July 1954 School Magazine

Bris·bane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1954

July, 1954

Bris·bane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

contents himself to captivity, and, as long as his appetite is satisfied, condescends to ride upon his master's shoulder. The carnivorous mantis devours the locust, but an ant can eat the remains of the mantis, and the Wryneck eats ants. It is the custom of a Frenchman to eat the Wryneck, which makes one understand that all these creatures supply "a drop of oil to feed the lamb of thought." We have seen the praying mantis as a cruel, flesh eoting creature, and then again as the most beautiful nest-builder. In China, we find the mantis a:s God's gift to man. Locusts and grass-hoppers attack crops in plagues, but upon the arrival of a swarm of praying mantis, all insects of prey are devoured and the produce is saved. There is a reason for the habits of all insects, whether they be good or bad, as there is a reason for everything in this world. The mantis, for all its evil thoughts and its hypocritical attitude, has served man well, and become his friend.

A VISIT TO THE NATIVE CENTRE OF ADEN. There was an air of excitement as our ship approached its next port of call, Aden. Shortly after breakfast a launch took us to the mainland and from there we hired a taxi to the native quarter. During the drive we saw many interesting things. Native huts were mostly made of hessian and attached to the outside walls were the occupants' cane beds. There was an a ir of · poverty everywhere and the sea and blue skies were a con- trast to the dry and barren surrounding country. We were shortly winding our way through narrow crnd smelly streets which were thronged with ncrtives and it wcrs here our cab ccrme to a hcrlt. We were immedicrtely beseiged by children; some horribly th]n crnd emcrciated, begging for alms. One little boy of about 12 years bf crge offered to be our guide for two Rupees (crpproximcrtely 3/-). He wcrs very polite crnd helpful and took us to several shops where we made various purchcrses. He also pointed out a large and beautiful building which was one of their mcrin temples. Although very interesting it was rather frightening to be continually followed by natives. It wcrs reassuring to see the native policemen, immcrculate in their tropical unifmms, crt different points in the town. Perhcrps these natives were quite harmless, nevertheless it was cr relief to get back to the big white ship in the harbour which wcrs to be our home for crnother three weeks.

I vf

-Wendy Hadgraft.

Middle a nd Lower School Lyric Prize, 1953.

PAINTING BY PAUL NASH. ffhe pearls of a day hung in the topmost height When my crested hope whistled over drybuilt wall And I over the good peat and the moss-green bog Wandered my never-lost way between the calls Of curlew and playing plover; that was of all The empiiest world that ever I striding saw, With a blank road running in the tireless hills And a day's money to spend, day without flaw. The heather was young yet and the bilberry leaves Grew green in the burnt places, bracken was curled In that flowerless parac'ise-the stones were the flowers, And the sepal and pe a! of brilliant water whirled

PAMELA MENDOZA, FORM 3E.

NIGHT STORY.

'Tha t night the wind blew gramarye And moonlight through the slim dark lace Of the peach and of the w illow tree, And the moon was as big as a bishop's face. And I was drawn to the moon-full stream, And with my net of magic cord I stole the star-tips from the waves, And· with them I have made my sword. I who live under the peach-tree bough Have often heard the old stars say, "We seek the man who stole our spears," And I have hidden my face away.

i

Under the crag; and over by llkley way I counted, line upon line, rack over rack,

The nameless moors I would never walk. and a certain Concourse of light and cloud that would never come back.

Alexa Tabke.

Alexa Tabke, V. A.

16

17