HOW THE POHUTUKAWA BECAME RED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2141, 24 December 1920, Page 11

HOW THE POHUTUKAWA BECAME RED.

~ IBy BERYL CLELAND, Wanganui.J {Specially Written for The Sun.] The "Goblins" were having a splendid time of hide and seek in and out of the flax one night, when suddenly they heard the bugle call of the elfmen coming on to attack them. There was a helter-skelter for weapons, and a swift hustling of all the ladies and children out of the way, and then the "Goblin" men were ready for the battle. One little "Goblin" man, Tiny by name, had hidden his lady love Sweety, up a Pohutukawa tree, among the white flowers—for at that time the flowers on the Pohutukawa tree were snow white. "Dear Tiny" whispered little Sweety, "however will you be able to find me again?" "Oh that will be quite all right," said Tiny. "I shall know exactly where I have hidden you, but if I get killed in the fray—" the little "Goblin" lady's face became very sad, a big tear trickled down her cheek, and Tiny, seeing this said quickly, "Of "course it is not likely that I will be, but if I should happen to, climb down the tree and go to our friend 'Mischief.' He may be an imp, but he has a kind old heart, and Will take care of you." They said a fond farewell and he was gone. But the little "Goblin" girl ■was very nervous lest her lover should not he able to find the place where he had hidden her, and that they would lose each other, so she set to work and made ever so many little fluffy balls out of the tiny white flowers growing on the tree, and then she took a strong twig, and made a hole in her arm, and let the red, red blood fall all over the balls of whits fluff. She cried softly over the hole in her arm, for it hurt her a good deal, but she soon cheered up, and saying to herself, "He will be able t« see the fine red flowers much better than the white ones; how handsome the tree does look to be sure." "Yes to be sure it does," replied a voice she knew not where from, but quickly looking up, she saw "The King of the Bush" looking at her with twinkling eyes. "I think after this I will make all the Pohutukawa with big red flowers instead of the white ones." "On please don't do it just yet," replied the tiny "Goblin" girl "or my Tiny will not be able to see wjhich special tree I am up." "Well please let me know when he has found you," said the "King of the Bush" kindly, "for I would love to see mv Bush Kingdom spotted with the lovely red balls of fluff." "Oh thank you" cried the "Goblin" lady "I certainly will. Good-bye." "The King of the Bush" left her and so she lay down and slept. When she awoke, she found her lover bending over her, and looking sorrowfully at the wound in her arm. "Why did you do it," he exclaimed, "did you think I would not find you?" "But Tiny," she said quietly," did not the red flowers help you in your search for me"? "Yes of course," he replied, "I could see them shining in the sun, and I knew you must have put them ihere to guide me, so I came quickly towards the tree, and found you here asleep." Then Tiny bound her arm with leaves, and told her at the same time what a great success the battle had been, and how brave all the "goblins" fought, and afterward he took her home to the little home in the flax roots, and left her there to sleep off the faintness the loss of blood had caused. That is how we all have the pleasure of seeing the Pohutukawa with all its red, red flowers, made by the bravery of a little nervous "Goblin" girl.