Charlie was a camel who lived in a zoo, and his work was giving rides to children.

Now, when Charlie was young he had lived in Africa, where the hot sun shone, and there was warm sand to walk on.

As he walked on the hard stony paths of the zoo, Charlie dreamed of the nice soft sand of the desert.

One day Charlie was carrying children down the path, just as he always did, when he looked over the fence into the park next door. Camels are very tall animals, so Charlie could see what the keeper couldn't see. He saw men working, digging out a big square pit.

The next day Charlie looked over the fence again. The men had gone, the pit was finished, and it was full of lively sand.

The men had made a sand-pit for children to play in, but Charlie didn't know that.

All the way back with the children Charlie thought of the sand. He knelt down on the ground for the keeper to lift the children from his back, then stood up quickly and ran off down the path. Over the fence jumped Charlie, into that beautiful sand. He rolled in it, he stamped his feet up and down in it, and he was very, very happy.

Before long the keeper came running. He saw Charlie was enjoying the sand, and he knew at once how homesick Charlie was.

Now Charlie is a happy camel. He goes to the sandpit every evening, and thinks he is back home in the desert once more.