GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 12

GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Peggy Makes a Happy Discovery.

(Told by BLANCHE SILVER for PETER PAN.)

One bright, beautiful day as Peggy wandered down the path toward the river, she came across a crowd of little ants hurrying through the grasses. The thing that attracted Peggy to them was the fact that every one of their heads looked too large for their bodies.

"What funny looking fellows," she mused to herself.

"Yes, aren't they queer looking?" questioned a squeaky voice. Peggy turned around and there at her side stood a wee" little elfin, his face in a broad smile.

"Quite a busy little band. There's a crowd of wee folks, Peggy, that never stop to say, 'What shall I do now?' 1 They always know what's to be done and they all pitch in and do their share. I've often wondered if that really isn't the happiest way to live, after all," the elfin mused.

"Now Happy Giggles," laughed Peggy, forgetting to be lonesome and blue the second she spied the elfin's smiling face. "You know that's the only way to be happy. Look, Happy Giggles, I do believe they are comiag back. And what's that they have over their heads?" Sure enough, over a small rise in the ground came a long procession of ants, and each one of them carried a great big leaf, much larger than they were, over their heads.

"Well, well, well," called Happy Giggles. The first ant stopped, raised his leaf and spying the elfin turned and came running toward him. "Hello, there, Mr. Parasol Ant. Meet little Peggy. She has been watching you fellows for a long time. What's the news ?"

"Nothing at all," replied the leader of the ants. "Only we're building a new place. The Anff Lion destroyed our place and we must have a new home right away."

"What's the idea of having a parasql with you on a day like this?" questioned Peggy. "Afraid of getting freckles or that a storm's coming?" "Who, we?" laughed the leader. "My goodness, no. In the first place, we're too dark to be afraid of freckles and it doesn't look like rain at all."

"Then why in tlie world do you carry the parasols?" asked Peggy. "They are so much larger than you "are, I should think it would tire you out" to carry them around."

"But the leaves, what good are they?" asked Peggy. "Why, we use them in making our nest," replied Mr. Parasol Ant. "And the only way ever to get the thing made is for everyone to dig right in and help carry leaves until we get the new nest as large as we want it. We fellows who carry the leaves can't do anything but hand them over to the builders. They, in turn, must place the leaves just where they are needed. Now, if youH excuse me, HI get busy and do my share:" And, bidding Peggy goodbye, Mr. Parasol Ant hurried to join his companions. .Peggy and Happy Giggles spent the biggest part of the day watching the procession of ants as they wound down the path toward the river and each one of them carried a large green leaf over his head.