THE FIRST KOWHAI TREE

Evening Post, Issue 28, 1 August 1936, Page 20

THE FIRST KOWHAI TREE

(Written for Tree Page by Gwen Harrison.) npHE pine trees on the hill.were lonely. They had no one to talk to but J_ themselves. Even North and South wind had deserted them these ..days.

At last the oldest decided to ask the Fairy of all the Flowering Trees to help them. Now this fairy was the, messenger of the tree flowers. In fact the best fairy they could have asked. ■ . .'..:.■•■ "Why, I know what to do," she cried, when she heard their trouble. "I'll go right away." .And with-a-, leap she was ■ flying. over their heads into the valley below; straight to where the Green Witch lived. This witch knew all about growing things and at the moment she was watching a new tree no one had ever grown before. ■ ■■ ■ - "What do you want?" grumbled Green Witch, looking up from the feathery leaves of the tree.

The fairy told her about the. lonely pine trees. ■, „_ ." rll help them if y°u Sive me something in return," said the witch. Bring me.an emerald as big as my thumb by sunrise tomorrow, and you can have this tree." The fairy agreed. _ "You must plant it inside the ring of pine trees, sprinkling one thousand sunbeams around the roots when you do so." Thanking the witch the little fairy flew back to tell the pines. As she passed a tiny stream a voice called her. ,„. "Oh> little fairy> lßm dying. The Sun is killing me," cried the water. His rays are so hot." , . . . * Quickly the fairy grasped her cloak and forming it into a bag she flew into the Sun's rays. ," ■•

Hundreds of little sunbeams were caught in it making the Sun so sulky he hid himself.

The stream begged the fairy to ask anything in his power to give her. She told him about the emerald. ;

"Bring me seven ,dewdrops and drop them into my waters. You shall have your emerald just before sunrise." The fairy thanked him and having done as he said, went on her way. The pine trees were very happy when she told her story. Early next morning the fairy hid the bag of sunbeams, and set out for the stream. Down in the water she saw a green light. She drew out a great emerald. Thanking the stream she flew to the witch's house. The witch was already by the new tree. In a moment Green Witch took the jewel and muttered some magic words. The fairy and the trees were whisked away back to the pines. It did not take long to plant the tree and sprinkle the sunbeams about its roots.

The pine trees were no longer lonely. Everyone came to visit the little tree, and when it flowered the sunbeams were changed to golden kowhai blossoms which lit the dark pines with sunshine.