A Little World for Little People

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 816, 9 November 1929, Page 31

A Little World for Little People

friendship is a steady light shining in dark, places

HAPPY TOWN CHATTER

"I HAD rather a terrible dream last niglif/’ said the Woodpecker, I peering out at the early morning sunshine and blinking sleep'ly. "1 thought I was in a class for woodpeckers, and a wise-looking owl was examining- us. We all had papers with ridiculous questions on them, and I didn’t know any of the answers. One was: “What are the exports of Java?’ I put ‘Feathers’ for that. Another was.- 'lf a man can walk ten miles in one day, how long will it take him. to walk round the world without a hat and with one arm in a sling .” lam glad it was only a dream. Did you set off any crackers last Tuesday?” "Yes,” answered the Little Thought. “I had one wee cracker, hut it made a very big bang. A Sunbeam sent it to the Dawn Lady, and she gave it to me.” "Who is this Mister Guy Fawkes that we have to set off crackers for ?” asked the Woodpecker, curiously. “J have never met him, have you?” "I have seen him plenty of times,” said the Little Thought. "He is stuffed with straw and he wears a strange mask. When people are tired of him they burn him.” "That seems very cruel,” shuddered the Woodpecker. "I am very glad that children do not, light crackers and bonfires in ray honour.” "But he can’t feel,” explained the Little Thought, patiently, "so perhaps he really doesn’t mind. Last Tuesday night the skv was full of lightning. I watched everything that was going on from the top branch of the Happiness Tree, because the Sunbeams “old me not to miss their rockets. The smallest Pixie Postman was afraid of the noise, and he went to bed and pulled the bedclothes over his head.” - , "Well it’s all over for another year,” remarked the Woodpecker, “and now our sleep will not be disturbed. Here comes the Doorkeeper looking very thoughtful. I wonder what he is worrying about.” v “It’s this picture,” explained the Doorkeeper. "There are some curious little people sliding off a cloud or a sand-bank, and it says to paint it, but I am not sure what colours I ought to use. Aren’t they queer little things? Doctor Spring Sunshine has been visiting a place called Ohakune because a Sunbeam has sent the Dawn Lady some narcissi from her garden. -Tust imagine narcissi in the Dawn Lady’s vases in November. I thought it was the season for roses.” “If you please,” said the smallest Pixie Postman, in a trembling voice, "I have some letters to deliver, but you won’t he setting off any more crackers, will you?”