The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-12-17
DADDY,} FVENNd
lFAlRY TALE "a
lvfARY GRAI1An BONNER
THE LocUsTs' SONG.

Listen" said Mother Meadow Lo-
Gust 10, little Meadow Locust named
MilIie. ''ahd viii tell sou story"
THAT is. nice said Mile politely.
and also because she did want TO hear
q story
Il am going to tell you that your
song must always beFsoft and sweet,
very soft and sweet. and SO am going
10 send you TO the Meadow Locust
Family Music club. Singing is taught
there.
You see. Mile, dear" she contin-
ued years ago when we sang just
like the Katydid family the Fairy
Queen was giving q concert one night.
"'Locusts,' she said to US. I want
some other singers to take parts which
are like the Katydids' parts, but lit-
| tie softer. That will help the whole
effect of the singing. Il Will make it
so lovely TO have different voices. DIFF
| ferent sounds, different tones. Then
| il will be such a beautiful c0ncerT.
| such an exquisite concert. Do you
think you could help me. Locus!sT
1
everything we could for the Fairy
Queen and for her concert. So we had
huge meeting that very afternoon of
all the locusts We put signs around
the meadow Oh all the tall blades OF
grass and told all The locusts 10 come
10 the meeting.
"They arrived at all times. for as
|
but some Of them had been taking maps
or had been OF walking and hopping
and weren't on The lookout for signs
and notices.
S But there was huge meeting. on,
there were loads and loads of IL.
: | What can we dt,: we asked ourselves
d and each ether. To help the Fairy
a Queens concert we surely must, bur
rs what will we do?
: FINALLY one little Locust. named
Larry Locust. spoke up. / have an
70 idea he said.
# I'VE all crowded around Larry and
asked him what his idea was.
Id well, he said, ii we all practice
81 to sing quite soft song and always
remember to keep down Our voices so
ID they won't be too loud | think we'll
se have what the Fairy Queen wants
!, so we practiced and practiced all
re- that afternoon. When evening came
at we all took our places al the concert
that is--we had ii in the early eve
ming.
IN We sat in front of the katydids
3 and all the other creatures sat around.
Well. when the Fairy Queen heard Us
singing softly and sweetiy. and when
she heard our parts by ourselves she
no was delighted.
n. Always sing like that, she cried
in yes, always sing those sweet low
notes of yours
Eve were so pleased and we have
nm always kept to that same Kind OF sing
ICE ing. The Fairy Queen liked the Katy
-, dids-you mustn't for Il moment think
she dlint-but she thought it would
be nice if we had our own Kind oi
singing, our own little songs. so there {
ia Ge the music OF the Meadow Locusts
= too.
Wasn't that a good idea OF Lar
ryst" Mrs. Locust asked.
y most In3FNElpuS lneS, S.iiu -hii
iss lie rs that ny Uncle Larry
h., THE very one" said Mother Locust
Il must tell you. too, DOW that tn
an story time is over, q little Of the his
H." tory of the insect family. for we mus
ed have tile history Of cur people aad al
peoples, or rather. all insects, in on
. lessons.
~ There is the flying srasshoppei
colorcd like the ground. that Is. th
color of pebbles and stones. He is SAT
I'll that way. for enemies don't know, hal
the time that he is II srasshopper.
II There is Il very distant rciatio
known as the scorpion. Hes an oil
terror He-soeS with some of the in
secis where il is very, very warm. ii
really is nearer relative of the era
family. I'm glad 10 say.
" But | think We'll have our lesso
= continued another day. Just TOW ie
to us sing and thank the Fairy Queen a:i
ing dear Larry Locust. who 'ls'.i,ed ia S:y
ard IT'S Il song. like the soIg 1T t!s kai.
hed did family, but still ~ all, ell OF
. .ne own"