A CROWN OF MOONSHINE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 126, 23 November 1935, Page 24

A CROWN OF MOONSHINE

: (Original.) ; The fairy of the kbwhai rubbed her eyes and yawned sleepily. "Time to be up arid doing," she murmured.. ' "Up and doing," ? echoed the baby stream as it babbled joyously over •mossy stones.5-' The full moon cast its pale, silvery rays through the tangled branches of the lofty rimu and kahikatea, and shone on a still ppol of clear, sparkling water, tracing weird shadows on the smooth surface. The Kowhai Fairy shook her golden curls, as she ran merrily to the moonlit pond for a bathe. Her cousin, Kakabeak Fairy, gazed enviously at her glowing locks and tossed her own red ones scornfully. ' :. "The Spring Queen' will be here in ■a few minutes." gasped the Rangiora Fairy, "and someone has torn my new s avtr the middie! °h! "I'll mend it," offered a good-natured spider. -Scarcely had the grateful fairy donned her. dress than a herald arrived announcing the Spring Queen X wonder who'll be given the prize for looking after her tree best," said the Kowhai Fairy longingly. "I think I deserve it. Just look at the delicate colour of my blossoms. Yours are too bright and flaring, Kakabeak." "Pride goes before a fall," laughedFairy Kakabeak. "Besides mine art a more artistic shape than yours" "I'll beat you all," boasted the Rata Fairy "My __ » but she , could not finish her statement as a golden chariot drawn by two magnificent dragonflies appeared. The Spring Queen stepped daintily out and proceeded to examine the trees so that she might present the prize, a crown of moonshine, to the fairy who had looked after her tree the best. She complimented the Kowhai and Kakabeak Fairies, and looked scandalised when the Eangiora Fairy found a large wood-louse under the roots of:the.largest five-finger tree in the bush. After a lengthy scolding directed to the fairy of this tree, she passed on to the next one—the clematis. This fairy was shy and would not say much, but her flowers were almost perfect, with their creamy-white starlike petals and the .queen gazed at them with great approval. Everyone held their breath as she began to give out the results of the competition. "The moonshine crown will be awarded to the fairy of the clematis." Everybody clapped and looked considerably surprised. Amidst the round of applause the Clematis Fairy flew up to the, queen and her chancellor placed the crown on her head. No one that night was happier than she was. She danced and sang and flew about laughing gaily. The Kowhai Fairy tossed her golden head, and pretended not to care, but she really did. "The modnshine crown would have suited me so well," she confided to her kaka-beak cousin. "It would have suited me better," returned she. "It suits the Clematis Fairy best of all," said the queen, who, at that moment, entered the room. "Of course," murmured the two fairies politely, for that settled the matter for always. "MOONSHINE FAIRY" (13). Karori.