For the CHILDREN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17759, 1 February 1926, Page 10

For the CHILDREN

THREE LITTLE PIGS. (AN OLD TALE RETOLD.) Once upon a time a mother pig toid licr little pigs that they were growing V>ig. and must leave her and out into the world and seek their fortunes.' So the three pigs set out. and they had not got far out into the world before they met a man carrving some straw on his back. “Please," said one of the pigs, going up to the*man, "will you give me some straw to build a house? Certainly,” replied the man. as he handed the pig a bundle. So that little pig built himself a house of straw. He had not been in it long before a wolf came up to the house. “Little pig:, little pig!" cried the wolf. “May I come in?" But the little pig knew by the voice who ‘it was, and so he answered: • \o, no. by the hair on my chinny chin, chin!" “Ho! ho!” cried the wolf. Then I li "blow and I'll pull till I’ll blow your house in." , , . And he blew and he putted, and ns blew and he puffed till the house fell down,.and he jumped in and gobbled up the little pig. The second pig had gone into the world, and it was not long before he met a man carrying a bundle of sticks on his back. ‘Will you please give me some sticks to build a house with?” asked the second little pig. “Certainly," answered the man. as he handed the pig a bundle. The pig soon built himself a house, and at night the wolf came to the door. Little pig. little pig!" asked the wolf. "May I come in?" “N,o. no!" said the pig. “by the hair on mv chinnv chin. chin, chin!” “IIo! ho!” cried the wolf. “Then I'll blow and I'll puff till I'll blow your house in." And he blew and he puffed, and he blew and he puffed till the house fell down, and he jumped in and gobbled up the little pig. The third little pig was much more careful, and he walked on till he met a man carrving some bricks. “Will you please give me some bricks," asked the pig, “to build a house with?" “Certainly!" replied the man. So the little pig built a house with the bricks, and that night the wolf came to the door and knocked. “Little pig. little pig! ” he cried. “May I come -in ?” • "No. nd!" answered the pig. “by tho hair on my'chinny chin, chin!” “Then I’ll puff and blow till I'll blow your house in!" cried the wolf. And he puffed and . he blew, but this time the house stood firm, and he puffed and blew again, but still the house stood firm. So he went away for a little time..and presently he came back and said: “Little pig. I know a field where there are some fine turnips. I will call for you in the morning." “Thank you!" replied the pig. The next morning the wolf knocked at the door, and when he asked the pig if he was ready the pig replied:— “Thank you for telling me about the turnips. They were fine ones. I have been back about an _hour. The wolf was cross, and he went off again. Presently he came back with another idea. “Do you like apples?” the wolf asked the pig. “Thank you!” replied the pig. So the next morning the wolf called for the p’g, only to find the pig was not there. The wolf hurried off to the field where the apples were, but the pig. who was there before him. saw the wolf coming, and ran up a tree. “Try one of these!” the little pig called out. as he threw down an apple into the long grass. While the wolf •was looking for it the little pig climbed down the tree and ran away home as fast as his legs could carry him. The next morning the wolf went to the pig’s house again and knocked at the door. "Will you come with me to the fair tl»is afternoon?" asked the wolf. But the little pig was before him again, but on his way back from the fair hp saw the wolf coming towards him. He had with him a churn, and when he saw the wolf the pig jumped into the churn and started rolling down the hill. The wolf became frightened, and so he turned round and ran ail the way home. But the wolf would not be beaten, so he went to the pig’s house again and knocked at the door, hilt the pig would not let him in. Then the wolf became so annoyed that he decided to slide down the chimney and catch the pig that way. But tbe pig had a great big fire, and when the wolf slid down the chimney he slid right into the fire, and was burnt to a cinder. So that was the end of the wolf, and the little pig was happy ever after. A LITTLE TALE OF ROBIN lIOOD AND HIS MERRIE MEN. “In this our spacious isle T think there is not one But he hath heard some tale Of Hood and Little John. Of Xuck. the merry friar. Who many a sermon made % In praise of Robin Hood, r. His'outlaws ami their trade." —Drayton. Everyone knows the tales of Robin jHaod in Merric Sherwood, but I fancy

the following little story of Friar Tuck is not so well known. Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, one cold winter’s day. went into the woods to shoot a bird for their Christmas feast. The weather was so cold, the snow so thick, and the day so short that when night fell, nothing had they shot with their bows and arrows, but one poor starveling blackbird. They carried, it home in jesting quizzical mood, and passed it to Friar Tuck to add to their larder. Maid Marian was one of the party on the festal day. But alas! when the company were seated at dinner and the cover from the big dish was removed, to their consternation nothing was underneath but that little bird. Then said Frier Tuck, in solemn tones looking around on the assembled company: "At Christmas though the feast be small, the heartier welcome give to all! Maid Marian, may I help you to a wing or a slice of the breast. The outlaw and his band were much confounded —but what a relief they felt when, having served up and enjoyed his little joke to the full, “ Friar Tuck rich pasties took from secret nook," and the feast went merrily on! No one asked where the venison came from, though I expect Maid Marian guessed—don’t you ? ROSIE’S ESCAPE or WHY MICE STEAL SOAP. “Ah, ha! " murmured Mr Mouse as he entered his mouse-hole. “Ah, ha! and he licked his lips—he could smell cheese toasting! Yes, there sat his little wife before a candle-end toasting a piece of cheese, stuck on a blue pencil. in the flame; and there sat Flicktail and Rosie impatiently waiting. " I’ll just wash my paws before supper," said Mr Mouse. “ Got a bit of soap, Ma ? “ My dear, we’re out of it." answered Mrs Mouse, as she served the sizzling cheese; “ we must get some to-night.” Munch! Munch! Munch! “The cheese is done a treat, Ma,” beamed Mr Mouse. “ I'm glad we found the candleend." “ Pa,” giggled Rosie. “ that boy and girl in the house think we cat candleends! i heard ’em say so.” “And Pa.” broke in Flick-tail, " that’s the boy's pencil Ma took for a toasting fork. D’vou think we'd better take it back? ” " The boy’s got more than enough." replied Mr Mouse. “ And Pa,” went on Rosie, as Mr Mouse flicked the newspaper cutting he was reading, “ they think we eat newspapers too.” “ Isn’t it time you went for that soap, my dear? ” asked Mrs Mouse. “ They think we eat soap, too,” giggled Rosie; “ take me with you, Pa.” “ But oh, ” cried Mrs Mouse, “ do, do look out for that Tom ” (Tom was the cat*. “ That’s all right,” said Mr Mouse. So Pa and Rosie crept through the mouse-hole, creep, creep, creep, into the night nursery, where the children lay asleep. Whisk! across the floor, on to the washing stand. And all the time two yellow eyes like globes of fire watched them from a corner of the room. Steadily, nearer and nearer came those yellow eyes. Mr Mouse had begun to gnaw out a lump of soap—making faces all the time, for he hated the taste—when Pounce! Squeak! Squeak! A splash of cold water, a rattling and bouncing of soap dishes, soap, and jugs! and off scuttled Rosie and Pa—Tom had missed his aim. THOSE PUZZLING NAMES. Why is Alnwick “Anic ”? And why is Berwick “Beric”? And tell me, mister. Why is Bicester “Bister”? Oh, surely you’re a jester In calling Leicester “ Lester ” ! Or what is Worcester Calling “Wooster Worster”! Is it only “giddy goats” Who call St. Neots St Notes”? Did the King of Herts afford Those tarts at “Harford”? Must Bromwich, too. with Norwich, Both rhyme with cold pease porridge? Did a coster Dr Foster drive to Gloucester? Oh. children, I tire of these jaw-break-ing rhymes. I shall leave you to learn in your home-lesson times The rest of those towns with the contrary names— As odd as the river called “ Terns ” and spelled Thames. There’s “Cirnster,” “Gifford.,* “Lanson,” “Lenister,” “Grenidge.” “Lufboro.” “Saulsbury,” “Waric,” “Wensbury,” “Woolidge.” And some there are among the boys, mayhap. Can spell these without looking at a map. HOW TO MAKE TOFFEE. Here are two ways of making toffee. The first is treacle toffee. This is easy to make, and does not cost much. The first thing to do is to get a clean saucepan and put into it two ounces of butter. Melt the butter over a low gas. Then put in a pound of lump sugar and three-quarters of a pound of treacle. Stir carefully all the time, and be sure you do not let the toffee burn. When the sugar has melted and the toffee is done, pour it out into a well-greased tin and allow it to cool. To tell when toffee is done, take a little with a spoon and drop it into a small basin of water. If it becomes crisp as it cools, it is done. The other way of making toffee is this: Put about two ounces of butter and a pound of demerara sugar into a saucepan. and put it on to boil. Then add about two to four eggcupfuls of water. Do not stir much, but do not let it burn. When the toffee is done, pour it into a tin as before. This sort of toffee is hard, and sometimes it goes sugary. To avoid this, add the juice of a lemon. You can also put in chopped nuts, if you like. RIDDLE-ME-REE. An Englishman, an Irishman, and a Scotsman were waiting for the train. The Irishman said, “ lie is coining.” The Scotsman said, “ She is coming.” And the Englishman said, “It is coming” Which was right?—The Irishman. for it was a male (mail) train. What kind of composition can be written with two letters?—Essay (S. A). When is a candle in a passion?— When it is put out and when it flares up. TWO LIMERICKS. There was an olrl person of Chili Whose conduct was painfully ; illy. He sat on the stairs Eating apples and pearsThat imprudent old person of Chili. There was an old man with a poker Who painted his face with red ochre. When they said “You're a guy!” lie made no reply, But knocked them all down with his poker.