PETER POLLY AND WALLABY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 13 July 1929, Page 10

PETER POLLY AND WALLABY

; A - We left Gwendoline and Richard trotting off into the forest, happy in tl possession of the magic ring. To be able to get anything they wanted seen ed wonderful to them. They little realised how disastrously it was to woi out. “Now,” said Richard, holding out the ring, “What had I better wish f< first? 1 ’ But the ring was already doing its evil work. “I want first wish cried Gwen. “No!” screamed Richard, “I want first wish.”

Richard and Gwendoline, who aro really fond of .each other, began i quarrel furiously. Neither really knew why the first wish was so importan but neither would give way. “Iv’e got the ring, at any rate,” cried Richari “That doesn’t matterj” shouted Gwen.. “Oh! shut up,” yelled Richard. 4 wish the earth would swallow you up!” And, before Richard knew wha had happened, the earth had swallowed poor Gwen!

— l ■■ ■■ 1 —— Although he had wished the earth would swallow Gwen, Richard had no really meant it as a wish. But there it was—poor Gwen had gone. Richar yelled and yelled for her to come back, but nothing happened, except tha his cries attracted Bunrab. Of course, Richard had to explain what had hap pened. “I don’t know what I shall do,” he wept, “I simply can’t live withou Gwen.” “Well!” said Bunrab, “why hot wish her back-again.” “My word, gasped Richard, “I never thought of that.”

tff course, RicEarcTTost no time in wishing Gwen back again. At* first h< was a little afraid in case the wish should not come to pass, hut eventuallj lie made up his mind to try. Holding the ring tightly clutched in his paw, h< cried as loudly as he could, so that there would be no mistake. “I wish! wish! I wish!” he shouted, “that I had Gwen back with me.” There was { mighty rush of wind and Gwen flew up into the air. “I’m so pleased to set you,” Richard greeted her joyously. But Gwen was not in too good a temper,

The strange happening to Gwen, however, had done some good. No longer did they wish to quarrel over who should have the first wish. “We shall certainly have to be careful what we wish in future,” said Richard. “Let’s sit down and talk it over.” So they seated themselves under a tree. “After what has happened,” remarked Gwen, “I’m not so keen on wishing anything.” “No,” replied Richard, “I wish—” “Stop,” cried Gwen, “what were you going to wish?” “Oh! nothing that could possibly matter,” said Richard, “only that we were mighty hunters.”

Richard hadn’t realised that he had wished anything when he wished they were mighty hunters. But he had. “My!” said Gwen, “you do look funny.” A real Red Indian sat opposite her. “You mean you do,” cried Richard, because Gwen had also turned into a Red Indian. And then they suddenly realised what had happened. “Oh dear! Oh dear! we’ve turned into Red Indians!” they cried in alarm. “Well, wish we were as we were as quickly as you can,” cried Gwen. But, to his horror, Richard found he had lost the ring!