The Fairies' Dege.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 54

The Fairies' Dege.

Once upon a time, near the borders of Fairyland, lived a King and his daughter. The Princess was only ten and had hundreds of dogs, and did nothing all day but play with them in the royal grounds.

-She was so merry and so kind that everyone loved her, from the King, who almost worshipped her, down to the little scullery boy in the royal kitchen. He used to watch her as she played and wish that he could give her a dog. One day when Ke was coming toward the palace he found in the road a little puppy, thin and lame and mangy. He picked it up carefully. “Perhaps,” he thought, “if the cook is in a good humour she will give me something for him.” So he asked her for some scraps. But the cook was very angry at his dar- . ing to bring such a puppy within the royal grounds. She called a groom and gave him the puppy to take a way, while the poor boy ran out into the royal woods and threw himself on the ground and cried; he was so sorry for the puppy. But the Princess, who saw him crying, came running to him, for she didn’t like to see-anyone unhappy. “What’s the matter'; boy?” “Tlie grb'om wifl hurt'the puppy,” lie sobbed. '' ~ ’ “What puppy*” ' And she 'called' the groom bach/ “Is it one of 'my puppies, boy?” “No, Princess, I found him in the road.” “Let me see him, groom. ‘Why—l never saw a puppy like that before—he’s so thin, and lame.” And the Princess’s eyes began to -fill. “What, are you going to do with him, groom?” “Put him out in the road, Princess.” “Oh, Princess, don’t let Kim!” begged the. boy. . , “No, boy, I won’t. Will you give him to me, boy?” “Oh, yes, Princess.” “Give him to me, groom. Don’t cry, boy, he’ll soon be well.” And she walked quietly away. Now, you see, the Princess had never been, outside the royal grounds, so she didn’t know that there were dogs that were not well fed and happy like hers. First she went to the kennels and ordered that the puppy be well taken care of.

Then ahe want into her father and toM him all aboutnL

'Father,” ahe aaid, and she looked. M unhappy. that the King didn't kmx what lo do. “Are there any more dogs like that poor, puppyJ” ~. Now the King had decided that the Princess should never know any unhappiness, arid was almost angry that .sfia i had taken the puppy. But he was more afraid that she would cry, eo he quickly, said: f ’

“Oh, no, my deur, there isn’t any other puppy like that one,” which, he added to himself, “is probably true.”

Bo the Princess was quite happy again. 'After a while the puppy grew well, and on e day the Princess took him around to the rear of the palace. .

“Send'the boy out to me,' cook,” said the Princess. '■ ' _

So the boy came out, and when he saw that the puppy was all ’ well he jumped up and down with joy. “Pm going to call him Boy, just aa I call you Boy; and I thank you for giving him to me. I love him best of all my puppies. • Good-bye.” And she ran away. '

And the boy was so liappy that he turned three somersaults right under the cooks very eyes, and even smiled when she ’ scolded, for he had at fast given the Princess a dog. One day Boy squeezed through one of the palace gates, and the Princess rah out after him. Boy ran down the road, and then stopped; and when the Princess caught up to him he was looking at a poor little puppy that was just us miserable as Boy had been when he first came to the palace. The Princess burst into tears; then she picked up the puppy . and stumbled home, Boy following her. But they couldn't help, the puppy, and the next day he died. And the poor little Princess cried and cried until the King sent to Fairyland for someone to comfort her. The message came back from the Queen of “Send the Princess, alone, to the edge of the wood nearest the palace at sunset.” So the Princess stopped crying a little bit, and went to the wood. j .. . When slje reacli.ed.it, a fairy came to her and on . the lowest branch of that tree," Princess,” and’ as soon as she. sat down , the branch’began to move and she couldn't see anything. Suddenly the branch stopped, and the Princess saw; more dogs, than she had thought there could be in the whole world, playing in a beautiful meadow. “Oh!” she cried, for there was the puppy tlrat had died, quite well and strong.

But suddenly the branch began to move again, and everything disappeared. When the. branch stopped the Princess said, “I don’t quite understand, Fairy.” “Every dog that dies comes here, Princess, to be happy forever.” “And may I come again, Fairy?” “No, Princess. No mortal can ever come a second time, -and you must never tell any one about.it,” “Not even my father, Fairy?”

“No, Princess, but teach him to love dogs, and, then we will show him w-hat you .have seen. The only person you know who has. seen it is .the scullery boy in-your father’s palace.”. -