Blue Bird's Corner.

Hutt News, Volume 11, Issue 12, 18 August 1937, Page 8

Blue Bird's Corner.

V THE" WAY TO HAPPWESS IS \\ ' BY MAK,Nff OTHEBS HAPPY '

Dear Boys and G irls, One day I went to a friend's place where the little girl was having a birthday party. "Let's play hide-and-seek," said one of the boys who wanted some excitement. "Oh, yes, do," said the others, so we all joined in the game. It was a fairly big garden and there were plenty of places to hide.

After several very good places had claimed out attention a friend and I chose the corncr behind the ' lilies. We bent down, quiet as mice, when suddenly my friend | said: "Oh, look," and she pulled a lily over toward me. What do you think was tucked down in the heart of it? A little note! "Oh, leave it," I said, but the little imp of inquisitiveness prodded my friend with his spear until the note was opened. It was a note our little hostess had put there, asking the fairy queen to visit her and become her friend. "I've read so much about you," wrote the little girl, "and I dream about you; and then write stories, but I would really like to see you and know you. Mother said I was so noisy I would frighten you away, and Joey just laughed and said there weren't any such things but there are fairies, aren't there?" "Let's put another note in its place," said my friend. Whethei she did or not I never found out, I think she forgot in the other excitements of the party. What would you have done? ' I wonder if you believe in fairies, or 'have a little friend who does, and tells you about them? I hope you don't make fun of anyone who does, because that is their happiness in life, just as sports, or collecting or making things may be yours, and eveu in the world of grown-ups where you will some day have to take your place, there are folk who spend a great part of their time in the "thought world." If they did not, why there would be no books, no plays, so not so much paper would be needed, not so many printers, nor so many machines, and the trees that are used for making the paper would still be standing in their beautiful forests. There would not be so much need for steel or ink, and if there were 110 stories there would be 110 cinema, and you know what a great deal of talent and material .are needed to produce a picture, don't you? What a wide vision—from one little fairy to all the printing and picture productions in the world. It is vision that makes the Adventure on the Blue Trail so interesting, isn't it? Why, your school mates of today, who, believe in fairies, or | write other stories, or spend hours alone with their Meccano, dreaming of great bridges or inventing some labour-saving device, may be the great playwrights, inventors, engineers, or artists in the years to come. So if you feel that one or another of your mates has a real "kink" for something, show your interest in them rather than scorn them, for who knows bxit what they might be the Cecil Rhodes, Shakespeare, Edison, Barrie or Mendelssohn of your adult life, and strength, genius and beauty lie at the root of every masterpiece of work. Do think about these things, won't you? To-morrow is yours to show your greatness, but to-day you can be building firm foundations on which you may make your dreams come to life. That's a big arrow along the Trail of Happiness 1 Golden dreams, BLUEBIRD.

"BROWNIE." (By A. A. Millie.) In a corner in the bedroom is a great big curtain, Someone lives behind it but I don't know who, I think it is a Brownie, but I'm not quite certain, (Nannie isn't certain, too). I looked behind the curtain, but lie went so quickly— Brownies never wait to say "How do you do?" They wriggle oft" at once because they're all so tickly, (Nannie says they're tickly, too).

"THE LOST DIAMOND." (By "Professor Pinkie," 10 yrs.) "Gnome Nowall, for goodness sake go and see what all the noise outside the palace is about!" Thus spoke King Cole, the merry old husband of Queen Mab, queen of the fairies. Indeed it was a noise that was taking place around the bookshop in Autumn Avenue. Nearly everyone in Fairyton seemed to be there, all shouting at the

top of their voices. Gnomes, goblins, pixies, elves and fairies mingled together in their excited rush. ■ In five minutes Gnome Nowall returned. "Please, Your Majesty, they all want to buy the 'Fairyton Herald' to hear the news of the ball to be held in the Ballroom, Crystal Palace, Fairyton, Fairyland, at the time " "Oh, I know all about that," said King Cole. "Go and fetch me my pipe., drum and fiddlers three." "Yes, Your Majesty," said Gnome Nowall between mumbles about time and places and dates. But even though old King Cole sat puffing at his pipe, banging on his drum, and listening to the ting-tong-tang clatter of the fiddles of his fiddlers three, the Queen, her ladies-in-waiting and the fairies who had the privilege of attending the ball, were all bustling around, looking for ribbons, laces, lipstick, dresses, hats, slippers, powder—in fact, they were real women. The elves and pixies wandered around to be suddenly reminded by "Where's your sword?" or "You haven't done up your shoe-lace!" In short, they were just like men. The pages held on to their mother's dress, crying, "Do up my my shoe for me, mummy 1 ?" or "Which way does my hat go on, mummy?" In truth they were perfect children. But then a terrible thing happened. The beautiful diamond that took a front place in the Queen's crown had gone. Immediately a frantic search began, but no trace of the missing jewel could be found. They looked in all the possible places, and then in all the impossible places, but no diamond. At ten to eight a very worried lady-in-waiting said to the Queen, "I am afraid that you Will have to wear the Imperial State crown instead of the Ball erown." "I suppose so," said the Queen reluctantly. "I suppose so." At 8 o'clock-soft strains of sweet music wafted from the ballroom, where the dancing was taking place. The tune was "-Fairies in the Garden," by the professional poet and musician, Pixie Thinkitout. King Cole said that he would be present for the supper only ("Which is just like him," said the Queen). The room was decorated with long coloured ribbons hanging from the walls and draping the scats. In the middle of the coiling a large coloured ball containing an electric light revolved slowly, sending out faint beams of light to make the room more cheery. The ladies-in-waiting were dressed in pink, the Queen in purple, and the gentlemen-in-waiting in black velvet. After the dancing there was supper, a speech by the Queen and one-that-didn 't-take-the-place by the King, and then more dancing. Then it happened! The Queen was dancing with Prince Pickle, of Laughter-land, when she noticed in the slipper of one of the visitors her beautiful diamond. "Where did you get it from, dear?" said the Queen. "Get what, Your Majesty?" said the fay. "My slippers? Why —look, Your Majesty! How did it get there? lam so sorry, Your Majesty." The poor little thing was nearly in tears. "It is alright, dear," said the Queen comfortingly. "Watch!" She forced the diamond gently into the fay's party hat. "But, Your Majesty?" she began, but the Queen had gone . .. . That night a tired Queen found by her Ball crown a diamond which she had lent to her new I head lady-in-waiting.

LIFE'S MIRROR. There are loyal hearts, There are spirits brave, There are souls that are pure and true. Then give to the world the best you have And the best will come back to you. Give love and love to your heart will flow, A strength in your utmost need, Have faith and a score of hearts will show Their faith in your word and deed. Give truth and your gift will be paid in kind And honour -will honoui- meet, And a smile ihat is sweet will surely find A smile that is just as sweet. G ive pity and -sorrow to those who mourn You will gather in flowers again The scattered seeds from your thought outborne Though the sowing seemed but in vain.

For life is the mirror of king and slave, 'Tis just what we are and do, -Then give to the world the best you have, And the best will come back to you.

GAMES AND COMPETITIONS. Little "Wide-awake! How many different kinds of trees have you seen just out in leaf this week? These are the Maori words given last week and their English meanings. Kaianga, unfortified vil T lage; ngawhetu, stars; pah, fortified village; rangi, chief; marama, moon; tiwhakawhaka, fantail; pataka, storehouse; riroriro, grey warbler; wahine, woman; ra, sun; tangi, funeral, or crying; tapu, sacred; tuna, eel; oneone, earth; kotare, kingfisher. The rivers were: "Waikato, Rangitata, Haast, Clarence, Mohalca, Mokau, Thames, Taieri, Oreti, Rakaia, Wairoa, Waitotara. All Is Well that Ends Well. This game may be played by all ages. The players are seated in a circle close together. The leader, taking a cane or umbrella, strikes the floor at each word while he repeats, "All is well that ends well." He then changes the stick to his left hand, passes it to the player on his left, and asks him to do exactly as he has done and pass the stick to his left-hand neighbour. Invariably all the players will watch closely and try to imitate the voice and manner of the leader, overlooking the change made from the right to the left hand when passing. Round and round goes the stick until all players have guessed the trick.