
PREFACE.
“THE CHILDREN’S HOUR.”
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
A SOUTHERN CROSS FAIRY TALE.
NOTES.
In this charming tale the familiar glow of Christmas is swapped for the sun‑lit wonder of New Zealand, where the Santa‑claus myth slips into a landscape of rolling green hills, native birds and the glittering Southern Cross. The story opens with a warm gathering of children eager for enchantment, and it gently shows how a holiday of lights and carols feels when snow is absent and the ocean breaths in place of frost.
Both whimsical and grounded, the narrator weaves fairy‑folk and real wildlife into a seamless picture of a season celebrated beneath towering kauri trees and beside clear, humming streams. As the children listen, they are treated to vivid descriptions of native flora, mischievous brownie‑like sprites, and the simple, heartfelt joy of sharing stories around a fire. The soothing rhythm of the prose invites listeners of all ages to experience a Christmas that feels both exotic and warmly familiar.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (99K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United Kingdom: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington,1891.
Credits
Jason Isbell, Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was made using scans of public domain works in the International Children's Digital Library.)
Release date
2023-01-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1847–1926
A British-born New Zealand writer, artist, and community worker, she helped shape early children’s literature in New Zealand with stories rooted in local landscape and folklore. Her best-known work, A Southern Cross Fairy Tale, blends imagination with a strong sense of place.
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