HOB GOBLIN GOES FISHING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 156, 4 July 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOB GOBLIN GOES FISHING.

(By A. M. IVERACH.)

For quite a long while Hob Goblin behaved very well and there was peace in the wood. "That Goblin has really turned over a new leaf at last," the wood folk said, and very pleased they were to think that he "had stopped his naughty tricks. "He lias- grown most polite too," said Ernestine to Gobbo the Gnome. "Why, only the other day he carried Emily's basket home for her and didn't steal a single thing out of it.' "That certainly was remarkable," replied Gobbo. "But I wouldn't trust him too far, Ernestine. Mark my words—he will bo busy at his. pranks again before , , ~ One day, Hob told his brothers that he was going fishing, and promised to brin" back a basket of fine fish foi supper. 0 Off he went to the stream that runs through the middle of the wood, his fishing basket on his back and luti rod in his hand. On the way, whom should he meet but Ernestine on the self-same errand. , , , Hob sat down on the bank and cast his line, while Ernestine went a little fai'ther down-stream. The sun was warm, and in a few minutes Hob was fast asleep with his back against a tree trunk and his line dangling in the water. The fish came and nibbled his bait and then swam further dovrai to.be caught on Ernestine's hook. Veiy soon Ernestine had five fine fish m his basket and he wound in his line strolling along to see how many Hob had caught. , The Goblin felt rather cross when ne woke up and saw Ernestine standing beside him. „ , r,„ "Hullo, have you caught any fish.

proudly displayed at sight of which Hob felt crossei than

"SsUW had •»* luck! T TSJ Ernestine kindly. ''Because I you some of mine if you iiK e - . . Now, Hob was only too will" „ accept this offer, but he couldn t hew "What a splendid Ashennan y cried Ernestine. "Much better than I am. Well, I must get backtoLnaUy. I promised to be an is so nervous after dark. ■ By the time they had co-met place where their paths separated he lad thought of a splendid pa. . "I wouldn't waste-much time gettin home if I were y OU ' +l Er " ' V oice remarked in a very gentle, ... "I don't want to frighten you.buttlus morning I saw an enemy of yours m this part of the wood." _ -nv„ p ,,rtne "An enemy of mine? enec , in alarm. "But I have no enemies. Hob cast a quick glance round and then whispered in Ernestm about the Munjy-Bunjy Cat. Ernestine turned" pale with flight"The Munjy-Bunjy Cat! he qrie , teeth chattering. "But no one ■ < him for -years and years. You must have been mistaken, Hob.' "Hush!" whispered the goblin. might he hiding in the bushes. _ > J > I saw iiim, Ernestine! I saw his great eyes, and his sharp teeth, and the tip of his black ears. Of course, as lm a Goblin he didn't want to eat ipe. , "Oh, my paws and moaned poor Ernestine. "I shall ne reach home alive. He will crunch ni in his great „jaws, bones and tail an all! And Emily will be a widowl_ "Now, keep calm," said Hob, grinning. "There's one thing that the Munjy Bunjy Cat likes even better than Mouse, Ernestine. Why, he wouldn't even bother to sniff you if you offered nim some fish instead. Now, I'll tell you what you must do. Tf you hear him growling in the bushes drop your fish and run as fast as you can. By the time he has eaten "Iheni you will be safe at home." "That sounds splendid,' ? murmured Ernestine. "How clever of you to think of it, Hob. And, of course, I might not meet him this time." "That's true," said Hob. "Don't be frightened, Ernestine. I just thought I would warn you." "It was most kind of you," replied simple Ernestine. "Thank you very much. Good-night, Hob." "Good-night," called the Goblin. "Don't forget to drop your basket if you hear the Munjy-Bunjy Cat!" Away sped Ernestine, glancing fearfully at the shadows, for it was growing dusk. No sooner was he out' of sight

than Hob slipped by a short cut after him, and reached first tlie place where the path dipped into a hollow. As he came into the hollow, Ernestine was terrified to hear a rustling in the bushes beside him.

"Urr, gurrl" came a 'deep, hungry growl. Ernestine almost fainted at tlie sound. "Oil, Munjy-Bunjy Cat, don't cat me, please!" lie begged. "Here arc some fine lisli in this basket. I'm not worth bothering about, really. I'm only skin and bone!" And, dropping his basket, tlie little Mouse fled in panic. , Hob chuckled as, stepping out. from tlie bushes, lie picked up Ernestine's basket and threw away his empty one. "Oil,' *vou silly Mouse," he laughed. "The Munjy-Bunjy Cat is miles away, or else he's dead as a doornail!" And off he skipped toward the Goblins' house.

He hadn't gone ten paces when there was a rustling in the bushes close beside him. "Urr —gurr, miaow!" came a savage cat voice. And now it was Hob's turn to shiver with fright, for there glaring at him from the shadows were two great eyes as fierce as live coals! "Oh, good gracious, whoever's that?" cried the terrified Goblin. ' "Only thfe Munjy-Bunjy Cat come back to pay you a'visit!" was the answer, and now Hob could see the sharp white teeth as well. "I'm in a hurry to-night," said Hob uneasily. "I'll see you another day." And he began to run as fast as he could. The Munjy-Bunjy Cat wa3 beside him at a bound. "Not so fast, Goblin," he purred. "I'm feeling hungry. "Go and pay Ernestine and Emily a visit, then; they'll give you some supper!" cried Hob, looking sideways at the Munjy-Bunjy Cat. All he could see were_ his teeth and his eyes, for the rest of him was as black as night and by this time it was quite dark. "No," growled the Munjy-Bunjy Cat. "I'm tired of mouse. I feel like a change. What have you in that basket?" "Nothing at all," cried Hob, who didn't want to lose his fish. "I thought I could smell fish," growled the -Munjy-Bunjy Cat, sniffing the air. "Fish?" cried Hob. "Where should I get fish, I should like to know?" And he hurried on again. But the MunjyBunjy Cat came after him. , "Well, there's nothing for it, Goblin," he said, showing his rows of sharp teeth. "If you haven't anything in that basket I shall just have to eat you!" "Goodness, don't do that!" shrieked Hob. "Perhaps there might be. just one fish in my basket after all." He hastily lifted the lid, threw a fish to the MunjyBunjy Cat and took to his he«ls. The Munjy-Bunjy Cat opened his wide jaws and swallowed his supper whole, and in two bounds he was beside the Goblin again. "Urr-gurr," he growled. "Give me another fish, Goblin, or I shall certainly gobble you in one bite!" "Yes, yes, you 1 * shall have another fish!" cried Hob in haste and he threw another one to the Munjy-Bunjy Cat and then ran like the wind. He hadn't gone three paces before he heard a deep growling just behind him. "Urr-gurr!" said the Munjy-Bunjy Cat right at his heels. "Here's another fish for you," cried Hob and hurried off again. The Munjy-Bunjy Cat swallowed it in two bites and was beside the Goblin again before he had gone four paces. Hob gave him his fourth fish and ran on as fast as he could for he could see the lights of the Goblins' House shining through the trees, and he thought he might get home with his last fish. But he hadn't gone five paces before he saw those great eyes glaring at him in the darkness. "Urr-gurr!" growled the Munjy-Bunjy Cat, and without a word Hob threw away his last fish. Then he ran faster than he had ever run in his life before, and just reached the door of his home in time. The Goblins were waiting for him. "Where are the fish?" they cried' eagerly • but when Hob told them about the Munjy-Bunjy Cat they laughed him to "A°fine fisherman's tale that is!" they "The Munjy-Bunjy Cat hasn't been 'seen for a hundred years!" Strange to say, that is exactly what jySd to Ernestine when he told ''BiiT°'hO S Mmi.T-Bu»jy C»t licked his lips and curled himself up in the iSen\°imT'MU Wou g h!» And he went to sleep till mormn a .