THE FAIRY WITH THE BROKEN WING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FAIRY WITH THE BROKEN WING.

(By Cleone McFarlane, "fJreylands," Williams Street, Cambridge.) For a long time, Tinyglow sat down 011 the grassy bank, with her little golden head drooping in her hands, and wondered hopelessly what she could do. Such a lot had happened since she left Fairyland in the morning, and now it was getting late. First, she had danced with the sunbeams 011 the flowers. The wind stopped to plav with her before proceeding 611 his way, and the water elves invited her to swim with them, and play hide-and-seek, in and out the rushes and water-lilies. Then the little green elf, with his funny peaked cap, had taken her for a row in his boat. It had all been great fun, and now she fat upon the bank crying. There was no one who could give her help, because she 'knew that the other elves and fairies would have gone back to Fairyland. They had fo prepare for the midnight party, that was being held in the fairy glade. Poor little Tinyglow. All morning she had enjoyed herself, and then, quite unexpectedly, it had happened. She had seen a naughty boy steal a plum from his little friend and race off with it. This had made Tinyglow angry, so she had flown swiftly after liim and snatched his liat. Over the fields she Hew with it, until she saw a huge clump of blackberry and gorge bushes growing by a hedge. Into the middle she tossed the hat, and waited to see the little boy try to get it. The gorse and blackberry scratched his arms and legs, as he tried to reach it.

Tinyglow laughed with glee. She was glad the naughty boy was being punished, and then she slipped and fell into the thorns herself and tore her wing. So badly*was it torn and broken that she knew she could not fly back to Fairyland. She crawled away from the bushes and sat down. It was no use trying to reach the stream because she knew the green elf would not be there.

What could she do? Until she reached Fairyland her wing could not be mended* so she sat with her head in her hands arid tried hard to think. Soon the sun Would sink below the horizon and 6lie would be alone with the night.

And then, when it seemed that nothing could be done about it, she espied a dark-haired little girl sitting on a stool, some distance away. What was she doing? Tinyglow couldn't quite see, so with her broken wing hanging limply, she crawled nearer. At first she was puzzled and couldn't understand what the little girl was doing. She had a basin filled with soapsuds at her side, and a pipe in her rosy mouth.

Tinyglow sat and watched. Out of the bowl of the pipe floated beautiful bubble*. Over the houses and tree tops thoy drifted, and beautiful colours were reflected in them. Suddenly Tinyglow

had an idea. She clapped her bands excitedly. If only she could get inside a bubble and drift off to Fairyland in it. Then her wing would be mended and she would be able to attend the midnight party. But the difficulty was to get inside the bubble. Perhaps if she climbed up the little girl and dropped into the bowl of the pipe, the bubble would lift her up and drift away with her. It was wGrth trying, anyway. With much trouble she at last reached the pipe and slipped into the bowl. Excitement flushed her cheeks as she waited.

Then a beaut if til big bubble began to sha|>e itself above her. Larger it grew,. and larger, till Tinyglow began to fear it might burst, but just then she felt herself rising. She lay very still and away she drifted, inside the bubble.

Tinyglow enjoyed herself. It wag rather fun to float in the air without using wings. She had no fear that she would not reach Fairyland safely because the wind was blowing the bubble in the right direction. He did not know that she was inside it, bnt perhaps he thought if he blew it over Fairyland the fairies would see it and play with it at the party.

At last they arrived and the fairies, seeing the beautiful coloured ball drifting above tlieni flew up to see what it was. Tinyglow called to them, and they gently pushed the bubble'to the ground. "Don't break it," cried a fairy* as she hovered near, but alas, when the bubble touched the ground it burst and Tinyglow, somewhat bewildered, rolled out. "Where is it?" she asked, gazing around her.

"It is gone," someone paid sadly. "But it brought Tinyglow back to us," answered a fairy, who hurried up with gold dust to heal the broken wing, "and I'm sure we would rather hare Tinyglow than the beautiful ball."

"Of course," chorused the others, as they took her home to dress for the party.