DADDY'S EVENING FAIRY TALE

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 234, 26 April 1928, Page 3

DADDY'S EVENING FAIRY TALE

By

Mary Graham Bonner

LITTLE CHICKS A great many people had been to the poultry show that day and that night. They had admired the beautiful roosters, the hens, the geese, and the turkeys, hut most of all they liked the little chicks breaking through their shells. At last every one left the poultry show except the ones who were watching over the animals'. Th e barnyard creatures were a little homesick, but still they did like cackling and crowing and talking over affairs of the barnyard with each other. The little chicks were still halfway out of their shells and halfway in their shells. They thought it seemed quite strange outside in the well-lighted building, though now it was really not lighted very much. Most of the light? had been turned out, but to the tiny chicks it was very, very light. “See the broken shells we are leaving behind us,” said the little chick to his brother. “Will we ever be able to get back in again?” “I don’t believe we will,* 1 said another little chick. “Oh dear, there we have gone and broken our shells and we won’t be able to get back. “And we may want to, very much indeed. We may feel very shy in the great barnyard world where we are going. "And we may want to crawl back into our little dark hiding places.” “We shouldn’t have been in such a rush to get wut. Oh dear, oh dear, and X was hurrying so much,” said another tiny chick. “Little chicken?,” said a voice, and the little chicks peeped softly, “what is it?” They were not in the least frightened, for the voice was so soft and sweet. “Little chicks,” said the voice again, “I am the Fairy Queen. “I won’t come too near you so as to frighten you, but I am going to tell you a story.” "Do tell us a story, sweet-voiced creature,” said the little chicks. So the Fairy Queen began: “I heard you talking,” she said, “and your little voices sounded sad and sorrowful because you couldn’t get back Into your shells as you had broken them so hurriedly in trying to get out. “Now, chicks, you mustn’t feel badly about that. Every' one and every creature almost does the same thing." “Little boys and girls do it—we all do it. “Little boys and girls don’t actually break out of their shells but when they grow they naturally get bigger. “That is what you are doing. “You are growing out of your shells just as boys and girls grow out of their shoes and their suits and their dresses. “They can’t get back into them again, either, any more than you can get back into your shells, for that is growth, little chicks, and when you grow to get bigger and stronger you can’t go back to your babyhood. “A grow n-u p man can’t go back into a little boy, a little boy can’t go back the way lie was w hen lie was a baby and had to be wheeled in a carriage, and neither can you go back into your shells. “None of us can do such things, because it isn’t Mother Nature’s way, and Mother Nature’s way is always tlie best. “So don’t feel sad, little chicks, because you are leaving your shells for good. “It only mean? you are growing up into big chickens.” And they all felt happy again.

Fought the Sandman I.ittle Gordon was taken from a sound sleep and 'made ready for a .journey during the holidays, while Ills mother murmured what a pity it was to disturb his slumbers. When he was iinally maneuvered into his coat and cap and. stood upon his feet, he said, sleepily: “I lighted the sandman, nuivver, didn’t I?” Self-Control My dolly would not play with me. She simply, stared Her silly stare Tt made me wild To pull her hair. , I kissed her very quietly And walked outdoors and kicked a tree. Polly Chase, in Child Life Magazine.