GOLDEN RAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 822, 16 November 1929, Page 31

GOLDEN RAY

Mr. Beetle, the town crier, walked slowly down the cobbled street of Fairy Town. Ringing a bluebell to attract the attention of the crowd of fairies, pixies and elves that thronged the street, he cried, “Oyez! Oyez! Jenny Wren, a faithful subject of her Majesty found, on returning to her nest after searching for food, that three of her little birds have been stolen. Her Majesty, the Queen of I I airyland, is forming a search party [to seek them. Long live the Queen!” j . “Gli, dear, Ido wish I could help her,” i sighed one of his listeners, a little i child wearing a sunbonnet. She was j a sunbeam child, and her name was | GMden Ray. She was a very happy * ; httle sunbeam, and she "was always j playing jokes on the humans. At last I I Father Sun had grown so angry at i | her mischief that he had banished her ! from his company and told her that. j | until she had done a good deed, she ; would not be restored to his favour, j “Jenny is always so happy and I do not like to see her looking sad.” continued Golden Ray. Afteiy she had gone a little further down the street she met Jenny Wren, who was crying bitterly. “Don’t cry, Jenny,” she said. “Let me dry your eyes and we will go together, and look for your little baby birds.” She scrambled on Jenny's back and off they flew together. When they reached the woods they decided to stop and search among the trees. They looked and looked, but they could not find the baby birds anywhere. They were very tired and Jenny was about to cry again, when suddenly Golden Ray heard a sound like baby birds calling for their mother. She ran to a dump of ferns near by, and found the three little birds huddled together. “The wicked goblins stole us and left us here,” they cried. At that moment the Fairy Queen ar- 1 rived with the search party. “You shall be rewarded for this,” she said. “I want no reward,” replied Golden Ray. “I am glad to have been of some use to Jenny. Xow 1 may return to Father Sun. for I have done my good deed.” And she danced off, laughing. “Farewell,” she cried. “I shall come “Farewell,” chorused the fairies: but Jenny did not hear, as she was busy with her' young ones. —Cathleen Fletcher, aged 14. ;