THE LOMBARDY POPLAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 12 April 1941, Page 8

THE LOMBARDY POPLAR

‘Wouldn't King Thunder be angry if he could see us?” Mischief chuckled softly as a vision of King Thunder in a terrible rage floated before his eyes. Sometimes, when the King was in a fearful temper, he began to stutter, and Mischief remembered one occasion when he had hidden behind a pillar in the Sky Temple, and seen the King sentencing two prisoners who had been

l caught unravelling his favourite pair j of pink knitted bed-socks the night ( ; ■ before. Perhaps the reason he was in j I such a rage was that he had had to go : ' j to bed with cold feet, and kings never , like that. Leo, his friend and confederate in j many of Mischief’s brain-waves, was! rather frightened as he gazed from his paint-flecked hands to the tree which they had been painting. What a tree it was! It was a poplar tree, and they j had been painting it all the colours ol the rainbow. Finally, they had tipped all their pots of paint together and made one glorious mass of colours, and sprinkled it all over the tree until there was none left. Suddenly Leo saw what appeared to be a silver line approaching through' the clouds, and murmured a warning to his friend. Together they looked 1 up at the rapidly advancing silver pencil : and saw that it was King Thunder’s! soldiers of the sky, mounted on their j cloud steeds and flying in single file, i “They must be looking for us!” Mis- ' chief whispered in a trembling voice. 1 He had made fun of King Thunder before, but he knew how cruel his soldiers could be to any wrong-doers. He ’ had seen them. . . Mischief shiveied. This would never do he told himself determinedly Look-; | ing at Leo. he saw that his friend was j shaking with fright. By this time.! j however, if was useless to do anything, for the soldiers had sighted them. With! a cry of triumph they swooped ddwn. i and pointed their arrows, poisoned with! ; the sins of human beings. at the! friends Sullenly obeying their commands to fly. Mischief and Leo were! • ; escorted back to the Sky Temple, close-: Iy guarded. * They were taken to the King, who L was seated on his throne of fleecy '■clouds. With him was another King. ' whom Leo and Mischief recognised as I King White-crest of the Sea. Instead,

of being very angry, as they had expected, King Thunder seemed troubled., Looking a! the two cowering elfins, he! said quite gently, “As you see. King White-crest is here wi.h me. He has a complaint against you. claiming that you dropped pots of black paint on the sea yesterday., This, together with many other bad deeds which you have done, compelled him to lay this complaint against you. He save that, if I refuse him my word. I will banish you from the Sky kingdom, ano my honour shall be taken away from me forever. It is one of the laws.” Here the King paused, and looked at' Leo and Mischief. ‘Leo may slay here, as he was only 1 obeying you. It is for you to decide: ' also, when you have gone from here! you will be subject to King White- 1 punishment.” he ended. Mischief thought hard. It would not j bn the same without his friend, and the ' King’s honour must come first, last. ! and always Raising his face, he said slowly. "Of course you must keep your honour. I will be subject to King White-crest’s punishment.” he ended, turning to the ruler of the sea. Your punishment will be that you 1 drift about with the clouds, hanging on to the edge with your hands. Jf you ' drop, remember that your King will , lose his honour forever. No matter ! what form you shall be turned into, you must always keep your arms up. Heed , rnv warning for if you disobey, the King's honour shall go.” King White-cr«"-i boomed and vanished from sight. I For twelve long years Mischief floated w-th the clouds, compelled to hold on t.o the edge with his hands, arms alwavs over his head. Another vear i mssed. and King White-crest, having ' nity on him. changed him into a beautif il lady poplar tree But she al- ,| ways kenf her arms uo ■; Fav Ravnes M 3 years), •i B'sley Avenue, Tahunanui. I; _ -IJL.2