A JUNGLE-STORY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 July 1927, Page 27

A JUNGLE-STORY

Pepper the porcupine had a bad temper. All the jungle folk knew it, and when Pepper was specially nasty they kept out of his way because his quills were remarkably sharp. Mike the monkey was rather greedy and very clever. One day he came up to Pepper and said: “Oh, my poor Pepper, there’s a new sort of porcupine sitting in the garden at the back of Sonny’s- house, on the edge of the jungle.” “If he sits there much longer, Sonny’s daddy will soon move him on,” replied Pepper. “They don’t like jungle folk in their garden.” “That’s just it,” said Mike. “They won’t let you sit in their garden, or me either; but they pat this porcupine, and they come and talk to him nicely, and ask him how he’s feeling.” Pepper’s quills began to rise at once, and he scuttled off to the edge of the jungle to see this stranger. “There he is,” whispered Mike. “Sitting under the banana tree with flowers poking up all round him. They feed him out of their hands, my poor Pepper.” “He’s got no quills!” spluttered Pepper. “I told you he was a new-fashioned porcupine,” said Mike. “Oh, I’d fight him if I had quills!” With a hiss, Pepper darted into the garden, charged the strange porcupine, and knocked him over. But this porcupine was a new, round beehive! Out came the angry bees, swarming about Pepper, and chasing him back to the jungle! Mike stayed and ate the honey, while Pepper ran off on a visit to his cousin till the jungle folk had stopped laughing about his bad temper. HIDDEN ANIMALS 1. NETHPAEL 2: ERSORNIHOC 3. OPUNCRPEI 4. LOBFUAF —RITA MOORE.