THE WENDY HUT OUR CHILDREN'S CORNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 12

THE WENDY HUT OUR CHILDREN'S CORNER

Dear lies of Letterland, — As you know Wendy is on holiday and ere she departed she asked me to carry on your jolly game of Make-believe for you. I’ll own up I’m just a trifle seared of sueh a task but I’ll do my best. Wendy suggested stories as being the finest thing for Make-believe hours, so this is my choice'■ — Long ago there lived a Greek boy called Perdrix, who was apprenticed to his uncle, Daedalus, a great invfentor. Daedalus had invented sails for ships which had taken the place of oars, and also the axe and a number of other things which assisted mankind. Perdrix was greatly excited when his mother took him to the house of the great Daedalus, and he promised to be a good apprentice, and to obey his uncle in everything. Now, among the wonders in his uncle’s house was a. pair of wings hanging upon the wall, and the wings attracted Perdrix very much. Daedalus had made two pairs, one for himself and one for his son, Icarus. But alas. Icarus had flown too near the sun, and the wax which stuck the wings to his back had melted, and the young man had crashed down into the sea and drowned. So great was the sorrow of Daedalus that he had hung up his own wings, and when he saw his young nephew gazing eagerly at them he forbade him to use them. Perdrix longed so much to fly that he dared not even look at the wings when he passed them on his way to the workshop. And while he was learning all the secrets of his uncle’s wonderful trade, he became restless, and longed to invent something himself. '‘What does man want?” he asked himself. ‘‘What can I give the world.” When his work was done, Perdrix used to walk by the. edge, of the sea. and one day he picked up the backbone of a fish and it gave him a wonderful idea. His face Hushed with excitement, and he ran back to the empty workshop and began to work secretly. A few mouths later, he presented his uncle with the first saw ever seen. All the workmen, apprentices, and artists who were employed by Deadalus cheered the boy, and said he would be a great man some day. Perdrix was very happy, but a terrible jealousy possessed Daedalus when he looked upon the saw. “He is but a boy, and yet he has thought of making this wonderful saw,” he reflected. “What will he invent when he is a man? No, no! He shall not be greater than I am!” Perdrix did not suspect that his uncle was jealous of him, and he would often run up to the top of the tower of the house in order to think out all the things he would do as soon as his apprenticeship was over. One day Daeralns crept up behind him, and pusned him over the top of the wall. ’ Down fell Perdrix. but suddenly says the legend, he felt a change come over him, and stretching out his arms, he found that he. had wings. He flew away to the woods to thank the god for changing him into a bird, and giving him freedom. To-day he is called the partridge. That’s a mighty interesting story I imagine. What do you think? I’ll be off now. See you all next week. MR. PRINTERMAN.