OUR STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 88, 7 August 1942, Page 6

OUR STORY

A lIOUSK FOR X! I'l'Y II look two nights to drag Iho kettle where Nippy wanted it, and until his new Siome was ready he had to store his furnilure with some of his friends. But Nippy's troubles were by no means over. His new house had no doors or Avindcnvs. and what a shock he got when the carpenters were called in! "It's no use!" they told Nippy, when th.-y had tried their tools on the kettle. "There's nothing like this in Pixiegien, and we can't cut through the stun!" So there was Nippy. with the quaintest house in Pixiegien, and no one who could make him doors and windows! By using a ladder he could get in and out through the hole' at the top, but lie could not get his furniture in that way, and when it rained it would rain in. Tlie other pixies thought it rather funny, and they laughed and laughed again because Nippy had to use a ladder to get into his house! He grew so tired of their laugh--t'er that he went out more and more into the wood, and stayed out later and later. As lie passed the old oak tree very early one morning, he saw that a fat little gncmc was leaning back against a root. "Hullo!" said the gnome. "You're a late scholar?" "Hullo!" replied Nippy. "Who are you, and what arc you doing?"' "I'm Stumpy, a carpenter, and I'm looking for work." "You'd find work in Pixiegien," Nippy told him. "M suppose, you couldn't help me?" Encouraged by the gnome's friendly manner he told him the story of his new house. "I'll help yon!" promised the gnome. He opened his bag. and showed Nippy his collection of shining tools. "They were given to my grandfather by an old goblin he befriended. and they'll cut anything."

Tlicy -went back to Pixieglen together, and began -work almost at once. To Tsippv's great delight, Stumpy I ,s Avords proved no idle His tools would cut into the kettle. • Not only did Stumpy make doors and windows. He boarded up the hole at the top, and made the bedroom floor. When he proposed making two bedrooms, Nippy raised a protest. "I don't Avail t Iwo bedrooms. I only need one." "It's too big for one." replied Stumpy. "Pass me some more Avood." At last tiie 1 house was iinished, and when he had laken al! his fur-* n'.Lu-e into it. Nippy Avas the happiest Pixie in Pixieglen. "YVI-at do I one. you?" he asked Slump/. "I expect you want to go '-"TV? r ,ff n ; n now.".

"You don't owe me anything," replied Stumpy, "and I haven't a home. I-I think I'd like to stay here in Pixicglen, if I may." "Of course jou may! You can stay with, me just as long as you like. I say!" added Nippy, with a laugh. "Is that why j'ou've made two bedrooms?"