Михаэль Энде - The Neverending Story

“Then you believe me?” Bastian asked.

“Of course I believe you,” said Mr. Coreander. “Any sensible person would.”

“Frankly,” said Bastian, “I didn’t expect you to.”

“There are people who can never go to Fantastica,” said Mr. Coreander, “and others who can, but who stay there forever. And there are just a few who go to Fantastica and come back. Like you. And they make both worlds well again.”

“Oh,” said Bastian, blushing slightly. “I don’t deserve any credit. I almost didn’t make it back. If it hadn’t been for Atreyu I’d have been stuck in the City of Old Emperors for good.”

Mr. Coreander nodded and puffed at his pipe.

“Hmm,” he grumbled. “You’re lucky having a friend in Fantastica. God knows, it’s not everybody who can say that.”

“Mr. Coreander,” Bastian asked, “how do you know all that? I mean—have you ever been in Fantastica?”

“Of course I have,” said Mr. Coreander.

“But then,” said Bastian, “you must know Moon Child.”

“Yes, I know the Childlike Empress,” said Mr. Coreander, “though not by that name. I called her something different. But that doesn’t matter.”

“Then you must know the book!” Bastian cried. “Then you have read the Neverending Story!”

Mr. Coreander shook his head.

“Every real story is a Neverending Story.” He passed his eye over the many books that covered the walls of his shop from floor to ceiling, pointed the stem of his pipe at them, and went on:

“There are many doors to Fantastica, my boy. There are other such magic books. A lot of people read them without noticing. It all depends on who gets his hands on such books.”

“Then the Neverending Story is different for different people? “

“That’s right,” said Mr. Coreander. “And besides, it’s not just books. There are other ways of getting to Fantastica and back. You’ll find out.”

“Do you think so?” Bastian asked hopefully. “But then I’d have to meet Moon Child again, and no one can meet her more than once.”

Mr. Coreander leaned forward and lowered his voice.

“Let an old Fantastica hand tell you something, my boy. This is a secret that no one in Fantastica can know. When you think it over, you’ll see why. You can’t visit Moon Child a second time, that’s true. But if you can give her a new name, you’ll see her again. And however often you manage to do that, it will be the first and only time.”

For a moment Mr. Coreander’s bulldog-face took on a soft glow, which made it look young and almost handsome.

“Thank you, Mr. Coreander,” said Bastian.

“I have to thank you, my boy,” said Mr. Coreander. “I’d appreciate it if you dropped in to see me now and then. We could exchange experiences. There aren’t many people one can discuss these things with.”

He held out his hand to Bastian. “Will you?”

“Gladly,” said Bastian, taking the proffered hand. “I have to go now. My father’s waiting. But I’ll come and see you soon.”

Mr. Coreander took him to the door. Through the reversed writing on the glass pane, Bastian saw that his father was waiting for him across the street. His face was one great beam.

Bastian opened the door so vigorously that the little glass bells tinkled wildly, and ran across to his father.

Mr. Coreander closed the door gently and looked after father and son.

“Bastian Balthazar Bux,” he grumbled. “If I’m not mistaken, you will show many others the way to Fantastica, and they will bring us the Water of Life.”

Mr. Coreander was not mistaken.

But that’s another story and shall be told another time.

Michael Ende

worked as an actor, director, playwright, and film critic as well as a children's book author. He published many acclaimed children's books in his native Germany. The Neverending Story topped the best-seller lists there for three years and went on to be translated into more than thirty languages and made into a major motion picture.

Mr. Ende died in 1995.

RALPH MANHEIM

translated many notable works from the German, including The Threepenny Opera , by Bertolt Brecht. His translation of Tales for Young and Old by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, is considered by many to be the premier English edition of the Brothers Grimm.

Mr. Manheim died in 1992.

Dutton Children's Books

A DIVISION OF PENGUIN BOOKS USA INC.

375 HUDSON STREET

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10014

Printed in U.S.A.

CONTENTS

Front Cover

Synopsis

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Prologue

I: Fantastica in Danger

II: Atreyu's Mission

III: Morla the Aged One

IV: Ygramul the Many

V: The Gnomics

VI: The Three Magic Gates

VII: The Voice of Silence

VIII: The Wind Giants

IX: Spook City

X: The Flight to thr Ivory Tower

XI: The Childlike Empress

XII: The Old Man of Wandering Mountain

XIII: Perilin, the Night Forest

XIV: The Desert of Colors

XV: Grograman, the Many-Colored Death

XVI: The Silver City of Amarganth

XVII: A Dragon for Hero Hynreck

XVIII: The Acharis

XIX: The Traveling Companions

XX: The Seeing Hand

XXI: The Star Cloister

XXII: The Battle for the Ivory Tower

XXIII: The City of the Old Emperors

XXIV: Dame Eyola

XXV: The Picture Mine

XXVI: The Water of Life

About the Authors