THE FLYING HORSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 241, 31 December 1927, Page 23

THE FLYING HORSE

AN OLD TALE FROM INDIA There was once a King's son named Ahmed, who loved to visit the gay bazaars of the town, where lie made friends with four youths. But the Vizier reported to the King that his son kept bad company, so without a word the boys \yere clapped into prison. ‘‘Let my friends at least prove their skill, my father,” begged Prince Ahmed, so the boys were granted eight days’ grace. At the end of that time one. a goldsmith, brought six fish of brass, which swam gaily in the King’s tank. | Another, a blacksmith, had two large iron fish which swallowed the small ones. The third, the son of the oilman, had made two artificial giants, which fought together fiercely. The last of the youths, a carpenter, brought a flying horse of wood, with a secret spring. “How beautiful,” said Prince Ahmed, and leaping on its back, he touched th« spi'ing and vanished in the clouds. The King flew into a fearful rage and all four boys were cast again Into prison. Meantime, the flying horse had borne Prince Ahmed five hundred leagues away, to the roof of a magnificent palace where a beautiful Princess layfast asleep. Of course, she awoke and. of course, they fell in love. Then Ahmed mounted his horse and flew to the top of a large talli-tree, where he took his steed apart, tied the pieces to the branches, then climbed down and found lodgings at the hut of an old woman. But some one whispered to the King that a thief was paying nightly visits to the palace. So the King ordered all the stairs to be covered with clay. That night Prince Ahmed slipped and fell, but he made his escape. In the morning he gave his soiled clothes to a washerman to clean. Next day. the King summoned all the folk of the town to his palace yard. Now the poor washerman, admiring the fine clothes of the Prince, donned , them soiled as they were. Soldiers j, saw the clay and he was seized. Fright- j ened, he led the soldiers to the Prince. Ahmed was dragged to the talli-tree and a halter put around his neck. “Let me climb up,” he begged, “and j breathe the air of the world for the ’ last time.” His wish was granted, but ] no sooner had he climbed into the branches than he put his horse together quickly and off he flew to the terrace i roof where the Princess was waiting, i Over the heads of the amazed King j. and his court the happy pair passed, ;, and in a moment they reached the 1 palace of Ahmed’s father. The four i boys were released and made governors ' < of provinces, and as for Ahmed and his . bride—they lived happily ever after. :, A SILHOUETTE Three black men plied three black i • hoes, Far above flapped three black crows, I Three black horses munched their j oats, Down the field ran three black goats. * —Sent in by Winnie Lynn. 1 i < THE MUDSOME POOL j i The alligator’s aunt lived in a deep 1 and mudsome pool in the middle of 1 the darkest and most African jungle. And the alligator would have given j just anything to have lived there, too; ; but his aunt was a very short-tem-pered sort of person, and every time , the alligator tried to have a swim l in her pool she bit him (yes, she did!) 1 in the leg. A thing no aunt should do! 1

Sometimes he would ask his aunt if he might live in her pool, but all she would say was “Augli!” very cross and loud. Then the alligator would roam about In the dark and African jungle with tears rolling down his green and leathery face, looking for the youngest baboon to tell him all about it. Now, the youngest baboon just loved giving good advice, and he had suggested all manner of things to make the alligator’s aunt say “yes,” But she wouldn’t. “You said all aunts were afraid of burglars under their beds, but when I offered to protect her she only snorted.” sighed the alligator. Well, one day the alligator’s aunt went for a long walk all by herself, and as she was coming back she got her tail caught in a nasty trap. “Help thieves police!” she screamed, very quickly, one after the other. Now, the alligator happened to hear his aunt and he ran very quickly to see what was the matter, and there she was caught in the trap. Then the alligator thought hard. If he left her there he could have the squishy and mudsome pool all to his very own self, but he thought how uncomfortable his poor aunt must be, so he let her out. And the alligator’s aunt was so pleased at being rescued that she let him live in her pool and was grateful ever after. And twice a week the alligator sought the youngest baboon and, with a happy smile creasing his green and leathery face, would sit in the sun and tell him all about it.

Tommy (when riddles were being asked): Do you know the difference : between an apple and an elephant, Uncle? Uncle: I’m afraid I don’t, Tommy. Tommy (triumphantly): Then it { wouldn’t do for Mother to send you out to buy apples, would it? An ostrich who’d swallowed a key. Declared he felt right as could be. Said the doctor “Indeed?— Then it’s.iron you need— We must give you the lock for your j tea.”