One day, little Simon Brownie said to his brothers, Joe and Sam, “I would give the world if I could grow. I wish I was a giant instead of a Brownie.”

“Ha! Ha!” laughed Joe.

“Ha! Ha!” laughed Sam. They thought it a fine joke.

“If you want to grow so much,” said Joe, “you must eat plenty of porridge.”

Next morning at breakfast, Simon, to his mother’s surprise, asked for a second helping of porridge. (As a rule he scarcely finished his first.) For a whole week he did this, but not a tiny, wee bit did he grow.

“Porridge is no use,” said Simon to Joe and Sam, “Can’t you think of something else?”

But his brothers shook their heads. Next day however they thought of “something else.”

Simon, tired out with play, had flung himself under a toad-stool for a nap.

“Let’s water him,” whispered naughty Joe to Sam, “the same as mother does the flowers—that will make him grow.”

And without wasting any more words, he ran home for his watering-can. Presently Simon awoke all in a hurry, thinking that an April shower was pouring down upon him. When he found out it was Joe who was watering him with his can, he was at first quite angry.

“Don’t be cross, Simon,” laughed Joe. “I only did it to make you grow!”

And Simon who knew how to take a joke, laughed too.

Since that day he has grown, not much bigger perhaps, but certainly wiser.