STOLEN GOLD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1019, 9 July 1930, Page 14

STOLEN GOLD

A WATTLE tree in bloom in the middle of winter. “And by the way,” asked the Wind, “did you ever hear how the first wattle tree burst into bloom?” “No,” answered Redfeather, selecting a fresh quill. “Well, it was like this,” exelaimed the Wind. “In the time of piracy on the high seas there lived two buccaneers named One-eved Ned and Three-fingered Tom. They were partners and shared all their ill-gotten gains. They had as their working base an island, and under a certain tree they used to bury their stolen gold. This was very foolish of them, because a dryad lived in that tree and, although she could not report the thefts, she was constantly planning how she might punish the offenders. The pirates had never heard of dryads; to them trees were inanimate things, suitable only for firewood or for providing landmarks for buried treasure. Well, one sunny morning when the pirates were absent from the island, the dryad began delving in the soil under the tree and, as her fingers touched the precious metal, a strange thing happened. The gold turned to dust tinder her fingers, and at the same moment the tree burst into a shower of golden bloom. Imagine the dismay of the pirates when they returned and saw what had happened. After that they were rather suspicious of trees. And the drj’ad, well content, remarked: ‘Now, what an improvement! And henceforth, that stolen gold will belong to all the world.’ ” “And is this story true ?” asked Redfeather. “All stories are true if you choose to believe them,” answered the Wind. REDFEATHER.