For the CHILDREN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17836, 3 May 1926, Page 4

For the CHILDREN

OUR GOOD NIGHT STORY. Once upon a time there was a country where the sun always shone. All the inhabitants were happy’, and the secret of their happiness was that they all had golden hair that attracted the sun, and the sun shone into their hearts. When a little Princess was born to the King and Queen they' were all horrified to hear that she had black hair. The wise men were consulted at once. “We find,” said they, “that unless the Princess is thrown into the sea before she is a year old a black shadow will fall over the country'.” The King and Queen were distracted ; the baby was so lovely and lovable, and yet she must die. By’ the time she was eleven months old black clouds had gathered in the sky, and no sun fell on the land, and every r one was sad. One day' a little ugly bent man appeared. “If the Princess may come and live with me till she is fifteen,” he said, “I will turn her hair into gold.” Then the baby Princess held out her arms to him. The ugly' little bent man ran away with the baby’ Princess before anyone could stop him, and the sun shone again, for the first time since the Princess’s birth. After a while everyone began to look forward to the day' when the Princess would be fifteen, and would come back. When the day arrived the palace was decorated with roses, and the King and Queen put on their State robes. Just as the clock struck twelve the ugly little man appeared. “Where is the Princess?” cried the King and Queen. “She is here,” said the little man, “but before you see her you must promise me my reward.” “What is it?” demanded the King. “I want to marry the Princess,” said the ugly little bent man. The King and Queen looked at each other. “I suppose you must have her,” said the King, “but" I do not like it.” The little bent man smiled. “The spell is past,” he said. There was the lovely’ Princess, with golden hair falling to her feet. A sudden change came over the little man. His face grew young and handsome and he became tail and straight. “I was under a cruel spell,” he said, “until I won the hand of the Princess. The Sun Fairy’ is my’ godmother, and she helped me to change the Princess’s hair to gold on condition that she could have my Princess until she was fifteen. Now we are all happy.” THE PIN AND THE NEEDLE. A Pin and a Needle, being neighbours in a work-basket, and both, being idle folks, began to quarrel, as idle folks are apt to do. “I should like to know,” said the Pin, “what you are good for, and how you expect to get through the world without a head?” “What is the use of y*our head,” replied the Needle, rather sharply', “if you have no eye?” “What is the use of an eye,” said the

Pin. “if there is always something in it?” “I am more active, and can go through more work than you can,” said the Needle. “Yes, but you will not live long; be* cause you have alway’S a stich in your side.” said the Pin. “You are a poor, crooked creature!" said the Needle. “And 1 you are so proud that you can’t bend without breaking your back.’ ’ “I’ll pull your head off if you insult me again.” “I’ll put your e\’e out if you touch me. Remember your life hangs on a single thread! ” said the Pin. While they’ were thus conversing a little girl entered, and. undertaking to sew, she very soon broke off the Needle at the eye. She then tied the thread around the neck of the Pin, and, attempting to sew with it, she soon pulled its head off, and threw it into the dirt by the. side of the broken Needle. “Well, here we are,’ said the Needle. “We have nothing to fight about noiv,” said the Pin. “It seems that misfortune has brought us to our senses.” “A pity’ we had not come to them sooner, said the Needle. "How much we resemble human beings, who quarrel about their blessings till they lose them, and never find out they' are brothers till they’ down in the dust together, as we do!” CATCFI QUESTIONS. • Are you fond of catch questions?' I think most boys and girls will admit * that it is better fun to ask them than to be asked. I once knew a shy little girl named Letty, who lived in terror of a very kind, inoffensive old gentleman, simply because; he never met her without firing off a terrible catch question at her. “Flow many milestones to a mile?’’ asked he. “Only one, of course,” replied Letty i but she was wrong—there are two, one at each end of it. One question w’as about a miller and his sacks of flour. “If each sack made seventy’ four-pound loaves, how many dozen loaves would he bake with fifty sacks of flour?” The answer was: “None. A miller does not bake bread—the baker does that.” Letty was caught twice by that stupid question. The second time was when the old gentleman called on her parents, and shy Letty w’as off her guard: and the whole family, as well as the old gentleman, had a good laugh at her expense. Fie teased her badly’ after that, and poor Letty detested him so much in consequence that when he gave her a present of a bottle of scent she took it into the back y’ard and stamped on it, with tears of wrath in her blue eyes. After that dreadful deed she felt better, and a little friendlier disposed towards the giver of the ruthlessly destroyed gift —still, she could never see the answer to his catch queries until too late.