THE NAUGHTY LITTLE ELF

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 115, 17 May 1930, Page 18

THE NAUGHTY LITTLE ELF

TUB Fairy Queen was giving a party, and all the little fairies anil elves were dancing. One little olf, however, did not want to dance, so ho walked away in search of something else to do. Now, on a soft, grassy bank supper had boon laid. Little mushroom tables were piled with all sorts of delicious things that fairies love to eat. It was not yet, but Pipkin, for that was the naughty elf's name, thought ho would liko to sco what was insido the acorn cups, and also tasto the fairy' cakes. So he cropt up to the first table, and picked tip a Uttlo cake. Ho tasted it, arid it was simply delicious. Then ho went to tho second table and drank somo honey wine which he found there. But all the time Pipkin was tasting things a fat toad was watching him. "Oh, you greedy elf!" thought the toad, "I will go and toll the Fairy Queen about you." So away hopped flit Mr. Toad right up ■to the Fairy Oucon "Do you know that one of the .elves is having his supper already?" he said to her. Tho Fairy Queen was very angry when she heard this. "I will punish him," she cried. So she flew to the bank where Pipkin was busy eating all tho good things ho could find, and while he wasn't looking she placed on one of the tables a magic cake. It looked very tempting, and as soon as Pipkjn caught sight of it he began to gobble it up as fast as ho could. Then a dreadful ■ .thing happened to him. Ho' suddenly changed into a little beetle. And just at this moment he. heard all tho fairies coming back to have supper. Ho felt so ashamed that ho'crept-under, one1 of tho tables to be out of sight. .All; tho little elves and fairies sat down to supper, and nobody noticed the black beetle, because he was so snrall- ■ i Now the Fairy Queen came and sat down at the very tablo where Pipkin was hiding. So Pipkin suddenly flow on to tho table. ' "Greedy little Pipkin, what do you want?" she cried. "Please forgive me and change me back into.'an elf again," sobbed Pipkin. ,■'.;'■ ~:.•' -■ " No,' ':. replied the Fairy Queen, '' you must stay" like; a little beetle until one of the fairiesris sorry for you and asks mo to turn you into an elf again.'' Then the : Fairy Queen stood up and told all the fairies how * Pipkin had been changed into a beetle, because he was so greedy. Then all the little elves and fairies began laughing at him. At last Pipkin could; bear it no longer and he flew away.into a, foxglove bell. He cropt right down the flower and began to cry loudly. Suddenly a little fairy heard him. So she floated' on to the foxglove bell and, putting her head inside it, she cried, "Hallo, greedy Pipkin." . '-, ■

When Pipkin heard her* say # this he stopped crying and lay quite-still. Then a lot more fairies flow on to the foxglove bell and they began rocking it to and fro. While they were doing this a great black ci'ow flow down, and, seizing one of the J'airies in his beak, began to fly away with her. "Save me,'' cried the little fairy, for she knew that tlic bird was roally a wicked magician, ■ • Pipkin heard her crying, so he crawled out of the flower and soared high up into the air. He kept buzzing in front of tho crow's eyes until the bird, who couldn't see where he was going, suddenly dropped the poor little fairy, Sb« spread her crumpled, wings and tried to fly. But one of her' wings had been injured by tho wicked bird. So Pipkin said, "Got on my back, and we will fly down to the earth together." When

they reached the earth all the little fairies clapped their hands and cried, "Bravo, Pipkin!" And they, were so pleased with him that they went at once to the. Fairy Queen and asked hei to change him back' into an elf aagin, Oh, how pleased Pipkia Tras when ho suddenly became a rear elf again! He rushed to a well and looked at him' self in the still water.. And he becaw so excited that he nearly tumbled righl into it. He laughed' and danced and clapped his hands for joy. .' 1.M.8.