FOR THE TINIES. THE FIRST DAFFODILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20058, 22 September 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE TINIES.

THE FIRST DAFFODILS.

11l the very long ago, when the world was young and tho first flowers were | born, tho queen of the fairies summoned all the little peoplo to her court. In they (locked, pixies, elves and sprites, birds and wild wood creatures, and to each the queen allotted some new task. To the birds sho taught new songs to sing; the elves were sent to make fresh pathways through tho forest until all had some work to do. Then the queen, of the fairies turned to her sunbeam children. ' 1 Sunbeams, 1 sho said, calling each by name, " down in the city of men there is much for you to do." " Make music in the leafy trees, she said to some, and to others, " Go, wantier in the gardens of men _ and spread your smiles upon the tired faces there, and to others still, " Go, kiss the dimpied faces of tho babies in the world that their tiny hearts may be filled with all a sunbeam's happiness." At last there was only one little sunbeam left. Her name was Sympathy. " I have left you until last, little Sympathy," the fairy queen told her with ;i smile, " because 1 have a special task for you. . " Down, in the city of men a sick child is lying all alone in a dirty, uncared-for room. His mother is dead and all his life bo has lived amidst ugliness and dirt. He has never seen anything beautiful, even the sun cannot shine through his attic window. Brighten his room with your sunny ways and give him happiness." , , . Now sunbeams hate sadness and ctirt and most of till they tiread the shadows, but when tho little sunbeam heard of the sick child all alone, her tiny heart yearned to give him some of the gladness of her own sweet life and the brave little tiling forgot her fears in her eagerness to cheer a mortal's gloom. " I will obey, 0 queen," she said, and off she sped to the dusty city of menFollowing the queen's directions she found the sick boy lying all alone, bis small head tossing feverishly from side to side, his thin white hands moving restlessly over his pillow. The sumbeam could hardly breathe, so stuffy was the air, but she sent her very gladdest rays of sunshine through the dust and cobwebs in tho room and danced her loveliest fairy dance on the grim, unpapered wall. The sick child watched her, fascinated. Now sho was near his bed, now in the farthest corner of the room. 110 could not tell where she would be next, but always she was gay and laughing and made him feel almost well again. At last be fell asleep and little Sympathy breathed on liini a golden dream of health and happiness. In his dream ho could feel light fairy fingers cooling his aching head and burning bands, and bear the tinkle of fairy laughter, very soft and far away. There were great spaces of lovely green—and flowers —beautiful yellow tir'ngs all golden like the sun.— and then ho awoke! The sunbeam bad gone, but in his arms there lav a mass of golden flowers. He rubbed his eyes ami blinked. Surely it was a dream! Ah—yes, his golden dream. Two white hands went lovingly out to a sheaf of golden blooms, and, as they swayed in the child's trembling grasp, their yellow trumpets tinkled fairy music. It was the golden dream come true, and in his hands the sick boy held the world's first daffodils . —lsy Joyce, Millar, 28, Spencer Street. Uemuera.