Princess Water-Lily's Party:

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22741, 29 May 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

Princess Water-Lily's Party:

T UCIBEL-LOU woke tip with a start. She ,wondered what had awakened her so suddenly. She jumped out of bed and scrambled into her blue dressinggown and slippers. She leaned out of ■her window. "The garden looks enchanted," she said aloud. "And so it is," a small voice replied. She locked down and saw a brown thrush. "Oh, it's only you," she cried. "I thought you'd be asleep long ago." "I usually am, but this is a special occasion,? it said. "And why is it> a special occasion?" she asked. "Because it is Princess Pink Waterlily's coming-out party. The creatures of Water-lily Pond desire you to be present. They asked me to fly over and present their compliments. A refusal will offend her Royal Highness' Uncle, Sir Froggerty Frog." "Oh!" cried Lucibel-Lou. "How thrilling." "Well, there's no time to lose," the thrush said. "Pll fly back and tell the Prince yo'u'll be delighted to come." "Yes, please do," Lucibel-Lou said excitedy. "I'd better make haste or I'll be late," she said to herself, climbing out of the window and hurrying over ~ .to the edge of the pond. A scene' of enchantment met her eves. In the middle where the waterlilies grew, stood a pink marble gate. The water •of the pond was as hard

and bright as a large emerald. The rocks encircling it had vanished. Lucibel hoped she would not slip on .the grassy floor of the pond. She was .very careful stepping on to it. "A wonderful wite for a wall," a squeaky voice said at her side. "Good gracious, if it's not the grey mouse wh,o lives by the side of the pond, I'll eat my hat," she said to herself. "You're quite wite, my dear. But personally, I prefer to eat cheese my* self. It's a more walanced wiet. It won,tains more, of witamin W." Lucibel-Lou smiled. "You are very clever to read my thoughts." "Not at wall," replied the mouse, modestly. "It's a sort of wift. Wall ,wour family are like that." "How quaint, he puts his w's in the .wrong' place," she thought to herself. She walked through the Water-lily gate and down a long corridor lit with email lamps resembling stars. At the end of it she saw an open door. She glimpsed a lovely room through it. Two large goldfish dressed as footmen in forget-me-not blue coats, geranium red breeches and spider-web grey stockings, stood on each side of the door announcing the names of the guests. She was sure they were the goldfish that darted about the pond. "Miss Lucibel-Lou," they shouted, as she reached the door. She suddenly felt shy and wished she had not worn her dressing gown. Sir Froggerty - Frog was hurrying across the room to .welcome her. ... He wore a. green evening suit, pink waistcoat and an enormous eyeglass. He looked "extremely distinguished. Bending low and kissing Lucibel's hand, he said, "We are very honoured by your presence amongst us to-night." He politely led her across the room. " On a beautiful divan covered with rainbow-liued cushions the Princess reclined. . ttT "My dear," the Prince said. "I want you to .meet a young friend, Miss Lucibel-Lou I" The Princess bowed and smiled. Lucibel dropped a curtsey. "I must apologise, for my dressing gown," she murmured. "Your Royal Highness must think it looks silly." "I was just admiring its cut," the ijljriflcess said kindly. Lucibel moved

By Ivy Gibbs

away to make room for Black Cat who lived next door. "Delighted to meet your Highness," she heard him say. "Will you favour me with a dance later on?" "Certainly, Black Cat," the Princess politely replied. "Master Grey Mouse," the goldfish loudly aunounced. Lucibel-Lou saw the mouse scampering across the floor. "I'm weally most wonoured, your Woyal Wighness." he flatteringly said. The Princess laughed and said, "Delighted to meet you, Master Grey Mouse." "Wank you," he replied. "Way I weg the favouring of a wance later on." The Princess nodded, she was laughing too much to reply. "Master William Hedgehog," boomed the goldfish. Lucibel-Lou watched the hedgehog ambling across the room. When he reached the Princess, he muttered in a prickly voice. "I've longed admired your Royal Highness and it is a great honour to meet you. Dare I beg the favour of a dan~e ?" "Most certainly. Master Hedgehog," she said kindly. There was silence as Sir Froggerty Frog advanced into the middle of the room. "My dear Folk of Water-lily Pond," he said, "it has - bpen my pleasure to invite you here to-night in order to meet my niece, the Princess Pink Water-lily." "Hear, hear." piped the thrush, who had just flown through the door. "Hear, hear," echoed all the others. He continued, "on this auspicious occasion, I also take the opportunity

of presenting to you, Miss LucibelLou." During his speech, the footman nau been admitting all sorts of creatures and now the room was packed. LucibelLou noticed them staring at her. "1 must look queer in this silly dressing gown—" she thought. "And 1 suppose I look as tall as a giant to them.' "Wot weally, about wate blades of grass wigh," she looked down and saw the grey mouse. "I wish I could read people's minds the same as you do," she said. "if it doesn't wun hi the wamily, you'll never be wable to do it," he said. Suddenly she heard Sir I'roggerty Frog saying "Gentlemen, select your partners for the fir.'>t dance, it's to be a polka." She could see the orchestra on a tiny platform at the end of the room. Bumble Bee was scraping his 'cello and the grasshoppers were tuning up their fiddles. Hedgehog was clumsily edging his way across the room to her. "May I have the honour?" he shyly said. "Certainly," she politely replied. She was glad her dressing gown was long, otherwise bis prickles might scratch her legs. They awkwardly polka'd round the room, bumping into a lot of the other creatures. Sir Froggerty Frog was dancing with the Princess and the Black Cat was dancing with the Grey Mouse. She heard the mouse say to the cat, "Won weally wancc warvellously." As she and the hedgehog danced past a window, she noticed the sun was justpeeping over the hill behind the poplars. , . "Good gracious, it s morning, Ili really have to r.un home at once." Without another word, she climbed through the window and dropped on to the lawn. She looked around and rubbed her eyes. Yes, there was the pond with the'water-lilies in the middle and the stones all around it. And there was the big green frog sitting on the large leaf She ran across the lawn, climbed quietly through the bedroom window and crept into bed. How very strange it all seemed! I.he pond looked exactly the same as it always had. She* was fearfully sleepy, but before dropping off she said to herself —"I wonder why things are only enchanted at night?"