GOOD NIGHT STORIES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 181, 1 August 1936, Page 3 (Supplement)

GOOD NIGHT STORIES

Have you ever wondered wliy a little puppy will suddenly roll over on its back, leap into the air, and bark with all its might? Do you know the reason? It's because a shadow is riding on its back. If you don't think that's the reason just a*k the next puppy that you see, and you'll soon enough learn the truth. I know because Z\l ij, Flor, Hanid, Yam and Knarf—-the shadows of live little real children- —told me all about how they rode on Beagle's back. Where the puppy got the name Beagle I can't imagine. I think it must have found it somewhere. Well, Beagle was just about two months old and was out in the garden one sunny afternoon when Knarf said to the other shadows: "Lot's do something." "Do what?" asked Mij. Knarf rubbed the top of his head and spun round on his heel three times. The third time he stopped to find himself looking straight at Beagle, who was standing up smelling a buttercup and wondering whether or not he ought to eat it. "I know," cried the shadow boy. "let's go puppy-back riding!" With that he sprang atop of Beagle's back, and grasping him by the ears shouted: "Giddap, there!" The puppy was a bit startled at this, but merely pricked up his ears, for he couldn't quite make out what was happening. Knarf, being a shadow, didn't weigh much more than a thought-—and you know how little a thought weighs— so he was not sure whether he ought to be frightened or just stand where he was and listen for a while. While he was making up his mind Knarf waved to his comrades. "Come on —we'll go for a ride —hurry before it's too late—hurry!" The idea for going for a ride around the garden on the puppy's back was so delightful that Mij and Flor immediately sprang 011 behind Knarf (first having made themselves small enough, however). Then they all three shouted back to the two girl shadows: "Come on don't be afraid —hurry, we can't wait much longer!" "Are you sure it will be all right?" ITanid insisted.

"If we're going to fall off I'd rather not start," Yam said. They assured them that-nothing of the sort could possibly happen. Beagle, tliev said, was a might\ good-natured little puppy and would never think of throwing little gii'lsliadows oil' its back. On the contrary, it would be only too glad to take them galloping all over the garden. This seemed promising enough, so ITanid and Yam quickly pulled themselves together until they were no larger than the others, and sprang on behind them. The moment this happened Knarf gave the puppy's ears such a tug that lie sprang up into (lie air. uttering such a sharp yelp that the real children who were sitting not far off looked up in surprise. The next instant he went dashing up and down the garden, barking with all his might. The shadows held 011 to his hair until, alas, finding Beagle was about to roll over on his back, they all let go and went tumbling in all directions. That was the end of their puppy-back riding.