A SKETCH PROVERB

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 217, 13 September 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

A SKETCH PROVERB

"You did it yourself, I expect," sobbed the indignant fairy, shaking herself. '"How very mean of vou."

"Oh, Petal, truly I did not," cried the elf wildly. "Someone must have put the sand in my umbrella for a joke. Of course, it was meant to fall on me and not on tou at all."

Bnt the fairy was not to be appeased and she pushed the elf away, when, once more, humbly, he tried to protect her with hfe umbrella.

"I think I will go right into the rain," she said, "it may wash the dust from my hair/ ,, and haughtily she stepped away from Mm.

'"'Oh, Petal," cried the elf, in great indignation, ■'"don't go, don't go. I will do anything to make amends—anything."

The fairy turned and thought a minute, then she said, "Well, Dimple... if you really want to do .something , , go and pluck the sting from the flame dragon-fly's tail, and bring him, tamed, to me."

"I will," cried the elf. "I will even do that," and he darted away so fast that he never heard the fairv shriek.

umbrella tightly, as if it gave him courage. When he readied the water's edge, he saw that the dragon-fly had settled upon a leaf, displaying all the glory of its colour. "'"'Now," thought the off, "if it doesn't see me I may be able creep up and pluck the sting from its tail. If onlv—onlv I could."

But he had hardly taken one step when the dragonfly rose with a hum of wings and dashed in a fury towards him. "I am done for now," thought the elf. "I shall be stung assuredly." The great, flaming insect was almost upon him. Oh, where, oh where should he hide? Then, in a flash, inspiration came to him, and the elf, raising his umbrella, opened it full in the face of the furious insect, then crouched beneath it, trembling in every limb.

The enraged dragonfly dashed itself with fury against the umbrella again and again, as a moth hurls itself upon a lighted lamp; then finding it was making no effect at all, settled itself upon it and bit into it Avith its powerful jaws. As it clung, Dimple cautiously put .one hand round the edge of the umbrella, and fo'ind he could just reach