BLACK MUSHROOMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 774, 21 September 1929, Page 37

BLACK MUSHROOMS

It was not really poor little Blimp's fault. The King blamed Blimp, and if Blimp had dared he would have blamed the King. It all happened when Blimp was standing with a plate of soup at the Royal Elbow. The King turned suddenly and the eoup upset and ran in six sad little : streams over the third clean tablecloth that week. “Fool!” cried the King, bringing his clenched fist down on the Royal Table. “Go into the upper world and look for black mushrooms.” Blimp’s knees knocked together, for ho knew that he had received the death penalty. Other goblins had been banished to the upper world to look for black mushrooms, and never a one had returned. “Never mind,” said the cook, who was very fond of Blimp, “if you can find any before three days have passed you can return in triumph. Here, take this red woollen jacket. It will keep out the keen, cruel winds of the world.” Blimp felt very tired and little and lonely when at last he arrived in the upper world. The bright light dazzled him, and he longed for the cool green corners of his underground home. But he knew that there was no time to lose, for the faii'y food that th© cook had placed in his knapsack could not last longer than three days. “Black mushrooms?” No, none of th© furry creatures that he met had ever heard of black mushrooms. “And it’s not even the season for white ones,” they told him. e have been asked that question before,” said th© flowers in chorus, “but there simply aren’t any.” On the third day Blimp was so light that a puff of wind could lift him bodily, and this is just what happened. A stray gust whirled him across the green fields and set him on a windowsill high above a crowded city street. He clung there, peering down, and all at once it began to rain. Blimp rubbed his eyes. Here, there and everywhere black mushrooms were springing up in the street below him. More than that, they were moving along. Stretching his tired wings he glided down and took shelter under a grating. „ . . “Black mushrooms, Your Majesty,” said Blimp. “Most certainly I found black mushrooms. They appear in the upper world with every shower of rain, but tngy are so large that only humans can carry them. I can take you to see them if you wish.” “T do not wish,” answered the King quite firmly, but he ordered a hot meal for Blimp and a suit of silver in place of the cook’s red woollen jacket. When next you open your umbrella perhaps you will think of this story. —W.S.T.