FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18629, 9 February 1924, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

OUT THE NIGHT. ' BY EDITH HOWES. '' * -' (All Bight* Reserved.) VI.—THE WALKER FAMILY. ' The Walker family were wood-buns. "We-ka! We-ka V" they would call to one another in the night, and so they were called Wekas. Wekas the. Walkers they might well have babn called, for though they had wings they never flew. A million years ago their ancestors had said " Why fly ? The ground is richer in food than the air. It is so thickly set with grubs and caterpillars, worms and wetas and spiders and beetles, that we need never lack food. Besides, down here there is always cover from our enemy the hawk." So they gave up flying and "taught their children to walk and their wings and tails became softer and softer as generations lived and died, till at last they were quite useless; no weka could fly now if they wanted to. But. since Blue-grey and Wild Cat and Wily the Weasel had come into the bush the wekas often wished for the use of wings again. "If the chicks could only fly, how much safer they would be sighed the anxious mothers. But the chicks could not fly. They learned to walk well and far on their strong little feet, and to run swiftly to cover at a warning whistle from either parent, but their wings were always useless

Father Walker came striding home one night in great glee. They still used the old grass nest under the " coprosma bush, and Mother Walker was sitting on" it now, keeping the five chicks warm- Father Walker laid the lid of a cocoa tin in a gleam of moonlight beside the nest, and " See what I have found!" he cried. " Isn't it pretty Mother Walker gazec, at it, pecked at it, turned it over with her beak. " Very pretty indeed!" she replied. " And very strange. Where did you find the queer thing?" The chicks woke up and ran out to peck at it. "What is it?" they asked. " Is it good to eat " It is not good to eat," said Father Walker, " as you can very well tell by the feel of it. It is something pretty for you to look at. See how it shines in the'moonlight. And now I will tell you where it came from. Up the gully there is the queerest nest you ever saw, and the biggest. It stands on the ground, and just outside it I found the pretty shining thing." Mother Walker's eyes were bright with curiosity. "A queer nest? What kind of birds ? " she asked. " I don't know. They must be big and they may be fierce, so I didn't peep in the nest. It would be easy to peep in, for its opening is at the side, but I wasn't silly enough to do it." " I think I'll go and have a look at the nest," said Mother Walker. " Yes, come on!" Father WalKer started off at once. " Come back ! " said Mother. Walker sharply, " When I say I'll go it doesn't mean that you can go at the same time. Who is to mind the chicks ?. I'm really surprised at you, father." ' Father Walker came back guiltily. " I thought the chicks could come too," he said, excusing himself. "Oh yes, do let us go, mother!" begged the chicks at once. Nonsense ! This is no time for little chicks to be trailing through the bush, with Wily and Blue-grey about, «nd Morepork, and Rough the Eat. You stay here and father will mind you while I go and have a look at the queer nest. It is time I had an outing 'anyway. J. have been doing all the work for, long enough," She was off, leaving Father Walker in charge. She went up the gully till she came to the clearing and the strange nest. She went round and round its sloping walls, but found no more shining tilings. At last her curiosity became stronger than her fear, and she slipped in at the doorway and peered about in the moonlit dimness. A pair of great creatures, quite unlike birds, lay sleeping harmlessly, and many and new and unknown, things lay scattered about the ground. She probed with her beak in one of these, and brought out something white and, eatable. It was a big bush biscuit. One peek at it, and she picked it up and made for home. Not another bite would she eat; it was all for the chicks. * What a good' thing I went in," she thought. " This is really most tasuy. A delightful flavour, and so new. I wonder at Father Walker, bringing home something the chicks can't eat. ' She walked down the gully feeling very pleased and proud. .< Near her home she suddenly stood still, lifting her head high to listen. Something was wrong. What were those sounds ? " The quick rush of padding feet, the slither of spurs on fur, the snarling breath of some savage animal. It was a fight. The chicks ! Were they in dan-, ger ? Like an arrow- she sped to the nest. They, were there, safe. She spread her protecting body above them and turned to watch the fight. It was Wily the Weasel, and she knew at once what had happened. He had seen her on her way to the strange nest, and had sneaked round in her absence to attack the chicks. But Father Walker had sprung to their defence, and he.and Wily were now engaged in a. terrible battle, each fighting for his life. ';. • •." . Wily fought with fierce claws and snarling bared teeth and cunning twists and turns of his long narrow body, trying to get a grip from which ho* could sink those cruel teeth into the weka's throat; Father Walker fought with claws and forward-turned spurs and swift sharp beak, defending his throat and attacking the weasel's head and eyes. They tewed and leapt and struck

mid i drew off and struck again, till ftir and feathers scattered the ground about them, and both were bleeding from surface wounds. ;;\ ; " '' " :It began to r go badly for Wily. Father was fighting for the lives of his family as well as his own life. He was very brave, v very strong, very determined. Mother Walker was very pround of him as she watched. Wily was being driven back, his blood was running down his coat, his wicked eyes gleamed desperately in the bright moonlight. Suddenly something happened. It was so quick that she could not follow it, but there was a wicked twist of Wily's body and next moment his teeth were in Father's throat. Down, down he bore, seeking to bring his struggling foe to the ground. But at that sight Mother Walker was off her nest and into the fight like a fury. Like a thunderbolt she landed on the Weasel's back, stabbing with her sharp beak at his eyes and brain. His hold 'loosened, he slipped back and down, he rolled over dead. Father Walker stood a few moment* drooping and faint. Then he shook himself and recovered, and stood beside his fallen foe and made a song of triumph. "I killed Wily the Weasel, Wily the blood-drinker," he boomed. " I fougnt him and killed him, I with my courage and my spurs." Mother Walker, back at her nest, spoke proudly to the chicks. "No one is so brave as your father," she told them. "He has killed Wily the Weasel.' He has saved all our lives. He is •wonderful. And now, chicks, I have a feast for you. In the bushes over there is a new thing I brought from the strange nest, and it is eatable." (To be continued.)

THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT. -*■ It was approaching moonrise. Everything seemed very still, and even the stately foxgloves hung down their bells. The daisies had closed their eyes, and were nestling in the grass. But at moonrise, everything would change. Twinkling lights would appear everywhere, and the fairy ring would be trodden on by hundreds of tiny shoes. A few yards away from the ring was a little bower, where the fairy queen often lay, watching the revels. It was shaded by a little archway of roses from deep wine-red to pale yellow and snowy white. Cushions of rose petals were placed in the bower for the queen to recline upon. Suddenly a elf, with a rosy, smiling face, and a pair of sweet little sky blue wings, ran into the centre of the ring, lie looked around, and then gave a long, clear whistle. Immediately another little elf came in, very similar to the first, except that his wings were rose-pink. Then the two sat down to discuss the queen's birthday (which was to come the next week), and the present they would give her. Every fairy and elf always gave the queen a present. They thought of a little bottle of scent, but then Brownie was giving l the queen one. What about a fairy brooch ? Oh, no, they hadn't quite enough money. Suddenly soft little footsteps were heard, and the two elves climbed into a foxglove bell and hid. A fairy with a dainty bag on her tiny arm entered. •" I hope those naughty boys aren't here," she said. A merry peal of laughter greeted her words, and the two elves came out from their hiding places. They begged to know what her present was, and at last she told them. She was going to make half a dozen gauzy handkerchiefs, but alas! she had no money for a little box for them. " We'll join with you and buy the box," cried the elves. Th« fairy agreed, and the three set to work. By the end of the week half-a-dozen gauzy handkerchiefs, of pale rose-pink and mauve lay in a dainty mother-of-pearl box. Then the great day arrived. The queen's bower was gaily festooned with flowers and a glow-worm' in every corner cast a soft, warm radiance on them. A little table stood beside the bower for the gifts. The queen arrived in a little golden carriage drawn by butterflies. The fairies and elves with their presents in thsir bands gave a rousing cheer as she entered the bower. Then one by one the presents were brought up.

The three friends leoked doubtfully at one another, because the other gift? seemed to be so much nicer than theirs. Brownie, an elf, presented the queen with a crystal scent buttle with sweet smelling "scent in it, and the Rose Sisters gave her a lovely pin-cushion of purple velvet with a rose-pink satin "crown in the centre. When the three brought their present, the queen looked at the flushed, proud faces and kissed them.

After the revels, she called them to her side, and, scenting a mauve handkerchief with Brownie's scent, she said, "My dears. I have had a very happy birthday, and I thank all my subjects for the gifts, but none, I think, has pleased me so much as yours." " ' ;.>.. - **"