THE FAIRY TING

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12229, 29 August 1925, Page 16

THE FAIRY TING

Dearest of Little People,—Although I thought I knew you all very well before, I seem tq know you twice as well now that ■ so many of you have told me about your homes and where you live. Some of the stories were very good, but just a weeny teeny bit too much like essays . . . and some told just what you did, from breakfast time to bedtime . . . which wasn’t quite what we wanted, was it? There were a great many open eyes, too, last week, and the one' before ... and they must stay open, because they will have a little bit of the .paper to themselves every Saturday night. Congratulations, little prize-win-ners, from every one of .us on the Fairy Riqg! Yours, FAIRIEL.

Fred Butt, Hauter© Cross, Te Horo. . Sorry, Fred, that there was ho time to talk to you last week. . , . hut there’s all the more to say now, isn’t there? First of all, thank you for that picture of the splendid

Indian Chief, Bright Sun. You drew it and coloured' it very well indeed. I have quite a little gallery of pictures now. . . I’m going to put them all along in, a row over my desk. If you were to draw your pictures in ink, and not copy them, we should love to see them in our paper, i wonder where that butterfly hid in the rain? What fun you nave with your Meccano, don’t you Freddie? ... I think it’s the very best toy for a boy. TEanK you, thoughtfulone, for the verses. Ivy MoGhie, Chaiioe Along, Maori Bank, Upper Huft. ‘ You’re not wrong, Ivy -, . .you’re th© only one that’s right 1 Good for you! Didn’t the searchlights look wonderful, all laoed across the sky? I think I should bo rather too scared to he able to enjoy them during air-raids in London, little one! Fancy you remembering that long ago. Aileen Keay, 39, Maida Vale Road, Roseneath. • You will see from “Open Eyes” ! that Nature notes, about something you had not found for yourself, were not quite what I meant, Aileen. But we like the little “Home” story. That day you were left to play “Mother” must have kept you busy! Phyllis Walker, Tzard Road, Khandallah. - A new fairy for our revels . -. . welcome Phyllis! Come just as often as you can. '‘A daffodil so sweet and a lovely golden yellow. . .” Always the first in the garden seems more lovely than those that follow, and yellow is such a glad colour after the greys of winter, isn’t it? Yes, little one, I love those delicate pale primroses better than any other flowers. . and their scent is as delicious and frail as they! Hugh Warner, Rakau Read, Hataitai. We’d like to hav© you, Hugh. . . there’s just the very mushroom-stool ready waiting 1 You were one of the very luckiest hoys, weren’t you, to have such a splendid time on the ships with your father. I’m sure the flagstaff was the wettest place in the, world the day the fleet went ouff We like your little verses. . . and we’re waiting for more. Jean Measton, 37, Hamilton * Road, Hataitai. Thank you for the verses, little brand-new fairy. Next time try to get the lines, or perhaps alternate lines, the same length. . . and it will sound better, I think. We don’t actually hare meetings here every Saturday, Jean, but in the paper ... in the Fairy Ring, you see? Marion Butt, Hautere Cross, Te Horo. What happened to prevent the fancy dress ball, little girl? I expect you were looking forward to it too, weren’t you ? Was it' a very exciting letter that Freddie brought back for you in the post bag that day ? Jean IVJcQueen, Te Wera. Very welcome you are, little nine-year-old, in the Fairy Ring! You will have lots to tell us about your country home, and the little town people will have all sorts of news to tell you. Mary must be a quaint little person I think. . . -tell us all the funny things she says, won’t you? Claudia Browne, 77, Apu Crescent, Lyall Bay. It was a rather dreary leave-taking wasn’t it Claudia, that the fleet took . of us. . -. hut the ships were very grand and silent as they slipped away. A big kiss for my little “Shingle.”Moira Jones, Randwick, Lower Hutt. Yes, the wee green buds seem to come so suddenly. . . all in a morning they’re there, and how quickly they grew then. The little mother'less lamb will not he motherless any more now then, with your little friend to keep him happy. Stan. Jones, 112, Richmond Street, . Petone. Lunch with the sailors on a truly battleship. . . well you’re a luekier boy than quite a lot of others I know, I think. Tell me if the drawing you sent is your very own, or did you copy it? And do them in ink next time, Stan. . . It, makes it so much easier for the printer-man you see.

THE PRIZE STORY OF. “HOME”

The other day I was describing my home to some elves and fairies, and 1 am going to tell you the story I told them. I was lying on'the rocks on the beach-not far from my home, watching the little ripples lapping lazily on the pebbly beach, when I heard a small voice say, “Hullo!” I turned round to find the person who had' 1 caused my astonishment. To my surprise I saw a wee dainty fairy dressed in the palestof rose petals. “Please,” said the fragile little figure, “we want you to tell us a story.” I was too astonished to make any reply for a while. . . all I could do was to gape at a host of gaily dressed little people who had now come into view. “Tell us about your home,” said one of them. “All right;’-’ I replied. So I started. “My home ft a little four-roomed house overlooking Evans Bay. I live there with my two brothers, little sister, mother and father. My bedroom window looks across the water to the

forts, and Mr Massey’s grave at Point Halswell.” - - “Who was Mr Massey?” inquired one of the fairy folk. Surprised, I answered; “Why, he wa6 our Prime Minister. . . "We have' a big garden. There is a creeper at the. bottom of the garden. And on moonlight nights I am sure little fairy folk have glorious fun in this creeper. Some day I hope I will see you there. - “At the bottom of the garden we have, a playshedi where we keep our toys. >. “In .the summer time it is delightful to sit in the garden, which is a mass of flowers, and watch the launches and yachts skimming graoefully along the waters of the hay. In the holidays 1 go down to the beach nearly, every ,day and watch Nature on the seashore. / ■ “We have three little kittens, sotno

fowls, some baby chicks, and two dogs, a mother and puppy. We children, earn our pocket-money by helping mother about the* house and garden. My bro-' thers go down on the beach and collect cartloads of driftwood, and when they come home Dad gives so much money for a cartload or a sackful. “Now I think I have told you all about my home,” I finished. “Thanks very much for amusing us with the story. I think we must say good-bye, as I heard the fairy clarions calling,” said the wee fairy who had first spoken. “Let us sing our song-fn Honour of the story-teller,” said a Brownie. And this is what they sang:— “We hear the Horns of Elfland blowing! Fairy Clarions, sweet and low. . . Deep in the glens, where the falls are flowing, x And where the flannel-flowers grow. Calling still in carols pure, Awhile the crystal cascades, falling, echo.’ . . We hear the Horns of Elfland blowing sure!”

By AILEEN KEAY, Aged 13. 39, Maida Vale road, Roseneath.

"Would you like to go with me to the apiary this afternoon?" "Yes, you dear boy. I've always adored monkeys."

The Sewing Circle was meeting at Mrs ’ Smythe's and one of the dear ladies saw little Ethyl Smythe sitting in a corner looking hopelessly woe-begone. "What's the matter, dearie?" she asked. "I'm missing the nicest movie this afternoon because I must stay home and help mother," replied the child. "You shoujd he glad to help your dear mother," cooed the visitor. ‘ Apd wha can a little girl like you do?" "Oh, I just watch—and then I count the silver alter all the visitors are gone home."