would not laugh at him for being awkward or inexperienced. And
sure enough, the genie of the lamp appeared.

Everychild became quite dumb. He cast an appealing glance at Aladdin.
"Won't _you_ make a wish?" he begged. "After all, it's very hard,
knowing what to wish for."

"It is," admitted Aladdin. "No, I'll not make a wish. It was you who
summoned the genie. You shall make your own wish!"

At this Everychild glanced at the genie as if in search of assistance.
But he received no encouragement at all. The genie really looked like
a person who had come to bring evil rather than good. And Everychild
felt his heart pounding painfully, and his head throbbing. But at last
a happy thought occurred to him. He might make a very little wish!

"It is getting dark," he said to the genie, trying to speak as if he
were thoroughly experienced in making wishes, "I wish I had a nice
place to sleep, here in the forest."

He had scarcely spoken when he realized that he was all alone: Aladdin
with his Oriental rug and his lamp was gone; the genie was gone. His
hand was resting upon something very soft and cool. It seemed like a
carpet, though finer than any carpet he had ever seen. And he
remembered how his mother had scolded him more than once for lying on
the carpet at home.

"But no one will scold me for lying here," he reflected.

So it came about that on his first night away from home he slept on the
beautiful green carpet, with the Road of Troubled Children hard by.

And he could not know that the thing he had wished for, and which had
been given him was the very thing which poor beggars, beloved of God,
are granted every tranquil summer night.

CHAPTER IV

EVERYCHILD IS JOINED BY HANSEL AND GRETTEL

In the morning he went on his way along the Road of Troubled Children;
and it seemed to him that he had gone a very great distance when he
heard voices by the roadside. They were the voices of children, and it
was plain to Everychild that they were in trouble.

He waited until they came close, and then his heart bounded, because he
recognized them. He had often seen their pictures. They were Hansel
and Grettel.

Hansel was saying sorrowfully, "I am afraid they are all gone, Grettel,
and we shall never be able to find our home again."

It was then that Everychild stepped forward. "I know you," he said,
trying to seem really friendly. "_You are Hansel and Grettel. Your
parents lost you in the wood