THE SEA-SPRITE'S LETTER

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 18

THE SEA-SPRITE'S LETTER

The Sea Sprite lay face downwards on the sand in the warm sunlHit. The Sea Sprite loved doing two things—sun "bathing and sea bathin". As he lay basking in the sun a gentle breeze blew a piece of

newspaper up against him. He turned over, sat up, and said:.- ! "Why will these careless people leave, papers lying around, after them?" He was about to screw it up when he saw the heading: "The Fairy Ring." Picking it up he began to read, saying, "How 'citing it sounds. 1 must read it," attLhe. buried.his. head in the page.:;:., ; The Sea Sprite was a dear little fellow, fat head, plump body, and short little legs, with fishy scales over them, while from 'jehind his neck were the lightest, gauziest pair of delicate, pearly-coloured seagreen wings. Altogether he was a cute little chap. As he read he came across something which went like this: "Dear ones," wrote Fairiel . . . we will have a special Ring and call it a Sea Page or Holiday Page. . . . anything you like, so long as it is about my small elves." . . • And the Sea Sprite thought* ''I will write a letter to Fairiel and tell her all about me, and perhaps she'll put it in the Sea Page. \ What fun it'll be!" So the Sea Sprite pulled out a shell, dipped it into his magic ink, and wrote his letter on top of the "Fairy Ring." When it was finished he sent it by a special messenger to Fairiel. Next morning Fairiel received the curious, letter bundle tied up with seaweed. She opened it, looked puzzled, chuckled, then' commenced to transcribe it into. her. language, for the Sea Sprite wrote and read everything upside down. When she had finished, if read' like this: ■ ■ . ■ 7 .7. '.'..: .'■ 7 ''. 77 .77.7. Magic Sea Cavern, 6 Fathoms,, 7 PacificOceanV Dear Fairiel, — . .....* I have just been reading about the Sea Page. I want to be in it very much. Pleaz can 1? I live all by myself in a luvly cavin the sea. It is a very beutiful cay with pritty shells all around it. Sometimes I play in the grene sea with the fishes, and at night I sometimes watch the mermaids comb their hair by the seashore. I luv living in the ocean, but I*<wud like very much to cum and see you and the Fairy Ring sum day. Can I? Just send me a telegram wen I can cum pleaz. Lots of sea love, from-the SEA SPRITE. When. Fairiel haji read this she immediately sent a telegram to the Sea Sprite telling him to come at once, but she never received a reply, and the. Sea Sprite never came. Perhaps it never, found, him; perhaps he didn't find it;: but anyhow Fairiel received no answer to her urgent telegram. The Sea Sprite might just take it; into-his-head one of these days to come and visit the Ring, and he'll come uhannpiinced. Who knows? So you'd better keep your eyes open, Fairy Ring. ..-,..:, Kelburn. ■- ■l .7 , «POLLYANA>'

FOR THE TINY ONES One night when Nancy sad gone to Toed, everything was very quiet. Nancy had woken up. It was not morning yet, But what a surprise for Nancy! Fairies! "Oh," gasped Nancy, and popped under the bed-clothes. "It's all right, Nancy," a chorus of voices piped- out. Nancy, shaking with fright, crept out. • .;, "Who are you, and where did you come from?" she asked.: " t I am Bluebell, one of the Fairies," answered one. . "Then do you,want my name 2" "No, of course not. I know your name. It is Nancy Smith,, isn't" it? Now, Nancy,, would you like to-go for a trip to the moon?". "Oh, yea, Fairy!." cried Nancy. "Greencoat, get some 6cent ready, please." Bluebell sprinkled some, on Nancy, and Nancy was as small.as tho Fairy herself.' ■ Into the carriage she jumped, The Fairy gave her a warning. If she said, "Bed," she would be back in bed at once. But Nancy was too tired to listen to the Fairyj and she said "sleepily, "I wish I was in-bed for a y bit." And straight away Nancy saw the Fairies ■vanish, and she was back in .bed again. She never saw the Fairies again. "BONNY BLUEBELL." City.

"JUST BEAUTIFUL" "I went to Day's Bay one day, Petone another. But I think the best of all was the day at Day's Bay: we went as far as we could, round past the bay. We all went in for a swim, and the water was-just beautiful. "My sister Suniset Mist caught a starfish. It was just like a star too. I saw a fisherman pull in his net, and when ho got them in, there were some big fishes in them." "RIPPLING WATER." . Lower Hutt. .: ■

"A HIGH DIVE"' "I can swim quite well now, and I took a high dive one night at the sports, but I think it was a bit flat; as it hurt terribly! Have you ever dived flat, Fairiel? If you have, you will know how it hurts." JACK DBYSDALE. Lower Hutt.

" CASTLES IN THE SAND" "Last Sunday we went to the beach and I was in the water for quite a long time. After, when 1 came cut of the water, I played in the sand, making castles. It was great fun to jump in the castle before we went home. - I havp got a new bathing suit mymother bought in town." • ■-■" "DANA." Lower'Hutt.

"DAYS OF DELIGHT" Days of delight, spent each ■ In tho happiest, happiest waysj Times spent in golden freedom, . Oh, tho joy of the holidays! * Wanderings thro' the bushlands,,." : ■ ■ Gay with the birds' melody; Bushlands green and cool and sweet, Where the streams croon merrily. . And days 'mid the golden sandhills, 'And the blue oE a summer sea, With the bright waves siugiit£, calling, "Come to us happy and free." PAULA HAXGEE^.' Blenheim.. ' :'

THINK TWICE RIDDLE-ME-EEE. What table cannot be moved? The multiplication table! Why do rivers run under bridgest Because they can't run over. "NIPPY." Melrose.

Jumbled Names of Girls. Ebyrl; Ojyce; Onja; Mieneiad'; Yucl; Tbtct; Saiym: Ydisa. - ~:, "GOLDFINCH." Wellington.

Jumbled Names of Cities. Ydesny; Spira; Nldono; Gbury; Lib-*1 dun;' Tpreh; Wne ..Eoyk, • Nuddein; Dadailee; Ebelomurn. •>■■,■ MARIE WALSH. ■'" Wellington. ',■'.'■'

. Jumbled Names of Countries. Aaficr; Wsdenej .■V-Wn'e.. . Eldnaaz; Aaiusartl: Maacrie; Ywronav >•_.." BERYL OLIVER. Wellington. •

"SEA TREASURE"

I gazed enraptured at a pretty shell..-., Which" on the seashore lay V, , . Close to my feet. .'....' 'TWas such a tiny thing, ,'., .. Shaped like a bell; , . ■, Gleaming on golden sand where /wavelets meet. % .. "SCRIBE ROSA." Wellington, . ..,-'.■

"A TOY SUBMARINE" ' ' I remember once a boy friend of mine had a submarine (a toy one); and, anxious to sail it, asked me to come with him to Lyall Bay. Having accepted tho invitation, we arranged to sail' it Saturday afternoon. Saturday; arriving we went by car to Lyall Bay, where bathers were enjoying the warm, sea and sun. Winding it-up we proceeded to sail it in ihe. water. "■■ Suddenly the 'submarine' sunk and moved' slowly along the bottom, then shot up to the top. Afterwards we went in for a dip." . ■', '-.;■, "TIGER." ■Wellington. • ; ' ■

:■■■> GREAT FUN. •, . "We go to the baths at the school now, and I have great fun,-although 3 can't swim. . ." :-. . . "WILLOW-WAI." . Lower -Hutt. -■:■■■■■■ ■' -: •

".' " THE FIRST TIME'":\ "Our school picnic is on Saturday, and wo are ■ going to- .the Lower Hutt racecourse. In ,the rafternoon Mr.-Pitcousky. is taking ua i'6T- 3 bathe'iii the sea. It will be tho firs* time I've ever been in the sea."' .'■.■': "SAILCfIJ BOY." ' .TJpper' Hutt. '■'■' : '-" ; ■■' ::' ■*