简介它是个“赛米德”（即沙精）。有一大孩子们在砾石坑中挖沙时发现了它。它已经几千岁了。当然了，沙精们可以帮人们实现他们的愿望——愿望每天只能实现一个，而且当太阳落山时一切也就结束了。安西娅、西里尔、罗伯特和简觉得这棒极了。他们的小弟弟还太小，不会许愿，而且大部分时间都呆在家里；可其他几个盘算着要些激动人心的东西。可那又是什么呢？变得漂亮，富有，还是能像鸟儿一样飞翔？有时候想出真正的好愿望很困难，可是脱口说出“但愿……”却是很容易的，那时你就得到了并不真正想要的东西。这时沙精就不肯帮忙了。出了差错时它就生气地说：“为什么你不先想好了再说？”而事情的确常出差错……伊迪丝•内斯比特 1858 年生于伦敦，1924 年逝世。她一生从事写作，为儿童写了很多书。其中著名的有《五个孩子和沙精》、《长生鸟与地毯》及《铁路上的孩子》等。1BeautifulChildrenThehousewasaboutfourkilometresfromthestation，butafteronlyaminuteortwothechildrenbegantoask，'Arewenearlythere？'Andeverytimetheysawahousetheysaid，'Oh，isthisit？'Butitneverwas.Thentheycametothetopofahill，andtherewasaWhitehousewithagreengardenandlotsoffruittrees.'Hereweare！'Mothersaid.Everyonehurriedtogetoutofthecarriage——Robert，Anthea，Jane，Cyril，andMartha，thenursemaid，withthebaby.ButMotherdidnothurry.Thechildrenranroundthehouseandallthroughthegardentoseewhattherewas.ButMotherstoodandwatchedthedriverwhilehecarriedtheboxesintothehouse.Thechildrenlovedthehouse.Theyknewimmediatelythattheyweregoingtobehappythere.Motherdidnotlikethehouseverymuchbecauseitwasoldandtherewerenocup-boards.ButitwasdeepinthecountryandaftertwoyearsinLondonthechildrenthoughtthatitwaswonderful.IfyouliveinLondonandyourfamilyisnotrich，yougetboredbecauseyoucannotgotoshopsandtheatres，andpeoplesay，'Don'tdothis'and'Don'tgothere.'Inthecountryyoucangoany-whereanddoanything.Thewhitehousewasonthehill，withawoodbehinditandagravel-pitononeside.Itwasatthegravel-pit，aweeklater，thatthechildrenfoundafairy.Well，thatwaswhatitcalleditself.Butitwasdifferentfromotherfairies.IthappenedwhenMotherhadtogoandstaywithGrand-mother，whowasill.Marthastayedwiththechildren，ofcourse.Bu...
