“ THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING ”

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19457, 22 December 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

“ THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING ”

” Pure, an’ Oi think it looks rale foine. What do ye be thinking av it, young Clark? Is oulrt Nora’s Xmas pudding up to the standard? Oi’m' thinking It is.” And old Irish Nora, the Bretton’s handmaid, stood back and surveyed her'Xmas pudding with immense satisfaction. It. was an hour before dinner time on Xmas day, and Nora had just placed , tlie steaming pudti.ng, with its cap of white sauce arid sprig of holly, on a plate. Clark looked up from the book he was reading, and which had been one of his gifts. lie rubbed his sleepy brown eyes and yawned. “ Gee, it does look grand! Did .you make it nice and plummy, and put plentv of three-penny bits in? I’m as hungry as a hunter, and do, you know, Nora, I reckon I could eat all of that pudding myself," he ended with a laugh. j “ Now, now, laddie, don’t ye he telling me sich fibs. Oi’d give ye a pound if ye could ate half av that-pudding all at -once. ’Tis a pretty big pudding, that same—not that it’ll last long with a family av six." Nora turned and busied herself with preparations for dinner, whilst Clark sat on in silence for some minutes. He yawned again. “ Yes,” he reflected, “that pudding does look.lovely and toothsome." Next minute ho sat up suddenly in astonished surprise. A tiny, yet shrill voice fell upon his hearing. “Ugh," it grunted, “fancy a ,jovely, l'at pudding like I am having to be eaten by a lot of hungry people. It's not right, I say. Do you hear me, young man?” Clark realised that it was the Xmas pudding that was talking, and he managed to stammer a reply: “ Y-yes, I hear you. B-but I did not know puddings could talk." • , . “Of course they can. Xmas puddings at least,” snapped the pudding. “How would you like to be eaten, my lad? You wouldn’t like jt at all, would you? And neither do j. I won’t stand it, I tell you, ] won’t 1" With a slamp of his foot he emphasised his words. “ But," said Clark, “ you arc meant to be eaten. You should not mind it, you know." “ Oh, indeed,” spluttered Mr Pudding. ‘ Well, I am not going to lie eaten —Xmas dinner or no Xmas dinner. 1 am off to Pudding Land, and as we railier like a tasty 111 tie boy to eat now and again, you- shall come along with me. Are you ready?" Mr Pudding stood up on liis spindly little legs, stretched himself, and then jumped off the table. Clark suddenly discovered that he was no bigger' than Mr Pudding. " Come .along," commanded Mr Pudding, takingstep towards Clark. “ You are nice am. plump—it’s about time you were roasted. Lei me bile your arm and see how juicy you. are.” He grasped Clark’s arm. and held it up to his-teeth, which were hvo rows of shiny three-penny pieces. “Stop!” screamed Clark, wrenching himself free. Then: “Sure, an' ye’ve bin nslape, laddie. Oi was thinking ye were doing too much reading. Hid the wee folk si ml ye bad drames? Judgin’ from the way ye screamed they did. Well, Mis come dinner toime, so git riddy." “Oh, is Hie Xmas pudding still here? I dreamt that he could talk, and lie declared lie would not he eaten, and that he was going hack to Pudding Land. And, oh, Nora, he said he would take me and roast me, and he was just going to bite my arm to see how juicy I was when I screamed. I'm glad lie didn’t go away, though.” " sure, an' Iho pudding must lie bewitched. Will, Oi’m afraid Pudding Land is a long way off, Iml dinner time is here, so Mr Pudding vo ooii put- inny'notions av going on a home jaunt out av ycr hid,” said Uhl Nora. (Original) By MAVIS LOCKLEY. »

(Girl Guide Notes will be found on page 18.)