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Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1929, Page 25 (Supplement)

Polly, Richard and Gwendoline have had another surprising adventure. It happened that the weather was so fine that they felt they would like to spend) the whole day in the woods. So they decided to picnic. They had the cloth laid, with the milk and the cakes and things set out on it, and were just beginning to> eniov the good things when a most astonishing thing occurred. Now what do. you think it was? Richard was saying “there is nothing like a picnic in the woods, when it happened.

The three chums thought they were entirely alone, so you can guess how they jumped when they heard a voice behind them. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” it said. With a start, they turned round, and saw a quaint little figure leaning over the tree root. “My! who are you?” cried Richard. “I come from the Fairy Dell, and they call me Peter,” answered the little) man. “I’ve been specially sent to ask you to come with me. It’s ever so important.” I

Richard, Gwen and Polly did net quite like the idea of going wherever the/ little man was inclined to lead-them, but after a time he managed to persuade? them. What they were required for, he said, was a great secret. Through the woods they followed in his footsteps, and it seemed such a long way pushing past bushes and brambles and over tree trunks , that Gwen began to grumble. “Is it much further?” she asked. “We are almost there now,” the little man replied. “Thank goodness,” sighed Polly.

At last the little man stopped by a huge tree trunk. “Now, before you enter the palace of the Fairy King,” he said, “you must promise faithfully that you will not reveal to the outside world what you see.” “I would not dream of telling anyone,” Richard declared. “If Richard can keep a secret,” added Gwen, “so can I.” “I will see that they both do,” Polly assured their guide. “Very well,” said the little man, and he struck the tree trunk with the statt he carried.

Now, no one passing that way would have known it was a magic tree. la fact, Gwen, Riphard and Polly afterwards tried to find it, but never could. It was magic, however, for when the little man struck three times on the trunk there suddenly appeared a huge opening and a dainty fairy peeped out. “Good,” she cried, “Please hurry! The King is expecting you, and he's getting awfully irritated at being kept waiting.” “We came as quickly as we could,” Polly told her. “Well! please come in,” invited the fairy.

The fairy disappeared, and the little man climbed into the tree trunk. “Step in,” he said to the chums, “but be careful, for it gets very dark as you jo down the stairs.” Richard climbed in first, and saw a flight of stairs stretching right down to where he thought the tree roots must be. “I never dreamed that trees had steps inside them,” said Gwen. “Oh! all of them haven’t,” laughed the little man. “This is quite a special , tree.” “I wonder what they want us for,” Polly whispered as they went down the steps. -I wonder.-vou? . . ; "■ ■■l‘ !