THE BUDGET of Fun Stories & Competitions

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BUDGET of Fun Stories & Competitions

Once ii|niii ;t time, there Wit- il little il l who livt'il iii a tumble-down hou-e at the edge of <t great forest. Ami every duv, she walked beneath the ,-hady oak-, gat holing (lowers for her invalid mother. Joy was as pretty as her ilium'. She liail blue I'Vis, golden curls. and a >«wt smile. And she was so busy doing tiling.t>i make lirr mother li;iI»J»v that site had no time 1o fret because her drosses were There was another little girl named Trudy who lived next door. Trudy never bothered to liiul flowers for her mother. She liked to lin<l apples for herself, instolul. line warm afternoon. Joy and Trudy went into the forest together. It was almost an hour before Joy found a clump of wild vio'ets enough and lovely enough for her mother. She tried to pick them, but when she pulled on the tiny green stems, the earth came up. too. And there, peeking through a hole, was a .-miling little ell' «lre->c<l in a brown suit, with fringe all over it. He wore a little round cap with a bell on I he end. and the bell tinkled cwrv lime he r-pokc. -Hello. .Joy! Hello. Trudy I" I lie little girls ga»|>cd. "Do \mi know us?" asked Joy. in surprise. "We don't know you!" "Oil. yo's. [ know all about you!" laughed tin* KU. "1 .-re ymt ofien: This

THE ELF'S EASTER TEAPOT

i- where I live. Won't you come ill and see my house?" So Trildv and .loy walked down the >iops. and into a tiny room. They -aw a neat little table with three wee chairs an.mid it. The rug wa- 110 larger than a blue -alin hankie. The table w.ic scl for three, with dainty nine and white di-hes. and a yellow teapot was whistling on a tiny br.i-s stme in the corner. "You're just in lime for my special Kaster tea." said the .Klf. Joy was a traid »ho would break the poi lonoi 3QC A HAPPY EASTER 0 o n to n 1 ° I YOU ALL. [1 ! oi ■ ■ .rJ little cliitir, bur by - magi.- -he grew ><► niileli -Ilia Her that -he titled it exactly w lieu • he -at <b>w n. There were wee frosted cakes, heart shaped cake- and bright sii^ar-l art-. -Oh. I could eat every t liiim here!" cried I'.l ml \ . She began lo nibble busily. "Wail tor the III! whispered Joy. hastily. "\\V must be polite!"'

Cut I rimy was too gicooy "■ She snatched and gulped and gobbled, her mouth full cookie-, her hands full ol tails. ".More!" she cried, when her tiny cup wa- empty. The Kit' poured lea and took more cookies from 41 painted jar and gave tin; gills tiny cubes of coloured sugar. Then it began to get dark and Joy said that she must hurry home. '•Your \ isit has made me so happy , said the Kit, "that I would like you to choose something from this room as a gift." Joy turned carcfujly about, wondering what she would choose. Suddenly she hoard the tiny blue teapot whistling on the stove. How nice if she could take it to her mother! It would keep her amused with its tiny song. "Oh. please, may 1 ha\e your special l a-tor teapot V" she asked. "You certainly may." i-miled the Klf. "I'll take the blue di-hc- and tlic good things upon them." decided greedy Trudy. So the Klf gave them to her. and away went the girl-,

"I sated the prettiest sttgar tart tor nv mother." -aid .lov. 11111 Trudy did

not answer. Slip was too busy eating her goodie#. When sin: reached Jier own door, they were all yuie, and the tiliv dishes had turned Mark and dull.

Hut Joy's little teapot was a-« bright. a> ever. Slu- ran happily into the house to give it to her mother.

Th.-y hud a merry time together while .Toy told a lion I I lie little Kit. The sugar tart was lurger and prettier than ever. The teapot played <«ay tunes as the water btiMiled inside, and the tea iusidv was tilled with such lovely magic that Joy's mother soon recovered and the two of them lived long and happily ever a I ter.