Pride Comes Before A Fall

Southland Times, Issue 21662, 26 March 1932, Page 19

Pride Comes Before A Fall

Of course, you all know that it was not the Fairies who created tilings in the beginning. For the time being however, “let us suppose’’ that they have the power of creating!

At the period of which I am writing, a vain selfish fairy had ascended the throne by right of inheritance only, for she was not loved by those she governed. She had had a new palace erected for herself, one which surpassed all others both in uniqueness of design and in beauty. There was a lovely little lake, fringed with weeping willows, where the Queen was wont to linger in the shade. Flowers grew in rich profusion, and the sounds of music echoed pleasantly all day long. But still the Fairy Queen was not contented; she wanted something out-of-the-ordinary to happen. She wanderpd along the shore, gazing across the tranquil waters. After a time she noticed a tiny speck floating on the surface away on the farther side. Easily provoked as it was, her anger rose, for surely no one would ever dare to go boating on the Queen’s private lake. Such a crime was unheard of! She hastily called for her boatmen, who brought out a beautiful cockleshell boat. Soon they were on the waters, and as each minute passed, the Queen’s anger increased. Woe betide the intruder!

A few minutes passed before they could distinguish the shape as different from an ordinary cockleshell boat. When they had reached it they were amazed to see that it was the seed-pod of a plant that was growing in the lake gardens; and seated on it was the Elf of Mischief!

flow quaint it looked, for all the world like half a maori canoe, floating there! "What do you here?” said the Queen in a terrible voice. The elf shivered violently. “I was just seeing if it would float," he whined, “And please Your Highness, it does, and you’ll be able to use it. But please forgive me.” “Oh! Is that really so?" replied the Queen coldly, “Here Elf come with me! What you say is not. without a grain of sense.”

That afternoon the Queen conversed with some of her Ministers on the subject. She was quite taken with the elf’s idea! One of them promised that he would make the Queen one; one woithy to be her boat, that she could guide, one that moved automatically.

Accordingly the workshops were busy fashioning thia novel boat for the Queen. When it was completed, it was cast under the Spell of Life. After that it was presented to the Queen. Crowds upon crowds of fairies were assembled along the banks of the lake to watch the Queen as she went on the lake.

The duck, for that is what the Queen’s novel boat was, was beautifully white, decorated with streamers, and the Queen guided it with ribbon reins. For a time

things went quite well, the Queen thinking ow her subjects must be admiring her. the duck swam gently out, not allowing a single drop of water to touch the Queen who was enjoying herself immensely. suddenly’ however, a fish passed beneath the duck, which realized that ,it was hungry. Without warning it dived down, allowing the Queen to fall off. Luckily the boatmen were close at hand, in case of accidents, and they rushed to the rescue. The Queen was rescued, soaken through. Her pride had suffered a fall!

r? mar k to Cousin Constance Fox (14), 94 Earn Street, Invercargill.