492:
986:
355:
429:(1906). The Psammead is offstage in the first of these sequels (it is simply mentioned by the Phoenix, who visits it three times to ask for a helpful wish when the situation becomes difficult), but it plays a significant role in the second sequel after the children rescue it from a pet shop. An omnibus edition of the three books titled
36:
374:
and other ancient creatures. When the
Psammeads were around they granted wishes that were then mostly for food. The wished-for objects turned into stone at sunset if they were not used that day, but this does not apply to the children's wishes because what they wish for is so much more fantastic than
290:
who must take them home (though this wish has the happy side-effect of introducing the gamekeeper to the children's housemaid, who later marries him). Robert is bullied by the baker's boy, then wishes that he was bigger — whereupon he becomes eleven feet tall, and the other children show him at
362:
The
Psammead is described as having "eyes were on long horns like a snail's eyes. It could move them in and out like telescopes; it had ears like a bat's ears, and its tubby body was shaped like a spider's and covered with thick soft fur; its legs and arms were furry too, and it had hands and feet
318:
Finally, the children accidentally wish that they could give a wealthy woman's jewellery to their mother, causing all the jewellery to appear in their home. It seems that the gamekeeper, who is now their friend, will be blamed for the robbery, and the children must beg the
Psammead for a complex
989:
319:
series of wishes to set things right. It agrees, on the condition that they will never ask for any more wishes. Only Anthea, who has grown close to It, makes sure that the final wish is that they will meet It again. The
Psammead assures them that this wish will be granted.
261:
with the ability to grant wishes. The
Psammead persuades the children to take one wish each day to be shared among them, with the caveat that the wishes will turn to stone at sunset. This, apparently, used to be the rule in the
306:
The children's infant brother, the Lamb, is the victim of two wishes gone awry. In one, the children become annoyed with tending to their brother and wish that someone else would want him, leading to a situation where
273:
All the wishes go comically wrong. The children wish to be beautiful, but the servants do not recognise them and shut them out of the house. They wish to be rich, then find themselves with a gravel-pit full of gold
270:. The five children's first wish is to be "as beautiful as the day." The wish ends at sunset and its effects simply vanish, leading the Psammead to observe that some wishes are too fanciful to be changed to stone.
1470:
219:, with a segment appearing each month from April to December. The stories were then expanded into a novel which was published the same year. It is the first volume of a trilogy that includes
1460:
370:, which used to be seashore. There were once many Psammeads, but the others died when they got wet and caught cold. It is the last of its kind. It is thousands of years old, and remembers
1480:
412:"They did see it again, of course, but not in this story. And it was not in a sand-pit either, but in a very, very, very different place. It was in a – But I must say no more."
1475:
1280:
1500:
378:
The word "Psammead", pronounced "sammyadd" by the children in the story, appears to be a coinage by Nesbit from the Greek ψάμμος "sand" after the pattern of
315:. Later, they wish that the baby would grow up faster, causing him to grow all at once into a selfish, smug young man who promptly leaves them all behind.
1490:
1455:
1505:
1353:
1213:
1435:
552:
turned the story into a six-part television series. It was released in the UK under the story's original title. In the USA it was released as
942:
750:
282:, so they cannot buy anything. A wish for wings seems to be going well, but at sunset the children find themselves stuck on top of a church
342:
Jane, known as Pussy: a generally agreeable little girl with a tendency to be oversensitive, she is sometimes weepy and easily frightened.
1054:
709:
1146:
296:
363:
like a monkey's" and whiskers like a rat's. When it grants wishes it stretches out its eyes, holds its breath and swells alarmingly.
1485:
1465:
1114:
491:
1495:
1221:
1205:
1189:
846:
345:
Hilary, the baby, known as the Lamb (because his first word was "baa"). He is too young to walk and has to be carried everywhere.
1510:
1415:
1266:
468:
encounter the
Psammead. One of the children has read the original book and wishes to meet Cyril, Anthea, Jane and Robert.
1445:
1425:
1420:
1273:
1450:
1440:
1361:
1245:
1229:
886:
603:
20:
1318:
1087:
742:
419:
221:
161:
817:
558:
253:. The five children (Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother, known as "the Lamb") are playing in a
1015:
548:. This was only shown in the South of England and Midlands. A more lavish production was made in 1991 when the
729:
94:
792:
632:
A stage musical adaptation by
Timothy Knapman (book) and Philip Godfrey (music/lyrics) was completed in 2016.
1430:
1326:
1095:
1047:
425:
279:
227:
1162:
734:
574:
567:
562:
in 1993, with the
Psammead the only character linking the two series. Both these series were scripted by
333:
Cyril, known as
Squirrel: the eldest sibling, who is brave, diplomatic, and book-smart (very intelligent)
275:
35:
585:
1392:
1138:
1130:
842:
456:
291:
a travelling fair for coins. They also wish themselves into a castle, only to learn that it is being
241:
534:
196:
959:
390:, implicitly signifying "sand-nymph". However, its hideous appearance is unlike traditional Greek
1154:
1040:
891:
174:
1387:
1345:
1197:
978:
938:
847:"Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders review – respectful homage packs a punch"
746:
545:
529:
461:
143:
1369:
1258:
1237:
1122:
667:
663:
611:
607:
589:
69:
1170:
964:
765:
650:
615:
563:
480:
449:
211:
108:
98:
704:
200:
128:
257:
when they uncover a rather grumpy, ugly, and occasionally malevolent
Psammead, a sand-
1409:
1010:
931:
479:, set nine years after the original story, the children encounter the horrors of the
476:
339:
Robert, known as Bobs: the middle child, he is a practical joker with a quick temper.
336:
Anthea, known as Panther: the second eldest, who is kind, sensible, and good-hearted.
312:
292:
676:. The character, in an early draft, originally belonged to an order of "Psammeads".
666:
named Psamathos Psamathide, described as a "Psamathist" (expert in sand) appears in
354:
913:
851:
619:
592:
and Disney Germany. This rendered the title character as a green dog-like creature.
59:
49:
537:. No English dubbed version was ever produced, but it came out in other languages.
646:
540:
There have been two adaptations on British television of the novel, both by the
371:
696:
672:
465:
464:
is a contemporary retelling of the story in which four children from a modern
367:
287:
283:
254:
179:
700:
635:
In 2022, it was adapted into another musical by playwright Rita Cheung Baird.
266:, when all that children wished for was food, the bones of which then became
1289:
1064:
570:
496:
263:
231:(1906). The book has never been out of print since its initial publication.
206:
1011:
New York, 1905 edition (scanned page images from the Library of Congress)
995:
452:
concerns another family of Edwardian children who discover the Psammead.
300:
1027:
1023:
1005:
1000:
150:
267:
193:
1032:
500:
407:
The book's ending was clearly intended to leave readers in suspense:
391:
246:
203:
973:
874:
The Hill and Beyond: Children's Television Drama – An Encyclopedia
524:
490:
387:
383:
379:
353:
258:
250:
1262:
1036:
549:
541:
520:
311:
wants the baby, and the children must fend off kidnappers and
573:
and voiced the Psammead. He was voiced here by the puppeteer
144:
933:
E. Nesbit's Psammead Trilogy: A Children's Classic at 100
544:. In 1951 a basic two part production was dramatised by
510:
has been adapted for television and film several times:
433:
was published in 1930. The trilogy is also known as the
245:, the story begins when a group of children move from
286:
with no way down, getting them into trouble with the
1380:
1337:
1302:
1181:
1106:
1071:
887:"DQE's 'Psammy Show' Heads to China with CCTV Deal"
169:
156:
142:
134:
124:
114:
104:
90:
75:
65:
55:
45:
1471:British television shows based on children's books
930:
739:The Cambridge Guide to Children's Books in English
728:
1461:Works originally published in The Strand Magazine
533:. 78 episodes were produced by animation studio
375:the wishes the Psammead granted in the past.
1274:
1048:
209:. It was originally published in 1902 in the
8:
1481:British children's fantasy television series
394:, who generally resemble beautiful maidens.
358:The Psammead in frontispiece by H. R. Millar
28:
1476:British television shows featuring puppetry
1281:
1267:
1259:
1055:
1041:
1033:
34:
27:
366:The five children find the Psammead in a
691:
689:
685:
872:Mark J. Docherty, Alistair D. McGown,
1016:The 1985–86 anime Onegai! Samia Don,
722:
720:
7:
914:Philip Godfrey – Vocal & Theatre
610:, Tara FitzGerald, Jonathan Bailey,
584:, an animated series co-produced by
299:ends with the children nearly being
876:(Bloomsbury Academic, 2003), p. 102
710:The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
1147:Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare
473:Five Children on the Western Front
14:
1501:Children's books set in the 1900s
1491:Books illustrated by H. R. Millar
1456:British novels adapted into films
1115:The Story of the Treasure Seekers
280:they are no longer in circulation
984:
1338:Film and Television Adaptations
929:Jones, Raymond E., ed. (2006).
1:
622:as the voice of the Psammead.
495:Sculpture of the Psammead in
1506:Children's books set in Kent
793:"The Return of the Psammead"
295:, while a wish to meet real
278:that no shop will accept as
1246:The Railway Children Return
994:public domain audiobook at
21:Five Children and It (film)
1527:
1354:The Phoenix and the Carpet
1319:The Phoenix and the Carpet
1214:The Phoenix and the Carpet
1088:The Phoenix and the Carpet
1024:The Return of the Psammead
743:Cambridge University Press
559:The Return of the Psammead
446:The Return of the Psammead
420:The Phoenix and the Carpet
222:The Phoenix and the Carpet
217:The Psammead, or the Gifts
162:The Phoenix and the Carpet
19:For the film version, see
18:
1436:Children's fantasy novels
645:It was also adapted as a
417:The children reappear in
33:
1466:Period television series
215:under the general title
29:Five Children and It...
1496:Novels set in the 1900s
1327:The Story of the Amulet
1096:The Story of the Amulet
606:was released, starring
556:. This was followed by
426:The Story of the Amulet
228:The Story of the Amulet
175:Five Children and It...
1381:Literary Continuations
1107:Other well-known works
1018:Samed el duende mágico
822:fantasticfiction.co.uk
818:"Four Children and It"
797:fantasticfiction.co.uk
504:
415:
359:
249:to the countryside of
1486:1902 children's books
843:Buckley-Archer, Linda
523:broadcast a Japanese
494:
409:
357:
95:Children's literature
16:1902 children's novel
1511:Novels about fairies
1416:Five Children and It
1393:Four Children and It
1362:Five Children and It
1311:Five Children and It
1295:Five Children and It
1230:Five Children and It
1222:The Railway Children
1206:The Treasure Seekers
1190:The Railway Children
1139:The Enchanted Castle
1131:The Railway Children
1080:Five Children and It
1028:Five Children and It
991:Five Children and It
974:Five Children and It
960:Five Children and It
781:Five Children and It
767:Five Children and It
508:Five Children and It
457:Four Children and It
242:The Railway Children
189:Five Children and It
1446:Novels by E. Nesbit
1426:1902 fantasy novels
1421:1902 British novels
937:. Scarecrow Press.
845:(18 October 2014).
727:Ang, Susan (2001).
699:(15 October 2021).
503:in southeast London
30:
1451:Novels set in Kent
1441:Low fantasy novels
1155:The House of Arden
892:Animation Magazine
779:Last paragraph of
703:. In Clute, John;
505:
360:
1403:
1402:
1388:Jacqueline Wilson
1349:(1985-1986 anime)
1346:Onegai! Samia-don
1256:
1255:
1198:Onegai! Samia-don
1001:The 1991 TV movie
979:Project Gutenberg
944:978-0-8108-5401-7
752:978-0-511-07410-3
730:"Psammead series"
658:Works inspired by
546:Dorothea Brooking
530:Onegai! Samia-don
462:Jacqueline Wilson
328:The five children
185:
184:
125:Publication place
1518:
1370:Four Kids and It
1357:(1997 TV series)
1283:
1276:
1269:
1260:
1238:Four Kids and It
1217:(1997 TV series)
1123:The Wouldbegoods
1072:Psammead trilogy
1057:
1050:
1043:
1034:
988:
987:
981:
948:
936:
916:
911:
905:
904:
902:
900:
883:
877:
870:
864:
863:
861:
859:
839:
833:
832:
830:
828:
814:
808:
807:
805:
803:
789:
783:
777:
771:
763:
757:
756:
732:
724:
715:
714:
693:
668:J. R. R. Tolkien
608:Freddie Highmore
590:Method Animation
586:DQ Entertainment
441:By other authors
197:children's novel
157:Followed by
146:
116:Publication date
38:
31:
1526:
1525:
1521:
1520:
1519:
1517:
1516:
1515:
1406:
1405:
1404:
1399:
1376:
1333:
1298:
1287:
1257:
1252:
1177:
1171:The Magic World
1102:
1067:
1061:
1026:1993 sequel to
985:
971:
965:Standard Ebooks
955:
945:
928:
925:
923:Further reading
920:
919:
912:
908:
898:
896:
895:. 5 August 2019
885:
884:
880:
871:
867:
857:
855:
841:
840:
836:
826:
824:
816:
815:
811:
801:
799:
791:
790:
786:
778:
774:
764:
760:
753:
745:. p. 581.
726:
725:
718:
713:(4th ed.).
705:Langford, David
695:
694:
687:
682:
660:
651:Henry Seabright
642:
629:
616:Kenneth Branagh
599:
582:The Psammy Show
564:Helen Cresswell
516:
489:
481:First World War
450:Helen Cresswell
443:
405:
400:
352:
330:
325:
237:
212:Strand Magazine
135:Media type
117:
109:T. Fisher Unwin
97:
41:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1524:
1522:
1514:
1513:
1508:
1503:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1431:English novels
1428:
1423:
1418:
1408:
1407:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1397:
1384:
1382:
1378:
1377:
1375:
1374:
1366:
1358:
1350:
1341:
1339:
1335:
1334:
1332:
1331:
1323:
1315:
1306:
1304:
1300:
1299:
1288:
1286:
1285:
1278:
1271:
1263:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1250:
1242:
1234:
1226:
1218:
1210:
1202:
1194:
1185:
1183:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1175:
1167:
1163:The Magic City
1159:
1151:
1143:
1135:
1127:
1119:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1092:
1084:
1075:
1073:
1069:
1068:
1062:
1060:
1059:
1052:
1045:
1037:
1031:
1030:
1021:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
982:
969:
967:
954:
953:External links
951:
950:
949:
943:
924:
921:
918:
917:
906:
878:
865:
834:
809:
784:
772:
758:
751:
735:Watson, Victor
716:
684:
683:
681:
678:
659:
656:
655:
654:
641:
638:
637:
636:
633:
628:
625:
624:
623:
598:
595:
594:
593:
578:
575:Francis Wright
568:Francis Wright
554:The Sand Fairy
538:
515:
512:
488:
485:
442:
439:
404:
401:
399:
396:
351:
348:
347:
346:
343:
340:
337:
334:
329:
326:
324:
321:
239:Like Nesbit's
236:
233:
183:
182:
171:
167:
166:
158:
154:
153:
148:
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
129:United Kingdom
126:
122:
121:
118:
115:
112:
111:
106:
102:
101:
92:
88:
87:
77:
73:
72:
67:
63:
62:
57:
53:
52:
47:
43:
42:
39:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1523:
1512:
1509:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1499:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1422:
1419:
1417:
1414:
1413:
1411:
1395:
1394:
1389:
1386:
1385:
1383:
1379:
1372:
1371:
1367:
1364:
1363:
1359:
1356:
1355:
1351:
1348:
1347:
1343:
1342:
1340:
1336:
1329:
1328:
1324:
1321:
1320:
1316:
1313:
1312:
1308:
1307:
1305:
1301:
1297:
1296:
1291:
1284:
1279:
1277:
1272:
1270:
1265:
1264:
1261:
1248:
1247:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1235:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1211:
1208:
1207:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1195:
1192:
1191:
1187:
1186:
1184:
1180:
1173:
1172:
1168:
1165:
1164:
1160:
1157:
1156:
1152:
1149:
1148:
1144:
1141:
1140:
1136:
1133:
1132:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1105:
1098:
1097:
1093:
1090:
1089:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1077:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1058:
1053:
1051:
1046:
1044:
1039:
1038:
1035:
1029:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1019:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1006:The 2004 film
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
993:
992:
983:
980:
976:
975:
970:
968:
966:
962:
961:
957:
956:
952:
946:
940:
935:
934:
927:
926:
922:
915:
910:
907:
894:
893:
888:
882:
879:
875:
869:
866:
854:
853:
848:
844:
838:
835:
823:
819:
813:
810:
798:
794:
788:
785:
782:
776:
773:
770:
768:
762:
759:
754:
748:
744:
740:
736:
731:
723:
721:
717:
712:
711:
706:
702:
698:
692:
690:
686:
679:
677:
675:
674:
669:
665:
657:
652:
648:
644:
643:
639:
634:
631:
630:
626:
621:
617:
613:
612:Zoë Wanamaker
609:
605:
601:
600:
596:
591:
587:
583:
579:
576:
572:
569:
565:
561:
560:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
536:
532:
531:
526:
522:
518:
517:
513:
511:
509:
502:
498:
493:
486:
484:
482:
478:
477:Kate Saunders
474:
469:
467:
463:
459:
458:
453:
451:
447:
440:
438:
436:
432:
431:Five Children
428:
427:
422:
421:
414:
413:
408:
402:
397:
395:
393:
389:
385:
381:
376:
373:
369:
364:
356:
349:
344:
341:
338:
335:
332:
331:
327:
322:
320:
316:
314:
310:
304:
302:
298:
294:
289:
285:
281:
277:
276:spade guineas
271:
269:
265:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
243:
234:
232:
230:
229:
224:
223:
218:
214:
213:
208:
205:
202:
198:
195:
191:
190:
181:
177:
176:
172:
168:
165:
163:
159:
155:
152:
149:
147:
141:
137:
133:
130:
127:
123:
119:
113:
110:
107:
103:
100:
96:
93:
89:
85:
81:
80:Five Children
78:
74:
71:
68:
64:
61:
58:
54:
51:
48:
44:
40:First edition
37:
32:
26:
22:
1391:
1368:
1360:
1352:
1344:
1325:
1317:
1310:
1309:
1294:
1293:
1244:
1236:
1228:
1220:
1212:
1204:
1196:
1188:
1169:
1161:
1153:
1145:
1137:
1129:
1121:
1113:
1094:
1086:
1079:
1078:
1017:
990:
972:
958:
932:
909:
897:. Retrieved
890:
881:
873:
868:
856:. Retrieved
852:The Guardian
850:
837:
825:. Retrieved
821:
812:
800:. Retrieved
796:
787:
780:
775:
766:
761:
738:
708:
671:
661:
620:Eddie Izzard
604:film version
581:
580:In 2018, as
557:
553:
528:
507:
506:
472:
470:
455:
454:
445:
444:
434:
430:
424:
418:
416:
411:
410:
406:
377:
372:pterodactyls
365:
361:
350:The Psammead
317:
308:
305:
272:
240:
238:
226:
220:
216:
210:
188:
187:
186:
173:
160:
83:
79:
60:H. R. Millar
50:Edith Nesbit
25:
1373:(2020 film)
1365:(2004 film)
1182:Adaptations
769:, Chapter 1
701:"Nesbit, E"
697:Clute, John
647:comic strip
571:puppeteered
519:In 1985–86
487:Adaptations
423:(1904) and
297:Red Indians
225:(1904) and
56:Illustrator
1410:Categories
680:References
673:Roverandom
602:In 2004 a
514:Television
475:(2014) by
466:stepfamily
460:(2012) by
448:(1992) by
368:gravel pit
323:Characters
288:gamekeeper
284:bell tower
255:gravel pit
180:Wikisource
1290:E. Nesbit
1201:(1985-86)
1065:E. Nesbit
1063:Works by
827:31 August
802:31 August
527:version,
497:Well Hall
403:By Nesbit
264:Stone Age
207:E. Nesbit
105:Publisher
996:LibriVox
899:5 August
707:(eds.).
437:series.
435:Psammead
309:everyone
293:besieged
86:) series
84:Psammead
82:(a.k.a.
66:Language
737:(ed.).
627:Theatre
618:, with
398:Sequels
313:Gypsies
301:scalped
268:fossils
201:English
194:fantasy
151:4378896
99:Fantasy
70:English
1396:(2012)
1330:(1905)
1322:(1904)
1314:(1902)
1303:Novels
1249:(2022)
1241:(2020)
1233:(2004)
1225:(2000)
1209:(1996)
1193:(1970)
1174:(1920)
1166:(1910)
1158:(1908)
1150:(1907)
1142:(1907)
1134:(1906)
1126:(1901)
1118:(1899)
1099:(1905)
1091:(1904)
1083:(1902)
941:
858:14 May
749:
664:wizard
640:Comics
566:, and
501:Eltham
392:nymphs
247:London
204:author
164:
76:Series
46:Author
733:. In
525:anime
388:oread
384:naiad
380:dryad
259:fairy
192:is a
138:Print
91:Genre
939:ISBN
901:2019
860:2020
829:2015
804:2015
747:ISBN
614:and
597:Film
386:and
251:Kent
235:Plot
170:Text
145:OCLC
120:1902
1390:'s
1292:'s
977:at
963:at
670:'s
649:by
550:BBC
542:BBC
535:TMS
521:NHK
471:In
199:by
178:at
1412::
889:.
849:.
820:.
795:.
741:.
719:^
688:^
662:A
588:,
499:,
483:.
382:,
303:.
1282:e
1275:t
1268:v
1056:e
1049:t
1042:v
947:.
903:.
862:.
831:.
806:.
755:.
653:.
577:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
