THE LITTLE LOST SUNBEAM.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE LITTLE LOST SUNBEAM.

Far away in Eairy Towji, ibehind the clouds, there lived ,the> Queen of the Sunbeams in her palace, huilt an the hill right above the town, where .she ! could see every house. Inside the .palace there were ten little sunbeams, -whowere always with the Queen, busily polishing up their stars and keeping their clothes bright and sparkling, for sunbeams are never dull. Each sunbeam .had a .sparkling yellow frock, spangled with yellow stars, a bright yellow star in her hair, and bright yellow wings. On the .days when -the 'Queen' went .out the sunbeams put on their -best frocks and went with her. Then the people down on the earth said, "What a beautiful summery day," but they didn't know that it was just the| Queen and her sunbeams taking u walk across "the sky. ■ . .

One day the Queen sent for her fairies to tell them .gome news.

"Soon," she said, "the King of tie Raindrops and the King of the Snowflakes will be taking their walks in the sky. Then we shall be hidden from tho earth folk, but they like us best because we make them happy, so we must hurry round the earth and show them, how happy we can make them before the others come. 'Htnrry up, -fairies, and come with me."

"Yes, your Majesty," ttnswered itha sunbeam fairies, .scurrying to .get jready. Every day they went walking until one evening the Queen cried, "Fly, sunbeams, .fly! Here comes ihe Raindrop King and his -men!" So all. the sunbeams spread their wings .and ilew back to the palace, and soon a lar.ge /black cloud lid it from :the earth folk.

Here in a big room they sat in a ring round the Queen, listening to the beautiful stories she told them, -while King Rain and his men strode across the sky. Suddenly she stopped. "Where is Happy Sunbeam ? Why isn't she here? Go to find her." . All the sunbeam fairies flew to each room in the palace, hunting for her. From Ihe kitchen *o the attic they went, but mrahere cauld she be found. Out in the iain there was -poor little Happy Sunbeam. Down -to earth she , flew, trying to make her way home. First she peeped at the flowers to make them smile, but the rain made them.too wet to raise their heads; -then .she crept through the trees to cheer up the birdies, but it was raining too much for 'them' to fly. She looked through a window in

% little .house and iaw a little boy, who clapped Ms "hands when he saw her and cried, "Mummy, it isn't going to rain any more, -the sun is coming out!" But poor little .Sunbeam was looking for the way home. Her goldy wings <were eo wet, ier sparkly frock didn't shine any more, .and the star in her hair only .shone a tiny bit. Poor, little Happy Sunbeam! She was so tired and King Kain nearly carried her off to his castle. Just then the Queen by the palace gate and shin© as brightly said to her sunbeams, "Come and stand as you can. "Perhaps Happy Sunbeam will see the light and come home." ,So they shone through the rain, making all their 'dresses look different colblue and yellow and green. The little boy at the window called, "Mummy! Look at the pretty lights." "Yes, dear, we call that a rainbow." But the little lost fairy knew better. She knew it was the sunbeams making, the path to her home to show her the way. ; :

MR. FOP'S PORTRAIT.

Draw a larger copy of this on cardboard with the aid of a pair of compasses, and colour it. Cut it out and hang it on the wall. It is .great fun throwing darts at it.