A Letter From Alice

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 9 October 1942, Page 3

A Letter From Alice

THE STORY OF THE THREE FISHES Dear Boys and Girls. —“Oh, dear, we've been here for nearly an hour now, and haven't even had a sign of a bite,” moaned White Rabbit as he pulled up his fishing line for the umpteenth time to see if the bait were still there. Alice and White Rabbit were sitting on the end of the wharf with Rallies the pup, and were trying to catch some small fish for Mr Simp son’s tea. (He has been feeling rather out of things since the puppy came to the house). White Rabbit went on : “I don’t believe there are any fish here at all, so what about telling Raffles and me a story instead? Good idea?” “l’es, very,” said Alice surprisingly, for usually she takes a lot of persuading to tell a story. "Yes, I know a very apt one for this afternoon. It is about the three fishes, a story which was first made up in Persia, or Iran, as they call it nowadays. "The three fishes are said to have lived happily together in a beautiful pond. Their names were Wise, HalfWise and Foolish .and they enjoyed one another’s company very much and shared everything. Then Wise discovered a little stream leading out of the pond, showed it to his companions, and remarked that it would be extremely useful if ever they wished to escape from their home. " ‘Hut what should we ever want to escape from?’ asked Half-Wise. “ ‘Oh, we don't want to hear any bogy stories!’ cried Foolish. ‘l'll race you to the other side of the bank!’ “Away went the three, like beautiful arrows beneath the water, and two fishermen who were sitting on the bank and saw them. The three tisli rested in the shadow cast by the fishermen and heard them planning to have a day’s fishing as soon as possible. They remained quite still till the fishermen left. and then Wise darted to the stream and made his ; way bravely out into the unknown.

"‘They may never come,’ thought Half-Wise. ‘l’m not going to give up this lovely pond for something I know nothing about till I’m forced to.* “ ‘We shall soon have Wise back looking ashamed of himself.’ remarked Foolish. “The very next morning the two fishermen arrived, and the first thing they did was to spread a net over the mouth of the stream. Half-Wise peeping out from his bed under a stone, saw the shadow of the fishermen. darted like lightning to the stream, saw the net. and was in a terrible panic. Nothing could stive him but strategy, and he did not know whether that would be good enough. Quickly he turned himself over on his back, floated on top of the water, and pretended to be dead. " ‘Throw that dead one out!’ called one fisherman to the other.

"It was a terrible moment for HalfWise. lie felt himself tossed into the air, and down he came with a thud on to the grass. There he remained for a minute, dazed and bruised, knowing that he would die if he could not return to the water. Gathering together his strength, he wriggled painfully through the grass and just managed to flop into the water. To his tremendous relief he realised that he was in the little stream, and as soon as he had revived he swam slowly away, thankful that he had escaped with his life. “Alas! Poor Foolish was caught. lie had exactly the same chances of escape as the other two. but had not taken advantage of them. “And, so. White Rabbit, and members. too, that was that, and as all the fish near the wharf seem to be like Wise. I think we'd better go home. Mr Simpson will have to go without his tea.” With love from your friend. ALICE. FAIRY RINGS I know for sure that fairies played Last night upon the lawn. I did not see them come at dusk Or fly away at dawn. And yet I know that while I slept They played upon the green. The little fairy rings they made Are plainly to be seen. But here’s the surest way of all — I know they have been here. It rained a bit, last night, you know And then the rain blew clear. And as the fairies hurried home At first bright glow of dawn. They left their wee umbrellas there As toadstools on the lawn. —Sent in by Noni McConchie, Nelson.