THE GIANT'S SPECTACLES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21578, 14 September 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE GIANT'S SPECTACLES

Some people, seeing those large grassy circles on the hillside, would have said wisely, "Oh yes, fairy rings," but to Faye they were giant's spectacles. Wasn't she a child of the fairies and hadn't they told her the story themselves all about the princess? And here is the tale as it was told to Faye. Once, long ago, the fairy queen had a beautiful daughter, Princess Carnation, who was beloved by all, but especially by a small elf called Petunia. He wished to marry the lovely little fairy, but her mother, the queen, said he must first do some deed to show he was worthy of her daughter. Now the Princess Carnation loved dancing better than anything, and her greatest grief was the lack of a suitable dancing floor, when she danced in the grassy fields she —————————-—*—*

faafiTrn-iw ■ ■ was so small she became lost in the «ass blades. At this .time there lived a giant who, owing to nis fondness for peeping into other

people's business, had become very short-sighted, causing him to resort to a pair of very- large spectacles. The fairy queen thought these glasses would make a splendid dancing floor and requested poor Petunia to procure them for her. His reward would be little Princess Carnation. When the moon rose the elf set off, and was soon at the giants palace. Creeping through the keyhole, he espied the giant dozing by the fire, spectacles high on forehead. The trouble was how to reach them and carry them away. Just then the giant yawned mightily, making a draught that blew Petunia crash into the fire irons. Oh, the clatter! Of course, this woke the giant, who, seeing the elf, immediately gave chase. 1 Away went Petunia over the fields and far away, with the giant closely following, until he reached, the fairies' hill, where he crept under a leaf. The giant searched everywhere, when suddenly his spectacles slipped off his nose into the grass. Being short-sighted, he couldn't find them again and had to take himself home as best he could. Out came the tiny elf, and telling the fairy queen he had brought her her heart's desire, he soon claimed the lovely princess for his bride. ~ So, now, when you see a double fairy ring you'll know that the giant's spectacles are lying there waiting for the moonlight and the fairy dancers. VAIJERIE BARKER, M.G., L.BH Kaiapoi.

Why did the chair back? Because it saw the letter box. -SHIRLEY WALKER.