IN THE APPLE ORCHARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 442, 25 August 1928, Page 29

IN THE APPLE ORCHARD

Freda sat on a low branch of a tree in the orchard, munching a nice juicy apple, when she happened to look up. and there, just above her head, a tiny fairy was swinging on a leaf. Freda was not very much surprised at this, because she had always supposed there were fairies in the orchard. It seemed just the place for them. “Hullo!” said Freda. “Hullo!” answered the Fairy. "It must be very jolly to be a little girl.” “Oh, do you think so?” said Freda, rather surprised. “I was just wishing I could stay here all the afternoon, instead of going to school. I think it must be lovely to be a fairy!” "It is, rather,” agreed the Fairy, “but I feel I’d like a change sometimes. I say, supposing we change places just i for a little while.” “That would be grand!” Freda said. “But if you are me, you’ll have to hurry' to school; it’s nearly two o’clock i now.” “Well, I don't mind that. And if : you’re me, you’ll have to take care of my twin brothers while mother is •away.” “I shall love that!” cried Freda. And then suddenly—she didn't know how it happened—but she wasn’t Freda any' longer. She was a. little fairy, swinging on a leaf. And a little girl was running away across the orchard toward the house. “Flitter! Flitter!” cried a little voice, “come and mind the twins at once. I’m going out.” Freda glanced up, and saw the mother-fairy beckoning. Then it suddenly occurred to her that she was Flitter, so up she flew obediently. The fairies’ house was a tiny place, something like a bird’s nest, only’ it was | made of leaves. Inside were the twin I babies, such pretty little things, and Freda settled down to mind them. I But, oh dear, she had no idea fairy | babies could be so cross. She tried 1 | to nurse them both at once, but they j seemed very heavy to her tiny arms. j ! Meanwhile the real Flitter, who had : changed herself into Freda, found her | way to school. She felt very strange I among a lot of children she had never ! seen before, and when the teacher j began to give them an arithmetic les- ! son the poor little fairy was all at sea. She could not even add two and j two! | “Really, I don’t know what has come I to you this afternoon, Freda!” said the | teacher sharply'. “Stand in the corner, and you must stay and do your sums ; after school.” ■ So the fairy stood in the corner, and i she didn’t like it a bit. "It’s horrid, being a little girl,” she whispered- "I j wish I were myself again!” Of course, you know that a fairy’s i wishes always come true! So the ; next second Flitter was living away ! through the open window, back to her 1 home, in the tree-top. And just at j the moment she had wished to be herself the sham Flitter was, of course, ; changed back into Freda again. And 4 very glad she was, too, for the pretty j little fairy babies had been a terrible ! handful to manage. I ‘*l didn’t much like being <#fairy after all,” remarked Freda, as Flitter apI peared. “And I simply hated being a little girl.’” answered Flitter, laughing TIPTOE STREET | Walking down Tiptoe Street. , All the funny sights you meet: : I take a broom to keep it neat, ! Walking down Tiptoe Street . . Walking, walking, walking, walking. Walking down Tiptoe Street. —Gloria Rawlinson (aged Si. TOO HIGH I William (to John, who has handed him a blank sheet of paper): “What i= this?’’ John: “It’s a picture of a monoplane.” ! William: “But I can’t eee anything.” John: ‘ Xo —it’s out of sight."