AUTUMN IS LOST

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 102, 1 May 1937, Page 20

AUTUMN IS LOST

(Original.)

Dusk was falling as 'Autumn .stepped daintily through the forest. The star* began to twinkle through rthe .tree tops. The birds had sung their "Good-night Chorus," and by that time were nestling snugly together in their warm nests. ■■ Autumn wandered on. She .passed a babbling brook, and went on through the undergrowth. Night came, tha moon sent ghostly shadows 'through the trees, and then—Autumn had lost her way. Knowing how futile ,it would be if she were to try to find the path in the dark, she lay :down at the foot of an oak and went to sleep.

A few minutes later a ■. morepork, looking down, gave a start as he saw a young girl sleejnng without any protection! He flew, away and woke sparrow and blackbird, and then ex- ' plained that all the birds should bring leaves and cover the sleeping Imaiden. Sparrow and blackbird soon had wakened all the birds, and they 'brought 1 leaves from the'trees and bushes. When Autumn was completely covered, the birds-went back to their nests,' and Oak Tree and Morepork .kepi watch over her.

As the sun rose "the mext morning Autumn opened her eyes, .and stared about her. Then she remembered what had happened, and she rose and shook herseK. As she did all .the leaves tfell to the ground, and/then .she understood that all the birds\had covered iier to keep her warm. So, to reward them, she .gave all the birds some of her colours, ■ and at autumn all the trees who gave some ol their leaves change .colour also. You can see that the blackbird helped her because he has an orange bill and the sparrow has pretty .brown iea'thers.

"BONNY LASS" (13)

Hataitai.