SNOW FAIRIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 26

SNOW FAIRIES.

(By DOROTHY STEPHENSON.) Snow fairies light, snow fairies bright, Where is your cold-white home? Far, far awa.r, snow fairies say Where all the ralnelouds roam. Barbara stood at the window softly chanting this pretty poem which she liod learnt at school. It was snowing j hard and, tired of gazing at the dazzling whiteness outside she said, with a nasty look on her bright little face: "I hate the snow and I've nothing to do, Mummy." "Well, you know, dear, the sun can't always shine, so read your l>ook and like a good little girl "take that disagreeable look off your face," said her mother. Babs was rather ashamed, but still she sulked while her mouth drooped lower and lower at each dimpled corner. Again Babs turned to stare at the snow and did not notice that her mother had left her alone. The flakes fell faster and blurred the window pane till the child could see no more Crash! The window burst open, splintering the glass and in fluttered a host of snowflakes. Babs called for her mother, but the flakes settled so fast that she seemed choked and she could not move. So she stopped crying and looked more closely at the flakes. Each had become a tiny fairy, clad in white, ] and sparkling with diamonds, hoar-frost and dew. The fairies had very white fares and glittering blue eyes under massps of pale pofrl hair, and their wee cold hands pinched Babs cruelly. "She hates us, does she?" shrieked one in a high voice, "We'll teach her," shouted another. "Take her to our Queen." screamed a third as she pulled Babs' hair. Tightly they bound her with cold, white cords, which cut her like glass. Then Babs felt herself dragged downstairs, out into the blinding storm. On she stumbled, wishing she could drop. down in the snow and sleep, but those icy bonds still held her. After what seemed miles of walking, they stopped in front of a door set in the rock of a huge snow-capped mountain. Her captors pushed open this door and walked down countless stairs of ice, so slippery that Babs fell, grazing her knees and hands. But the fairies only laughed and hurried on. At the foot of the stairs was a large hall of polished ice and on the walls Babs Raw the reflection | of herself among the fairies, her terrified face as white as the fairies themselves. On a nice throne at the end of the hall sat the snow Queen, a haughty lady with raven tresses and cruel eagle eyes. On Feeinar Babs she asked: "Who is this?" "Your Majesty," began one of Babs' captors, "she's a mortal and ■ • • a,nd she actually hates our beautiful j snow." TTere the fairy's voice rose to j an excited shriek. The Queen's only , comment was, "Speak more clearly in court in future, Dewdrop." And that , fairy retired feeling rather small. "Come here," the Queen commanded Babs. She stepped forward and tripped over her bonds, falling headlong at the j Queen's feet. "Clumsy child," she said, ! "bates the snow, humph. Young and ignorant." Babs was indeed in disgrace —ignorant and in Standard IT. But the j Queen even said biting remarks about her own people. "Take her away and | you had better show her something about the snow's work." said her Majesty. They led the little girl away into a vast corridor and showed her how the Eskimos built their snug igloos and how Jack Frost, their, brother, painted upon the window panes, so Babs began to think the snow was a little use after all. After she had seen some wonderful lacy crystals she exclaimed: "Oh! fairies, I am so sorry; j and indeed your snow is beautiful." At this remark the fairies became very friendly and clustered round her. One of them said: "We knew you were really j a nice child, Babs, so now you are : more sensible you may go home." The.; fairies grew fainter until they vanished | into mist. \Tho called her name? It. sot.ndcd so far away. Then she saw her mother bending over her, saying: "Babs! Wake up dear, you are all wet: go and change your frock." The window was open and the snow had settled all over Babs' frock while she slept. "Mummy. I love the snow." called Balis as she ran to change. "Why, what a changeable little girl you arc!" laughed mother. "I wonder what you have been dreaming about now?" , "Oh! You would never guess mother, this time," said her little daughter, j