LATTER-DAY FABLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9273, 27 June 1908, Page 4

LATTER-DAY FABLES.

♦ No. rv. THE FABLE OF THE GODLY MAN AND THE BEERY BOUNDERS. (Written for the " Star.") Once Upon a Time a Godly Man chanced to enter a Railway Carriage where sat several Bad Youths. It might have been thought that the Presence of this Upright Man would have Exercised a Restraining Influence on those Youths, but I am Sorry to Have to Say, my children, that it Did Not. The Youths told in Loud and Raucous Tones many Wicked and Unseemly Stories, so that the Godly Man had perforce to listen. Also they Behaved in Such Wise as to Impress upon the Godly Man that they had been having a Great and Glorious Time, and that They were Absolutely Unregenerate. Between their stories they told of the Beer which they Contained, and of tEe Phenomenal Number of Long Ones they had Encompassed. j Now the Godly Man Pondered Exceedingly upon the Blue Narrations, and upon the Boastings of Beer Prowess. Likewise did he Ponder upon their Pimpled Faces. After a Space he Lifted up his Voice and spake the following : — " Young Men. Your Communications are Evil and your Manners are Corrupt. If jou will Listen to Me I will tell you a Little Story. It is a Little Story with a Moral. Your Stories haye t no Morals, and I should be LackIng in My Duty if I did not Speak to You a Word in Season." The Youths were Too Astonished to Speak, and the Godly Man continued Thuswise: — " A Day or Two Ago I was walking in a Beautiful Meadow { in the Country. The Sun shone Brightly, the Sky was Blue, the Birds sang Sweetly in the Trees, and all the Hedges were in Fragrant Bloom. I Stood Silently and Gave Thanks that I was Permitted to Live in such a Beautiful World. " And as I Stood, I saw a Little Bird flutter down to the Brink of a Streamlet. I saw that Little Bird Drink and Drink and Drink of the Pure Crystal Water. _ When it had Drunk its Fill, that Little Bird flew up on to the Branch of a Tree and Poured Out its Little Soul in Joyful Song. It Trilled and Trilled and Trilled, and All the Air resounded with the Beautiful Notes of Praise which that Little Bird offered in Gratitude for the Lovely Drink it had obtained at the Crystal Stream. "But, Alas! A Bad Little Boy came that way, attracted by the Melodious Song of that Little Bird, and he fired at the Little Bird with a PeaRifle and it Fell from the Bough of the Green Tree, a Little Lifeless Morsel of Bloodstained Feathers." The Godly Man ceased speaking. "Is that all, Mister?" said one of the Youths. " That is all," responded the Godly Man, gravely. "I can't see any point in that yarn, bli'me if I can!" said Another of the Youths. The Godly Man had Just a Suspicion of a Twinkle in his Eye as he said: " I am afraid you do not grasp the Beautiful Moral Lesson contained in that Little Story. This is the " MORAL : If You Must Drink, It is Not Always Wise to Make A Song About It^