The happiness box

A fairytale by D. Grifin & L. Greener, 1942

Changi

Sergeant David Griffin, while a prisoner-of-war in Selarang Barracks, Singapore, decided to bring some Christmas cheer to the civilian children in nearby Changi Gaol by writing a fairytale. Bruce Blakey typed the text on the Barracks’ library typewriter and Leslie Greener, an artist and former editor of the weekly magazine, Pix, illustrated the tale.

The story concerns three animals—a chi-chak lizard, a monkey and a frog—searching for the secret of happiness.

The Japanese commander at the camp confiscated the manuscript, however, because he noticed that the lizard’s name was Winston. In late 1942, there was only one Winston, the British Prime Minister. The commander thought there might be coded messages for the civilians in Changi Gaol. Major Phillip Head undertook to destroy the manuscript but, instead, buried it. It was rescued when Singapore was liberated in September 1945. The book was published in Sydney in 1947 and reprinted in 1991.
Display item The happiness box

 

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