“QUEEN’S NECKLACE”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 24 December 1925, Page 11

“QUEEN’S NECKLACE”

AN AUSTRALIAN FAIRY TALE.

TT was Christmas Day. Far away in the great bush, beyond the mountains, a little girl sat at the foot of an ancient gum-tree beside a winding creek. The sunshine streamed through the drooping leaves, and wove a halo of gold around her hair. June was six years old, with eyes as iblue as the sky, and the sweetest smile you ever saw. But just now her little face looked sad, and the corners of her rosebud mouth drooped forlornly, although the air was filled with the myriad cheerful sounds of an Australian midsummer outback. The locusts shrilled exultantly in the great heat. Happy birds flashed in and out among the swaying tree-tops, warbling their joyous songs. Gay-hued butterflies flitted about lightly us thistledown. And a cheeky Willie Wagtail alighted right in front of the little girl, and looked at her in a friendly fashion with his round bright eye, while he sang “sweet pretty creature” as loudly as he could. But June took no notice of him. She turned her head the. other way and gazed disconsolately towards the dis tant bend of the creek, where the greyish tents of a straggling mining settlement could be seen between the tree-trunks. Five years had slipped away sine June’s father and mother had joined the gold rush at Tallawalla Creek, and pitched their tents with such hopeful hearts. But the yield had pro veil so poor that gradually most of the miners had struck camp and trailed away in search of fresh fields.

Now only a ramnant of the former community was left, among them being little June and her parents. Her mother was very ill. and the doctor who came to see her from the nearest township, twenty miles away, had declared that she wouYd die unless she were removed to a cool climate; and this was impossible, for the family’s scanty means were barely sufficient to provide her with the nourishing food she so sorely needed. June was thinking sorrowfully of all this as she sat in the warm, sun-fleck-ed shade beneathe tfie old gum-tree. “Oh, I do wish 1 could find a great big rfugget of gold somewhere, ’ ’ she muttered fiercely to herself, “an’ then dadda an’ me could take mummy away to a lovely cool place, where she’d get quite well and strong again.”

All of a sudden, she heard someone crying dreadfully, behind a huge lich-en-covered rock near by, so she jumped up and ran to see who it was. And then she forgot her trouble in her surprise at seeing a tiny elf. all silvery green and gold, with spangled gauzy wings, nestling in the heart of a pale pink native dog-rose, and weeping as if his heart would break. The little creature seemed to be in such distress that June felt quite sorry for him.

“Won’t you tell me why you are crying?” she ventured to ask. “Oh! good mortal,” he cried, with outstretched hands, “can yon release me from these chains that hold mo prisoner ’ ’ ’ Then June noticed that his tiny wrists were bound with glistening cobweb threads, which were fastened to the stem of the rose.

“That’s easy,” she said, as she broke the gossamer strands. “But why were you tied up like that®” The elf was delighted to find himself free once more, and thanked her very prettily. “Dear mortal,” he said, “I am Wattleblossom, I have charge of the Fairy Queen’s jewels. Last night, as I was polishing them in the moonlight down by the billabong, 1 discovered that her wonderful diamond necklace wa«

missing. I searched for it everywhere, without success. And the. Queen was so angry when she heaid of her loss that she ordered her guards to seize and bind me;-and she warned me that if the necklace is not found by sundown to-day, 1 shall be banished forever from Fairyland.”

“Oh, poor little elf,” cried June, ‘ 1 Can’t 1 help you ?’ ’ “Yes, dear mortal, you can,” replied the elf with great earnestness,” if you will ask Dhakkana, the Spirit of the Rainbow, to tell you what has becomi of the missing necklace. Dhakkana the wisest being in ail the bushland, dwells at the bottom of a fathomless lake. She has powers over elves, birds and beasts, and should one venture too near her abode, she would cast a magical spell over him. But she cannot harm you. ami as she knows everything, she will certainly tell you where the necklace is.” “All right. I’ll ask her for you,” said June, ‘‘but you must show me where she lives. ’ ’ The elf flashed her a giateful smile, showing his pearly whne teeth. “In deed 1 will,” he oriel joyfully. “And if I discover the necklace I promise you that you will be richly rewarded.” As he spoke he plucked a flowering grass-stalk, and whistle.! through it in a peculiar manner. Immediately a big kookaburra flew out of the scrub and landed with a jovial chuckle on the ground near little June. He listened attentively while Wattleblossom

told him all about the missing necklace, and of June’s kind offer; but when he heard that he must carry the elf and the little girl on his back to the haunts of the Dhakkana, he threw I a<-k his head, opened his huge beak and burst into peals of uproarious laughter. June who was nearly deafened, looked at Wattleblossom and suddenly realised that she had become as small as he. After helping her to climb on to the kookaburra’s back, the little fellow sprang up beside her among the downy feathers, and the jolly bird carried them away through the bush'to a wonderful fern-haunted gully. Here, al the elf’s command, he stopped beside a sparkling rivulet while his two passengers alighted. Then withoutwaiting for thanks, he spread his broad wings, and flew back the way lie had

The elf told June that as they were near the abole of Dhakkana, he would venture no further. “But all you have to do is to follow the stream until you come to the lake. Ring one of the Christmas Bells, and the Spirit of the Rainbow will appear,“ he said. The little girl followed the course of the stream until it widened out into a little lake of fairy-like loveliness, gleaming through a fringe of exquisite mauve and purple water-lilies. With a laugh of childish glee she ran to a clump of Christmas Bells which grew by the margin of the lake. The beautiful orange-red blooms hung just out of her reach, so she shook one of the smooth green stems vigorously, and a clear tinkling chime rang out from the swaying bells. There was then a crash like thunder, and there, upon the bosom of the lake, stood the Dhakkana, clad in rainbow mist.

’ ’Who dares to summon Dhakkana, the mighty one?” she cried. June stepped forward and boldly asked the radiant vision if she knew anything about the Fairy Queen’s necklace.

“It was stolen by the Whirlwind Demons,” answered Dhakkana.

“Oh, my! however am I going to get. it back ” cried June.

Dhakkana laughed scornfully. “Oh pigmy mortal.” she said, “of your own accord you could never recover it. The whirlwind demonds live at the top of a high mountain, and even if it were possible for you to climb there, they would seize you and put you up in the black holes in the Milky Way. But T admire your courage, so take these shoes,” tossing June an elegant little pair of sapphire slippers embroidered with pearls —“when you put them on you will become invisible, except to elves, and fairies, and you have only to wish to be anywhere and your wish will be granted.” Then the Spirit of the Rainbow disappeared as suddenly as he had come, in a crash of falling waters. Merrily slipping her little bare feet into the shoes, June wished to be at the place where she had left the elf. She had scarcely expressed the wish when she found herself standing before him. After she had related her adventure she took his hand in her own and wished to be on top of the Whirlwind mountain, and in the twinkling of an eye they were standing in the domen’s cave—Luckily the demons were not at home. The cave was fantastically illumined by a green lantern, while the floor was strewn with great heaps of gold and precious stones, all flashing back the light in a dazzling way.

“It’s a regular treasure-chamber,” cried Wattlcblossom as he rummaged among the gems. “Why, here’s a big nugget of gold that belongs to me, and here—oh, joy! is the Queen’s necklace.” And with a whoop of delight he dragged forth his prize.

‘‘The demons have no power over me,” he cried, “but you must get away J quickly before they return. Now as a reward for your kindness,! am going to make you a present of this nugget. Make haste and take it —1 hear the demons coming. “ i But the nugget of gold was so large and so heavy that little June could hardly hold it. She staggered’ under its weight, and one of her sapphire | shoes fell off, while at the same instant the Whirlwind Demons swept into the cave with a mighty rush of air. They saw the terrified little girl, and swooped upon her with a bloodcurdling yell. Then they dragged her to the brink of a fearful precipice. Sim felt herself falling down —down. I * * * And she opened her eyes and found herself sitting beneath the ancient ! gum tree. Right before her, lying on the shallow bed of the creek was something that glittered strangely. What e v c r—c ould —i t—b e ? Well, as perhaps you have guessed, the something proved to be a valuable nugget of gold. June declared it was the very one that Wattleblossom had given her. However, whether it was fairy gold or not, it was a most wonderful Christmas gift for June and her parents, and it eventually brought health, happiness and riches to them all.