THE ENCHANTED POND

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 11, 14 July 1928, Page 15

THE ENCHANTED POND

Kitty awakened just as the pink rays of the rising sun wore chasing tha mist far over the sleepy hills. It was her birthday, and the little birds seemed to know, for they were singing just outsi", her window. "Mummy, I'm six to-day," she called out. "Yes, dearie. Many happy returns and here's a spall parcel for you." The little girl was delighted when she found that the parcel contained a small golliwog with large goo-goo eyes and curly hair. It was not an expensive golliwog ■bought from a fashionable toy shop, but just a simple, home-made one. Kitty and her mother were very poor, and lived by themselves in a tiny cottage. The one thing, however, of which they were proud, was the large garden which surrounded their little home. Here, delightful old roses grew in abundance. At the bottom of the garden was a poud almost surrounded by water lilies. • "With the exception of an old rag doll the golliwog wai thtj only toy which Kitty possessed, so you can imagine how she loved it, and that night when she laid her curly head on the pillow, litlo black golly was gently placed on the pillow, too. At midnight Kitty was awakened by a tiny silvery voice calling to her. She sat # up and, imagine her surprise, saw a fairy standing on her bed. The pale moonlight shone iv the room and caused the fairy's dress, which was made of pale-pink rose petals, and trimicd with silver dew, to spirklo like hundrods of tiny stars! "Kitty, what would you like, very much?" The fairy's voice was like a tiny silver bell. "Please, I would like my mummy to r& a lot of money, so that she would not have to go out to work every day." "Well, dear," the fairy spoke again, "it is not in my power to give you wealth, but underneath the ponfi in your garden lives a king. It is in his

power to mako you rich. Every night at midnight an old woman comes to the top of your pond, but she will not be visible to you until you have dono some deed which she considers very kind and good." , , "Kitty, try to do some good each day and wait by the pond at midnight. Then, when tho old woman is satisfied she will appear to you and take you to the king, who will reward you with a bag of gold. Do not tell any one what I have told you." On saying this the fairy vanished. -Next day Kitty's mother was ill, bo the little girl tidied the house, set the meals, and did all that she could to help. When she went to bed that night she could not sleep, but lay awake until midnight. Silently sho crept out of the house, down to the pond, where she waited for some time: The old woman, however, did not appear, so Kitty went back to bed. The next morning Kitty, went to tho neighbour's place and : minded the-baby until well on in the afternoon.' How delighted she was when the .lady gave her a bright new shilling. Quickly she ran' to the shop and bought'a little cake and several nice ros/ apples for hr- mother. Again that night Kitty visited the pond, but still the old woman did not appear. ' The next night the little girl felt too tired to watch, and she slept soundly till morning. A few days after this Kitty heard that her little friend Molly was very ill. She picked a bunch of roses and went to see her. Molly was very sick indeed, and lay quite still, never speaking a word. Her mother sat by tho bed watching.- At last Molly spoke. 1 "Dolly," shti softly whispered. Then, after a while, "I would love a dolly." Tho mother shook, her Bead and tears ran down her cheeks. Sho had no money to'buyVqne." Presently Kitty, who had boon thinking deeply, ran out of tho room and rushed home for her golliwog. Quickly she returned, but jnst before entering Molly's room -she kissed her doll, and said, "Good-bye, Golly, doar. I don't like giving you away, but she needs

you, and she'll bo good to you. Yon know she's awfully ill, Golly." Gontly sho laid the golliwog on the pillow. For some time the little patient lay quite still, but when she opened her eyes and saw it, she was overjoyed. "Oh, is it mine?" she softly asked. "Yes, Molly, it is yours," answered Kitty. , That night Kitty aw6ke just as the clock was striking 12. Out of bed she jumped and crept down to the pond which she had. just reached, when a funny old woman appeared. ( "Come with me," she said. Before Kitty realised what was happening she feh hersolf rushing down a long, dark passage, in a tiny boat. In a few minutes she reached the king's palace. A qaint little man took her to the king. "What do you wanti" he gruffly asked. Kitty was frightened and began to cry. This touched the king's "Tieart, so he said in a softer voice— "You have been a good little girl. Here is a bag of gold for you. firing your mother hero next Wednesday night, as I am giving the fairies a. party.'' Kitty thanked him and in a few minutes reached the top of the pond. Here was the fairy waiting for Kitty. They took the gold in to her mother, who was simply overjoyed with the wonderful gift. On the night of the king's party, Kitty and her mother went to the pond, whore the old woman was waiting. But how different the castle looked this time, being decorated 'With flowers, diamonds, moonbeams, and dew. All the- fairies wore there, dressed in their gayest party dresses. They were all very kind to Kitty, and taught her lots of new games and took her foT a ride in a fairy carriage up^a moonbeam. After this Kitty and her mother o*ten visited the king's palace underneath the enchanted pond. And they did not forget their poor friends. They gave v Molly and her mother enough gold-to buy a nice new home like the one they had -purchased for themselves.