THE FAIRY PICNIC And a Ride On a Moonbeam

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 880, 25 January 1930, Page 31

THE FAIRY PICNIC And a Ride On a Moonbeam

lan had always been very interested in fairies, and when one day, while he was having a walk with nurse, they found in a country lane some little harebells, which lan stopped and picked, nurse said that if you put harebells under your pillow at night the fairies came and visited you. lan got very excited and carefully put the flowers in the pocket of his coat, and did -not say anything to nurse, in case she might object to fairies roaming about the night nursery after he was in bed. He could hardly wait for bedtime to he was so excited, and wondering whether any fairies would come after all. Nurse was very surprised at his readiness for bed when six o’clock came, as usually he begged for another quarter of an hour. When she had tucked him up and put out the light he quietly got out of bed and stole to the wardrobe where his coat was hanging, and carefully felt in the pocket. Yes, the harebells were still there, though a bit drooping and crushed looking. lan put them carefully under his pillow and got back into bed. He lay with wide open eyes fixed on the window for what seemed to him hours, wondering when the fairies would come; and presently without knowing it he fell asleep, and the next thing he knew was something gently brushing his eyelids. When he opened them he beheld the daintiest little fairy imaginable. She had a frock of silvery gauze and long flowing fair hair, and the most beautiful pair of wings. lan was so amazed that he could not speak, but only gaze spellbound as the pretty little fairy flitted about the room. Presently the fairy spoke. “You are awake, aren’t you? I have had such a task rousing you. The fairy queen sent a message to say that more of us could not come to visit you, as it happens tonight all the fairies are having a picnic in the woods, so the queen thought perhaps you might like to come along and join us, so sent me to fetch you.’’ “But,” said lan, speaking at last, “how shall we get there in the dark? And,” he added, “I’ve only got my pyjamas on.” “Oh, that is all . right,” said the fairy. “I have a moonbeam tied up to the window outside, for us to ride to the picnic on, and as for you, just come along as you are. It is quite warm outside, and we must not delay, because as soon as the moon pales we must break up the picnic, and they are having such fun there ” lan lost no more time, but jumped out of bed, and soon he and the fairy were sitting on the moonbeam speeding away to the fairy picnic. They seemed to get there in no time, and lan was surprised that he had never seen this wood before in Loma Clark, Pukekohe: Sorry we spelt your name wrongly, Lorna. Have you entered any of the competitions yet? ! Marie Andrews, New North Road: Well, Miss Marie, that’s a beautiful portrait of me on the notepaper you use. You are a very kind little girl to make those scrapI books for the sick children. Harry Parker. Devonport: A warm welcome to you. Master Harry. What are your favourite competitions? Deicie Duff, Ongarue: The Little Thought said he was so glad to see you coming down Tiptoe Street, Deicie, He went and looked in you window the othey night* Did you see himi

all his walks with nurse. Just then the moonbeam slowed down and came gently to the ground, and lan and the fairy got off. They could hear laughter and the sound of much merrymaking from near at hand, and in another minute they came on the pienic in full swing. lan had never seen anything so pretty before; there seemed to be about fifty or sixty fairies all dancing about and playing games in an open space with a carpet of green. They all had filmy frocks of the prettiest colours, and all seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. lan’s fairy took him up to a big tree trunk, where sat the Fairy Queen in . a beautiful green frock covered with dewdrops, and with long golden hair hanging down her back. “So this is lan,” she said. “I am so glad you were able to come; you are just in time for the feast. Come on, fairies,” she called, and they all trooped behind a big tree, where was spread the most wonderful repast lan had ever seen. There were pretty little fairy cakes on dishes made of leaves, lots of honey made by the fairies’ own bees, delicious fairy fruits and all manner of different dishes, all with the most lovely taste. All the fairies crowded round lan and were so friendly and jolly, handing him things to eat and chatting away, that lan did not feel a bit shy with them. When they had all eaten their fill of the dainty dishes, they jumped to their feet. “Come on,” they cried. “We must have some more games before the moon pales.” So lan joined in with them, and he enjoyed himself so much that the time simply flew, and presently he saw the Silver Fairy coming toward him. “The moon is beginning to pale,” she said. ‘‘l must take you home, the moonbeam is waiting, tied to that bush over there. We must hurry.” So lan said good-bye to the Fairy Queen and thanked her for asking him to the picnic. The other fairies all clustered round saying good-bye. ‘‘Come again soon,” they called, as he and the Silver Fairy sailed away up into the sky. They were so,on back outside lan’s window, where the fairy stopped the moonbeam and tied it to a creeper while she and lan stole quietly in over the window sill. “Jump into bed and I will tuck you up before I go,” said the fairy; so lan got into bed and the fairy ran round tucking him up, kissed her hand good-bye and flew through the window, and she was soon speeding away on her moonbeam. As for lan, he was so sleepy after his adventures and ride through the night that he fell asleep straight away and did not wake until Nurse called him in the morning.

NIGHT MOTHS

The lady of the Moon, she lit a lantern in the sky, And up, and down, and round about, the months came fluttering by. Pale green and paler lavender, they fluttered all about, Till dawn came through the rosy gates and blew the lantern out,