FUNNIKINS, THE NAUGHTY ELF

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22319, 5 February 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

FUNNIKINS, THE NAUGHTY ELF

Once upon a tinie there lived In the land of Do-nothing a little elf named Funnikins. Funnikins was the naughtiest of all the naughty elves kn the land of Do-nothing. He had a brother named Bunnikins, and a sister called Fluffikins. His mummy and daddy were—he knew not where. So Funnikins, Bunnikins, and Fluffikins lived in a little cottage among the tall grass on the outskirts of the queen’s palace and park.

The trouble began when Funnikins found out that Flufflkins was very ticklish. He simply loved to get into all the mischief he could. It was his job to look after the Fairy Queen's garden. If it had not been for Funnikins’ naughtiness the garden might have looked pretty, but as it was he did every possible thing to make it look ugly, and, in his opinion, funny. He made the flowers and weeds grow in the paths, and if they didn’t he told them he would throw them on the rubbish heap. As they didn’t like the thought of being thrown on the evil-smelling rubbish heap they had to obey him. In fact, he did so many naughty things, both at the garden and in his home, that it would take too long to tell you them all.

'Then came his unexpected punishment. One day when his sister and brother had both gone out for the afternoon tie was sitting on the verandah reading a book, suddenly be had an idea. "I’ll go and make myself some afternoon tea. I hope Fluffikins has the larder full,’’ he said. . So he went inside and was just going to move the boiling kettle when the house began to dance about, and the result was that the hot water was spilt all dver him. Still the house jigged round and round until Funnikins was quite giddy. ~ , “Stop! Stop!” he yelled. “I’ll stop if you . promise never to be naughty again, ’ replied the house, gleefully, as he saw that his plan was working. _ *TII promise,” gulped Funnikins, as he nearly “lost” the ice-cream he had had for dinner. At once the house stopped, just as Bunnikins and Fluffikins came in view. After that he was never haughty again, and now the queen s garden is the best laid out in all Fairyland. —VALMAI DOAK, A.B. (aged 11), Waipara.

BLUEBELL WOOD

Bluebell Wood was the happiest wood in the world, because the fairy queen and her subjects lived in its flowers and bushes. At midnight the fairies held their revels, and the bluebells nodding their heads in the soft night breezes made everything happy and gay. Once, however, there came a night when nothing was happy and gay. LightfOot, the fairy princess, was ill. The day before at the party she had hurt her wing. No one in Bluebell Wood knew how

to mend it. Mr Field Mouse who lived in a nearby wood, said that he could tell them how. Go to the pond on the outskirts of the wood, take in a jug some water, and throw it over the princess, he fairies followed his advice, the princess was again well the next day. and everything was happy again. —MADGE TAYLOR (aged 11), A. 8., L.8.H.. Te Pirita, Rakaia.