The Magic Bed

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They are my father's flowers and you can have more of them if you wish," said the Prince without taking his eyes off her lovely face. As Georgie outgrows his childhood bed he finds a new and improved one with magical powers. Although his Granny teases him about his second hand bed, every night Georgie goes on a magical adventure in it. One night he is helping a lost tiger find his parents and the next he is racing witches through the night sky. But when returning from holiday, Georgie finds his bed has been replaced by a brand new one! Devastated, Georgie retrieves his magic bed from the dump and flies off into the sky for the next adventure.

Did you count them?" asked the Prince. "There are twelve gold plates and twelve gold spoons." The old woman nodded, and put them away under her bed. "You may stay," she said, "but be careful that the Rajah's soldiers do not catch you." At last a fakir or beggar-man heard of the bag of gold and said to the messenger, "You may have my eldest daughter. She cannot be worse off than where she is now, and the gold will make me rich." Like most John Burningham books, this eye-catching and imaginative story has extensive cross-curricular links. It can be used in Literacy, Mathematics, Geography, Art and Design and Drama. By creating their own versions of the story children can be introduced to imaginative writing as well as aspects of Mathematics. When identifying where they would go on their magical beds, children can be encouraged to talk about the distance they would need to travel to get to there and how long they think it might take them. This is also an excellent way to introduce children to concepts of Geography for example, maps, environments and habitats. As part of their story they could include a map to make sure they do not get lost on their adventures. In their writing they can discuss and describe the environments and habitats they might visit having used research skills to gather information. The old woman sat very quiet for a long time and then she said, "The anger of a Rajah is something to be dreaded, but that of a fakir might be far worse." After a while the giant was awakened by beautiful music which came from a tree which grew close to his palace wall. He lay still enjoying the sweet sounds, but presently they seemed to call him outside, and looking up he saw Nazim sitting on one of the branches of the tree playing on a lute.Certainly not," replied the Fish Prince. "All I want is to have a nice little wife and live right here." The answer astonished the Queen, but then she did not know that he was a fish only in appearance. I have everything I need," replied the Prince in his sleep. "I cannot spend all the money I have, I have more jewels than I can wear, and more servants than I can count, and I am tired of them all."

Indeed, Nala is here," said the Prince. "She is my brother's wife and we all love her. She is so beautiful that she is called the 'Star of the Palace,' but you are prettier than she is." The bag gave the Prince and the old woman breakfast and dinner and supper the next day, and when night came the Princess again sat on the roof. This time her saree was of white silk covered with diamond butterflies, and she shone more gloriously than before. At midnight the Princess went to her room again, and then the Prince told his bed to take him again to the palace. He said to his bag, "Bag, I want a very beautiful ring!" The bag gave him a ring set with rubies, which he slipped on the Princess's hand as she lay asleep, and then when she woke the Prince told her who he was. The sarees that the princesses wore were long lengths of silk which they wound about their waists and then brought over their heads. They were not at all like the dresses American girls wear, but they were of beautiful material and Nala and Dehra looked very fine in them.He said this to his wife, whose name was Matni, and as she was an enchantress she determined to get the whole of the kingdom for her husband if possible. She thought it all over and then invited the younger brother to a banquet in that part of the palace where she lived. No, indeed," replied her husband. "He has been very good to me. He has taken a thorn out of my foot and I am grateful to him. If he wants help at any time, we must give it to him."