The King's Birthday

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 219, 16 September 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

The King's Birthday

Once ii| iiiii ;i time there lived a prince who had a very grumpy father. Therefore, when he mi. reeded to the throne he made a vow that everyone in the land should now lie merry and liappy.

\\ hat excitement there was when he made hi* coronation speech! The bells rani', the people laughed and shouted:

"Long live our (Smiling King," so loudly that their checks grew red and their voices hoarse. The king straight away on his new work, ordered bands to play in the streets every day; he made the roadmenders and wood-cutters work to music. And when the day's work was done he would have no one moping about indoors; the young folk must be dancing and the older ones playing games. Even the children were not left to themselves, because one of the king's came and organised games for them and gave them sweets for prizes. So that none of tlem would be unhappy they each received a prize, and so the game was no fun at all, and they l>ecame sick of the taste of sweets. They wished he would go away and leave them to play their own games as they used to do.

At last all the children had holes in their because their mothers had no time to sit at home and mend them; all the little gardens were covered with weeds because, as soon as their work was done, the fathers had to dress in the Sunday clothes and go out and enjoy themselves.

So it went on until presently the people began to wish for the good old days when they needn't bo happy all the time. But they dared not let the king know what they were thinking, for if he met anyone who looked tho least downhearted he ordered him to laugh instantly or be thrown into prison. So everyono had a smiling face, no matter whether his heart was breaking. As for tho king himself, since they had named him "Our Smiling King" at the coronation, he felt obliged to live up to his title, and in time his smile became quite fixed. Then at last came his birthday.

"Aha," thought he, "what a fine opportunity for everyone to be happy!"

Accordingly, ho sent out a proclamation that on that day everyone should have a holiday. The royal cooks had orders to make a 'birthday cake, large enough for everyono to have a piece, and to bake pies and pudding enough for everyone in tho land to eat their fill. The king himself sent away for such fireworks as had never been seen before. Ho was determined that everyone should- be happy from morning till night. Tho day should begin with a procession round tho city and end with a display of fireworks at midnight. In the meantime tho people all prayed that it should rain so that they could stay quietly in their homes.

But Wednesday dawned clcar and bright with sunshine. A peal of bells awoko the sleepy people, and they hurried out into the streets in their pay costumes. The procession started round the town with the kin# at the head in a purplo robe and his gold crown on hifi head and his smile-on his face. And frorn then on the fun never ceased all day. The people rod© on the roundabouts and the swing-boats. They laughed at the jester and clapped at the

actors. They nte <is much as they could in tln» big banqueting hall and ate their fill of ices and sweets from the stalls. They danced until their heads «wam, and all tlie time the drums beat, the trumpets blared, and the hurdj'-gurdies played their everlasting tunes.

All day the king ran busily through the crowds, petting hotter ami hotter in his purple robe, his crown a little on ono side ami his smile more fixed than ever. Kverywhere he went he called out to the people to be happier, but at last, long Ix-fore it was time for the great fireworks show, the people were so tired that they sat down to rest on the grass and held their aching heads. Whenever they saw the kin-j approaching they started to their feet and jigged madly on, and laughed loudly as though at Bumo joke. Hut in all that crowd then- was ono little maiden who lnnnaged to slip away by herself. When no one was looking sho crept between the trees and away to tlio seashore, where she sat and looked at the sea. It was already evening, and the water was grey and very |>eacefiil. '1 lie sky tweiiied grey, too, and sho sat and looked to her heart's content. Now it chanced that the busy king followed the vcrv path that the little girl had taken. When he saw her sitting there so <|tiictly bv herself lie stopped and said curiou-ly. "Why don t you come and be luippv t" " l Kin happy." the little maid answered. ''I ni looking at the sea."

-And when the king looked into the little mai<b'n - K e\e~ he saw that -lie really was Inp'py. whereas all I lie people he had ju-t left, in spite of all h!* trying and ail their trying, were only pretending. So he ,at dnViTby the littlo girl and looked at the sea too. and when tjie courtiers saw that, tlicv breathed ti sigh of relief and went oil tip-toe, two by two, and sat down tailor-fashion behind him. They all looked at tin' se.% and the moon and the the pale sky and their hearts became tilled with peace and joy. Very soon the people missed the king and •some came looking i\.r him and when they found Jiim sat down with the courtiers in wonderment on the green grass. Hut others .-siid: "Thank goodness!" and went home to their beds.

And in a big box in the pu.laco the fireworks Jay forgotten.