MAGIC POWDER

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

MAGIC POWDER

■ ECOND-PRIZE STORY

The fairy folk were wild with excitement. The princess was giving a ball. Everyone was invited, even those mischievous goblins who live in the hollow trees. This time the ball was to bo in the open instead of in the palace. All the fairies were making new flower frocks, and the goblins were having smart new suits and ruffles made specially for the occasion. The day arrived, and at sunset the princess sent her page in the rose carriage to bring the king and queen. The fairies were leaving in their flower carriages and every goblin looked in the cupboard for a clean, fresh smile, and they, too, set off, mounted on butterflies. The guests began to arrive. The Fairy Orchestra, which was on a hillock across the brook, was conducted by a frog, who stood on two legs and beat time very gravely. There were two little fairy girls playing pipes, a number of brownies playing drums and cymbals, and in front was the dearest little fairy who held two big harebells and, as she waved them, they tinkled like silver bells. Then it was time for the dancing to begin. The dainty fairies had the goblins and brownies for their partners, and really these little men dance quite well, although they have such large feet. Now, two wicked little goblins had procured from the witch, the fairies' enemy, some magic powder which would extinguish the glow-worm lights. They threw it into the air, and instantly the lights went out. Then those naughty fellows threw some silken thread among the dancers. What a commotion followed! Of course it was not difficult for the graceful fairies to free themselves, but for the brownies, with their large clumsy feet, it was different and. as all was in darkness, they became still more entangled. They twisted and turned, but it was of no use. and those two wicked goblins just sat and laughed.

At this moment the fairy lamplighter passed. It Is the lamplighter, you know, who makes the dew sparkle so brightly, and who gives the glowworms their light. The fairies called him, but since the witch had given the brownies the powder lie had no power. Then an idea came to him. lie knew that there were some lantern flowers growing outside the princess’s palace, so ho hastened there and put dew inside the flowers and gave it such a glow that they shone like real lanterns. How lovely these lanterns looked, hvng among the trees, and their light was equally as good as that of the glow-worms. The brownies "were then disentangled and it was their turn to laugh, for the king forbade the two goblins to have any supper, which was served in the wonderful lily marquees. (And I don't think they deserved any either, do you ?) To tlio amazement o£ the other guests the- king, at the conclusion of the boll, asked the two wicked goblins to accept a ride home in his carriage. This they did, and they soon fell asleep on the soft silken cushion. Dreams came to them —dreams of enchantment .—but soon they were rudely awakened bv something spiky and cruel, for the beautiful cushion had been replaced by a thistle, and, oh dear! where they had last seen the two canaries harnessed to the carriage there now stood two grizzly bears! So terrified were tho goblins that they pleaded with the king, who made a stipulation that they must return to the wood and untangle all tho thread which they had so successfully tangled, and never again were they to be guests at a royal function or on any other occasions when fairyland was en fete. —Valerie Wyatt, aged 14.