THE ENCHANTED KIWI.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 208, 3 September 1927, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE ENCHANTED KIWI.

(By ALICE A. KENNY.)

Times were hard with the Enehanted Kiwi, and Fatu his fairy friend, and Bad Child, and Micksie the Mongrel, and Toby the lost kitten. Try as they would they could not find enough food to eat; they were always hungry, and were all getting thin and ragged. So they left their den and wandered through the bush till th»y came to a nice creek, and there . they stopped for a while. One day, when they had only had a few berries to eat, they suddenly hoard someone singing not far away. They all hid behind a log, and presently a woman came along and sat down on tie log and began to draw pictures. She had brought her lunch basket with her sad she put it down on the ground whSe Bhe worked, but when lunch time came do you think she could find her sandwiches ? 5 The basket was still there, but there was not a crumb left. Patu - had used his last spell to get that lunch out of the basket unseen, and how the hungry gang enjoyed it. , The woman said: "Dear me! that's wry funny. It is a good thing I am Rqd hungry." She did riot seem at all angry, and they thought she must be a nice woman. She was a clever woman, too, for when she crossed the creek on , , h»r way home she noticed a lot of funny little tracks in the Band, and that made her think. The gang crept after her, hiding behind leaves and stones if she paused or looked back. They wanted to know if there was any mojre food about. They found that she lived in a little home near the creek, and they hid again and watched the plaoe. Micksie was hoping to get the meat out of the safe, and Toby wanted to get at the milk can. Bad Child was longing for cake, Patu fop honey, and the Kiwi kept telling them about some lonely fowls' food which a kind hen had °nce given him when he happened to •troll past the yard where she lived. \lt was not until night, when the house quiet and the lights all out, that they reaUy dared to go and search for food, and when they did, what a lovely surprise they got. There was a garden M*t under a tree a little way from the _ house, and when they got near this they saelt pleasant smells, and saw white dishfes shine. On the seat was a plate cate and some apples, a mutton bone with a lot of meat on it. a large basin of creamy milk, a dish of honey, and a jWUeerful of wheat and bread-crumbs. 8 . * * rft P ca tch us," said the Kiwi, peeping everywhere. "No, it isn't said fttu, who had disappeared for a few , nnnutee. "Pve just shaken out my a *mg« and had a flutter round inside the i howe. Everyone's asleeo. Oh! what a i PMty" a beautiful bone," said i iucksie, lifting it off the seat and lying down to gnaw it. ] .. "Cake," exclaimed the Bad Child with l "1 never used to have cake ' Sf * was an orphan. 'Apples, too. , woman who lives here can't be a bit ? «*e the woman who had me." "Cream!" j %\*id Tohy, "it is like old times at home. 1 • 4 used to get all creamy, and mother ( lick mv face clean for me." \ . saia Patu, and tears came ( ;" oyes. "You're all very nice, you j™®w» he added, "but this lovely golden } jMjey makes me homesick for Fairyland. J* 1 " ear! It's no use complaining, but ] i my spells now, and my Pl * re getting weak from want of f if* Almost crying, he sang a little j $ P' \ a , \ were In Fairyland ~' ' Once more, and glad and free. ' r ' . I WJrti the folk of Fairyland . .Were friends again with me.** n

"Look at me," said the Kiwi, picking away at his saucer. "Do I complain? This delicious grain reminds me of that nice white hen that fell in love with me, and gave me her corn. Anyone like a crumb? I'm never one to be greedy. When the feast was over, five happy little creatures went back into the bush and slept contentedly behind the log.