the life and adventures of santa clause-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　to　show　no　mercy　to　the　wicked！〃

Thus　arose　that　terrible　war　between　the　immortals　and　the　spirits　of　evil　which　is　sung　of　in　Fairyland　to　this　very　day。

The　King　Awgwa　and　his　band　determined　to　carry　out　the　threat　to　destroy　Claus。　　They　now　hated　him　for　two　reasons：　he　made　children　happy　and　was　a　friend　of　the　Master　Woodsman。　　But　since　Ak's　visit　they　had　reason　to　fear　the　opposition　of　the　immortals；　and　they　dreaded　defeat。　　So　the　King　sent　swift　messengers　to　all　parts　of　the　world　to　summon　every　evil　creature　to　his　aid。

And　on　the　third　day　after　the　declaration　of　war　a　mighty　army　was　at　the　command　of　the　King　Awgwa。　　There　were　three　hundred　Asiatic　Dragons；　breathing　fire　that　consumed　everything　it　touched。　　These　hated　mankind　and　all　good　spirits。　　And　there　were　the　three…eyed　Giants　of　Tatary；　a　host　in　themselves；　who　liked　nothing　better　than　to　fight。　　And　next　came　the　Black　Demons　from　Patalonia；　with　great　spreading　wings　like　those　of　a　bat；　which　swept　terror　and　misery　through　the　world　as　they　beat　upon　the　air。　　And　joined　to　these　were　the　Goozzle…Goblins；　with　long　talons　as　sharp　as　swords；　with　which　they　clawed　the　flesh　from　their　foes。　　Finally；　every　mountain　Awgwa　in　the　world　had　come　to　participate　in　the　great　battle　with　the　immortals。

The　King　Awgwa　looked　around　upon　this　vast　army　and　his　heart　beat　high　with　wicked　pride；　for　he　believed　he　would　surely　triumph　over　his　gentle　enemies；　who　had　never　before　been　known　to　fight。　　But　the　Master　Woodsman　had　not　been　idle。　　None　of　his　people　was　used　to　warfare；　yet　now　that　they　were　called　upon　to　face　the　hosts　of　evil　they　willingly　prepared　for　the　fray。

Ak　had　commanded　them　to　assemble　in　the　Laughing　Valley；　where　Claus；　ignorant　of　the　terrible　battle　that　was　to　be　waged　on　his　account；　was　quietly　making　his　toys。

Soon　the　entire　Valley；　from　hill　to　hill；　was　filled　with　the　little　immortals。　　The　Master　Woodsman　stood　first；　bearing　a　gleaming　ax　that　shone　like　burnished　silver。　　Next　came　the　Ryls；　armed　with　sharp　thorns　from　bramblebushes。　　Then　the　Knooks；　bearing　the　spears　they　used　when　they　were　forced　to　prod　their　savage　beasts　into　submission。　　The　Fairies；　dressed　in　white　gauze　with　rainbow…hued　wings；　bore　golden　wands；　and　the　Wood…nymphs；　in　their　uniforms　of　oak…leaf　green；　carried　switches　from　ash　trees　as　weapons。

Loud　laughed　the　Awgwa　King　when　he　beheld　the　size　and　the　arms　of　his　foes。　　To　be　sure　the　mighty　ax　of　the　Woodsman　was　to　be　dreaded；　but　the　sweet…faced　Nymphs　and　pretty　Fairies；　the　gentle　Ryls　and　crooked　Knooks　were　such　harmless　folk　that　he　almost　felt　shame　at　having　called　such　a　terrible　host　to　oppose　them。

〃Since　these　fools　dare　fight；〃　he　said　to　the　leader　of　the　Tatary　Giants；　〃I　will　overwhelm　them　with　our　evil　powers！〃

To　begin　the　battle　he　poised　a　great　stone　in　his　left　hand　and　cast　it　full　against　the　sturdy　form　of　the　Master　Woodsman；　who　turned　it　aside　with　his　ax。　　Then　rushed　the　three…eyed　Giants　of　Tatary　upon　the　Knooks；　and　the　Goozzle…Goblins　upon　the　Ryls；　and　the　firebreathing　Dragons　upon　the　sweet　Fairies。　　Because　the　Nymphs　were　Ak's　own　people　the　band　of　Awgwas　sought　them　out；　thinking　to　overcome　them　with　ease。

But　it　is　the　Law　that　while　Evil；　unopposed；　may　accomplish　terrible　deeds；　the　powers　of　Good　can　never　be　overthrown　when　opposed　to　Evil。　　Well　had　it　been　for　the　King　Awgwa　had　he　known　the　Law！

His　ignorance　cost　him　his　existence；　for　one　flash　of　the　ax　borne　by　the　Master　Woodsman　of　the　World　cleft　the　wicked　King　in　twain　and　rid　the　earth　of　the　vilest　creature　it　contained。

Greatly　marveled　the　Tatary　Giants　when　the　spears　of　the　little　Knooks　pierced　their　thick　walls　of　flesh　and　sent　them　reeling　to　the　ground　with　howls　of　agony。

Woe　came　upon　the　sharp…taloned　Goblins　when　the　thorns　of　the　Ryls　reached　their　savage　hearts　and　let　their　life…blood　sprinkle　all　the　plain。　　And　afterward　from　every　drop　a　thistle　grew。

The　Dragons　paused　astonished　before　the　Fairy　wands；　from　whence　rushed　a　power　that　caused　their　fiery　breaths　to　flow　back　on　themselves　so　that　they　shriveled　away　and　died。

As　for　the　Awgwas；　they　had　scant　time　to　realize　how　they　were　destroyed；　for　the　ash　switches　of　the　Nymphs　bore　a　charm　unknown　to　any　Awgwa；　and　turned　their　foes　into　clods　of　earth　at　the　slightest　touch！

When　Ak　leaned　upon　his　gleaming　ax　and　turned　to　look　over　the　field　of　battle　he　saw　the　few　Giants　who　were　able　to　run　disappearing　over　the　distant　hills　on　their　return　to　Tatary。　　The　Goblins　had　perished　every　one；　as　had　the　terrible　Dragons；　while　all　that　remained　of　the　wicked　Awgwas　was　a　great　number　of　earthen　hillocks　dotting　the　plain。

And　now　the　immortals　melted　from　the　Valley　like　dew　at　sunrise；　to　resume　their　duties　in　the　Forest；　while　Ak　walked　slowly　and　thoughtfully　to　the　house　of　Claus　and　entered。

〃You　have　many　toys　ready　for　the　children；〃　said　the　Woodsman；　〃and　now　you　may　carry　them　across　the　plain　to　the　dwellings　and　the　villages　without　fear。〃

〃Will　not　the　Awgwas　harm　me？〃　asked　Claus；　eagerly。

〃The　Awgwas；〃　said　Ak；　〃have　perished！〃


Now　I　will　gladly　have　done　with　wicked　spirits　and　with　fighting　and　bloodshed。　　It　was　not　from　choice　that　I　told　of　the　Awgwas　and　their　allies；　and　of　their　great　battle　with　the　immortals。　　They　were　part　of　this　history；　and　could　not　be　avoided。



8。　　The　First　Journey　with　the　Reindeer


Those　were　happy　days　for　Claus　when　he　carried　his　accumulation　of　toys　to　the　children　who　had　awaited　them　so　long。　　During　his　imprisonment　in　the　Valley　he　had　been　so　industrious　that　all　his　shelves　were　filled　with　playthings；　and　after　quickly　supplying　the　little　ones　living　near　by　he　saw　he　must　now　extend　his　travels　to　wider　fields。

Remembering　the　time　when　he　had　journeyed　with　Ak　through　all　the　world；　he　know　children　were　everywhere；　and　he　longed　to　make　as　many　as　possible　happy　with　his　gifts。

So　he　loaded　a　great　sack　with　all　kinds　of　toys；　slung　it　upon　his　back　that　he　might　carry　it　more　easily；　and　started　off　on　a　longer　trip　than　he　had　yet　undertaken。

Wherever　he　showed　his　merry　face；　in　hamlet　or　in　farmhouse；　he　received　a　cordial　welcome；　for　his　fame　had　spread　into　far　lands。　At　each　village　the　children　swarmed　about　him；　following　his　footsteps　wherever　he　went；　and　the　women　thanked　him　gratefully　for　the　joy　he　brought　their　little　ones；　and　the　men　looked　upon　him　curiously　that　he　should　devote　his　time　to　such　a　queer　occupation　as　toy…making。　　But　every　one　smiled　on　him　and　gave　him　kindly　words；　and　Claus　felt　amply　repaid　for　his　long　journey。

When　the　sack　was　empty　he　went　back　again　to　the　Laughing　Valley　and　once　more　filled　it　to　the　brim。　　This　time　he　followed　another　road；　into　a　different　part　of　the　country；　and　carried　happiness　to　many　children　who　never　before　had　owned　a　toy　or　guessed　that　such　a　delightful　plaything　existed。

After　a　third　journey；　so　far　away　that　Claus　was　many　days　walking　the　distance；　the　store　of　toys　became　exhausted　and　without　delay　he　set　about　making　a　fresh　supply。

From　seeing　so　many　children　and　studying　their　tastes　he　had　acquired　several　new　ideas　about　toys。

The　dollies　were；　he　had　found；　the　most　delightful　of　all　playthings　for　babies　and　little　girls；　and　often　those　who　could　not　say　〃dolly〃　would　call　for　a　〃doll〃　in　their　sweet　baby　talk。　　So　Claus　resolved　to　make　many　dolls；　of　all　sizes；　and　to　dress　them　in　bright…colored　clothing。　　The　older　boysand　even　some　of　the　girlsloved　the　images　of　animals；　so　he　still　made　cats　and　elephants　and　horses。　And　many　of　the　little　fellows　had　musical　natures；　and　longed　for　drums　and　cymbals　and　whistles　and　horns。　　So　he　made　a　number　of　toy　drums；　with　tiny　sticks　to　beat　them　with；　and　he　made　whistles　from　the　willow　trees；　and　horns　from　the　bog…reeds；　and　cymbals　from　bits　of　beaten　metal。

All　this　kept　him　busily　at　work；　and　before　he　realized　it　the　winter　season　came；　with　deeper　snows　than　usual；　and　he　knew　he　could　not　leave　the　Valley　with　his　heavy　pack。　　Moreover；　the　next　trip　would　take　him　far