THE BORROWING GNOME

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 103, 28 October 1933, Page 20

THE BORROWING GNOME

(Original.) Tarry the guome was a pleasant little fellow, but ho had one very bad habit. He was forever borrowing buckets, tables, chairs, plates, combs, and everything he thought ho wanted. The other gnomes began to get tired of this liabit, and they said to each other, "What shall wo do to cure him of .his tiresome ways?1' But tho gnomes did not do anything about it, and he still went on borrowing. One day, looking out of his window, he saw a lovely green ladder up against Bumbo the magician's house. A thought struck him. "Onp of the tilos on my roof is broken. I'd better get it fixed. I'll ask Bumbo if ho will give me a loan of his ladder." Ho asked the magician if he coiuu borrow it for a while, _ Rumbo said, "yes. but it is boitfitchoir, so don's blame vne if anything happens.''Tarry thought he was only joking. Taking the ladder he loaned it up against the house. But alas! As soon as he began to mount it, it started jumping about and making itself curl, and twist as if it -were a snake' Poor Tarry did feel sick. He' called, "Stop the ladder!" But Bumbo pretended ho did not hear, for he wished to teach Tarry a lossoii.. Up, <lown! Up, down! Oh, how Tarry was bumped and bruised! At last the other gnomes took pity on him, and begged Rumbo to stop the ladder. The magician said a few magic words, and the ladder stopped with a sudden jerk, which sent Tarry into tho air, to land in a ducks' pond nearby. He quickly scrambled out, and what a dishevelled gnome was he! Cold and shivering, he ran inside his cottage. He did feel ill, but' he vowed he would never- borrow again, and he never did. .; ; :-.■■ "FAIRY SOLEIL" (11). Lower Hutt.