Part 3 (1/2)

The Last Wish Flying back into the bedroom, the three adventurers found Mr. and Mrs. Lambchop waiting anxiously. The Liophant, who had just finished an enormous bowl of spaghetti mixed with chocolate cookies and milk, was asleep.

”Thank goodness!” Mrs. Lambchop ran to hug her sons.

”Where have you been?” Mr. Lambchop was stern. ”Is that you, Prince Haraz, behind that dragon face?”

The genie took off his mask. ”Were you worried? Sorry. We went for a little flight.”

”Wait till you hear!” said Arthur. ”You can't tell from looking, but I'm the strongest man in the world, and-”

”Take off those robes and gloves,” said Mrs. Lambchop. ”It is not wise to get overheated.”

She went on, as they put their things away. ”Such an evening! The phone never stopped. I was asked to go on four TV shows, and to advertise a new soap-they wanted to photograph me in the bathtub, so of course I said no!-and then, to find the window open and the three of you an evening! The phone never stopped. I was asked to go on four TV shows, and to advertise a new soap-they wanted to photograph me in the bathtub, so of course I said no!-and then, to find the window open and the three of you gone gone! Such a fright!”

”We thought we'd be right back,” said Stanley, apologizing. ”We didn't know so many exciting things would happen.”

Everybody sat down, and Stanley told about wis.h.i.+ng Arthur strong, and the flying, and chasing the airplane, and the robbers on the s.h.i.+p. Mr. and Mrs. Lambchop both gave deep sighs when Stanley was done.

”It seems, Prince Haraz,” Mr. Lambchop said, ”that there are often unexpected consequences when wishes come true.”

”Oh, yes,” said the genie. ”That's what got me into a lamp.”

”It's not just the Askit Basket problem,” Mr. Lambchop said. ”Mrs. Lambchop has been famous less than a day, and already she is exhausted and has lost all her privacy. And though Tom McRude deserved what he got, his tennis comes from natural ability. I am not proud of having shamed him by using magic.”

”And Arthur's great strength will make other boys afraid of him,” Mrs. Lambchop said. ”And flying, mixing with criminals ... Dear me! We must consider all this. I will make hot chocolate. It is helpful when there is serious thinking to be done.”

Everyone enjoyed the delicious hot chocolate she brought from the kitchen, with a marshmallow for each cup. The Lambchops sat quietly, sipping and thinking. Prince Haraz, having said twice that he was sorry to have caused problems, began to pace up and down. The Liophant was still asleep.

At last Mr. Lambchop put down his cup and cleared his throat. ”Your attention, please,” he said, and they all looked at him.

”Here is my opinion,” he said. ”Genies and their magic, Prince Haraz, are fine for faraway lands and long-ago times, but the Lambchops have always been quite natural people, and this is the United States of America, and the time is today. We are grateful for the excitement you have offered, but now I must ask: Is it possible for Stanley to un unwish all the wishes he has made?”

”It is, actually,” said the genie.

”How clever of you, George!” cried Mrs. Lambchop.

Arthur sighed. ”I don't know.... I really like the flying. But being so strong, I guess n.o.body would would play with me.” play with me.”

”I care most about the Liophant,” Stanley said. ”Couldn't we just keep him?”

”He is very lovable,” said Mrs. Lambchop. ”But he never stops eating! We cannot afford afford to keep him.” to keep him.”

”Sad, but true,” Mr. Lambchop said. ”Now please tell us, Prince Haraz, what must be done.”

”It's called Reverse Wis.h.i.+ng.” The genie took the little green lamp from the desk and turned it over. ”The instructions should be right here on the bottom. Let's see....”

He studied the words carved into the bottom of the lamp. ”Seems simple enough. Each wish has to be separately reversed. I just say 'Mandrono!' and-” His voice rose. ”Oh, collibots! Double florts! See that little circle there? This is a training training lamp! There may not be enough wishes left!” lamp! There may not be enough wishes left!”

”A training lamp?” exclaimed Mr. Lambchop. ”What is that?”

”They're for beginners like me, so we don't overdo for one person,” Prince Haraz said unhappily. ”The little 'fifteen' in the circle, that's all the wishes I'm allowed for Stanley.”

The Lambchops all spoke at once. ”What? ... You never told us! ... Only fifteen? ... Oh, dear!”

”Please, I'm embarra.s.sed enough,” said the genie, very red in the face. ”A training training lamp! As if I were a baby!” lamp! As if I were a baby!”

”We are all beginners, at one time or another,” said Mr. Lambchop. ”What matters is, are fifteen wishes enough?”

The genie counted on his fingers to be sure he got it right. ”Askit Basket, Liophant-lucky he doesn't count double!-that's two, and fame for Mrs. Lambchop and the fancy tennis, that's four. Making Arthur strong is five, flying for him and and Stanley is two more ...” He smiled. ”Seven, and seven for reversing is fourteen! One wish left over for some sort of good-bye treat!” Stanley is two more ...” He smiled. ”Seven, and seven for reversing is fourteen! One wish left over for some sort of good-bye treat!”

”Thank goodness!” Mrs. Lambchop hesitated. ”It is very late. Could you begin the reversing now now, do you think?”

Prince Haraz nodded. ”I'll do the whole family in a bunch. Let's see ... Strength, famous, tennis, two flying. Ready, Arthur? No more Mighty Man after this, I'm afraid.”

”Will I feel weak?” Arthur asked. ”Will I flop over?”

The genie shook his head. ”Mandrono!” he said. ”Mandrono, Mandrono, Mandrono, Mandrono!”

Arthur felt a p.r.i.c.kling on the back of his neck. When the p.r.i.c.kling stopped, he gave the big desk a shove, but couldn't budge it.

”I'm just regular me again,” he said. ”Oh, well.”

”And I am just Harriet Lambchop again,” said Mrs. Lambchop, smiling. ”An unimportant person.”

”To all of us, my dear, you are the most important person we know,” said Mr. Lambchop. ”Arthur, you are as strong as you were yesterday. Think of it that way.”

The genie sipped the last of his hot chocolate. ”Where was I? Oh, yes ...” He glanced at the Askit Basket. ”Mandrono!” The basket vanished. ”Just the Liophant now,” he said.

Everyone looked at the Liophant, who was sitting up now in the corner, scratching behind his lion ears with his elephant trunk. Stanley patted him, and the Liophant licked his hand.

”How sweet!” Mrs. Lambchop said. ”George, perhaps...?”

”What makes Liophants truly happy,” said the genie, ”is open s.p.a.ces, and the company of other Liophants.”