A MAKER OF SUNBEAMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1082, 20 September 1930, Page 29

A MAKER OF SUNBEAMS

FIRST-PRIZE STORY

Princess Bettina was the fairy who j made sunbeams for Doctor Spring; Sunshine, who needed all ho could get to make sick little girls and boys well and happy again. So far as she could remember she had never done anything else and she was growing tired of her work. “Why should I do nothing but make sunshine?” she would ask crossly. “Little children who are ill need it to make them well and strong once more,” the Fairy Queen would reply. But Princess Bettina was not satisfied and one night she made up her mind to run away and live among the mortals. Someone else could look after the sunshine, she thought. She told no one of her resolution except her page, who loved her with all his heart and was willing to do anything for her. Early the next morning, before anyone was about, she got up and ran clown the palace steps to the spot j where her page was waiting with the royal carriage and six of the Queen’s fastest sparrows to draw it. The Princess stepped in and away j they sped, never stopping till they reached the land where the mortals dwell. Princess Bettina quickly made friends with some little children and joined merrily in their play, but soon they had to run to the friendly shelter of some trees, for the raindrops began to fall pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat on the dusty roadway. “Oli dear, oh dear,’’ they sobbed, “it’s so cold and wet! Will the sun never come out again? Sunshine is so much nicer than rain.” The little Princess knew that it was all her fault that these poor children were all so unhappy, so she flew off through the rain to her carriage. “Please, dear Page, would you take me home?” she begged. , ; Before long she was back in her i palace, busily making sunshine and, when a messenger came from Doctor Sunshine, she had plenty ready for him. “You have been busy this morning.” he remarked. ‘ Yes,” she replied. “I love making sunshine now, because it makes little children so happy.” —Nancy Lush, aged 13. UPSIDE-DOWN HOUSE ; When I ajn lying in my bed, I often have a feeling I’d like to try how it would look To walk upon the ceiling. The windows would come rather low, The door too high would be; And sfrange to find the chandelier Grew upward like a tree. Oh, how I wish they'd turn the whole House upside-down for me!