The Children’s Corner

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 285, 17 November 1923, Page 10

The Children’s Corner

HEIGHO! ECHO! (By Majorie M. Fenton.) 1 suppose, children, you know there were once many more fairies about than there are now; they were very sociable too, and willing to help in all sorts of ways those who had a lot of hard work to do. You remember the tale of the Shoe-maker and the Elves ? In those days people mostly lived in backwoods, or on the moor, or the common, but they were not as lonely as you might imagine, for the.little gnomes and sprites were good company, and would often, too, amuse the babies while their mothers were away working on the turnip crops or went haymaking. Of course bad old witches were seen at times, but they could do no harm among people of goodwill and only as much as they can now where ill-will exists. I cannot say lu»w one particular witch managed to trap a good little fairy named Echo, except that he was perhaps too daring in spite of the repeated warnings of older fairies. Well, it is easily seen how -it first happeiied; the wicked old witch used to make spells in a certain wood, and used to squeeze the juice of certain plants for mixing her compounds leaving the poor plants with a bitter scent, which annoyed the wood elves exceedingly. One day an elf bolder than the rest approached her as she was concocting a spell, and began to pinch her and tease her, and pull faces at her as ugly as he knew how finally imitating her woeful tones in his shrill little way as she chanted over her evil spell. With an awful shriek ahe whirled herself about and clutched him in her long claw-like fingers; all the elyes shrieked too. for they were peeping through the bushes anxiously necKonmg their playmate to come back. But he was borne away, through the woods towards the town, followed by his companions, then lost to sight. In the heart of the hig, bustly town was an open space where the school children played- One child only stood alone tn the same spot looking down sorrowfully from his pedestal weeping continuously, for though his body was ‘ raid and stoney his little heart within was warm ; the birds knew his secret, for thev chirrupped and twittered 1 about him those long summer days: then, as autumn came, they sang tkejr plaintive trills of sympathy. _ bidding him farewell as they took their flight to warmer climes. He was growing very chilly now; his heart had become weary with waiting; would nobodv come and deliver him from tho cruel spell ? He could no* ■ longer weep, for his tears that had keen falling slower, slower, froze into i icicles that hung from his chocks, while everywhere nround lay the white silent snow. Meanwhile after endless searchings for nearly a year the wood fairies went to tell the King of the hill fairies of . the fate of their Inst companion. How ’ could they over play like thev used to without him ? Was he not their favi ourife in nlay and venture and mirth? r The King nf the hill fairies had a compassionate heart so he sent ten 5 warriors to accompany th*, wood fairies 5 or rather to lead them in pursuit after ' the witch that she might be hunted • out for good and all. • Up and down the country they t marched, sometimes whooping their i war cries; sometimes waiting in ambush on the borders of the moors dur- • ing that dreary winter; and folks j there are who shudder to recall how E the iey winds screamed up through the , gullies, sinking into a dying wail I adown the farther side. ! Then when spring woke up there [ came a day when, had you been lookL ing out. you might have noticed a j swarm of elvew trooping over the , country, now coming on, now pulling ‘ up, then coming on again ; they crept ’ along the hill-side which became steeper and narrower till it ended in f a narrow curve. Here the elves 5 ped short and turned towards one an--5 other fearing even to whisper; they ’ were listening hard. 1 Crouching down now. they crawled • one by one along the narrow ledge—then waited very still. They had recognised the voice, and f creeping over they peeped into a cave, • Then each elf struck his flint till flames ’ leapt up on all sides, while yells arose from within as the flames swept in ] crackling and hissing. t‘ So the wicked witch was burnt in her r own hiding place. At the very instant this happened i tho sun shone out over the town, the t snow turned to water, the icicles meltj ed away, and a loud “crack” came t from the stone figure. 1 Out came the poor little prisoner, I for his bonds were burst at last. Oh, j the joy when he found he could leap 3 and run once more. With a sharp, ’ exultant cry he gave three leaps into . the air, turned a somersault, then bounded swiftly away towards the hills J to seek his brothers and sisters. It 3 was not very long before his quick ears caught the sound of their voices com--1 ing ever nearer. “Heigho!” came the • call, — “Heigho!” back went the ans--1 wer. And what a warm welcome! What • cheering and laughter and bursts of dc- ) light were raised when Echo was rer claimed. 1 He is gayer than ever now; so say a some children who have heard him at , times; some have even seen him. f You may hear him, too, if you fol--1 low the children who know when they i call he calls back • when they laugh, r he laughs. Should you climb the hills 1 with them he will always be upon the j next ahead; or when you have climbed 3 the last hill he will be on the one be--7 hind or else down in the wood. The t children have often searched for him in the caves for they are sure that he is more likely to be found there. But though you may find him you t cannot catch him, for he is most elusive; he means never again to lose the ‘ great joy of freedom. i