BLUEBELL LAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 738, 10 August 1929, Page 35

BLUEBELL LAND

Jack and Jill were lost. For hours it seemed to them, they had wandered on and on. eager to discover where the dusty country lane led to, but now Jill had awakened to the startling fact that they were lost. Suddenly, as Jill was despairing of help, soft, clear voices sounded just in front of them. “Listen. Jack. Don’t you hear voices?” asked Jill, pulling poor Jack along with her in her haste to reach the place from where the sounds came. Quickly the two children ran into a dell, where the moss was softer and deeper than any they had seen before, the trees more mysterious, and the flowers more beautiful. Confronting Jack and Jill were seven small fairies, dressed in blue. In the centre of the ring they had formed was a fairy, taller, and dressed in a deeper blue than the others. “Welcome,” the fairies called. “Wo are the bluebell fairies, and have been waiting for you.” Then the tall fairy held out her hand to the two bewildered children and said, “I am the Bluebell Queen, and if you wish I will show you where we paint the bluebells.” “Oh, please do.” answered Jack and Jill, feeling pleased at this unexpected pleasure. “Follow me. then,” replied their guide, the tall fairy leading them through a low passage half hidden by some ferns. On one side of the corridor they saw many small pixies carefully mixing various kinds of blue and green paint. On the other side tiny fairies were thoroughly examining each little ebony brush. Further along the passage was a long stairway. Following their guide down this. Jack and Jill found hundreds of blue fairies busily engaged in decorating, tinting and painting bluebells. “Would you like to paint a bluebell?” asked the kind fairy. “Rather!” exclaimed Jack and Jill. Their guide then gave them each a pot of paint, a brush and a white blue bell. Soon the children had finished painting their flowers, which were now blue instead of white.

Jill then thought suddenly of the time, and, on looking at her watch, found it to be almost 6 o’clock. “Jack it is almost time to go home,” she exclaimed, “and we are lost.”

“Shut your eyes and count ten,” said the tall fairy. They did so and found they were at home, each clutching a wet bluebell.

“Jack and Jill, come and have your tea,” called a voice.

Jack and Jill have never since found that enchanted dell. All they can find is a clump of bluebells which Jill waters every day. —Dorothy Rice, aged 13.