about the lamp, and after a moment Arthur put his lips to the spout.

“Good-bye, Prince Haraz!” he called. “Have a nice trip!”

From within the lamp, a faraway voice called back, “Bless you all….” And then there was only silence in the room.

Mr. Lambchop was the first to speak. “I’m proud of you, Stanley,” he said. “Your last wish was generous and kind.”

“It was my idea, actually,” Arthur said, and Mrs. Lambchop kissed the top of his head. “Off to bed now, boys,” she said. “Tomorrow is another day.”

Stanley and Arthur got into bed, and she turned out the light.

“The lamp was supposed to be a surprise birthday present,” Stanley said sleepily. “Now it won’t be a surprise at all.”

“I will love it anyhow,” said Mrs. Lambchop. “And Prince Haraz was a tremendous surprise. Good night, my dears.”

She kissed them both, and so did
Mr. Lambchop, and they went out.

The brothers lay quietly in the darkness for a while, and then Stanley sighed. “I miss the Liophant a bit,” he said. “But I don’t mind about the rest.”

“Me neither.” Arthur yawned. “Florts, Stanley, and good night.”

“Good night,” Stanley said. “Collibots.”

“Mandrono,” murmured Arthur, and soon they were both asleep.

The End

“Breakfast is ready, George. We must wake the boys,” Mrs. Lambchop said to her husband.

Just then, Arthur Lambchop called from the bedroom he shared with his brother.

“Hey! Come here! Hey!”

Mr. and Mrs. Lambchop smiled, recalling another morning that had
begun like this. An enormous bulletin board, they discovered, had fallen on Stanley during the night, leaving him unhurt but no more than half an inch thick. And so he had remained until Arthur blew him round again, weeks later, with a bicycle pump.

“Hey!” The call came again. “Are you coming? Hey!”

Mrs. Lambchop held firm views about good manners and correct speech. “Hay is for horses, not people, Arthur,” she said as they entered the bedroom. “As well you know.”

“Excuse me,” said Arthur. “The thing is, I can
hear
Stanley, but I
can’t
find
him!”

Mr. and Mrs. Lambchop looked about the room. A shape was visible beneath the covers of Stanley’s bed, and the pillow was squashed down, as if a head rested upon it. But there was no head.

Stanley and the Magic Lamp

Originally published as
A Lamp for the Lambchops

Text copyright © 1983 by Jeff Brown

Illustrations by Macky Pamintuan, copyright © 2010 by HarperCollins Publishers
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EPub Edition © JULY 2010 ISBN: 978-0-062-03556-1

Library of Congress catalog card number: 2002027557
ISBN 978-0-06-009793-6

10 11 12 13 14 LP/CW 20 19 18

First paperback edition, 2003

Reillustrated edition, 2010