Cho-Cho and the Health Fairy

Part 1

CHO-CHO and THE HEALTH FAIRY

Six Stories by ELEANOR GLENDOWER GRIFFITH

Illustrated by JESSIE GILLESPIE

HEALTH IN EDUCATION EDUCATION IN HEALTH

New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1922

All rights reserved

COPYRIGHT, 1919

CHILD HEALTH ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA

DEDICATED TO THE FAIRY GODMOTHER OF CHILD HEALTH ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA

Mrs. Frederick Peterson

The House the Children Built

Once upon a time there lived a good and beautiful Fairy named Health, and she was very happy, for all around were flowers and trees and birds and in the midst of these, her house.

Now Health’s house was built of bricks and shingles and lovely colored glass. One day when the sky was blue and the sun shining, down the road came an ugly old Witch. Her face was hard and her eyes were very cruel. She stopped in front of Health’s lovely garden and from her pocket drew forth a yellow ball and threw it with all her strength toward the house.

It settled on the roof, and where it fell there sprang forth fire, which spread and spread over the house, until it was a mass of flames. Fairy Health ran to the well for water, but before her tiny hands could draw the water up from the well, her house was burnt beyond all help.

When the Witch, whose name was Ignorance, saw the harm she had done, she laughed a cruel laugh and hobbled down the road.

Poor little Fairy Health sank upon the grass in her garden and cried. At last she was conscious of a voice and looking up, saw in a green bush quite near a lovely Bird, who said: “Keep up your courage, Fairy, for I will tell you how to build your house anew.”

Health dried her eyes upon a sweet geranium leaf, and asked him how that could possibly be done.

The Bird replied: “It can be done by the hands of Children alone. Every time a Child learns to eat the right food, a brick shall be added to your house, every time a Child learns to sleep in the sweet fresh air, a shingle shall be put upon the roof. And every time a Child learns to play and be happy, a colored glass shall be added to the windows.”

“But alas!” said Fairy Health, “How shall we teach the Children these things?”

“I will go to the Teachers who are wise and good,” said the Bird, “and tell them what to do.”

So the Bird, whose name was Education, started on his journey. He took his brother Rumor with him to help tell the Teachers, because there were a great many Teachers to be told about the Children’s health.

Far and near these wise birds traveled, to little towns and to big cities, and everywhere the Teachers listened to their story, until in all that great country, the Children were taught to eat wholesome food, to sleep in the sweet fresh air, and to play and be happy.

And as the Children grew healthy and happy, the bricks were added to the Fairy’s house, and shingles were put upon the roof. Lovely colored glass filled up the broken windows, and once again there stood among the trees and flowers a house so beautiful that strangers, passing by, paused to admire it. Health often invited them to rest in her garden, and as she refreshed them with sparkling water from the well, she told the story of her house, and how Children had rebuilt it for her.

The Magic Oat Field

One day as the Fairy Health sat within her Rose Arbor, there came walking down the road a tiny Elf. He had a merry face and a bright smile, and pausing beside the Garden Gate, he asked:

“Does Health live here?”

“I am Health,” said the Fairy, and rose to greet him. The Elf drew from his pocket a little card, on which was written “Cho-Cho, the Friend of Children,” and presented it to the Fairy.

“I come,” he said, “to view the wonders of your Garden, and to learn from you the secrets of a Child’s Heart.”

Part 2

The good Fairy took Cho-Cho’s hand and leading him by many lovely paths, came at length into a Field of ripening Oats. On the borders of the Field grew flowers of many colors, and the air was filled with perfume.

Health paused and said: “As long as these beautiful Oats flourish I know that everywhere in all this great country Children can eat Oatmeal for their breakfast and grow strong and healthy, but if the Oats should wither and die, something dreadful would happen to the Children.”

Even as she spoke, a strange light settled on the Oat Field, and the beautiful waving grain began to shrivel and wither away.

A look of terror came into the Fairy’s eyes. As Cho-Cho turned to clasp her hand in sympathy, suddenly there stood beside him a handsome Persian Cat.

“Don’t lose heart, little Fairy,” said Puss, “I will help you. Last night, as I was walking in the moonlight, I saw an ugly old Witch creep into your garden.

“In her hand she carried a large strong box. I hid behind a bush and saw her open the box. As she raised the lid, out sprang swarms of tiny insects and flew toward the Oat Field. The Witch laughed a harsh laugh, and said, ‘Go, little imps—work quickly, for your time is short.’

“I understand magic, Fairy, and can change at will into any shape that pleases me—so in the twinkling of an eye I became a Witch too, and walking slowly forward, I said, ‘A fine night, Madam Witch. What do you here?’

“The old Witch jumped when she heard my voice, but seeing it was only a Witch like herself, she grinned horribly and said: ‘I have persuaded hundreds of children to stop eating Oatmeal, and every time a Child refuses Oatmeal, one of these little imps is born. Before tomorrow night the Fairy’s Oat Field will be withered and dead. One thing only can stop these imps of mine,’ she chuckled.

“‘What is that, O powerful Witch?’ I asked.

“‘I must be bound fast with chains of steel. If such a thing could happen my imps would quickly die and the Children would eat Oatmeal again and the Field regain its beauty, but ha! ha! no one can bind me.’

“‘You must be very clever, Madam Witch,’ I said, ‘But it grows late and I must away.’

“So I left her there and went to my home.”

“What shall I do?” the little Fairy cried. “What shall I do?”

“Be not discouraged, Fairy,” said the Persian Cat, “I am your friend, follow me.”

Down the road the cat led them for fully half a mile, until they came to a forest of fir trees. Quiet reigned within the wood. It was so very still that even their soft footsteps on the pine needles could be heard. There was no light except from far above their heads, where the blue sky shone through the green branches of the trees.

Puss went on and on, until Cho-Cho and the Fairy were growing quite tired. At last he stopped before a huge tree whose branches touched the ground. Parting these, the Cat entered, and followed by his two friends, stood beside the Tree.

“Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful Tree, Open, Oh open your door unto me!”

Slowly the trunk of the great Tree opened and they beheld a narrow stairway leading down, down, farther than their eyes could see.

“Come,” said the Cat, “the Witch lives here. Step lightly or we may rouse her.”

Softly, very softly, they crept down those narrow steps, until at last they entered a dark room. Its only light came from a fire of coals, and before this fire the Witch lay sleeping. Springing upon her, Puss bound her arms and feet with chains of steel, and she lay helpless before them, uttering cries of hate and wickedness.

“Wonderful Cat, who are you?” said Cho-Cho.

“I am Knowledge,” said the Cat, “and this cruel Witch is Ignorance, who spends her life plotting against the health of Children. Between us there is always war. Lie there, Ignorance, while the Children you wish to kill grow strong and healthy. Fairy, your Oat Field is beautiful again.”

Leaving the dark home of Ignorance, they traveled through the sweet scented forest, back to the garden of the Fairy Health. There they found that the Cat had told them true, for the Oat Field was beautiful beyond words. The blue sky smiled above, and the summer wind blew over it, carrying the perfume of a thousand flowers, and all the world seemed full of peace.

“Cat, dear Cat, what can we do for you?” said Cho-Cho.

“Only this,” said Puss, “help me to fight Ignorance.”

From his finger the Cat took two tiny rings. One he gave to Cho-Cho and one to the Fairy.

“If ever again this cruel Witch arises to destroy the Children’s Oatmeal, turn this ring upon your finger twice and say:

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