TISH

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22109, 3 June 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

TISH

Tish was a sneezex. A sneezex Is a funny little man who helps to make sneezes in noses. Tish wore a huge grey woollen muffler, which smothered nearly all his face except his long red nose, and bright red slippers without any pompoms. They did have pompoms once, but Tish took them off and put them in the pocket of his dingy green coat, for he was sure ' jthey made him look sissy. And not for anything would Tish take fee risk of looking sissy. Art and Shoo, his brother and sister, wore huge pompoms on their slippers, and that is why they quarrelled With Tish. Away in a back room on the top floor of old Martin Simpkin's -nose, lived Art, Tish, and Shoo. They led a pleasant enough life all winter and slept all summer to make up for the energy they used in the cold weather, as little old Martin with the long_ white, hair, always had a cold during the winter months. Every time Martin wanted to sneeze—and that was often—Art, Tish. and Shoo had to run three steps, turn a somersault and *puu three strings which let go the words “Artishoo,” bringing relief to the old man. But Tish was not . happy. ’ He had not been happy all winter. Art and Shoo complained that he wasn’t doing his job. How '• could he do his job properly -when ’ his pompoms were in the pockets of' his dingy green coat instead of on his slippers? They argued. Tish answered them back pompoms were sissy, and that he didn't want to tickle Mr Simpkin s nose with pompoms. He had a real affection for the old chap, Tish had. Art and Shoo said his was a 'weak sort of argument. What was the good of. having a cold if you couldn’t sneeze, and how on eartn could old Simpkin sneeze if his nose wasn’t properly tickled? “Artshoo.” said Mr Simpkin with an incomplete little sneeze. "Arr, me dear, your cold is getting better,” said old Martin s I rl sh Wife. She was the queen’s maid years ago. ahd she still wore a stiff white lace collar. “You must sit in the sun to-morrow.” she added as she lit the last candle. Tish heard what the old lady Baid and he decided that he would not pester Martin Simpkin , any longer with sneezes. Indeed, tie would go to the palace to speak with the king. His Majesty was a great man; he would see that.urn Martin got some special herb to cure his nasty cold. , ... Art and Shoo were furious with Tish for not working with them in that last sneeze. “You slacker,” said Art. “You softie,” said Shoo. How can two sneezoxes bring off a real sneeze?” she asked at the top or her shrill voice. "Put the pompoms on your slippers and get to work. Tish was silent. . , "Now get ready again,’ sai “,~s„ “old Simkins is due for another. Each little sneezex made ready for work. Tish braced himself up, ran forward with the others, somersaulted once, twice, and tnree times. What a sneeze old Martin made! His wife was truly * ea s” test her husband was getting worse. But Martin assured her that ms head was clearer. , . Little Tish was free at last. He had certainly tumbled into _ the liiorld with a heavy thud and ne . fcdt a bit dizzy, but he was on-i us j %ay to the palace and that wan th I Bain thing. No one had „seen mm. f Br hje‘ was very, very small, you > must remember.

(By Tut Thomas)

It was bitterly cold in the open world and Tish could see the tip of his nose getting redder and redder. He pushed his hands in the pockets of his dingy green coat and grabbed the red pompoms to keep his hands warm. Oh, it was such a long way to the palace. When he arrived at the palace gates, he saw a huge stone wall round it. He had to climb that wall and when he reached the top he couldn t see anything, for he was so high up in the air and his eyes weren t quite used to the strong light of the world yet. So he had to set to and climb down the other side. He perched himself on the branch of a tree to watch what was happening in the palace grounds. He wanted to hop down into the grass, but Tish was a wise little fellow and he knew that he would most likely drown in the dew if he went down there. He was so wretchedly small, was Tish. The prince and his sisters were playing hide and seek in the garden. The princesses were all hiding behind posts, sentries, and trees, and things, while the prince was leaning up against a tree by the wall, counting up to a hundred. Tish was glad he had cime. Just fancy what Art and Shoo would say when he told thsm ho hsd seen the prince in his golden crown counting up to a -hundred. But Tish didn't like the look of an evil-looking man in torn knee breeches, who was creeping nearer and nearer the prince. Tish was sure the man was going to steal the prince’s crown, so he slipped off the branch and popped up the man’s nose. Waving the red pompoms in both his hands Tish jumped, and somersaulted, and tickled as hard as he could. “Tish!” went the nasty man. The noise was like an ex;plosion. The young prince started with fright.

He called the guard and the evil looking man was marched away and locked up. .... Tish was not happy yet. He still had no idea how he was going to see the king to tell him about old Martin Simpkin s cold. he did see the king, the wouldri t toe able to see a sneezex, thought Tish. And just then Tish had an , idea He jumped into the princes nose fnd tugged, and tickled, and tapped tin the little boy didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh ° r or sneeze or cough. At last ne went to his father. “Sire,” said the prince, let us visit old Martin to-day. When the royal coach stopped outside Simpkin’s cottage gate. Martin couldn’t believe his own eves He sneezed and sneezed with excitement.- The king was so drs-

tressed that he sent the prince back to 'the palace to get some special herbs to cure the old man. And sure enough the herbs which the prince brought made Martin’s cold better—and he hasn’t had another one since. As for Tish, he has found a cosy little acorn shell in the palace garden where he lives very happily away from Art and Shoo.