ALAN AND THE FIRE KING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 17

ALAN AND THE FIRE KING.

Alanvwas sitting in an easy chair by the fire for he was very sleepy, and only thought of watching the little tongues of flame leaping up the chimney. As he watched, these little flames slowly formed themselves into elf-men. Each little elf was dressed in a scarlet tunic, and a wee orange cap, which Alan thought looked extremely like the little golden doughnuts which he liked so much for his tea. But, as he watched silently, they -all seemed to fade away 'again, except for one of the largest of them, who seemed to be the brightest of them all, and who, Alan noticed, wore a tiny gold crown on his head, in place of the little cap worn by the others.

As the little boy the little fellow sprang lightly out from the flames, jumped across the hearth and paused at the foot of Alan's chair. "Ho! Ho!" he laughed, "wouldn't you like to come to Fireland with me ?" "Oh, yes," whispered Alan, all his sleepiness forgotten, "I would love to." So the little man, whom Alan afterwards learned was the King of the Fireland, grabbed his hand and the next he knew, was that he was following his guide through a land which smelt unmistakably of smoke and burning fuel, but for all that, was the prettiest little town he had ever seen. Everything in it was orange and red, except for a dark chasm which the elf told Alan, was where the Prince of Coals lived.

The wee man then took Alan to some dear little xed nuts, outside of which was a bright little fire, each being tended "by a little elf man. On coming to the largest of these, the little fellow stopped. "2fow we are going into this house to the banquet," he murmured. "After that I shall take you home again." After the banquet, Alan said he would like to go home, so the elf gave him a piece of the red, juicy fruit, and in a moment he was in his chair at the fireside, and Ms mother was calling him to have some .lovely doughnuts, she had made him for tea. Alan thought they must have T>een made of the little elves' caps.—By'Sweet Lavender," Levin.