THE WEE BANNOCK

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 81, 6 April 1938, Page 22

THE WEE BANNOCK

An old man and his wife lived in a wee cottage in Scotland. One day the good wife decided she would bake some bannock for supper, so she got out her mixing lx>wl and spoon ami had soon made two thick, round bannocks. She baked them in the oven, then put them in front of the lire to toast.

The old imin came in from his work and sat down by the tire to rest. He saw the plate with the two bannocks on it and, feeling hungrv, bent down and broke off half of one. He began eating it with relish, finding it good, indeed. But the bannock left Whole on the dish saw him, and determined not to share the same fate as his brother. So he jumped oil' tin' plate and ran straight out of the door of the cottage. II id man nearly choked with surprise at the extraordinary behaviour of the bannock, but he leaped to his feet ami began to chase it. He pursued it down the path. but his old legs couldn't keep up with the bannock ami he had to give up the chase.

The bannock himself was nearly exhausted by this time, so when he saw the open door of another cottage he crept inside, hoping for a rest. Hut a tailor and his wife were just about to sit down to etinpel' there, and they saw him as soon as lie stepped inside, "I.ook," said the tailor's wife, "there's a good toasted bannock for our supper. Catch him. .lock, and I'll get some butter to spread on him." But the little bannock didn't wait to be spread with butter. He dashed out of the cottage, with the tailor ami his wife after him. and by running just as hard as he could, lie managed to shake them off.

"Oh, dear." said the bannock, "that was a narrow shave. Why do people want to eat me'.'" and he looked about for somewhere to rest his wearv legs. He saw a wisp of smoke coming from the other side of a hill, so he walked towards it and saw a peaceful little cottage with flowers growing around the doors.

"Surely no one in there will want to out mo," lie thought, so ho crept over (litdoorstop and into tlio cottage. Itiit insi<lo thore was an ol<l woman dunning butter, and lior sharp old eves saw (lie little bannock. "All. a litlio luiiiiiock," she said. 'Welcome, little bannock. 1 think there is some cream left in the eliurii. I will «et it out- and spread it on yon. I love a liaimock spread with cream for my supper." Hut the l>annoek didn't wait for the cream to he fetched. He liad gone before the old woman had finished speaking, and ran as fast as he could away from her.

He tramped wearily along a little stream, until he came to a mill. He was very careful this time, and peeped cautiously over the doorstep of the mill, but as he couldn't see anyone inside the mill he decided this would be a good place to rest. He had hardly settled himself on the edge of the hearth, however, when the miller stepped in the door, and saw him.

The miller was a great, fat man with a red face, and he rubbed his hands and chuckled merrily when he saw the little bannock. ''Welcome, welcome." he laughed. "You're just what 1 need to top off my supper.'' and he stretched out a large red hand to scoop up the bannock. But the bannock scuttled through his legs and out the door before the miller could catch him.

He would never never go inside a house again, he decided, so when he thought a safe distance separated him from the miller he searched about for a comfortable place to sleep. A flowering bush looked warm and safe, so he walked across to it, and lay down in what looked like a shadow. But it was really the entrance to a fox's lair, and before he could stop himself he had fallen right inside. The fox was just going to sleep after a bad day's hunting, and he welcomed the little Imnnock with a wide smile. "Ah," he sighed, as he hit into the lovely oatmeal cake, and "that was pood," he said as he brushed away the last crumbs. So the little bannock mot with the k#ame fate as his brother after all.