FAIRY RING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 83, 4 October 1941, Page 13

FAIRY RING

We Visit Imaginary Lands

's /. ■ Verses For Us SPRING. (Original.) A lovely season is Spring, The flowers are out and the birds all sing. The colours are all reds, yellows, and blues. From a distance, What gorgeous hues! Tn the brook the fishes gleam, Revelling in the sun's new beam, On the bank the mosa sparkles with dew. I think Spring's a lovely season, ■ Don't you? "ROSETTE" (11). City. TO A SCHOOLFELLOW. (Original.) Nocleen, why. are you so ill?. You should be climbing up the hill, Dancing on the windswept sand, . Skipping by the pearly strand, Playing in the foam-tossed sea, 0' riding on your bike with me. Your friends at school are missing you, Like flowerlets pining for the dew. I'm sure you do not like your bed Or that gay scarf about your head. But never mind, you soon will be Better and able to play with me. "PEARL OF THE EAST" (14). Eastbourne. iiimmiiiiimimifimiiimiiimimimmr: TEST JTOUK KNOWLEDGE. How many points can you score out of 25. Take five points for each question. When you have decided on your i answers compare them with those at the foot of the fourth column. I—lf you heard someone described as "bird-eyed" would you think of them as: Round-eyed, small-eyed, cross-eyed, quick-sighted, blinking? 2—You have probably heard of a calabash. Is it a large fish, a piece of Indian wood, a native headdress, a large gourd, a water plant? 3 —Coffee is made from part of a tree. Which part: Leaves, bark, berries, or roots? 4—How many compass points are there: Four, six, eight, or sixteen? .s—What is meant by "contraband goods": Goods bearing a special trademark.- stolen goods, luxury goods, illegal or smuggled goods, lllllllllUlllllllHlllUlillllllilHliiHUlElSilll PARAGRAPH CONTEST Points will be given each week for paragraphs written on given subjects: Ring members of all ages may enter, marks being awarded according to ace. Paragraphs must not be .longer than 250 words, and must reach the Rinfi by Wednesday of each week. Next week's subject Is "A Visit fo an Imaginary Land." THIS WEEK'S POINTS. / Points for paragraphs were won this week by "Southern Star" (10) imd "Grey Owl" (15), 9 points each; "Queen Boadicea" (15) and "Myth" (11). 8 points each; "Pip" (12), "Bush Elf" (IB), 'Southerly Buster" (18), "Pearl of I the East" (15), "Water Nymph" (14) and Patricia Knox (15), 7 points each: "Lady of the Clouds" (IS), "Genevieve" (13), and "Raema W." (11). 6 points each; "Love-in-a Mist" (10), 5 points. "Bush Elf" and "Lady of the Clouds" 5 points each for suggested subjects, "What the Moon Saw" and "An I Animal Story."

PIXIE PEOPLE: Our Points List grows nearly as" quickly as Jack's beanstalk. Higher and higher mounts the pile of entries to he read and marked, It was great fun to visit your imaginary lands. Most paths led to Topsy-turvy Land, but I found myself also in Lollipop Land, the Land of Do-As-You-Piease, the Land of the Future, at least six different Dreamlands, and even the Land of Ghosts. One of the best paragraphs, sent by "Myth" of Heretaunga, lost points because it exceeded the word limit, and "Lady of the Cloud's" entry would have won more points if it had been a little longer. Try to keep your paragraphs between 200 and 250 words in length, please, Ring-folk. Two good suggestions came from the Ring for next week's subjects. "Bush Elf" wins five points for her title, "What the Mpon Saw," and "Lady of the Clouds" also scores an extra five points fo% suggesting An Animal Story" (not. to be confused with a description of a pet). This week's letters and visitors told me how much you enjoyed the "How and Why" stories, and I am sure you'll like tonight's paragraphs quite as much. Happy days to every elf. FAIRIEL.

ADVENTURES IN LOLLIPOP LAND. | "All aboard—all aboard the train for i^ollipop Land! All abo-o-o-ard!" The last-minute passengers scurried down the platform and hurled themselves into the train just as it hooted and began to move off. Those who were gazing out of the windows saw that they seemed to be flying past little cottages that looked as though they were made of sugar. Perhaps they were! The train went into a tunnel and when it slid out on the other side it puffed along by a lake of green jelly that was fringed with spearmint trees. When it pulled up at Lollipop Station, everyone deserted the train and started to explore the strange country round about them. They walked out of the station and along a rustic road. One side of the road was lined with cottages, with the gayest flowers ever seen. There were butter- j scotch sunflowers, geraniums of pink sugar, chocolate wallflowers, hokeynokey hollyhocks, pnd dozens of others that made the travellers' mouths water. On the other side of the road, field? | lay under the bright sun. fields of ingelics soearmint. peppermint, and a peculiarly' sweet clover. Turning back they came to a park, where the flower-beds were surrounded with acid drops. A stream of lemonade ran past the trvr^eHprs. and was lost in the disstance. At the end of the day. they weri? recalled to the train by the imnatipif. hnotinf Thf cnn h^r) ppt whp^ it left the station, and in the twilight ?)11 the w°tv psp^n^prs "onW hear va«i the croaking of chocolate frogs far ... "GREY OWL" (15). City. O Ci O ABOVE THE CLOUDS. "No supper fnr me tonight, nothing for Pip I to eat. Hunsry I shall have to go. oooh (" I wailed pin miserably with his nose pushed Into a littlp button norainst the winrlow-panfi "Anyway," he muttered tn himself, "It's not as if Tieeer. Hie rat. will really get pneumonia. Nurse lust doesn't know much about farming, that's all. I dipped Tigeer exactly the samp way as Oriole James dipped thp sheep out at the farm last wpek, and thPV rlidn't get pneumonia. Of course wp havetj't sot a proper dip. but the fish pond is almost as tood nnfl I stirred him round extra well Wish they'd let m? spo him. .. . T bet he's trnnri. nnd clean I But what does H matter I'm still not coin? to get any tea." "<V><ih, how turnery t shall hp. for T'm gnine to cet no tea." he sang. Then, as the tune seemed to be the same. "If happy little blup-blrds fly above thp clo'tida then why. oh. xvhv can't T? That's it. why can't I? Should think T'm probably iust thp person who could!" Sn. fipenintr the winrtnw. h<? put his feet through first, then gradually wriggled himself forward until there was only the tiniest part of him left on the sill. Suddenls. without any wara-/

i ing, a something lifted him up from his perch on the ledge and sent him spinning through the air, up, towards the clouds. "HI!" he shouted, "wait a bltl I'd better get my hat I" But whatever it was It wasn't listening, so up, up, they flew, leaving all the scurrying thistledown far behind. It was late summer you see. Presently he felt himself pushed gently into a soft, fluffy something that was pink. Ha I a -cloud, thought Pip, pushing his way ,to the top. On, on, they went and Pip's house and street were left far behind too. A flock of blue birds travelled beside them for a moment and Pip inquired politely, "Where are you going?" "To the merry old land of Oz," one said. "Coming?" "Oh, yes," said Pip, bobbing up and down in his eagerness to make the little pink cloud keep up with them, but alas, the blue birds were soon almost out of sight and, to Pip's dismay, his cloud and all the. other clouds seemed to stand still for a moment. Then they all began to join up and, worst of all, to turn dark, nlmost black. "Bother, a storm; how annoying," squawked a blackbird on his hurried way back to his nest. "A storm," gasped Pip, frightened now, and, jumping up, away alone the black mass he struggled as fast as his little legs could carry him toward? home. Oh, dear! He seemed to he falling down, down, twice as fast as he went up. Then plop, and there he was back In his own front yard sitting in a puddle while the rain pitter-patted all round him. "Oh," groaned Pip, "here 1 ani all wet and muddy, and it isn't my fault, but they will never believe me. I bet this will mean no breakfast, either!" "MYTH" (11). Heretaunga. o o o DREAMLAND. The Dreamland Train Is just pulling out of Blanket Bay Station. We must hurry if we are to catch it. A short run and a jump and we are safely on noard the express. Passing out of the Land of Nod ive journey on into Slumberland. Our first stop is at The Wizard'of Nightmare's dark and dreary castle. Here all naughty children are put off the train by the guard At last we pull up at Breamlnnd Station and the children troop joyfully out of the train to begin their adventures. Some wander about picking flowers andf fining- kind deeds or visiting old friends Many gn on a splendid liner and cruise round at sea. Others go fishing or for long rambles over the hush-clad hills where paths twine In and out. ' A great circus Is in progress and the breathtaking display thrills the audience, who crowd the seats. An Aunt Sally stall outside is doing great business. "Six shots a penny!" cries the man. "Who can hit thft old lady? Roll up! Roll up!" We stroll up and I pay the penny. My last ball hits the target' and. amid cheers, I step up to receive my prize and find it is a beautiful gold ■watch. To my amazement, it begins to chime ! With a start. 1 wake up. Loud chiming Is coming from the grandfatherl clock In the hall. ! I have returned from Dreamland, "SOUTHERN STAR" (10), Berhampore. ! 111111111 IE 111191 i 9111111iIB11111111S11111!i HIIIIE KNOWLEDGE TEST ANSWERS. -spooß ps|Sßnuis jo apeji |bß9||| *g •uaajxis -f ■89|Ji9jj *g •pjnoß s9j«| v 'Z •pejqßisJiainia -|

Fairiel Sends ah Answer to^l "Moongleam," Hataifai. —And now after readIng that long, interesting letter, I seem to know all of your household, including dog j Donald of the faithful brown eyes. I am looking forward, to your next visit to; the] Ring. , .■ ' ■ . ■ "Pilot Pat,". Lower Hutt.—l think you must have travelled in !an aerbplane to be able to describe cloud-beauty so vividly. • Are | you going to enter for the. paragraph competition? It is not too late to begin. "Sunset Mary," Brooklyn.—Did you make up or copy the story of the magic turnip", pixie? You forgot to mark it original or copied. Thank you for sending th,e paper doll patterns, elf. ' "Little Cherry." Miramar.—Your " riddle-me-ree will be printed soon,» pixie. Try to make up another in the meantime. 'What about a Christmas^ puzzle?. "River Goblin," Roseneath. —Welcome to another boy-member. You will ;need a-little more practice before your poems are up, to printing standard, Peter. The story/called "Stolen Princess" will be printed as soon as we can make room" In the Ring.; .' "Prinoess Poppy," Brooklyn.—They are quite the nicest drawings I've seen for a- long time, pixiekin. Letterbox Elf wants, to know if you have made any new verses lately. "Blynken," Johrisonville.—l am so glad your story was not true. Marlon. What a handful a real boy like Bobby would bel Your entry showed promise of even better work. Keep on trying, dear. "Mother Bear," Sllverstream.—Rather IWe like as many • scrapbooks as possible .=for Christmastime.' Good news • that your prize arrived safely and that you are. enjoying "Jili-of-the*HHl-top," Kaltoke.—Exciting to find a postcard all the way from Egypt in your letterbox. Spring ■ must be here If the plum trees have put on their dance frocks.' "Genevleve," Kllblrnlß.-—The ~ story of Java must be very interesting. Have you been there or have you been reading;books about that fascinating place? Good story-mak-ing i • "Tulip Child," Roseneath.—What a large nursery family you have! And. how is Peter Budgie progressing with his lessons? .We'd love to hear him say. "God Save the King, "Pip," Heretaunga.—You must have raced the birds from their nests that morning. I'm sure most artists are not, eaTly .risers for I've seen very few pictures of thej dawn. "Golden Pant," Ngalo.—Visiting days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, after school,, pixie. What a lovely party for little sister's first birthday. I 'spect you enjoyed it even more than she did. > "Grey Owl," Kllbirnle.—And did you win the scavenger hunt ? Threading periwinkle paint- j brushes must have been a delicate task In-! deed. I'm sure the beauty ,of Spring in the Botanical Gardens made, you long for a real paint brush. 'Willow Wood," Khandallah. —We haven't had ■space for the crossword puzzle yet, June. Thank you for the poem of the walnut shell. Have you ever tried, to make a very small poem of your own? "Princess Pom Pom."—l liked your little tale of how the canary became yellow, fay. Keep your story-making pen busy. "Joy Germ." Miramar.—What a gay garden yours must be. Letterbox Elf, too, is very proud of his velvety bronze and golden wallflowers. Congratulations on your newest poem, "The Merry Tui." "Raema W.," Day's Bay.—A welcome to you from the Ring, Raema. I hope you will make many new friends in Wellington. Please choose again, as both pennames had been taken. iiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiimiimimimiiiimiimir THANK YOU TO . , , . "Mother Bear," "Pip," "Esme 8.," "Pearl of the East," "Sunray Sally," "Little Bud," "Grey Owl," "Southern Star," "Genevieve," "Water Nymph," "Patricia K.,'V and "Honey Queen," who sent letters, drawings, and stories. jf~- f^\ fflLrZf^A To the name of theJirjt object add the letters inthenameofthesecand t detete those'of the third and so on.accordinsf to the signs You should then have feft the name of a graceful animat.