THE SQUIRREL AND THE DORMOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1926, Page 26

THE SQUIRREL AND THE DORMOUSE.

" Heigho, there, what a racket you are making I" shouted the Dormouse to the Squirrel, "it certainly seems to be spring with you, but when I put my nose outside my hole I can feel it is still winter. Why can't you be less fussy and let mc sleep?" "Oh, go to sleep, old sleepy head I Why don't you keep your door shut, and then you wouldn't hear my racket? That's why they call you Dormouse, I suppose, because you have a door to shut?" "You are stupid!" said the Dormouse. " That shows you never travel. A week in France, now, would rob you of your ignorance. I thought everyone knew that dor (not door) means sleep. Dormer to sleep; don't you know your French verbs? I might have known you didn't! Ignorance is always fussy! My habit of sleeping through the winter gave mc that double name." " Really, now," said the Squirrel, "that is very interesting, and as I sleep through the'winter I ought to be called Dor-Squirrel, upon my word and honour! It is very aristocratic to have a double name. I wonder our family never thought of it before." "Oh, you need not steal my name. You have a much finer one, and if you will let mc have a dozen beech nuts in exchange for this big chestnut, I will tell you what it" is," said the Dormouse. "Urn," remarked the Squirrel. "You are a good hand at a bargain, aren't you? But I hate shelling these finnicky little beech nuts, so here you are, and hurry up with the name, for I am sending out invitations to a party to-night, and I might like to use it." "Are you inviting mc?" asked the Dormouse. ' "Well, no, I wasn't," replied the Squirrel. "I thought you wouldn't enjoy the racket, but if you think you could keep awake for once, come along, do. I won't need 'to write you an invitation—you can take my word for it. Oh! but I forgot, you must see my new invitation cards. I am having my coat of arms in the corner—two catkins rampant, impaled with a thorn on a silver leaf." "Dear mc," said the Dormouse, "what style 1 You are very nearly as proud as the household cat yonder at the manor. Her coat of arms has two red herrings rampant on a silver grid." "You were going to tell mc about my double name," said tie Squirrel. "How am I to know it is true? I cannot send fables on my invitations. The word of a squirrel, you know." "Oh, yes, I know," said the Dormouse. "I was coming to that, but I didn't dream about your name, I heard of it. Under this tree one day last summer came two little girls. I resent intrusion, as you know full well, so I thought it no shame to listen. Besides, I heard your name. One was reading, and this is what I heard:— "Then said Hlawatna to him: 'Oh, my little friend the Squirrel. Bravely have you tolled to help mc Take the thanks of Hiawatha, And the name which now he gives you, For hereafter and for ever Boys shall call you Adjidaumo, Tall-ln-air, the boys shall call yon. , •» "Oh, goody!" said the Squirrel, "that's two names, and the second haa a double hyphen. Really. Mrs. Dormouse, I am very much obliged " But tfw Dormouse was dozing off to sleep again, and she never even woke up in time for the party, nor saw the invitations, which were all eigned, "Bushy TaiL"

the sine. I've never really seen the ran, He s much too big and bright, He sails in golden majesty Across tne sky till night I tried to look at him one day I asked him most polite to Btay, IHe Just went on his golden way With all hie golden might. Jnst now tne moon Is In the eky. The eun has gone away, And let mc whisper solemnly, " I think he's gone to stay. To-night he set, all red and ronnfl. And In the eea, without a sound, That gTeat big glorious sun was drowned! He fell into the bayt —STELLA CLARIDGE, Ploplo.