THE WENDY HUT

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1930, Page 24 (Supplement)

THE WENDY HUT

THE TELL-TALE REEDS. In all the old legends, reeds have the reputation of being gossips and busybodies, and here is the story of. how they brought trouble on the aspen tree. One day in May, the legend goes, the reeds were all whispering together, saying there must be something wrong with the aspen tree because the queen bee never took her swarm there. They talked so much, became so excited, and said such ridiculous things, that the aspen grew very angry. '‘Listen to those gossiping reeds,” it cried to the beech. “There’s nothing whatever the matter with me, and I’m thankful the bees have not come to swarm in my branches, for, lucky as they are supposed to be, I’d far rather be without them. I can’t stand bees.” "Don’t talk so loudly,” warned the beech. “Reeds repeat everything.” At that moment, the queen bee passed by, guiding her swarm towards the aspen. Then the tell tale reeds called the queen, and they made such an exaggerated story of what the . aspen had said that the bee lost her temper. Instead of swarming in the aspen, she told her followers to sting it in every leaf and drive it from the forest. Quivering with pain and terror, the poor aspen fled to.the mountain, where the bees left it. But it never quite recovered from that fright,' and even to-day its leaves tremble as if they had been stung by bees.

If you listen to the reeds, you will hear them still gossiping together!