THE STORY OF BANBURY CROSS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 128, 26 November 1938, Page 20

THE STORY OF BANBURY CROSS

rpHERE was once a sweet little village, > which stood alone under a hilL Its houses were quaint, and there were pretty plants on the windowsilL A /village green stood in the centre, where ducks on a pond quacked all day. A nice < village shop that sold ginger-pop stood smiling over the way. . . An old woman kept the shop there. Her name was Miss Banbury. She was very old, and had not made much money, although she had kept shop for long yearsi. She had a wilful niece, Bessie. Miss Banbury loved the child well, but how sad a life the old woman had. ■ "Please help me make brandy balls. Bessie. My bones are aching today," her auntie would ask. But no single task would Bessie do. She'd not help with the dusting, or scrubbing, she would not sell pop, or make cakes. "Not I" she woitid say naughtily. "No, Aunt,' I won't help in the shop." . ; One day she was running along the village street, and thinking, "1 wish a Queen or a Princess would ride by and smile down at me," then she stood still and stared, for . J "Why, she said, "what do I see?" Away down the hill there came riding a iady, upon a cock-horse. "It must be a dream," whispered Bessie—she pinched her hands hard to make sure. "Oh, no, it's quite true. I do wish I knew what this lady is coming here for." She watched, and the lady came riding quite straight to the small Village place. "Oh, isn't this fun! I'll turn back and run," said Bess, with a ' smile on her face. "I do hope she will see me and stop." This is more fun than helping old Aunt in the shop. Meanwhile, down the street at the shop door, Miss Banbury, washing the window pane, looked out with surprise and stared with wide eyes; she really could not refrain, for out; on the green near the duck pond the lady had reined up her horse. The ducks quacked aloud, and all in a crowd the children came running. ; The lady had rings on her fingers and bells on iier toes. Her cockhorse, milk white, wore bright gold trappings. He neighed, as she called, "I've brought news. You children who live in this 'village, will one of you ride with me? Of course, if you come you must leave your home. What is your answer?" said she. What a strange question the children thought. They all shouted, "No, we've got our mothers and daddies." - 4 t Bess Banbury came up at that. She had been running very fast. "Stop, lady," Bess called. "Take me with you. I don't want to stay here. There's nothing to do but work, so if you will take me m come, please," said Bess. "Now, who is this child?" asked the lady looking down from her horse. The children shouted, "That's Bess. She's called Banbury Cross, because she is so cross to her Auntie, who works for her all day. It wouldn't be fair to go, Bess. She'd miss you if you rode away." Bess looked uncomfortable, but without a word to her AuHfce she climbed up behind the lady, and, shouting "Good-bye," they rode away up the hill. Clip-clop went the steed, and the village was soon left behind. But Bess didn't mind. She had a surprise very soon though; the cock-horse spread out wings to fly. "O, OI" Bessie cried, her eyes opening wide. "Please lady, we're off to the sky. Do- tell me, quick. Where are we going?"

THE SEA. i {Original.* The sea is blue, And greeny too, And white Is the foam, Down by the sea I love' to roam. I go for a splash. And then for a dash, In the deep blue sea. And my heart does ache When I have to leave; That glorious big blue sea. "PEAIRIE MOON" (12), Wellington South.

(Written for the Ring by "Twinkletoes," 14, Karori.)

"You needn't fear," the lady said quietly. ''We're off to a sky castle,, Bessie; a castle that's built in the air. I promise you playthings and toys.| If you want to go back there's still time." "I shan't!" cried Bessie. "I want to fly on a cock-horse. I hate ikeeping| shop. I want to fly on and stay there." So up towards the sky flew the ; cock-horse with Bessie smiling in glee. •O!" cried Bessie suddenly gasping, for all at once out of the clouds i there came into view-a castle. Then two, then more and more castles, in crowds, tall, stately, and grand. And behind them a tall* .Sugar-loaf Hill. 'O! How fine," said Bess; "is one castle mine?" "Yes, if you will," the lady said. "These castles are all mine, but I sometimes lend them to children who come away from their home, "because they have lessons to learn." When they arrived at the castle, Bess jumped from the cock-horse in glee: "The castle is for you," the lady said. "Run in and see. I'm off now, but; I will come back and see you soon." She called "Good-bye," and then: away flew the horse. ; Bessie ran up the castle steps and into all the rooms. But there was; no one there, and though there were tables and chairs ol gold, it was so terribly cold. There was no fire downstairs either, and toys lay all around. Bess thought of the shop, for the first time, with warm ginger-pop and; Auntie's warm cushiony chair. She played with the toys, and at first they! seemed fine. "They are all mine," she cried, "but I feel lonely .an<3 veryi cold." She slipped into bed and covered her head and cried. No kind Auntie woke her next morning. Bess slept late and awoke with a start, for outside her window she heard a loud Moo-moo. Bess jumped out: of bed and ran down the stairs, to get her milk. When she had drunk it she played and played with the toys; all the while she was crying and wishing for home after all. But as her tears fell, the sound of a bell was heard in the big castle hall. And there was the lady who had brought her She wiped Bessie's tears and whispered, "I know you are finding it lonely and cold, but I'll tell you how to warm up the Castle of Gold It's love that brings warmth. Away in your home your Auntie is working very hard and she is tired. You shall go back home when you have learnt more." said the lady. She kissed Bess and was gone. "Milk-ho!" called the cow the next morning, and Bessie awoke out of1 a dream- That day Bess learned to make toffea She gathered some sticks and lit the fire. She saved some cream, and went to Sugar-loaf Hill for sugar. When Bessie had finished her work she was lovely and warm. As Bessie lay in her bed that night, she thought, "Oil, I wish. I had always helped poor Auntie, but I'll do my best to give her a rest when I go home." ■

The next day. Bess made more toffee and kept it in golden tins. One day as Bessie was cooking, the fair lady rode up again. Bessie ran down to meet her crying, "Please come and see what I've done —1 have made it all for Auntie, for I'm sure she can't have time It has been such fun." "Would you like to go home now?" asked the lady. "I'm sure that I'm longing to go," cried Bess as she tied her tins of toffee together. So the lady helped Bess on to her cock-horse and away they went.' Her Auntie was waiting at the door, and when she saw Bess she "harried to meet her, with sparkling eyes and a happy face. Everyone was glad to see Bess home again, and so from that day she was a different girl than she used to be, so they changed her name and never called, her Banbury Cross again.

TIM. •Our Tim is such a Seat little pest, He never gives us ianT rest. If *we don't play with him he gives a, squeak. And when we ao tie stands on otjt feet. He chews the mats. bits of coal, too, And <he never seems to tire of shoe: But although naughty.. we really love him, Because *o us he's dear Mttle STlm. : "MISCHIEVOUS" (13) : t3ity»