PETER PIPPIN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 16

PETER PIPPIN

(Original.)

"I really must have a holiday," sighed Mr. Weather Man, "but whom •can I get to take charge of my shop?" "Wouldn't I do?" "iped Peter Pippin, the merry gnome. "Splendid! You can start now," said Mr. Weather-Alan, and off he went to pack his bag. At first Peter quite enjoyed his new role, and so pleased with himself was he that he gave the people on earth fine weather every day for a week. Soon, however, he grew tired, and felt a strong desire to lie down on the Weather Man's bed and go to sleep. Before doing so he turned all the weather taps on, and sent a mixture of rain, hail, snow, sleet, fog, and sunshine down to the earth at once.

This caused great consternation in Fairyland, for it was the day of. the Fairy Queen's great garden party, and the Weather Man had been specially instructed to send a fine day. The Queen wandered distractedly about wringing her hands and crying, "Can't you do anything?" over and over again to her maids-in-waiting. At last a Very Clever Man (after he had thought and thought for an hour) dispatched a messenger to the Weather Man's 'house to see what was wrong.

The messenger arrived breathlessly at the shop, to find Peter Pippin fast asleep under Mr. Weather Man's patchwork quilt, quite unconscious of what was going en. Puck' (that was the messenger's name) shook him, and shook-him, and shook him, but could not rouse him, so fast asleep was Peter. _ At last, driven almost to desperation (for it was almost time for the garden party to start) he hit upon the plan of fetching home the Weather Man. - !

The Weather Man arrived in a hurry, grumbling to himself at "having his holiday spoilt; but nevertheless lie soon put things right. Puck descended once more to earth, and he and the Very Clever Man were suitably rewarded for their helpfulness _ Next time I take a holiday," said Mr. Weather Man, "I will find someone really efficient to do my work." "HUNCA-MUNCA" (12). Otaki.