A Little World for Little People

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 654, 4 May 1929, Page 29

A Little World for Little People

friendship is a steady light shining in dark places

the WOODPECKER, THE DOORKEEPER, AND SOMETHING ABOUT RABBITS

“IF you please, Dawn Lady,” said tlie Little Thought in a wor--1 ried voice, “the Woodpecker is lying in a crumpled heap outside the Hollow Tree, and when I speak to him he just blinks one eye and says ‘Silence, please: I’m in a state of exhaustion.’ I’m afraid he has been trying to count the names in the Hollow Tree, and there must be nearly four hundred this week. AVhat shall I do about it?” “Where is the Doorkeeper, I wonder?” “Oh, he is playing a game of bowls with a croquet mallet. He has just found out the names of those hidden outdoor games. One Sunbeam had \FTy-the-Garter’ for ‘Rugby,’ and half of them thought ‘Rounders’ was ‘Soccer.’ Wliat fun we had opening those letters.” “Yes, it has been a busy week. Do you think if you gave the Woodpecker these special messages from some of his little friends he would be his old happy self again?” “I should think so,” called the Woodpecker, with a flutter of anticipation. “Please bring them here immediately!” “He is all right, after all,” breathed the Dawn Lady, with a sigh of relief. “Mister Joyshop man, do you know anything about rabbits?” “Why, of course I do, Dawn Lady. I used to have some white ones with eyes as pink as the sunset. Then at Easter there were some toy ones in the Joyshop window and, let me whisper, I once had some beautiful gloves lined with rabbitskin—” “Hush. . . . This family of rabbits must never know that. I wonder where they are going? Perhaps the little Sunbeams maybe able to tell us. This is their own particular story competition. And there is a limerick competition, too, about a little old man who drove a furniture van. The Doorkeeper is sure to try that one. Just look at him. He is trying to play football with a tennis net and a cricket bat.” “Oh, no, I'm not,” called the Doorkeeper, cheerfully, “It’s rounders I’m playing, and I have just sored a wonderful try.” “Oh, dear,” sighed the Dawn Lady, “I am afraid that puzzle competition has been too much for him. . . . Well, Little Thought, and how is the Woodpecker?” « “He says to say that he Gq\ f cx^cLu is now convalescent and he Ab n!/ Q-AaJ-w wants to know if there are h any more special messages.” V -