1916 School Magazine

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December, 191C,.

GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZTNE.

An Arabian Wedding.

A N officer recently returned from !g) pt and when there was Invited by his guide to a double Arab wedding. About two o'clock in the afternoon the cere- mony commenced with a procession, vnich marched from the bride's home to the ceme- tery. about half a mile away. At the head of the procession was a band which seemed to te composed of every kind of portable instrument but a kerosene tin and a Jew's harp. Each member played his own tune and the effect was indescribable. Behind the band came two camels with a 'palanquin,' slung between them. In this sat the two brides with their mothers, and as many of the younger members of the family as would fit in. On each camel's back sat a man best- ing a drum, and behind him, as many children as could be packed on, blowing tin whistles., etc. Behind the camels were about twenty men with long poles in their hands, and they sang and danced in the intervals when th? I ONG, long ago. a tiny little elf lived in a large blue gum tree on the outskirts of an Australian cattle station. He had lived there ever since he could remember any- thing about himself, surrounded by branches and leaves innumerable. He made a tiny home for himself with leaves, but it was not very cosy. One spring two little birds built a nest In this tree and lived there till their young ones were able to help themselves. They all flew away then, and left the nice little nest on the tree. The little elf went to look at this nest, aft, the birds had gone, and found it very cotnLort- able. He determined to make It suitable for him to live In. He fixed leaves all over the outside of it except the doorway, which he cnly partly covered with leavea. The night he finished it he crept into it to sleep. Oh ! the delight of a alee home. It was lovely, If only the birds did not come baek and take it from him. However, the spring came again, and be was left In peace ia his new abode. Suddenly, one hot summer day. he thought he aaw a strange gleam of lilht. He went to see what it was, but It van- ished. All day long he woudered what it could have bees.

The wedding guests, num-

music stopped.

bering about 300, walked at the back. The fathers of the bridegrooms were not allowed to be preent while the bridegrooms themselves were locked up in the house of the Sheik, the chief of the village. When the procession reached the house where the bride's reception was to take place, the brides, quite covered up in black shawls, were carried from the palanquin on the shoulders of two of their friends, while at the door stood a man with a big stick, driving back the women who tried to rush In before the brides. As soon as the brides entered all the women swarmed into the house while the men went to the house of the Sheik, where they found the two bridegrooms. Here they were entertained. Dancing and feasting were en- joyed, the guests being served with cake and delicious coffee. About ten o'clock at night the guests departed. Then the bridegrooms went for their brides and took them home. Tree Elf. He was used to the gleams of sunlight which danced among the leaves, but somehow this one had seemed different from the rest. The next day a driasling ran was falling. and the little elf could only stand in his door- way and wait for the sunshine. Oh, Joy! there was the same tiny gleam he had seen before comlua towards hu.'. It was quite close to him. when he heard a small voice ay. "Oh. I'm so lonely and miserable. Iet me in. oh, do let me in." The elf was very ,,uirom.. in his own way. so he said Ssgently. "Come in and set warm, you poor little gleaming light." Thereupon the gleam came Into bhis nest, and then he saw It was a dear, little sun fairy with golden hair and tiny shimmering winas. covered with rain drops. Her win soon dried, and then auch lots of questions were asked. The elf could not let the fairy go again. He loved her already. He found out how lonely be had been all by himnself. At last, the fairy sald she must go .ome to the sun and the elf must go, too, and they would always be hamppy. When the next sunbeam came down to them through the leaves, away the fairy and her gum tree elf alled on it. leaving the gum tree and the neat deeolate. V, . .. IVa.

The Gum

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