FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13701, 18 March 1908, Page 9

FOR THE CHILDREN.

«. THE GOOSE-GIRL WHO WASN'T A PRINCESS. MY S. U. lIAMER. Shi: was a goose-girl, who lived a long time ago in ii little village, and went oijji to tend tlii! geese every day. Nobody knew where sho came from, or who she was, but '" she- ( herself folt sure &ho was really a princess who had been lost or stolen away when she was a baby. She had a lot of beautiful golden hair, and. she was very proud of it, and used to spend a good deal of time in combing it out as she sat on the hill-sido ■watching her master's geese wander about picking up whatever food they could find. That wan one tiling that made her feel so certain, about Iter being a princess in disguise—they always hud beautiful golden hair in the ' stones, and they were nearly always goosegirls; another "thing was that there Was a boy who used to come and keep her company sometime.-, and admire her lovely hair. Sim knew that that- happened in stories, too; only when she said little rhymes to the wind, and asked it to blow off the, bov\ hat so that who might be left i,, comb out. j her hair in peace, somehow or other nothing happened—the box's hat, remained on j m., head, and the wind seemed to take 00 notice, and to blow just whenever it liked. ! Sometimes she would, talk to this bo* about ■ it, and he only laughed ami "i-airi j that she. had belter mind her geese-, and j not, bother about such foolishnessj-jind then In" goose-girl would get, crow and toll him that lie was a very stupid fellow,- and could not appreciate her at all. "J. should* be a fine princess," she would say. J should wear a golden crown on mv". head and the most beautiful dresses, and eat out- Of a gold dish and drink out of a silver goblet.' "And what would become of the ge*ss<3 i) you went away?" said the hoy. "Oh, someone else would have to look after them, she said, but she felt rather sad at that, for she was very fond of her geese. Onto day a splendid horseman came riding by. dressed m shining armour, and carrying a glittering sword. The goose-girl saw him, and wondered what, he was doing there,' for it v" as not often that strangers-came that When he saw the girl and her geese he drew rein and stopped. The goose-girl was engaged 111 combing out her hair for the sixth time that morning, and she cefcaiulv looked very pretty. The strange knight called to her to come and sneak to him, and when she came he said: "J am sorry to interrupt y OU> but do you happen to know anything of a lost princess? We have lost our princess—she j IV s stolen away when she was a baby, and ; t.to king and Queen are very sad*about Then the goose-girl felt that her time had come. Oh. yes, ' .-lie said;"you have come to , the right person. I feel sure that I am the j princess: you want." I The knight seemed a little hit doubtful at hrst, but the goose-girl said to him: " Look at my hair; you never saw anyone but a I princess with such fine hair as that," j the knight, had to admit'that- it was verr beautiful, and as he was very tired of looking tor the lost princess he thought that tie goose-girl would do a- well as anvone else. bo he told her to get up behind him on ins horse, and rode away with her to the Jboyal palace. .Tim boy watched them ride away- and signed: then he turned back and wont re look after the geese that the girl had left i. he goose-girl was highly delighted with herself as she rode behind the splendid knight, and began to think of all the won- , dorlul things she would do when she was a real princess. When they arrived at the palace the? found the King and Queen eagerly waiting tor them, lor the knight, had sent on -.-. messenger to say that- the lost princess had j been found. j _ There wore flags flying and banners waving and bands playing, and the whole town had turned out, to see the. long-lost princess. ■ As thev rode through the Greets the goose- ■ girl was pleased to hear the people sav to , each other how beautiful she was, and several , of them said. '-Only look at her hair: You 1 mi -, S "° IS :l real Princess liv that."* ilia Queen was standing at the ton of . I the palace stops to welcome her. long-lost chile, and when the splendid knight came ' I up, holding Mm goose-girl by the hand, the ■ j Queen said, impatiently, "Well, where is 1 site.' ■ I "She i- here, Your- Majesty," said the knight, rather nervously. "I found her took in? after geese." "What': - '' said the Queen, in a tone ol great disgust. "Do you mean to sav thai you suppose that this is mv daughter?" What nonsense! What is the man thinking about; Why this girl is—. flow old are vou, nit ehiKi? * -Sixteen, Your Majesty," replied the ' goose-girl, timidly. "Ami my daughter would have been' 21 ' 10-day.' said the Queen, angrilv. "Take I he-: away!" And off went the offended j monarch info the palace again, leaving the j knight and the goose-girl looking exceeding--Ily foolish. The knight was Aery cross. " What (lid you (ell mo you were the princess for?" said he. " You are an impostor." j AnA he went oil. too, leaving the poor little goose-giti all alone among the laughing j crowd of soldiers an I servants. As soon as she cou'd .-lie made her escape; and went back to her old home, but it was a long way, and die got very tired and footsore as she walked along the dusty road. Is was a very humble, sad little goose-grrl that, canto slowly back again to the common whero the geese'were still wandering aboutlooking for food. The boy was sitting on the hill-side by himself with his bark to the high road, so that he did not, see her coming, and she was very glad of that. .She went up to him quietly, and tombed him on the shoulder. " I've coma back again," she said. "Thank you for looking I after the geese. j "Then you aren't a princess'/" he said. "No," she answered. "It was all » mistake." " I am so glad." he -aid, " for if you ! had been a princess I should have hit I you." 1 Then for the first time the little goose-gin' began tony. j "1 think I'm glad, too," she said.