THE LONELY FISH

Southland Times, Issue 21073, 3 May 1930, Page 22

THE LONELY FISH

—First Prize.— As I was walking by the sea I heard a sound of crying, And there, beside a large flat rock A lonely fish was lying. He looked so dismal lying there, No other fish was nigh. I tried to calm him, but, alas, He nothing did but cry. And then, mid’st very fishy sobs He told me his sad story, And now to you his tale I’ll tell: “My name is Johnny Dory. “A meramid young and fair I love, King Neptune’s youngest daughter, Alas, she’s lost, we know not where She’s not on land nor water.” Just as he said these words, I saw A mermaid resting near the shore, . And the mermaid fair was in the fins Of her true love once more. —5/- and 4 marks to Cousin Janet Thomson (13), 105 Grace Street, Invercargill. —Second Prize. — There once was a mischievous elf, His name was Seribony Trick, Who put tins of oil in the water, And made all the fairies quite sick. The Fairy Queen lectured severely, But Tricky paid no heed at all, But he put sticky glue on each seat, At The Great Anniversary Ball. The Queen lost her temper, and cried, "You’re a most disobedient elf, I’ll change you at once to a fish, And you shall live all'by. yourself!” Naughty Tricky then found himself In the midst of the rolling sea, Different from all other fishes, So never a comrade had he. He tried to make friends with the others, But they turned up their noses and said, "Who’d play with a creature of your breed?” Poor Tricky soon wished he were dead. Then one day, a pool full of oysters He found as he wandered along. He gathered the pearls that he saw there, And went on his way with a song. Said he, “Now I’ve found these, I’m happy, The Queen would be filled with delight, If I sent her a box of such beauties She’d take me back quickly, all right 1” So quickly he paid an old beetle To take them post-haste to the Queen, Who smiled when he gave her the jewels, And said, “They’re the nicest I’ve seen.” So she changed Trick once more to an Elf. To behave, was her only command. But Tricky has now learnt his lesson. And is far the best Elf in the land. —2/6 and 3 marks to Cousin May Heath (13), C/o Messrs Cameron and Finn, Tuatapere.

—Highly Commended. — In the placid waters of a clear cool stream, Where sunbeams dance and wild ducks scream, There lives a fish with his spotted vest, All alone, for he likes that best. He darts about till his heart’s content, His graceful body always bent. He wags his tail and shakes his fins, Then down his watery road he spins. There is plenty to eat for that lively fish, For worms and fish make a dainty dish; He always knows a fisherman’s fly, And he knew he made the fishermen sigh. When in the evening the sun is set, He does not think it’s bedtime yet,. So he flashes about in the ripply bend, Sometimes wishing he had a friend. (No name for this competitor.) —Highly Commended. —■ Many little fish lived in this brook, The children play beside it all day. Sometimes the older people sit there, too, And such funny things they say. When I was sitting beside it one day, I noticed a lonely little fish there. Which I was told had no friends, And people would not give it anything. —2 marks to Cousin Jean Hunter (14), Ohai. —Highly Commended. —■ Once there was a little fly, Whose mother often said, ‘'You’d better not go near, That nasty spider’s web.” Always he had minded her; And never gone about For well he knew that spide: Was always looking out For nice fat flies, So plump and fine That he might ask A friend to dine. One day as mother was away; This naughty little Jim Wandered up to spider’s den, And of course that ended him. —2 marks to Cousin Hazel Gordon (11) Otatara. —Highly Commended. — Once there was a little trout, So full of life and fun, And when he saw some juicy flies, He ate up every one. But there were so many flies, The fish he was so small, That when he had devoured them, He wished he hadn’t at all. When his playmates knew of The fish’s awful greed, . They did not play with him again, And of him took no heed. Then he was so very lonely He began to cry, And he was often heard to say, “Oh I how I wish I’d die.” —2 marks to Cousin Christina Ross (11), “Mountview,” Puketiro, Gatlins.