the life and adventures of santa clause-第1章

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The　Life　and　Adventures　of　Santa　Clause

by　L。　Frank　Baum



Contents

YOUTH
1。　　Burzee
2。　　The　Child　of　the　Forest
3。　　The　Adoption
4。　　Claus
5。　　The　Master　Woodsman
6。　　Claus　Discovers　Humanity
7。　　Claus　Leaves　the　Forest

MANHOOD
1。　　The　Laughing　Valley
2。　　How　Claus　Made　the　First　Toy
3。　　How　the　Ryls　Colored　the　Toys
4。　　How　Little　Mayrie　Became　Frightened
5。　　How　Bessie　Blithesome　Came　to　the　Laughing　Valley
6。　　The　Wickedness　of　the　Awgwas
7。　　The　Great　Battle　Between　Good　and　Evil
8。　　The　First　Journey　with　the　Reindeer
9。　　〃Santa　Claus！〃
10。　　Christmas　Eve
11。　　How　the　First　Stockings　Were　Hung　by　the　Chimneys
12。　　The　First　Christmas　Tree

OLD　AGE
1。　　The　Mantle　of　Immortality
2。　　When　the　World　Grew　Old
3。　　The　Deputies　of　Santa　Claus




YOUTH



1。　　Burzee


Have　you　heard　of　the　great　Forest　of　Burzee？　　Nurse　used　to　sing　of　it　when　I　was　a　child。　　She　sang　of　the　big　tree…trunks；　standing　close　together；　with　their　roots　intertwining　below　the　earth　and　their　branches　intertwining　above　it；　of　their　rough　coating　of　bark　and　queer；　gnarled　limbs；　of　the　bushy　foliage　that　roofed　the　entire　forest；　save　where　the　sunbeams　found　a　path　through　which　to　touch　the　ground　in　little　spots　and　to　cast　weird　and　curious　shadows　over　the　mosses；　the　lichens　and　the　drifts　of　dried　leaves。

The　Forest　of　Burzee　is　mighty　and　grand　and　awesome　to　those　who　steal　beneath　its　shade。　　Coming　from　the　sunlit　meadows　into　its　mazes　it　seems　at　first　gloomy；　then　pleasant；　and　afterward　filled　with　never…ending　delights。

For　hundreds　of　years　it　has　flourished　in　all　its　magnificence；　the　silence　of　its　inclosure　unbroken　save　by　the　chirp　of　busy　chipmunks；　the　growl　of　wild　beasts　and　the　songs　of　birds。

Yet　Burzee　has　its　inhabitantsfor　all　this。　　Nature　peopled　it　in　the　beginning　with　Fairies；　Knooks；　Ryls　and　Nymphs。　　As　long　as　the　Forest　stands　it　will　be　a　home；　a　refuge　and　a　playground　to　these　sweet　immortals；　who　revel　undisturbed　in　its　depths。

Civilization　has　never　yet　reached　Burzee。　　Will　it　ever；　I　wonder？



2。　　The　Child　of　the　Forest


Once；　so　long　ago　our　great…grandfathers　could　scarcely　have　heard　it　mentioned；　there　lived　within　the　great　Forest　of　Burzee　a　wood…nymph　named　Necile。　　She　was　closely　related　to　the　mighty　Queen　Zurline；　and　her　home　was　beneath　the　shade　of　a　widespreading　oak。　　Once　every　year；　on　Budding　Day；　when　the　trees　put　forth　their　new　buds；　Necile　held　the　Golden　Chalice　of　Ak　to　the　lips　of　the　Queen；　who　drank　therefrom　to　the　prosperity　of　the　Forest。　　So　you　see　she　was　a　nymph　of　some　importance；　and；　moreover；　it　is　said　she　was　highly　regarded　because　of　her　beauty　and　grace。

When　she　was　created　she　could　not　have　told；　Queen　Zurline　could　not　have　told；　the　great　Ak　himself　could　not　have　told。　　It　was　long　ago　when　the　world　was　new　and　nymphs　were　needed　to　guard　the　forests　and　to　minister　to　the　wants　of　the　young　trees。　　Then；　on　some　day　not　remembered；　Necile　sprang　into　being；　radiant；　lovely；　straight　and　slim　as　the　sapling　she　was　created　to　guard。

Her　hair　was　the　color　that　lines　a　chestnut…bur；　her　eyes　were　blue　in　the　sunlight　and　purple　in　the　shade；　her　cheeks　bloomed　with　the　faint　pink　that　edges　the　clouds　at　sunset；　her　lips　were　full　red；　pouting　and　sweet。　　For　costume　she　adopted　oak…leaf　green；　all　the　wood…nymphs　dress　in　that　color　and　know　no　other　so　desirable。　　Her　dainty　feet　were　sandal…clad；　while　her　head　remained　bare　of　covering　other　than　her　silken　tresses。

Necile's　duties　were　few　and　simple。　　She　kept　hurtful　weeds　from　growing　beneath　her　trees　and　sapping　the　earth…food　required　by　her　charges。　　She　frightened　away　the　Gadgols；　who　took　evil　delight　in　flying　against　the　tree…trunks　and　wounding　them　so　that　they　drooped　and　died　from　the　poisonous　contact。　　In　dry　seasons　she　carried　water　from　the　brooks　and　pools　and　moistened　the　roots　of　her　thirsty　dependents。

That　was　in　the　beginning。　　The　weeds　had　now　learned　to　avoid　the　forests　where　wood…nymphs　dwelt；　the　loathsome　Gadgols　no　longer　dared　come　nigh；　the　trees　had　become　old　and　sturdy　and　could　bear　the　drought　better　than　when　fresh…sprouted。　　So　Necile's　duties　were　lessened；　and　time　grew　laggard；　while　succeeding　years　became　more　tiresome　and　uneventful　than　the　nymph's　joyous　spirit　loved。

Truly　the　forest…dwellers　did　not　lack　amusement。　　Each　full　moon　they　danced　in　the　Royal　Circle　of　the　Queen。　　There　were　also　the　Feast　of　Nuts；　the　Jubilee　of　Autumn　Tintings；　the　solemn　ceremony　of　Leaf　Shedding　and　the　revelry　of　Budding　Day。　　But　these　periods　of　enjoyment　were　far　apart；　and　left　many　weary　hours　between。

That　a　wood…nymph　should　grow　discontented　was　not　thought　of　by　Necile's　sisters。　　It　came　upon　her　only　after　many　years　of　brooding。　But　when　once　she　had　settled　in　her　mind　that　life　was　irksome　she　had　no　patience　with　her　condition；　and　longed　to　do　something　of　real　interest　and　to　pass　her　days　in　ways　hitherto　undreamed　of　by　forest　nymphs。　　The　Law　of　the　Forest　alone　restrained　her　from　going　forth　in　search　of　adventure。

While　this　mood　lay　heavy　upon　pretty　Necile　it　chanced　that　the　great　Ak　visited　the　Forest　of　Burzee　and　allowed　the　wood…nymphs　as　was　their　wontto　lie　at　his　feet　and　listen　to　the　words　of　wisdom　that　fell　from　his　lips。　　Ak　is　the　Master　Woodsman　of　the　world；　he　sees　everything；　and　knows　more　than　the　sons　of　men。

That　night　he　held　the　Queen's　hand；　for　he　loved　the　nymphs　as　a　father　loves　his　children；　and　Necile　lay　at　his　feet　with　many　of　her　sisters　and　earnestly　harkened　as　he　spoke。

〃We　live　so　happily；　my　fair　ones；　in　our　forest　glades；〃　said　Ak；　stroking　his　grizzled　beard　thoughtfully；　〃that　we　know　nothing　of　the　sorrow　and　misery　that　fall　to　the　lot　of　those　poor　mortals　who　inhabit　the　open　spaces　of　the　earth。　　They　are　not　of　our　race；　it　is　true；　yet　compassion　well　befits　beings　so　fairly　favored　as　ourselves。　　Often　as　I　pass　by　the　dwelling　of　some　suffering　mortal　I　am　tempted　to　stop　and　banish　the　poor　thing's　misery。　　Yet　suffering；　in　moderation；　is　the　natural　lot　of　mortals；　and　it　is　not　our　place　to　interfere　with　the　laws　of　Nature。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　said　the　fair　Queen；　nodding　her　golden　head　at　the　Master　Woodsman；　〃it　would　not　be　a　vain　guess　that　Ak　has　often　assisted　these　hapless　mortals。〃

Ak　smiled。

〃Sometimes；〃　he　replied；　〃when　they　are　very　young'children；'　the　mortals　call　themI　have　stopped　to　rescue　them　from　misery。　　The　men　and　women　I　dare　not　interfere　with；　they　must　bear　the　burdens　Nature　has　imposed　upon　them。　　But　the　helpless　infants；　the　innocent　children　of　men；　have　a　right　to　be　happy　until　they　become　full…grown　and　able　to　bear　the　trials　of　humanity。　　So　I　feel　I　am　justified　in　assisting　them。　　Not　long　agoa　year；　maybeI　found　four　poor　children　huddled　in　a　wooden　hut；　slowly　freezing　to　death。　　Their　parents　had　gone　to　a　neighboring　village　for　food；　and　had　left　a　fire　to　warm　their　little　ones　while　they　were　absent。　　But　a　storm　arose　and　drifted　the　snow　in　their　path；　so　they　were　long　on　the　road。　　Meantime　the　fire　went　out　and　the　frost　crept　into　the　bones　of　the　waiting　children。〃

〃Poor　things！〃　murmured　the　Queen　softly。　　〃What　did　you　do？〃

〃I　called　Nelko；　bidding　him　fetch　wood　from　my　forests　and　breathe　upon　it　until　the　fire　blazed　again　and　warmed　the　little　room　where　the　children　lay。　　Then　they　ceased　shivering　and　fell　asleep　until　their　parents　came。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　did　thus；〃　said　the　good　Queen；　beaming　upon　the　Master；　and　Necile；　who　had　eagerly　listened　to　every　word；　echoed　in　a　whisper：　〃I；　too；　am　glad！〃

〃And　this　very　night；〃　continued　Ak；　〃as　I　came　to　the　edge　of　Burzee　I　heard　a　feeble　cry；　which　I　judged　came　from　a　human　infant。　　I　looked　about　me　and　found；　close　to　the　forest；　a　helpless　babe；　lying　quite　naked　upon　the　grasses　and　wailing　piteously。　　Not　far　away；　screened　by　the　forest；　crouched　Shiegra；　the　lioness；　intent　upon　devouring　the　infant　for　her　evening　meal。〃

〃And　what　did　you　do；　Ak？〃　asked　the　Queen；　breathlessly。

〃Not　much；　being　in　a　hurry　to　greet　my　nymphs。　　But　I　commande