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Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1929, Page 9 (Supplement)

Last week we left Richard and Gwendoline, dressed in their new clothes, ready for the party to which they had been invited by the King of the Fairies. The Elf led them to a hall. Then addressing Richard and Gwen, he said:—“The King of the Fairies is sending two special dragon flies to cany you to the party. I’m going to take Polly myself. If you will wait for a few moments the dragon flies will arrive to tako you.” “I hope they won’t keep us waiting long,” said Richard to Gwen, as the elf and Polly disappeared down the hill.

I Richard and Gwen did not have to wait long for their special carriers. In fact, they came all of a sudden.. There was just a loud buzz; and there they were. The chums jumped when they saw them. They were certainly rather terrible looking fellows. But they were friendly enough. “Here we are,’ cried one. “Jump on,” cried the other. Very nervously Richard and Gwen seated themselves on their strange steeds, and, with a loud .buzz, the dragon flies flew off towards the forest.

Both Gwen and Richard were, of course, a little nervous at first, but soon they found the movement through the air very exhilarating, and began to fee! thoroughly at homo on the backs of their “chargers.” Richard clung on to his tall hat, and looked round at Gwen. "Isn’t it great?” he cried. "I wish the King of the Fairies would give us one of these for keeps.” “Rather!” said Gwen. “Its the best aeroplane ride I’ve ever had. I don’t think I could fall off if I tried.” But Gwen was soon to find out her mistake.

Gwen did fall off, and this is how it happened. She was not entirely to blame because, although she felt so confident, she was really holding on as tightly as she could. It was the dragon fly who was at fault. As he hummed through the air, a stupid little fly came buzzing past on his way home for the night. That fly was too tasty a morsel for Gwen’s charger to pass lightly, and he made one furious drive after it. Flick, into his jaws, flew the fly, and flick, into the air, flew poor Gwen.

Gwen thought she would never stop falling, but all things must come to an end, and, at last, she felt herself pulled up with a jolt. Yet she had not quite reached the ground. A branch of a tree had caught her fancy dress as she dropped, and there she hung. It was such an undignified position that Gwen wished she had bumped the earth. Besides, twist as she might, she was quite unable to release herself. “Well! this is a fine end to the party,” she thought.

Znd what about Richard, who was sailing along so gaily on the back of dragon fly? He would have been all right but he turned to see how Gwen was getting on, and found she had fallen off. It was such a surprise to him that he lost his balance and down he went. Down, down, down, until he fell into a pond. It simply ruined his fine dress clothes. “Well, this is a fine thing, I’m sure,” he growled, “I wonder what has happend to Gwen?”