THE SEA-GOBLIN’S PALACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 560, 12 January 1929, Page 25

THE SEA-GOBLIN’S PALACE

On© starry night little motherless Mary was sitting’ by a creek that ran down to the sea. “Oh, dear,’* she sighed, “1 do wish I had a mother.” She had a very kind father, but her mother had died years before. Suddenly she heard a small voice. “800-hoo-hoo. What shall I do?”

She turned round in amazement and saw a tiny man dressed in green. “What is the matter?” she asked.

“Oh,” sobbed the elf, “a wicked seagoblin has stolen my brother, and I can’t get him because I’m a landgoblin.” “I will help you,” said Mary. “You can’t. The journey is too dangerous,” answered the elf.

“Leave it to me,” said Mary. Then, before the elf could say another word, Mary had dived right into the creek. When she opened her eyes, she saw a big gate with “Sea-Goblin’s Palace” written on it in sea-weed. In front there was a big shark guarding the gate. The sea-goblins were very unkind to their servants, the fish, and sometimes they didn’t give them any food for a month. Mary knew this, so putting her hand in her pocket, she pulled out a roll of bread that she had been having for her tea. Facing the shark bravely, she said, “If I give you this bread, will you give me the elf who was stolen?” The shark turned its head round to the wall, and struck it with a fin. To Mary’s amazement the wall opened, and a tiny elf flew into her arms. The land-goblin had put down a ladder for her, so she flung the bread to the shark, and climbed up with the elf in her arms. Oh, what joy awaited her! Each elf gave her a wish. She closed her eyes and wished for a kind mother and a little cottage with a rose trellis round it. And there they stood —the little dream cottage and a new mother waiting at the gate with Mary's* nice father. —Betty Anderson (aged 9). THE ELF AND THE TOADSTOOL Many years ago, there lived a tinv elf. called Twinkletoes. He had long silvery wings, of which be was very proud, and he wore a blue jacket, red trousers, and a bright yellow cap. Ono day, as he was flying over the meadows, it carne on to rain. As there was no shelter near, he began to cry. '‘Oh, my pretty wings will be spoilt,” he wailed. “Oh, oh, oh.” Ho flew about in distress trying to find cover, but in vain. So he flew on, but the rain came down harder than ever. All at once he sighted a huge toadstool. “Hurrah,” be shouted, as he fled down to it. But when he reached it he began to tremble, for a big dormouse was lying asleep under it. He was very frightened, but he feared to fly away, because of the rain.

Then a bright idea struck him. He tugged at the toadstood till it fell in two. and, holding it over himself, lie new home. What happened to the dormouse I cannot say, but that is flow umbrellas were invented. Sent in by Phyllis Symons.