THE WENDY HUT OUR CHILDREN'S CORNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 47, 25 February 1939, Page 12

THE WENDY HUT OUR CHILDREN'S CORNER

Dear Ites of Letterland, Phew! The third week of my deputyship and already I am casting about me for something suitable for your usual Make-believe Day story. I’ve looked at several but they just won’t do, so I’ve decided upon the only plan. I’ll tell you one I remember my old granny told me ever so many years ago. It was about two hunchbacks and went something like this:

Paul, the young hunchback, laughed at his hump. It was the best way of dealing with such an ugly thing, and he noticed the more he laughed the less he thought of his hump, and the more handsome he grew. “I’m getting quite an attractive face, and that’s a blessing,” thought Paul. “Anyhow, my .hump needn’t stop me from enjoying life.” The village girls laughed at Paul, and he laughed back at them, buying them ribbons for their hair. They were all very fond of him, but though they went to him for' advice, they married the young men who had no humps on their backs. Now there was another hunchback in the village, called Gastort, who used to go to Paul and grumble furiously. “Why should 1 have this hateful hump on my back?” asked Gaston. “Because of it everybody detests me and is unkind to me.” Paul knew Gaston was spiteful, mean, and unkind, but he couldn’t tell him so, therefore he said: “Be cheerful, and generous, and smile at people, then nobody will remember your hump.” “I’ll never be a doormat like you,” cried Gaston furiously. “i’ll never let all the beautiful girls in the village laugh at me, and the young men scorn me. I’ll tell them what 1 think of them.” As he did, they couldn’t bear him, so they never invited him to join in the fun and the dance as they did Paul. In. spite of his hump Paul was happy, but one evening when he went for a walk by himself he had a shock. He had walked a long way up into the mountains, in the moonlight, when he caught sight of his shadow on the grass. It was a very ugly shadow, and Paul ’s spirit was sad. “I must, bear this hideous hump patiently,” he thought. Blinking away his tears he sang a gay song, suddenly he was surrounded by a ring of lovely fairy maideus who began to tease him. “Have you ever seen such a beautiful hunchback?” they laughed as they danced around him. “What eves, what hair, what a lovely face.”

“I can dance as well as you!” cried Paul. As he danced, and laughed, suddenly all those fairy maidens gathered close round him. He felt their hands upon his hump and the next moment he was alone. Paul rubbed his eyes and wondered whether he were dreaming. .Then he caught sight ol’ his shadow and gasped with amazement. “I have no hump!” he shouted as he raced madly down the mountain flinging up his head with joy. Next morning he went to the market place, and all Ihe people gathered round him, asking how he had got rid of his hum]). Paul told them, and they held a feast in his honour that night. Gaston was the only one who did not attend it. He went up the mountain to find the fairy maidens, and sure enough they surrounded him as they had Paul, but when they laughed at him he struck at them with his fists. Then he felt a great thump on his chest, and instead of having one hump, he had two. “It is his own fault,” said the people, the following morning. “He has brought it all on himself because of his bad temper, just as Paul has cured himself by his cheerfulness.” A good story with a very strong lesson which 1 am sure many will admit is not without a certain truth. Much may be learned from the misfortunes which attend us and often much good comes from our trials. This, our last Hour of Make-believe together—for some time —I stand before you to give account of my deputyship for Wendy will be returned when next you meet. How say you? Cheerfully— MR. PRINTHRMAN.