Poppity The Peace- Maker

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 263, 2 August 1941, Page 14

Poppity The PeaceMaker

(Original by Jenny Wren (14), Eketahuna.)

•’ r rHIS has never happened before,” exclaimed grandfather Oak. “No, indeed,” chirruped a fantail, and everyone in the forest agreed. For the past week men had been busy digging in the little glen near the centre of the forest, and today a troop of little girls, dressed in brown and with big smiles covering their faces, had been planting baby trees there. As you and I know they, were Brownies, but the trees thought they were nasty, interfering people. “Oh, dear!” cried Miss Kowhai, “the violets will have no home.” • “We will have no playground,”grumbled the rabbits; “What is all this fuss about?” came a cheery voice, and Poppity, a little elf, stood before them, looking very happy. “What’s the matter?” squeaked the rabbits. “Why, look at those silly little trees and where they have been planted!” ■ “Oh, yon must not growl at them, because today is Arbor Day, and they have been planted to make your forest a bigger, better and prettier place. Look, they are so lonely. Why don’t you make friends with them?” “How silly we have been,” exclaimed Miss Kowhai.

“Yes, yes,” echoed the rabbits. “Let’s make friends with them at once.” Soon the little; trees were very happy, and Arbor Day became the happiest day of the year.