SQUIRREL TIPTAIL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 74, 18 June 1927, Page 27

SQUIRREL TIPTAIL

Two grown-up squirrels and their little son Tiptail lived in a wood. Their home was in a hollow oak tree, high up among the branches. Pappa and Mamma Squirrel were getting old, but they still worked very hard every autumn when it was time to collect nuts for the winter. Tiptail said he would rather play. It was far too much trouble to hunt for beechnuts and carry them home to the pantry. So every morning he went out alone, and his poor parents were very much troubled. Sometimes they caught sight of him during the day as he jumped from branch to branch, but he always managed to hide again when he heard them calling. He was a gay, frisky little fellow, and made many friends with' all the birds, rabbits and other creatures that lived near.

At some distance; from his home stood the oldest tree in the wood. It, too, was an oak, with great spreading boughs, and roots that pushed their way up through the soil. But no birds built their nests among the green leaves, and no rabbits played hide-and-seek round the root-stumps, for in the hollow trunk dwelt a naughty fairy. “I am not afraid,” said Tiptail one morning, when his parents warned him to keep away from this tree. “Some day, perhaps, I will pay the fairy a visit!”

Mamma Squirrel turned away her head and wept. She wished her only son would behave better.

Seeing her tears, Pappa Squirrel spoke very sternly. “Tiptail,” he said, “you are not to go in that part of the wood unless I am with you. If I find you are disobeying me, I shall punish you!” Tiptail flipped his tail to and fro, as much as to say, “I don’t care!” and made up his mind to go at the first chance.

The very next week a chance came. Pappa and mamma rose earlier than usual, and made a hasty breakfast. “We are going to look for a new home in Curran Dell,” explained his mother. “Pappa thinks that this white cross on our tree means that it is to be cut down, and rather than let Twolegs find our pantry, we must move right away.”

The squirrels called all humans “Two-legs.” “Would you like to come with us to-day?” asked Pappa Squirrel. “No,” answered Tiptail, crossly. “I hate Curran Dell, and I won’t go there to live. Nasty damp pla.ee! Besides, it’s not time to get up yet,” and he went to sleep again. When he next awoke his parents had gone, and the sun was high in the sky.

“Hurrah!” he said. “Now for adventures!” And he set off merrily.

Fairy Fenella's front-door was fastened on the inside by a strong bolt. She seldom opened it, because it was more convenient to go out by way of the underground passage that came to the surface a few yards away from the hollow oak.

She had to live there for seven years as a punishment for scrubbing the Back Stairs with soft soap instead of another brand. The Back Stairs, you know, lead to Fairyland, and the soft soap made the steps so slippery that a Fairy Princess fell from top to bottom.

So Fairy Fenella was sent to the oak tree.

At first she thought it great fun, and she amused herself by playing tricks on all the birds and animals; but this made them dislike her so much that they all shunned the spot and She grew lonely, cross and spiteful. “If only I could catch one of those saucy bunnies or conceited squirrels!” she muttered.

It was quite snug inside the oak, for the Fairy Queen had ordered her Deco-rator-in-Chief to furnish it; but it was rather dark. There was only one window, too high up to be of much use, so Fairy Fenella had to give up fancy needlework, at which she was very

clever, and take to knitting instead. It was noon when Squirrel Tiptail reached the oak tree. He had laeen told about the secret door by an old wood-pecker, and he walked round the trunk until he found the name-plate. Above this was a little knocker, shaped like a butterfly, and Tiptail boldly knocked. “Dear me!” said the fairy. “I wonder who can be there.” She climbed up a tiny ladder and looked out of the window. At the sight of Tiptail her eyes sparkled with joy and her busy brain began to scheme and plan. Tiiptail heard the sound of a rusty bolt being drawn and Fairy Fenella opened the door wide. “Good morning,” said Tiptail. “I thought perhaps you would not mind telling me the way to Fairyland, because I feel I am far above the common creatures in this wood, and that I should be a great ornament to the court of the Fairy Queen.” “Come in,” answered the fairy. Tiptail entered with his head proudly erect. “If only my parents could see me now,” he thought. Fairy Fenella bolted the door and. unnoticed by Tiptail, locked it also and hid the key. She was dressed in cowslip yellow, trimmed with pale green and to Tiptail she appeared very beautiful. “Are you in a hurry?” she asked. “Oh, no. Any time will do.” “Then perhaps you can wait while I finish cooking my dinner. This soup will burn unless I stir it.” “It does smell nice,” he remarked. “You shall taste it presently,” she replied, and, opening a cupboard close to the tiny fireplace, she took out several bottles and put a little of the contents of each into the soup. If Tiptail had seen the look in her eyes as she dropped in a few spots out of a green bottle he would not have been so anxious to accept her invitation. “Do sit down,” she said, pointing to a wicker chair. Tiptail obeyed, but jumped up again suddenly with a cry of pain. “Oh, I quite forgot I had left my knitting there!” said the fairy, with a grin. “Now, then,” she added, “will you have some soup?” “Yes, please,” answered Tiptail. She poured out a plateful for him, and then one for herself. Tiptail was so busy with his that he did not observe that Fairy Fenella was only pre? tending to drink hers, and was in rea.lity spilling it into a little basin on her lap. In a few minutes he began to sneeze violently, then he turned giddy, and falling to the floor, he lay perfectly still. Fairy Fenella jumped from her chair, 'clapping her hands. “Greedy creature!” she exclaimed, giving him a kick with her foot. “Now I am going to teach you a lesson.” Then she took a ball of wool and bound him securely to one of the legs of the table, twisting it round and round until she was out of breath. It happened to be one of the three days each year when the spell was removed and she was allowed to roam where she pleased. Bo she decided to make the most of her holiday, and with a last glance at the sleeping squirrel, she set off for the Back Stairs. Pappa and Mamma Squirrel spent the day in Curran Dell, but they did not find a suitable tree; and as they returned in the evening they met Two-legs carrying his great axe. “Suppose he has taken away our home! What shall we do?” exclaimed poor Mamma Squirrel. They hastened on, and to their dismay found that their tree, and several others near it, had been cut down. The squirrels mourned long and piteously “Alas!” said they. “Where shall we live now?” “And where is Tiptail?” cried the mother. “The poor darling has been frightened away by that horrid Twolegs.” They sought him until night came. A kindly white owl gave them shelter in part of the hollow beech tree where his family had lived for generations. But they could not sleep. Quite early next morning Pappa Squirrel renewed the search. Now, it happened that a little rabbit had seen Tiptail go to the forbidden tree, and the bunny waited in a glade for Pappa Squirrel. “Have you seen Tiptail?” asked the sorrowing parent. “Oh, yes! He went yesterday morning to call on Fairy Fenella. Perhaps she has taken him t© Fairyland. And very nice, too!” And the rabbit scampered away. And now let us see what had been happening to Tiptail. Several hours passed before he awoke from the deep sleep into which he had fallen after drinking the enchanted soup. He felt dazed and sick, and at first could not remember where he was. He tried to rise, and then discovered that he was tied to the table! In a little time he had gnawed the wool and set himself free. He hunted for the key to unlock the door, but Fairy Fenella had taken care to hide it in a safe place. Presently it grew dark, and Tiptail was obliged to remain still in one place. He spent a most unhappy night. Shivering and wretched, he watched until it was light enough fo. him to make another attempt to escape. “I am sure there must be two doors,” he muttered, “for this is bolted on the inside, and how did the Fairy get out?” With what joy he heard at that moment his father’s voice! “Tiptail, are you there?” “Yes, father, but I am locked in. Look for another door somewhere.” Pappa Squirrel walked round tne tree several times. Then he went a little distance away, and was overjoyed to discover an entrance to a passage. He hurried down it, and was soon in the quaint wee house. How Tiptail cried and begged his father’s pardon, and was forgiven, would take too long tell, but you may be sure they were soon out of the tree and down by the stream, where he washed his ears away before meeting his mother. The Fairy Queen got to hear of Fenella’s mischief —a little bird told her—

...d she had her taken to aonther part of the country to begin the seven years all over again. So the tret house was empty, and who should go to live there but our three squirrels!