BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY
Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley. Ever since he could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire wouldn’t burn. He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
He and his family had lived like that for years. When any elf wanted to describe something very sad he would say it was “Down in the Dumps.” And so Dumps went on without a single happy day.
But suddenly the elves decided to give a party. Oh, it was going to be a very jolly party indeed, and Dumps heard about it. Almost every elf who passed was whistling, or singing something cheerful. And some of them carried their best green suits to the Wood Fairy’s house to be pressed. And when Dumps heard about the party, he cried so loud because he knew he wouldn’t be invited that the Wood Fairy heard him. The noise disturbed her, and she went down to Dumps’ house to see what was the matter with him now.
“Tell me all about it, from the beginning, my dear,” she said to poor little Dumps.
“I can’t see the sunshine!” Dumps howled.
“Of course, you can’t,” said the Wood Fairy. “Your windows are dirty. Get some nice spring water in your little pail and wash them.”
Dumps had never thought of doing that. When he washed the windows the sunbeams streamed in like a golden ladder.
“Is there something else the matter?” the Wood Fairy asked.