For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16570, 1 November 1921, Page 9

For the Children

WILLIAM TELL. It was a. wet Saturday afternoon, and Billy and .Joan had played every game they could think of. Suddenly Billy thought of a splendid idea. " Let's play William Tell. I’ll be William and you can be his little boy.” Joan agreed. They set up some wooden soldiers in. a row as the guard; Joan got a hassock and stood on it. against the wall; and Billy found a tall paper cap and printed et William Tell ” upon it in big letters. “ What about the apple ?” asked Joan. “ AY© haven’t got- one.” That, doesn’t matter,” replied Billy ; tc this will do just ae w*ell.” He found a. big woollen ball in the toy cupboard, and balanced it on his sister’s head ; then he fastened his sword to his belt and slung his quiver full of arrows over his shoulder. “ Now.” he said, tightening the string of his bow, “ you must stand quite still, so that I can hit the hall in the middle; if you move the ball will roll off, and then T might hit you.” Joan began to look ratlienr frightened. Oh, do you think you might hit me?” she asked, anxiously. “Even William Tell was afraid he might kill his little boy, and he could shoot better than you can/’ il AYe’d better stop playing if you are going to get scared,” said Billy scornfully. “ I thought you were game for any thing.” “So I am,” agreed Joan, “’but I don’t want to be shot.” Just then the tea bell rang- and their mother called them. “ Come on, let's have teal” cried Billy, throwing down his bow and arrows; ‘‘we can play William Tell tomorrow.” Joan rather hoped that he would forget about it. BERTHA AND THE BUZZIWAJZZIES. It was a great day for Bertha, when she became three years old, and knew* that now she had stopped being a baby, and w£s quite grown up. So she made up her mind that it was time she began to travel and really to see the world. She was not afraid: of anything, unless she met the Buzziwuzzies. Nurse had told her that these were the birds who were on the look-out for naughty children, and punished them by pecking their legs and feet. They were round

and yellow, Nurse said, and covered with fluff instead of feathers. But it was their beaks which you had to mind, -o were sharp as needles. Bertha thought she would take Agatha, with her for protection. Agatha had very hard legs made of china- Bertha was not a coward. Still, she thought she would stand behind Agatha if the Buzznwuzzies cam© along. So she tucked Agatha under her arm and started off. She went over the fields and came to a farmyard. It seemed quite empty. Bertha went in: Suddenly, she almost dropped Agatha in her terror! What were those round yellow things tha4 went running this way and that? Bertha stood, with her hack against the barn and watched them coming nearer and nearer. Surely they must be the Buaziwuzzies! Nearer and nearer! Soon they were close up to her. standing round in a ring, with their fluffy bodies and their little needlish beaks. Bertha was so frightened that she forgot all about the hardness of Agatha’s legs. The Buzziwuzzies came crowding up. staring very hard at Bertha’s legs, and talking to each other in little sharp voices that were as sharp as their beak*. And ju*t as she was going to scream out loud for help, she heard a funny clutching noise, and round the corner came a funny old bird. Directly the Buzsiwusjnes saw it and heard the clunk they stopped staring at Bertha’s legs and ran off across the yard. Bertha grabbed Agatha and ran home a« fast ais she could. It was a very narrow escape. THE DRESSY FROG. Long-Legs wanted to be smart. A pair of boots he bought. But found, alas! that they were not A 8 easy as he thought ; They twisted all his lovely toes Right up into a knot. And when he asked to have some made. The shopman said, • With pleasure. I’ll make a pair that I am sure You’ll say are quit© a treasure ; But- first I ? ll have to make a last. With toe-joints to your measure.” Alas! that boot? are not for frogs He very quickly found. For when he tried to swim with the® They filled and he was drowned!