# The Psammead — The Story of the Amulet character guide > The Psammead in The Story of the Amulet by E. Nesbit. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Psammead, the good old Psammead **First appearance:** 0002-i-the-psammead ## Snapshot A grumbling sand-fairy with long telescopic eyes, kept in a bath of sand under the girls' bed, who grants wishes and plainly tells the children when they are being silly. ## Who they are The Psammead is bound to the children by an old wish that servants never notice it, which is why old Nurse walks past the sand-bath without a glance. It is sharp-tongued and grudging — 'You must have bolted your breakfast most unwholesomely' — yet it remembers being glad to jump into Anthea's arms and does so again. Its magic is the engine of the book, but its real gift is the uncomfortable accuracy with which it names the children's motives. ## Relationships ### [Anthea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/anthea) _friendship_ Anthea is the most empathetic toward the Psammead, treating it as a friend and confidant rather than just a magical creature. ### [Cyril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/cyril) _friendship_ Cyril treats the Psammead with a mix of respect and impatience, often bargaining with it for wishes. ### [Jane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/jane) _friendship_ Jane is often nervous around the Psammead but develops a fondness for its grumpy yet helpful nature. ### [Robert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/robert) _friendship_ Robert is bold and sometimes reckless with the Psammead, treating it as a tool for adventure but also showing grudging respect. ### [Anthea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/anthea) _friendship_ Anthea is the most empathetic toward the Psammead, treating it as a friend and confidant rather than just a magical creature. ### [Anthea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/anthea) _friendship_ Anthea is the most empathetic toward the Psammead, treating it as a friend and confidant rather than just a magical creature. ### [Jane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/jane) _friendship_ Jane is often nervous around the Psammead but develops a fondness for its grumpy yet helpful nature. ### [Cyril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/cyril) _friendship_ Cyril treats the Psammead with a mix of respect and impatience, often bargaining with it for wishes. ### [Cyril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/cyril) _friendship_ Cyril treats the Psammead with a mix of respect and impatience, often bargaining with it for wishes. ### [Jane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/jane) _friendship_ Jane is often nervous around the Psammead but develops a fondness for its grumpy yet helpful nature. ### [Robert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/robert) _friendship_ Robert is bold and sometimes reckless with the Psammead, treating it as a tool for adventure but also showing grudging respect. ### [Robert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/robert) _friendship_ Robert is bold and sometimes reckless with the Psammead, treating it as a tool for adventure but also showing grudging respect. ## In the story ### [The Story of the Amulet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/the-story-of-the-amulet) The magical creature who reunites with the children and guides them in using the amulet. ### [I: The Psammead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/i-the-psammead) The Psammead is found in a pet shop, rescued by the children, and expresses gratitude for being saved from cold water. ### [II: The Half Amulet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/ii-the-half-amulet) The Psammead explains the properties of the half amulet, including its ability to transport the children. It insists on being treated with respect and advises them to find someone who can read the ancient inscription. ### [III: The Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/iii-the-past) Explains that time and space are forms of thought and guides the children to ask the Amulet about the Past. ### [The Fight in the Village](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/v-the-fight-in-the-village) The Psammead explains that the children returned at the same time they left, and later deserts them in the past. ### [VI: The Way to Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/vi-the-way-to-babylon) Grumpy but agrees to go to Babylon. It leaves with Jane and the Babylonian woman, preferring sand to queens. ### [VII: “The Deepest Dungeon Below the Castle Moat”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/vii-the-deepest-dungeon-below-the-castle-moat) Missing with Jane; bit the guard's child and fled. ### [VIII: The Queen in London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/viii-the-queen-in-london) The Psammead grants the Queen's wish to feed the poor and later transforms the stockbrokers, then goes to sand in protest. ### [Atlantis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/ix-atlantis) Brought up in its bag but protests being taken to Atlantis. ### [X: The Little Black Girl and Julius Caesar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/x-the-little-black-girl-and-julius-caesar) The Psammead is exhausted from the Atlantis adventure and remains in sand form, sleeping for most of the chapter. ### [XI: Before Pharaoh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/xi-before-pharaoh) Advises taking small merchandise; is seized by Pharaoh's order and carried away despite the children's protests. ### [XII: The Sorry-Present and the Expelled Little Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/xii-the-sorry-present-and-the-expelled-little-boy) Explains the nature of prophetic vision and memory to Anthea. ### [The Shipwreck on the Tin Islands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/xiii-the-shipwreck-on-the-tin-islands) Not directly mentioned in this chapter. ### [XIV: The Heart's Desire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/chapters/xiv-the-heart-s-desire) The Psammead advises against living in a time not one's own and comments on the merging of the Amulet halves. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters/the_psammead - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_story_of_the_amulet_se/characters