THE WENDY HUT

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1929, Page 20

THE WENDY HUT

THE PRINCESS WHO COULD NOT BE BOTHERED,

There was -once a little princess who could never be bothered! She found it saved her a lot of trouble not to be bothered with things, so she wasn't. When she was asked to do anything, she replied that she could not be bothered. At last people left off asking her, and she was not bothered with anything at all. ■ "Now this is very nice,” laughed the little princess. "I have managed quite well.”

"So well,” replied her father the King, "that the whole kingdom shall follow your example. I will issue a decree in your honour, saying that nobody is to be bothered about anything.” The little princess was flattered, and the very next day the decree was sent out, with a result that puzzled her terribly. As long as she herself had not bothered about anything, it had been very nice. But now it was perfectly horrible. Nobody filled her marble bath, or cooked her dinner, or told her stories, or said a sweet word to her, or did anything at all to make her life happy. The Queen left her at home when she went out, and the King would not listen to her questions. Then the little princess became very angry, "You must call in that decree,” she said to the King. "Can’t be bothered,” he replied. The princess grew frightened, "Please do,” she pleaded. “For my sake.” "Can’t be bothered,” replied the King again. j The princess became very sorry.

‘Til promise to be bothered like everyone else," she whispered in a small, meek voice.

So the King called in the decree, and, strange to say, the little princess lived happilj' ever after, though she was bothered quite a lot.