HAPPY TOWN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 31

HAPPY TOWN

A Little World for Little People

FRIENDSHIP IS A STEADY LIGHT SHINING IN DARK PLACES ALL THE WORLD’S A GARDEN ‘ DOSES red and roses white, with perfumes rare for your *' delight,” chanted the merry voices of the Pixie Postmen sixteen of whom were bearing a large box across to the Happiness 1 ree. “The Dawn Lady’s vases are never empty and this box is tied with blue ribbon, too.”

“And just look what a Sunbeam left in Tiptoe Street ” called a thoughtful looking little person, bringing up the rear “A posy of wild flowers with the dew still on them. Larks make their nests where they grow, and the sun looks on them as his children.” “Which goes to prove, Little Thought, that all the world’s a garden,” laughed the Doorkeeper. “Roses, did you say?” breathed Doctor Spring Sunshine “And this is Xovember the third. In two more days those bonfires will be sending their showers of sparks to the sky and the outside world will be a place of many explosions. This evening the Dawn Lady is holding that little farewell party for me under the Happiness Tree, then T shall slip away under cover of the darkness before the crackers make travelling dangerous. In the morning you will find Summer Time, M.D., safely installed in Happy Town.” “I pressed a daffodil,” said the Little Thought. “It was one of the first ones, and every day I shall go and look at it.” “And there is a freesia safe in the back of my memory book,” pondered the Doorkeeper. “And I have a splendid supply of the very best bottled sunshine,” murmured the Joyshop man. “Some of it is labelled * Early Spring.’ ” “Well, well now,” smiled their gentle old friend. “And the year will soon slip by. One day you will be listening again for mv footsteps in Tiptoe Street.” “I’ve got a letter,” called the Woodpecker, joyously. “I had one last week, too. Now I am busy sending taps to the Sunbeams who wrote them. Perhaps they would like a feather each ? Do you think they would ?” “I am sure of it,” the Little Thought assured him. “Roses, white and roses red, love flowers from a garden bed, fragile ferns and ribbons blue . . . Dawn Lady, they’re all for you,” chanted the Pixie Postmen, laying their precious burden under the Happiness Tree. “Little wild flowers from the field, all their simple hearts unsealed, wet with dews divinely sweet—these I found in Tiptoe Street,” chimed in the Little Thought. “Why, precious ones,” laughed the Dawn Lady, “those are just exactly what I want for my party table. And on one side of me shall sit the little lady of the rose garden and 6n the J) other the Sunbeam whose ./. _T a. gardens are the fields. Now, JLyjj FZJ -- t who will bring some water —" for my vases?” V-

THE MAGIC SPECTACLES PRIZE-WINNING STORY Once upon a time there lived in the city of Venice a little Italian boy. He was an orphan and had to earn his living by selling flowers. His name was Londi, and his only faithful friend was Toni, his donkey. One winter morning Londi awoke and set out with the faithful Toni by his side to find some flowers. The boy searched the meadows, but all in vain, for a fierce frost had killed all the buds. At last Londi wearily gave up his search and sat down on a large rock to rest. Suddenly a sweet voice startled him, and he swiftly turned to \vhere the sound came from. Lo! there came out from a small hole in the ground hundreds of tiny fairies. Londi rubbed his eyes again and again to make sure he was not dreaming. First of all cafne some lady fairies, dressed in the flimsiest of spiderweb frocks. They were all tripping lightly and gracefully through the hole and arranging themselves in a ring round Londi and Toni. Then Londi a beautiful mother-o’-pearl chariot, drawn by six tiny white mice with pink eyes. But he hardly noticed §lll these things, for in the chariot sat a beautiful fairy dressed in a wonderful gown of the tiniest sea pearls. She was driving the mice toward him, and the boy watched all the fairies bow and curtsey to her as she passed. Londi asked one of the tiny creatures near him who she was and found out she was the Fairy Queen.

PUZZLERS Riddle-me-ree:—. My first is in robin, also in sparrow* My second is in bow, also in arrow; My third is in lassie, but not in lad; My fourth is in merry, but not in sad. My whole is a beautiful flower. —Gloria Rawlinson. * * * Word Square: 1. —lJsed by a farmer. 2. —Total surface. 3. —To gain. 4. —Used by a tailor. —Sent in by Rut A Powell. • ♦ • Answers to last week's puzzlers: Changed word: Lose, Lone. Line Fine, Find. Hidden animals: Camel, jackal, bear, cat. AN AMUSING GAME This enjoyable game will make you laugh, because you alt look, so funny at times while you are playing. You can play in the garden, in the fields, or on the sands. The leader is given a ball, and the* rest of the players run about just wherever they like, nob too far away, because it. isn’t a catching game. The leader throws the ball, trying to hit one of the players. As ho throws he says, “As you are," and the player at whom the ball -was thrown must stand just as ho is, it doesn’t matter how funny the position. If the player is actually hit lie has to change places with the thrower. If ho is not hit, the rest of the players rush after the* ball, and the one to get it takes the leader’s place. And they in turn throw it at someone. But don’t forget that unless you are hit with the ball you must stand in the same funny position until you are again struck by accident, and can come to life. Failing this, you don’t come to life again until the end of the game. J

The Queen alighted and spoke in a voice as clear as a bell. “Londi,” she said, “I have watched you gathering flowers every morning, and have seen how you have taken care of Toni and how you have fed him every day. As a reward for your patience and labour, I have decided to give you this pair of magic spectacles. You may have them until dawn, but you must then return them to me at this stone.” The Queen, having spoken, returned to her chariot and, calling to the fairies to hurry, disappeared into the hole once more. Londi, who thought he must have been dreaming, looked round for Toni and found in his place a beautiful

, fairy who said she was to be his corp- . panion while the spectacles were in his i care. 1 Now Londi lives in a magnificent : castle, for the spectacles made him see through the side of a mountain and i discover an enormous goldmine. Toni Is not forgotten, however, and he has i juicy carrots for breakfast every ; morning. —IRENE RETTER (aged 12). STRATEGY “A penny for your thoughts, Margaret,” said her father. “I was Just thinking how jolly it would be if you should happen to give mo sixpence for some crackers,” answered Margaret. J The sixpence was forthcoming.

THE POLITE JACKDAW A Jackdaw, sitting on the steeple, Waved his beak to all the people; Till Richard came along and said: “You’d better wave your claw instead!” The Jackdaw was extremely vexed— I never heard what happened next.

PLEASANT NEWS “Please, sir,” said a small boy nervously on coming into class, to bo punished for something I haven’t done?” , “Of course not,” said the master kindly. “Please, sir,” said the small boy with a sigh of relief, “I haven’t done sums.”

THE LOST PEARL I have lost my little tooth. Fairies, fairies* on the vine. If you find a little tooth. Fairies, you will know it’s mine. My little tooth fell out to-day, A little tooth so pearly white. And my mummy said to me, “Put it 'neath the mat to-night.” “And the fairies then will come. They will dance about your bed. They will take the little pearl And leave a coin there instead.” But I have lost my little tooth, Fairies, fairies on the vine. If you find a little tooth. Fairies, you will know it’s mine. -—Gloria Rawlinson (aged 10). THE ENCHANTED PRINCE Little Vasco was ten years old and lived a few miles from Oporto, in Portugal. His father was poor, and Vasco never had any toys to play with like other children, tut what he longed for most was an animal of his own.

Qne day, Y r asco’s father told him that he was to deliver a message for him. Vasco donned a bright red cloak and a round, tight-fitting black cap, and set off. As lie skipped along he passed fields of rye and olives, as well as groves of oranges, figs and olives, and suddenly, just as he was wishing he could pluck one of the large, golden oranges, he heard a loud noise. “He-haw. He-haw. Hehaw."

He turned and saw a donkey trotting along behind him. The animal was ggrtainly not beautiful, but Vasco was delighted with him. He stroked the furry ears and sighed as he thought how wonderful it would be to own him. J As it happened the donkey would not leave. him, and at last Vasco, being very tired, thought there would be no harm in riding him. After delivering his message, the boy set out for home, still mounted on the donkey. A little later they reached a spring with rounded white pebbles and tender green grasses round its edge. Here Vasco stopped and, cupping his hands, drank thirstily of the clear, cold water. Then, stroking the donkey’s nose, he said, “Come, friend, drink. I am sure you, too* are thirsty.” Suddenly there was a crash, and standing before the little boy was not a donkey, but a prince. He was very handsome. From under a plumed hat fell a shower of silky black curls and he had gay, laughing eyes. Round his shoulders was flung a red mantle, fastened at the neck with a diamond brooch. He wore a slashed, yellow doublet and silken hose, while at his side hung a sheathed sword, the hilt of which was studded with jewels. Vasco stared in astonishment. The prince laughed and said, “Ah, Vasco, you do not understand. I am a fairy prince. A wicked witch turned me into a donkey, but you have set me free by your kindness. Now you must come with me to Fairyland.”

The prince spoke some magic words and. in a flash, both he and Vasco were in a beautiful, smiling land where the sun always shone and the flowers never faded. Crowds of fairies flocked about them crying, “Our prince! Our prince!” An elf conducted them to the court chamber, which was hung with pale pink curtains. The floor was strewn with rose petals, and hanging from the domed ceiling was a rose in the heart of which was fastened a globe that sent out a soft glow. On golden thrones sat the king and queen in their robes of state.

THE GOLDEN CARROT Long, long ago there lived a who had a most beautiful daughter, but, alas, when the child was but 13 years of age, her father offended a wicked witch and she. in revenge, turned his daughter into an as.^ A clever magician told the king that the only thing that could restore his daughter was the Golden Carrot that grew on the top of a mountain of ice, whose sides were so slippery that no one had ever climbed It. The ass, as the king's daughter had now become, was free to run wild in the desert until someone could find the golden carrot. The king offered her hand in marriage and half his kingdom, to anyone who could restore his daughter. Now, in the town where the kiug s palace was situated, there lived :< peasant boy and his father. This peasant boy was determined to find the golden carrot, so. with inform* tln»i received from his fairy godme ' set out. His godmother hat him a pair of magic shoes a. at the foot of the mountain, began to climb easily to the up he went until at last he rea summit and there, growing c 4 itself, was the golden curr« hastily plucked it and walked c mountain side in his magic sh soon as he reached the bo: hurried off to find the ass and thrust the carrot into her mot sooner had he done so when him stood, not an ass, but a I maiden. The king was so pleased to daughter once more that he i consent to their marriage, a lived happily ever after. —Lorna Finlayson (agtu

After they had all feasted, the prince said it was time for Vasco to go home, but first lie taught him the magic words with which he could always enter Fairyland. —Joan Brookfield (aged 11).