The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-06-07

FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
SQUANk AND THE BULLFROGS.

Now Shagrac. the Ogre, and the king
OF The Black Gnomes. both OF whom
hated the Queen of the Fairies for her
goodness. put their wicked heads to-
gether and plotted what evil they
might do her.
Every time we have contriyed harm
against her, We have done so separate
ily,' they said one to the other, "and
each time that miserable little Squank,
her favorite Goblin, has upset our
plans. Now. let Us join together and
see il together we cannot ruin her
beautiful fairyland and bring sorrow
| TO her ard her court"
And so these evil creatures agreed
that Oh Il certain dark night the Ogre
with all his yassais and the king with
all his wicked gnomes should marca
across the stream that bounded fairy
land and lay waste all that beautiful
country.
Now it happened that one Of Queen
Esmeraldas dragon-flics that was wan
dering about the world in search Of In
formation overheard this conversation
between the Ogre and the Gnome
when she said that wings could carry
him he FASTENED back to TIE palace Of
the queen and told her the terrible
news
"Oh, Queen" he cried. 'the wicked
Ogre, Shagrac, and the King Of the
GnoTe5 have plotted to join their fore
es and destroy ali tbs beautiful fairy
land: and they will be SO strong that
nothing can resist them and the dra
son-fiy burst INTO tears.
Then Ire Queen and all the fairies
at the court wept and walled and
vrung their hands in despair. for il
seemed that nothing could resist the
terrible power Of these wicked Great
ures. Their cries reached little SquanH
who was chasing butterflies in the gar
Gen.
what is the matter. ON. little
Oueen?" be exclaimed. when he found
Esmeralla and all the court bathed
in tears.
"Oh, little Squank," replied the
Queen. that terrible ogre and the
wicked gnome king are coming with all
their hosts of evil on a certain dark
night to destroy our beautiful fairy
land. and nothing can save lis from
Their power" Then little Squank went
off by himself and thought his very
hardest.
q cannot overcome them by
S.ength," he unused. so I will try
cunning" And. after thinking a loag
time, he jumped up and with mer-
~ laugh, FASTENED to the Queen.
ooh. Queen. did you not, long time
ago. when there was a great drought
and all the streams and ponds were
dried up and the bullfroSs and their
tabics were dying for water. send for
them 10 come and live in your foun-
;ains until the rains came?'
YES. | did, Squank.' replied the
ouesu. "But what has that 70 do with
our present trouble
Rut lit;le Spank made never an an
swer but went scuttlins away TO the
great marsh where The king Of the
bullfrogs lived.
ooh. King Bullfrog." he exclaimed.
don't vou remember how. when AL
the ponds were dried up and your peo-
Die were dying for water, cur Queen
let them all come and 1--we III hor
fountains until th2 rains camc?'
Indeed d." a1swcrcd The bull
freq k.ng in voice Ike a thousand
"5Yc snail never forget her
,,:2dncgs aA2 would love 70 repay il"
You can CO 90" continued SQuank.
On q certain dark a.8ht take all your
one Of them-and go
line the banks of the stream that
bound Fairyland, just as thick as you
can pack together Keep perfectly
puiet until blow my whistle; then
Iet every one of you commence to sing
for your very lives"
why certainly little Squank," re-
Piled the king bullfrOg. That will
Just be fun for us: you know we like
ncthing better than TO get together