by Nancy Krulik
That’s where I found my magic lamp.
“Come on,” Raj says as he jumps off the back of his cow. “Maybe someone has dropped a few good pieces of lamb tandoori.”
I jump off the back of my cow, too.
Wham! I land hard on the dusty road. Ouch!
“Thanks for the ride,” I say as the cow walks off. Then I follow Raj down the crowded street.
“Are there always so many two-legs here?” I ask Raj.
“The marketplace is always busy,” Raj says as we dart among all the two-legs. “Don’t stop walking. These crowds will stomp right on you if you do.”
I think Raj is right. The two-legs are all walking very fast. They don’t even notice that there are two little dogs walking near their paws.
Hey! Wiggle, waggle, what’s that?
Up ahead I see a small two-leg. One of his legs is all wrapped up in something white. He has two big sticks under his arms.
“What’s that little two-leg doing?” I ask Raj. “Why is his leg all wrapped up?”
“I’ve seen that before,” Raj says. “The bone inside his leg is broken. The wooden sticks help him walk until his bone is fixed.”
I watch how the small two-leg leans on his long wooden sticks every time he takes a step. He is moving very slowly.
Suddenly, the little two-leg loses his grip on one of the sticks. He falls to the ground with a THUD.
“That had to hurt,” Raj says.
I hear a loud noise coming from behind us. I turn around. There’s a big crowd of two-legs walking this way.
There are so many of them. They are taking up the whole street. It looks like the big crowd of wildebeests I saw moving through the Serengeti. Except these are two-legs.
The two-legs are busy talking to one another.
Some are looking at the buildings on either side.
They do not seem to notice the hurt two-leg lying in the middle of the road.
I’m afraid one of them will step on the two-leg’s hurt leg. The same way someone stepped on my paw when I first got here.
“Get up, little two-leg!” I bark loudly. “You have to get up. Now!”
The little two-leg spots the big crowd of people coming toward him. He grabs one of his sticks. He stretches and tries to get the other stick. But it has fallen too far away.
He can’t stand up. Not without that other stick to help him.
The little two-leg is shouting something. He sounds scared.
Now I hear someone else shouting over the crowd. She sounds scared, too.
I wonder if she is trying to call out to the little two-leg.
The little two-leg with the hurt leg bone starts crawling on the ground. He is trying to get to the other stick before the big crowd tramples him.
I have to do something. But what?
Suddenly, I remember the magic lamp that is clenched between my teeth. I still have one wish left.
But if I use my wish to help the little two-leg, I can’t use it to get back to Josh.
And if my magic bone is still broken, I may be stuck here in Agra. Or wind up somewhere else.
Somewhere that isn’t my home.
I look behind me. The crowd of two-legs is getting closer.
I look in front of me. The two-leg with the broken bone is still crawling on the ground, trying to reach his other stick.
“I wish the bone would be fixed!” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
I know I have done the right thing. I cannot let that little two-leg get trampled. He has to get up and get out of the way.
He needs the jinni’s help more than I do.
I can feel the big crowd of people getting closer and closer. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, Raj darts in front of the crowd.
He’s got something in his mouth. It’s the little two-leg’s other stick!
Raj drags the long stick over to the two-leg. The two-leg takes it in his paw. Then he uses his two sticks and stands up.
Slowly, he makes his way to the side of the road. He has water raining from his eyes.
The little two-leg is looking in the crowd. I think he is trying to find someone.
More and more two-legs go by. But the little two-leg does not seem to see the one he is looking for.
Still, at least he’s not alone.
Raj is by his side.
“Stay away from this two-leg,” Raj barks at the crowd.
Just then, a big two-leg hurries over to the little hurt two-leg.
She has water raining from her eyes, too. But she is smiling.
I watch as the big two-leg wraps her paws around the little two-leg. Then she bends down and pets Raj on the head.
Raj’s tail wags—a little.
Raj raises his head. The little two-leg scratches under his chin.
Raj’s tail wags harder. Much, much harder.
Just the way my tail wags when Josh scratches under my chin.
“Hey, Sparky!” Raj shouts in my direction. “I think I found the right ones!”
I am happy for Raj. My tail must be happy, too, because it starts to wag.
The big two-leg says something to the little one.
The little two-leg smiles.
Then the big one scoops up Raj in her paws. She starts to walk away.
“What’s going on?” Raj barks loudly.
“I think she’s taking you home,” I bark to Raj.
Raj’s tail wags harder. “Home,” he says. “I like the way that sounds. Do you want to come with us?”
I shake my head. “No, thanks,” I shout to him. “I have my own two-leg to love.”
As Raj walks away with his new pack, I can feel the magic lamp between my teeth. Only it’s not magic anymore. There are no more wishes left.
CHAPTER 16
My stomach is feeling all flippy and floppy.
My legs are shaky.
My tail is tucked between my legs.
I’m scared. What if I dig up my magic bone and it doesn’t work?
What if I wind up somewhere else that isn’t home?
What if I can’t ever get home again?
What if I never see my Josh again?
No. I can’t let that happen. I have to dig up my bone. I have to take a bite. And my bone has to kaboom me home.
It just has to.
I go over to the small patch of grass near a little tree at the side of the road. It’s the place where I buried my bone.
I take a deep breath. And then I start to diggety, dig, dig.
Dirt flies all over the place.
Diggety, dig, dig. Diggety, dig—There it is! My magic bone. It’s right where I left it.
I look at my bone. I don’t see the crack anymore. MY BONE IS FIXED!
But how? I used my last wish to help the little two-leg with the broken bone.
But maybe his bone isn’t really fixed. Maybe he was just able to get up on his own.
Maybe the jinni fixed my bone instead.
Yes! That’s it! It has to be.
This time I remember my manners. “Thank you, invisible jinni!” I shout.
Sniffity, sniff, sniff. My bone smells delicious. It’s sooo meaty. I just have to take a bite.
Which means I have to let go of my magic lamp.
But I like the lamp, even if there are no wishes left.
It’s still a great chew toy.
So I hold my lamp between my paws.
Then I bend down and grab the bone between my teeth.
CHOMP! I take a big bite of my magic bone.
Wiggle, waggle, whew. I feel dizzy—like my insides are spinning all around—but my outsides are standing still. Stars are twinkling in front of my eyes—even though it’s daytime! All around me I smell food—fried chicken, salm
on, roast beef. But there isn’t any food in sight.
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
There’s my tree!
And my fence!
And my house!
I am home. Right where I belong.
Hooray for my magic bone!
I run over to where Josh grows his flowers, and I start to dig.
Diggety, dig, dig.
Dirt flies all over the place. Diggety, dig, dig.
I have made a great big hole. I drop my bone into the hole and pushity, push, push the dirt back.
My bone is buried deep in the dirt. No one can find it. Except me, of course.
HISS!
I hear a loud noise coming from high up in my tree.
MEOW!
I look up. I see Queenie. She is sitting on a branch and glaring at me. But I’m not afraid.
“Go away, Queenie!” I bark angrily at her. “I’ve scared away much fiercer cats than you!”
HISS!
Queenie sounds mad. But she leaps off the tree branch, onto my fence, and into the next yard.
Yay! I win.
Vroom. Vroom.
I hear something coming from in front of our house. It sounds like Josh’s metal machine with the big round paws.
Josh is home! I got back just in time.
Click. That’s the sound of our gate opening.
I look up. There he is. It’s Josh.
“Josh! Josh! Josh!” I bark as I race over to him. “I’m home! You’re home! We are home together!”
Josh smiles and pets my head. I love when Josh pets my head.
Then he looks down at the ground. He gets a funny look on his face. He picks up my magic lamp.
Josh looks at the lamp. Then he looks at me. Then he looks at the lamp again.
I wish I could tell Josh all about the jinni that used to live in that lamp.
And about Raj and the monkeys who throw poop.
And about Rehema and the African wild dogs.
And the mean giant cats.
But I can’t. Because I don’t speak two-leg. And Josh doesn’t speak dog.
So instead, I just rub against Josh’s leg. I smile up at him. I am telling Josh that I am glad that he and I are in the same pack.
Josh smiles back at me. He pets my head.
I do not need to speak two-leg to understand that.
I can tell he feels the same way.
Fun Facts about Sparky’s Visits to the Serengeti and Agra, India
The Serengeti
The Serengeti National Park is located in east central Africa. It spreads all the way from northern Tanzania to southwestern Kenya. Animal preserves in the Serengeti were created to help protect the animals that live there. For example, at one time there weren’t many lions in the Serengeti because so many had been killed by hunters. Today more than three thousand lions live there! The park is also working hard to keep other endangered animals safe from hunters, including wild dogs, elephants, cheetahs, and black rhinos.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in all of Africa. It was formed millions of years ago, when three volcanoes began erupting. Mount Kilimanjaro is made up of hardened volcanic ash and lava. Today, two of the three volcanoes are extinct, which means they will never erupt again. But the third volcano is only dormant. That means that it could erupt some day. The last volcanic eruption on Mount Kilimanjaro happened more than two hundred years ago.
The Migration of the Wildebeests
Each year more than two million animals travel out of the Tanzania part of the Serengeti National Park in a large group. They are searching for greener pastures in nearby Kenya. More than one and a half million wildebeests migrate each year. They are joined in the migration by about two hundred thousand zebras and five hundred thousand gazelles.
Rock Gongs
A rock gong is a large boulder that makes a loud, metallic noise when hit by a smaller rock. In ancient times, the Masai tribe of Tanzania used rock gongs to send messages to one another.
Hippos
Hippos may not eat meat, but that does not mean they are harmless. In fact, they can be quite dangerous if they are bothered. Hippos have sharp teeth and weigh up to nine thousand pounds. If they feel threatened, they will run toward the water, mowing down anyone who gets in their way.
The Legend of the Jinn
Even though they are just make-believe, stories about jinn have been found in folktales from India and Arabia since ancient times. In many of the stories, jinn are able to grant wishes to the people who free them.
Mankameshwar Temple
This is one of the oldest religious sites in Agra, India. People line up to pray in the temple because legend has it that those who visit Mankameshwar Temple will have their wishes granted.
The Agra Fort
Built almost one thousand years ago, the Agra Fort is more like a small walled city than a fort. It is filled with beautiful marble carvings, brightly colored tile mosaic artwork, and huge stone statues. The Indian military still uses the northern part of the fort, so visitors are not allowed there. But the rest is open to visitors. Many come to see the monkeys who have made their home in the fort.
The Taj Mahal
This famous building was constructed more than three hundred years ago. It is made of white marble and other materials, and took more than twenty years to build. The Taj Mahal was built as a burial site for Mumtaz Mahal, the third wife of emperor Shah Jahan. Millions of visitors travel from all over each year to visit the Taj Mahal, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions not only in India, but in the world.
About the Author
Nancy Krulik is the author of more than two hundred books for children and young adults, including three New York Times Best Sellers. She is best known for being the author and creator of several successful book series for children, including Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo; How I Survived Middle School; and George Brown, Class Clown. Nancy lives in Manhattan with her husband, composer Daniel Burwasser, and her crazy beagle mix, Josie, who manages to drag her along on many exciting adventures without ever leaving Central Park.
About the Illustrator
You could fill a whole attic with Seb’s drawings! His collection includes some very early pieces made when he was four—there is even a series of drawings he did at the movies in the dark! When he isn’t doodling, he likes to make toys and sculptures, as well as bows and arrows for his two boys, Oscar and Leo, and their numerous friends. Seb is French and lives in England. His website is www.sebastienbraun.com.