For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16748, 1 June 1922, Page 3

For the Children

TUB* MAGIC EGG. Once upon a time there lived a Magic Egg. And its magicness was this : Whenever it was pur near any water it began to get alive! And it got little logs and eyes and a smile and everything! And it went on being alive until it was taken away from the water, then it would get quite dead and ordinary, like any other kind of egg, and look as though it- was only meant to he cocked and oaten. And it wasn't ever cooked for breakfast, because you can’t cook eggs without water, and when the person wf»o wanted to cook it brought it near the water it would begin to get alive, and it would smile with if-9 mouth and kick about with its legs. Then the cook used t-o gasp with her breath and used to put it back in the ben’s nest very quickly and burry away as fast as she could. And there lived a little boy called Peter, and he knew all about the Magic Egg getting alive. And he used to sit down by the side of the stream and put the Magic Egg on hia lap and watch it getting alive nnrl play with it very happily for a long time. And the Magic Egg didn’t like being played with at all. and it wished very much that it could be alive for always and always. So one day, when the little boy called Peter was sitting by the stream and placing with it very happily, the Magic Egg mid:- “ Little boy, if you will make for me a very strong and beautiful boat, and if you will put me into it, and send in© down the stream, then will I send up to you all the groat and shining fish of the water for you to play with as much as ever you like !” Then the little hoy called Peter clapped his hands and was very glad, and he made a verv nice and beautiful boat, and he put the Magic Egg on to it, and he sat on a big boulder and watched it sail away down the stream, and lie thought how nice and pleasant it would be to have all the great and shining fish of the water to play with. And he waited on the boulder for the great and shining fish, hut they didn't ever come, and presently he began to get very cross and he went awayBut all the time the Magic Egg sailed away down the stream. It had never felt so happy in all it l *. life, because it knew it was too far away from land for anyone to take it and put it back into the hen’s nest. And it smiled to itself for joy, and its nice and beautiful boat went sailing on down the stream. And it laughed to it sell about the fish, and made up its mind that it wouldn’t ever op near the land again, and that it would keep on the water and be alive for always and CON UN DRUMS. Here are some conundrums to ask your friends : When i.s a sordid- not half a soldier?- When lie’s in quarters. A\ bat- do they do with peaches in California?—l'hey eat all they can, and what they can’t eat they can. Who was the first whistler and what was his tune?—The wind when he whistled “ Over the Hills and Far Away,” What is the difference between a pastrycook and a bill-sticker?—One puffs up paste and the other pastes ut> puffs AY hen is a sailor not a sailor?—AY'hcn he's a boardAA'by are teeth like verbs ?—Because i

they are regular, irregular and defective. AA'hat is that which everyone wishes for and yet tries to get rid of?- A good appetite. In what colour should a secret he kept ?—lnviolate (in violet). When may a chair b© said to dislike you?—When it can’t boar you. What animal took most luggage into the ark and which took least?— The elephant, who took his trunk, while the fox and the epek had only a brush and comb between thejnAATiat is the difference between an inspiration and a donkey?—-One is an idea, and the other i« you, dear. P TER THE PUPPY. Peter the Puppy laid been digging for geraniums in me garuen, ana alter lie tiaa boen digging lor some time people Cctiuo ana put- up tiieir hands ana earn “Oil, dear! Tnen tiiey smacked turn, and put mm in a stable pia-ce, ana be couiun't dig there because the floor was made of stones unci tilings. Then he happened to look round with his eyes and he saw something that iiK>ked like a little bit of geranium on the floor. And Peter the Puppy liked digging for geraniums very much, so ne bounded up to it on his legs so that he might dig it. And as be was going to begin digging, it began to move, and it moved very slowly and very creepilv all across the floor towards him. Then was Peter the Puppy very frightened, and ho thumped with his heart and sa-t down close to the door in ease it might open. And the geranium thing crept slowly on towards him, and Peter the Puppy got more and more frightened, because he hadn’t ever seen geraniums walk about before. And suddenly, just as he felt all shiv ery all over, the geranium thing sort of jumped in the air and flapped itself. Then was Peter the Puppy terrified, and be pushed so hard against the door that it went open, and he ran away into his kennel, and ho promised himself very faithfully that lie wouldn't ever dig for geraniums any more. And the geranium thing laughed to itself and was very pleased, because, alter all, it was only a butterfly, and it liked frightening things. HIDE AND FIND. Cissie, Archibald, and May Have a funny game of play ; Here and there, as fancy guides, Everybody hides! Then there’s silence, then a shout, AY hen small heads at lasi peep out All at once -and no one minds—Every bod y ii nds! Two men were discussing the qualities of a poem written by a mutual j friend. *“ This is piffle, not poetry,” said i one. not at all impressed. i: A mere escape of gas.” ” Yes, something wrong with the | meter.” agreed the other.