Fairy Tales.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21118, 27 February 1932, Page 4 (Supplement)

Fairy Tales.

By DOKIB BROWN. Fcnton Street. .Stratford. (Aged ]7.)

We're burning off that patch of bush," Uncle Rod had said at dinner. " It's been felled some lime now, and looks as dry as tinder. Coming over, Nancy 1 " and she had put down her fork and said " Oh, Uncle, may I? " Nancy stood in the dealing and looked around her. It was dusk, a close, enfolding, purple dusk, that blurred the outlines of tho white, skeleton trees. A merciful dusk. Little points of light began to flicker through it, then golden flames mounted high, a brown cloud of smoke floated away over tho sighing trees of tho living bush, while somewhere an owl hooted mournfully. Nancy, standing in her little clearing folL suddenly and inexplicably sad. "Penny for your thoughts, Nancy. What's running in that curly head of yours, little Miss All alone ? " said Cousin Don, coming up beside her. " You ought to come up to this big bonfire over here. Trees are cheerful tilings, even when they're dying. Jusl look at that blue and yellow flame over there. He's the merriest little fellow I've ever seen.''

" Oh, look, Don! see how the fire is all round there, just like the fairy princess in the story we read to-day." " That's an idea," said Don, " you sit in the middle and pretend you're the princess, you can imagine that there is fire at the back of you, and I'll be the prince who rescues you." Nancy sat in the grass, with burning branches in a semi-circle lound her. The flames were friendly, jolly companions; the brown smoke drifted about shutting out the stars and a wise old morepork, not in the least disturbed, winged silently overhead.

Suddenly Don shouted. " Look out, Nancy. Look out. That old tree's falling!" , s She turned round, not fully comprehending, to see a blazing tree fall right across th*> exit of her clearing. She was, alas! in the very plight of the fairy princess. She iooked round for some way of escape. There was a complete ring of fire round her. She had no escape. The heat from the burning tree was terrilfic; sho felt her face getting hot and red; her mouth was parched. Don, on the other side of the burning log, looked round to see where the wall of fire was thinnest. Using his axe he dragged away some of the burning branches, but his progress was very slow. He shouted aloud to his father, but re-

mcm bo red, with a sinking feeling, that he was at the other end of the field. He set to work with renewed and desperate energy to drag the branches away. He felt his hair singeing and his lips were dry and parched. Nancy sat in the middle watching his progress with anxious eyes. The moon shone round and orange through the smoke, while the flames, no longer friendly, crackled menacingly and roared hungrily around her. At last Den bioke through and ran over to her. He picked her up in his arms and staggered toward the opening. " Well, Fairy Princess," he said gaily, "(ho Prince has arrived at last." lie, carried her over the hot ashes, putting her down on the cool grass outside. Just I hen I hide Pod ran up. " I heard your shout, Don. What has happened ? " " The Fairy Prince has rescued mc from a ring of fire," said Nancy catching hold of Don's hand. He drew it away quickly. " Not. that one. Princess," lie said with a twisted smile, "I'm afraid it's a little burnt."