GOOSIE GOOSIE GANDER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 78

GOOSIE GOOSIE GANDER.

By

Ruth Hertslet.

(Illustrated by Bumble.)

(Copyright.—For the Otago Witness.) I’oley, the old red cow, walked lazily into the stables. Perhaps there would be some chaff left in the feed boxes, thought wise old Poley. There wasn’t much grass about now, and a feed of chaff would be very good. Hiss! hiss! Old Poley started back. There was Mother Goose, sitting on her nest beneath the feed boxes. Her eggs would hatch to-day! She could feel the faint peck, peck at the shells beneath her breast. She did not w'ant any intruders. Hiss!! hiss! went Mother Goose, her bro'd beak opened widely, showing the funny tongue inside. Hiss! hiss! °went Mother Goose again. <f right,” said P"ley good-naturedly. I wouldn’t d.sturb you for worlds, so don’t make such a fuss about things ” and off she went. °

Mother Goose settled comfortably on her nest, and, by nightfall, there were beneath her breast 10 fluffy yellow goslings. Now, Timothy was staying at the farm, and Timothy was a town boy. Timothy knew all about picture shows and trams, and big shops with exciting lifts that took you up and down. Timothy had told Jack all about these and many other wonderful things. “ You country chaps don’t get a chance to know much,” Timothy had boasted. “ W e know other sorts of things, though.” said Jack wisely. ° The two boys were playing near the creek, when Jack called out excitedly: “ Oh, I say! Just look! Mother Goose has goslings! Aren’t they cute?” Sure enough, there were Mother Goose and Father Gander teaching their goslings to swim. " ” “ What did you call them ?” asked Timothy. “ Goslings—young geese,” Jack explained. ‘•'l’m going to catch one,” Timothv declared.

“ I wouldn’t try if I were rou,” smiled Jack.

Why not?’’ asked Timothy in surprise.

“I don’t think the old geese will let you,” Jack said.

You re an old goose yourself, if you think they can hurt me,” scoffed Timothv. “Look here, Tim,” said Jack goodnaturedly. “You might know a lot about picture shows, but you don’t know how an angry goose can’ hurt.” “ Goosie, goosie, gander! ” jeered Timothy. “ Are you going to help me catch one of these gooselings ?” “ Goslings,” corrected Jack. “ Don’t tease the old geese, Tim. It s unkind and you’ll only be sorry.” Bah!” said Timothy scornfully. “Coward! that’s what you are!” “ No, I’m not,” said Jack, “ but it’s no fun teasing animals.”

The old geese had taken the goslings out of the water, and were sitting quietly in the sun. Along came Timothy, nearer and nearer!

Hiss! hiss! went Mother Goose. Hiss! hiss! went Father Gander! —- Nearer and nearer came Timothv.

Hiss! hiss! hiss! Father Gander was on his feet, and his eyes were .dazing. Mother Goose was up, too, beak open, eyes watching, watching. But Timothy didn't notice these things. “ Look out,” warned Jack. Coward!” called Timothy, reaching his hand for the nearest gosling. The flapping of wings, the quick snap of strong beaks, more flapping of wings, and more, and more, and more! Timothy yelled and ran!

To his amazement, the old geese had him, one by each leg, their big, strong wings beating him soundly. How it hurt! It was worse than a caning at school! How he ran, but the geese held on, flap, flap, flap with their great wings.

It was Jack who came to the rescue, Jack with a korari stick that he broke from a flax bush near by. He beat the geese off. They tried to tackle him, but he kept them at bay with the stick. “ Run, Tim,” he called, and Tim ran. The geese, seeing their goslings alone, soon turned round and strutted back, and Jack went after Tim. He found him sitting on a big stone, rubbing his sore legs. “Is it very sore?” asked Jack anxiously, but Timothy stood up slowly. “ I deserved it,” he said manfully. “ And I’m sorry, Jack. I was the coward, not you. You know a lot more about things than I do.” “Oh, rot!’ - said Jack. “We each know about different sorts of things, that’s all. I’ll tell you what, Tim. I’ll teach you about country things, and you can teach me about town things.” “A splendid idea,” said Timothy heartily. “You’ve taught me something already, Jack. 11l never be such a prig again.”