Children's Corner

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 10, 31 July 1930, Page 4

Children's Corner

THE MERRY GOBLINS

There were once three tiny goblins named Hop,. Skip, and Jump: They were merry little fellows, and lived in a nice cottage in Goblin Village. Goblin Village was behind a hill, just where nobody •ever thought of looking. For quite a long time, Hop, Skip and Jump were quite contented in their little cottage. They kept it very clean and comfortable, and they grew many flowers and vegetables in their little garden. But one day Jump, who was the kindest of the three, came into the cottage with a discontented look upon his face. . "You do look grumpy," said

Hop. "Have you a pain?" "No, I haven't" said Jump. "'But I've just been thinking how dull we are to stay in this silly village all the time." "It isn't a silly village," said Skip. "It's very nice. Where should be go, anyhow?" "Go out and see people, of course,'' said Jump. "People? Do you mean big, real people?" "Yes! I've just been peeping round the. hill and watching them pass by on their way to market.'' "Oh! you donkey!" said Hop. '' Suppose one of them had caught you! You might never have come back." "Pooh! Bah! I'd like to see one of those great slow people catch me," said Jump, and he took a quick leap up to the ceiling as he spoke. They all laughed, for they knew that they were, very good jumpers, ■and could easily spring out of the way if any one tried to catch them "Oh, well! I suppose we should be fairly safe,'-' they agreed. "Safe! Of course we'd be safe!. Anyhow, I'm going to have an adventure. Will you came?" They argued for a while, but really, now that Jump had suggested it, these restless little fellows felt that they would like a change from the cottage. "We can come back again," said Skip. "Of course!" said Hop. "It would be awful to leave our little home for ever." ■ *"Oh, come on!" said Jump. "I can hear people tramping home from market." So they hurried out and crept round the hill.; First came a horse and cart, but- they let that go by. - Next came a big man, but they did not. like the look of his face, so they let him go, too. Then came an old woman with a big marketing basket. Just as she reached the foot of the- ME., she. laid down her basket to rest her

arm. . . "Oh, dearie me!" she said. "I must sit down for a while." So she sat upon a fallen treetrunk and closed her eyes. "Let's hide in the basket! She'll carry us along," whispered Hop.

So they all scrambled in among the bags and parcels. It was great fun, and they giggled and nudged each other as the old woman aVbke and picked up the basket. She carried it to her house and put it upon the table. Then she began to unpack the par <*els;, *' Now!'.' whispered Jump ■' This is when we must escape^" , . So they all took great leaps. The old woman screamed and dropped a bag of eggs as, one after the other, the little goblins sprang out pf the basket and went jumping along the floor. "'Oh.! what big grass-hoppers!" she cried, for her sight was not very good. "Oh! the naughty things! They have made me smash my nice eggs." She took up a broom and began to hit them as they jumped about "Oh, let's hide!" whispered Skip. "She nearly squashed me.' They were rather alarmed at the broom, and they all jumped into a big empty jar upon a shelf.

The old woman thought that they had gone out through the window, so she went on unpacking her basket.

The little goblins were afraid fo come put until the old woman had gone to bed. Then they all jumped down and went looking about thhe house, peeping into all the rooms, sliding down the banisters and" hopping up the stairs. It yras all very exciting, but at last they began to feel hungry, and the old woman had locked all the food in the larder. '' Oh! I do want something to eat," said Skip. "liet's search for food."

"Well, they did search, and at last Jump saw a scrap of cheese-, hanging in a little wire box in a ; cornei* of the kitchen. j ' "Good!" he cried, as he rushed in and seized it; but oh! as soon as he touched the cheese there was a loud click! A little door came down bang and shut him in the box. He was in a mouse-trap. The three little goblins gasped, and . screamed. I

"Oh! Get me out! Get me out." cried Jump. -.

"Are you hurt?" asked Hop

"No! but I can't stay here..The old woman-will catch me, and you know how cross she was about those eggs."-.' * '* Well, they tried and they tried, but they could not open that trap. Poor Jump began to cry.. '' Ohr, please J don't leave. me here," he sobbed. "Of course we won't leave you," said the others. Just then, Hop spied a pair o£ round rubber heels that the old woman had bought to put on her boots. _- '< •' Splendid!" he cried. "We can make a coach, and we'll be the horses." So Hop and Skip screwed the rubbers loosely on either side of the mouse-trap. They made fine wheels! Then they found some

wool in the old woman's mending basket, and they made reins.

"Now for a jolly ride!" cried Jump, who had forgotten his fright. " Yes! you have the best of this game," said his brothers as they began to drag, him along. They got out through a hole in the back door and they ran and ran all the way back to Goblin Village. • It was morning when they got there, and all the goblins cried, ' ' Oh! Look at Jump's splendid coach!"