When the children dug a hole in the gravel-pit, they were very surprised at what they found. 'It' was a Psammead, a sand-fairy, thousands of years old. It was a strange little thing - fat and furry, and with eyes on long stalks. It was often very cross and unfriendly, but it could give wishes - one wish a day. 'How wonderful!' the children said. But wishes are difficult things. They can get you into trouble.
當這群小朋友在土堆上挖洞時,突然間,有個東西嚇了他們一跳。「牠」是Psammead,傳說中已經活了數千年的沙精靈。 牠是一個奇怪的小怪物──肥胖毛茸茸的,以及高傲的雙眼。牠的脾氣很壞而且非常地不友善,但是,牠卻可以使人的願望實現── 一天一個願望。這樣多棒啊!但有時候許願是很困難的事,它有可能讓你惹上麻煩。