Daddy's Evening Fairy Tale

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

Daddy's Evening Fairy Tale

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MAARY GRAHAM BONNER.

SUN AND FLOWERS Once more Mr. Sun was talking to the little star flowers. “Why don’t you care about blooming more?" he asked. “There are so many of you, and you keep coming and coming, opening and opening on the bright days, but it seems to me you're not very strong or very energetic to stay such a short time before you close your eyes and never bloom again. “It’s very strange to me, especially me, for I come out day after day, and year after year, and century after century—and I don’t know how to say how much more!’’ “But you’re Mr. Sun, and people need you, flowers need you, the trees need you, and many things need you.” “Ah, you make me very happy," said Mr. Sun, "but tell me more about yourselves.” “Well,” said little Blue Star, the tiny flower which had talked first, “though there are three of us on a pair of leaves, only one of the three opens at a time. “We don’t like to bloom more than a half day. “We drop when we are picked unless sometimes we are put right into water and are kept in the sunshine. “You see we always love you, Mr. Sun.” Mr. Sun beamed happily. ‘Tlease go cn,” he urged. “Ah, Mr. Sun,” continued Blue Star, “you think we are strange not to last

longer, not to bloom more often, but there are so many of us to come, and if we all kept on blooming there would be a terrible mixup because it has never been our habit. “You feel a little sorry for us because we don’t bloom and bloom, but one day is enough for us. “Perhaps it’s not a day; I believe up to noon is only about half a day, but it’s enough. “Now, Mr. Sun, don’t you see?” the little Blue Star asked as it looked up from the meadow into Mr. Sun’s smiling face. Mr. Sun nodded his head and for a moment wasn’t quite so bright. “It’s enough for any little Blue Star flower,” continued Blue Star, “to see you, Mr. Sun, to have a glimpse of the beautiful world, to hear the voices of children as they see us come out in the spring, to hear the wind whisper in the soft breeze. “Ah, the world is beautiful and we are glad to bloom for Just half a day.” Animals in the Zoo It doesn’t matter how many players join in the game of zoo. One player must he chosen for the keeper, and the rest are animals in the zoo. Of course, all the animals are named, and there should be three or four of each animal—three bears, three lions', three tigers, and so on. And when you decide what you will be, make sure that the keeper doesn’t overhear.

Now chalk out two cages on the grounds—some little distance apart—and when you commence the game the keeper must stand In the edge of one cage and all the animals In the other. The keeper shouts out the name of one of the animals. If he shouts lions, then all the lions run from one cage to the other, and the keeper tries to catch them before they step over the chalk line of his cage. When he does catch an animal, then that animal must help the keeper catch the others. The animals, however, who get into the cage without being caught are allowed to go back to their own cage, and so on until all the animals are caught, and then you skart all over again with another keeper.

On a Winter’s Day There’s wind in the chimney And snow in the air, And frost on the pane ■*’ And cold everywhere. So wear your long- legglns And wrap up your throats, And pull on your mittens And button your coats. And do be careful And don’t freeze your noses! You’ll need them next summer To smell the red roses. —Woman’s Home Companion. Mixed Dates W’illis—What did that absent-mind-ed professor give his children for Christmas? Gillis—An Easter lily, a package of firecrackers, and some April-fool candy.—Life.