The Giant's Stairs.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 20

The Giant's Stairs.

(Book Prize, to Mannce Haincs, 27, Wynyard Street, City ; age 12.) On the road between Cork and' Kinsale stands a great house where a noble lord and his lady lived many years ago. They had a little son about seven years old, who was called Philip, after no less a person than the King of Spain. Philip was a bright little fellow, with big blue eyes ami curly brown hair. He was very clever at his books, too. No wonder his father and mother were proud of him. Ho must have felt very lonely with no brother to play with, for often he would go away for hours, to chase butterflies in the beautiful gardens. The butterflies and the flowers were his only playmates. One afternoon Philip was missing, and no one could thiflk what had become of him. Servants were sent, on "horseback and on foot, along all the roads, but they came home without hearing anything of the little boy. His father offered a large sum of money to anyone who would bring back his son, but the years passed and Philip was never heard of*agaili: Now at this time there lived in the village a blacksmith called Robin Kelly, a merry fellow, who could shoe a horse better than any man in Ireland. One night Robin had a strange dream. He dreamed that Philip came to him in the middle of the night and spoke to him. The lost boy was mounted on a beautiful white horse, but his voice was very sad and his eyes were full of tears. He told Robin how he had been carried off by the giant Mahon, and had been forced

to work in his forge. "All the little boys who are stolen are kept for seven years among the rocks near the village," said Philip. "After that they arc sent far away to another of the giant's castles. .My seven years of service end to-night, and if you can rescue me before morning I will see that you get plenty of money." "But how am I to know," said Robin, cunning even in his sleep, "that this is not a silly dream?" "Take that as a sign," said the boy, and at these words the white horse struck out with one of its hind legs. •Robin got a kick on the forehead, and he roared so loudly that he woke up. He was glad to find himself in bed, but on putting a hand to his brow he felt a great lump where the horse had kicked him. Robin at once made up his mind to rescue Philip. He had .often heard strange stories about the giant Mahon. The villagers often talked about the Giant's Stairs. This was the name they gave to a number of great rocks which rose from the sea like a flight of stairs, and led to the top of the cliffs. Robin had heard, too, that sometimes the giants had really been seen climbing up these stairs, but no one knew where .they went. The blacksmith was not long in getting ready for his visit. At the last moment he thought he would take his big hammer with him.

I "The giants may give up Philip more easily if they see this," he said to himself. A few minutes later he was rowing towards the great rocks, looking for a door to the giant's castle. This, it was said, may be found by anyone seeking it at midnight, but nothing could be seen in the darkness. "I wonder if I am too late," he said. At the moment he spoke he saw a little light on the rocks. It grew larger and larger, and a door slowly opened in the cliff, just on the edge of the water. Robin rowed towards the light, and jumping ashore tied his boat to the rock. Then, holding his hammer tightly in his hand, he entered boldly. He found himself in a long passage cut out of solid rock. All of a sudden he heard a rumbling noise and felt as if the rocks were going to swallow him up for ever. But nothing happened. "Robin, Robin," he said, "why didn't you stay at home, and forget all about giants and lost children 1" But on he went, until at last he came to a great hall, lit by the lamp whose light ho had seen. Peeping through the door, he could see several giants seated in silence round a great stone table. At the head of the table sat the great Mahon himself. There was dust everywhere, and some of it must have got into Robin's nose, for he suddenly sneezed loudly, "Atclioo! Atchoo!" Robin had no time to slip out of sight. "What are you doing there ?" roared the giant. i "I have come," replied Robin, "to claim young Phil, wliose time of service ends to-night. You are not going to be so unfair as to keep him longer."

"Ho! Ho! you speak very boldly," said the giant, with a laugli that made the whole room shake. "If that is what you have come for, then you must pick him from among my pages; but if you lix. on the wrong one you shall die. Follow me." He led Kobin into another great hall. Along each side were rows of children, all about seven years old. Everyone was dressed in green, ami they all looked so much alike that Kobin saw that it would not be easy to pick out Philip. "Here," said Malum, "you are free to take Philip if you will; but, remember, 1 give you only one chance." Robin walked slowly down the lmll by the side of Million. They had nearly reached the end without speaking, when Robin thought he would try to make friends with the giant. "If J speak to him nicely," he thought, "he might help me to pick out the right boy." "Well, the children all look nice and healthy," he said, "although they have no fresh air for such a long time. You must take good care of them." "Ay, you speak the truth," said the giant, showing his yellow teeth in a horrid smile. "(Jive me your hand, for you are a very honest follow for a blacksmith." At lirst glance Kobin did not care to thrust his hand into the giant's paw, so he handed him his hammer instead. ' The giant took it, and broke it as if it. had been a potato stalk. On seeing this, all the children burst into laughter. In the midst of their mirth Kobin thought he heard his name called softly. He put his hand on the boy whom he thought had spoken and cried out, "Let me live or die, but this is young Philip." "It is Philip, happy Philip," all the children cried, and in a moment the hall became dark. Loud crashes were heard oil all sides as tables and chairs

wore upset in the darkness, but Kobin held fast to his prize and rushed out of the hall and down the passage with the young boy in his arms. & When he got outside dawn was breaking. He soon stepped into the boat and started on his way back into the village. You may be sure there was great joy when the long-lost child was safely brought home again. Philip's father, of course, gave Robin a large reward, so there was no need for him to toil in a He bought a little cottage near the big house, and Philip would often visit his brave friend for a talk about the Giant's stairs.