the life and adventures of santa clause-第16章

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nd　shone　upon　hundreds　of　happy　homes　where　the　sound　of　childish　laughter　proclaimed　that　Santa　Claus　had　made　them　a　visit。

God　bless　him！　　It　was　his　first　Christmas　Eve；　and　for　hundreds　of　years　since　then　he　has　nobly　fulfilled　his　mission　to　bring　happiness　to　the　hearts　of　little　children。



11。　　How　the　First　Stockings　Were　Hung　by　the　Chimneys


When　you　remember　that　no　child；　until　Santa　Claus　began　his　travels；　had　ever　known　the　pleasure　of　possessing　a　toy；　you　will　understand　how　joy　crept　into　the　homes　of　those　who　had　been　favored　with　a　visit　from　the　good　man；　and　how　they　talked　of　him　day　by　day　in　loving　tones　and　were　honestly　grateful　for　his　kindly　deeds。　　It　is　true　that　great　warriors　and　mighty　kings　and　clever　scholars　of　that　day　were　often　spoken　of　by　the　people；　but　no　one　of　them　was　so　greatly　beloved　as　Santa　Claus；　because　none　other　was　so　unselfish　as　to　devote　himself　to　making　others　happy。　　For　a　generous　deed　lives　longer　than　a　great　battle　or　a　king's　decree　of　a　scholar's　essay；　because　it　spreads　and　leaves　its　mark　on　all　nature　and　endures　through　many　generations。

The　bargain　made　with　the　Knook　Prince　changed　the　plans　of　Claus　for　all　future　time；　for；　being　able　to　use　the　reindeer　on　but　one　night　of　each　year；　he　decided　to　devote　all　the　other　days　to　the　manufacture　of　playthings；　and　on　Christmas　Eve　to　carry　them　to　the　children　of　the　world。

But　a　year's　work　would；　he　knew；　result　in　a　vast　accumulation　of　toys；　so　he　resolved　to　build　a　new　sledge　that　would　be　larger　and　stronger　and　better…fitted　for　swift　travel　than　the　old　and　clumsy　one。

His　first　act　was　to　visit　the　Gnome　King；　with　whom　he　made　a　bargain　to　exchange　three　drums；　a　trumpet　and　two　dolls　for　a　pair　of　fine　steel　runners；　curled　beautifully　at　the　ends。　　For　the　Gnome　King　had　children　of　his　own；　who；　living　in　the　hollows　under　the　earth；　in　mines　and　caverns；　needed　something　to　amuse　them。

In　three　days　the　steel　runners　were　ready；　and　when　Claus　brought　the　playthings　to　the　Gnome　King；　his　Majesty　was　so　greatly　pleased　with　them　that　he　presented　Claus　with　a　string　of　sweet…toned　sleigh…bells；　in　addition　to　the　runners。

〃These　will　please　Glossie　and　Flossie；〃　said　Claus；　as　he　jingled　the　bells　and　listened　to　their　merry　sound。　　〃But　I　should　have　two　strings　of　bells；　one　for　each　deer。〃

〃Bring　me　another　trumpet　and　a　toy　cat；〃　replied　the　King；　〃and　you　shall　have　a　second　string　of　bells　like　the　first。〃

〃It　is　a　bargain！〃　cried　Claus；　and　he　went　home　again　for　the　toys。

The　new　sledge　was　carefully　built；　the　Knooks　bringing　plenty　of　strong　but　thin　boards　to　use　in　its　construction。　　Claus　made　a　high；　rounding　dash…board　to　keep　off　the　snow　cast　behind　by　the　fleet　hoofs　of　the　deer；　and　he　made　high　sides　to　the　platform　so　that　many　toys　could　be　carried；　and　finally　he　mounted　the　sledge　upon　the　slender　steel　runners　made　by　the　Gnome　King。

It　was　certainly　a　handsome　sledge；　and　big　and　roomy。　　Claus　painted　it　in　bright　colors；　although　no　one　was　likely　to　see　it　during　his　midnight　journeys；　and　when　all　was　finished　he　sent　for　Glossie　and　Flossie　to　come　and　look　at　it。

The　deer　admired　the　sledge；　but　gravely　declared　it　was　too　big　and　heavy　for　them　to　draw。

〃We　might　pull　it　over　the　snow；　to　be　sure；〃　said　Glossie；　〃but　we　would　not　pull　it　fast　enough　to　enable　us　to　visit　the　far…away　cities　and　villages　and　return　to　the　Forest　by　daybreak。〃

〃Then　I　must　add　two　more　deer　to　my　team；〃　declared　Claus；　after　a　moment's　thought。

〃The　Knook　Prince　allowed　you　as　many　as　ten。　　Why　not　use　them　all？〃　asked　Flossie。　　〃Then　we　could　speed　like　the　lightning　and　leap　to　the　highest　roofs　with　ease。〃

〃A　team　of　ten　reindeer！〃　cried　Claus；　delightedly。　　〃That　will　be　splendid。　　Please　return　to　the　Forest　at　once　and　select　eight　other　deer　as　like　yourselves　as　possible。　　And　you　must　all　eat　of　the　casa　plant；　to　become　strong；　and　of　the　grawle　plant；　to　become　fleet　of　foot；　and　of　the　marbon　plant；　that　you　may　live　long　to　accompany　me　on　my　journeys。　　Likewise　it　will　be　well　for　you　to　bathe　in　the　Pool　of　Nares；　which　the　lovely　Queen　Zurline　declares　will　render　you　rarely　beautiful。　　Should　you　perform　these　duties　faithfully　there　is　no　doubt　that　on　next　Christmas　Eve　my　ten　reindeer　will　be　the　most　powerful　and　beautiful　steeds　the　world　has　ever　seen！〃

So　Glossie　and　Flossie　went　to　the　Forest　to　choose　their　mates；　and　Claus　began　to　consider　the　question　of　a　harness　for　them　all。

In　the　end　he　called　upon　Peter　Knook　for　assistance；　for　Peter's　heart　is　as　kind　as　his　body　is　crooked；　and　he　is　remarkably　shrewd；　as　well。　　And　Peter　agreed　to　furnish　strips　of　tough　leather　for　the　harness。

This　leather　was　cut　from　the　skins　of　lions　that　had　reached　such　an　advanced　age　that　they　died　naturally；　and　on　one　side　was　tawny　hair　while　the　other　side　was　cured　to　the　softness　of　velvet　by　the　deft　Knooks。　　When　Claus　received　these　strips　of　leather　he　sewed　them　neatly　into　a　harness　for　the　ten　reindeer；　and　it　proved　strong　and　serviceable　and　lasted　him　for　many　years。

The　harness　and　sledge　were　prepared　at　odd　times；　for　Claus　devoted　most　of　his　days　to　the　making　of　toys。　　These　were　now　much　better　than　the　first　ones　had　been；　for　the　immortals　often　came　to　his　house　to　watch　him　work　and　to　offer　suggestions。　　It　was　Necile's　idea　to　make　some　of　the　dolls　say　〃papa〃　and　〃mama。〃　　It　was　a　thought　of　the　Knooks　to　put　a　squeak　inside　the　lambs；　so　that　when　a　child　squeezed　them　they　would　say　〃baa…a…a…a！〃　　And　the　Fairy　Queen　advised　Claus　to　put　whistles　in　the　birds；　so　they　could　be　made　to　sing；　and　wheels　on　the　horses；　so　children　could　draw　them　around。　Many　animals　perished　in　the　Forest；　from　one　cause　or　another；　and　their　fur　was　brought　to　Claus　that　he　might　cover　with　it　the　small　images　of　beasts　he　made　for　playthings。　　A　merry　Ryl　suggested　that　Claus　make　a　donkey　with　a　nodding　head；　which　he　did；　and　afterward　found　that　it　amused　the　little　ones　immensely。　　And　so　the　toys　grew　in　beauty　and　attractiveness　every　day；　until　they　were　the　wonder　of　even　the　immortals。

When　another　Christmas　Eve　drew　near　there　was　a　monster　load　of　beautiful　gifts　for　the　children　ready　to　be　loaded　upon　the　big　sledge。　　Claus　filled　three　sacks　to　the　brim；　and　tucked　every　corner　of　the　sledge…box　full　of　toys　besides。

Then；　at　twilight；　the　ten　reindeer　appeared　and　Flossie　introduced　them　all　to　Claus。　　They　were　Racer　and　Pacer；　Reckless　and　Speckless；　Fearless　and　Peerless；　and　Ready　and　Steady；　who；　with　Glossie　and　Flossie；　made　up　the　ten　who　have　traversed　the　world　these　hundreds　of　years　with　their　generous　master。　　They　were　all　exceedingly　beautiful；　with　slender　limbs；　spreading　antlers；　velvety　dark　eyes　and　smooth　coats　of　fawn　color　spotted　with　white。

Claus　loved　them　at　once；　and　has　loved　them　ever　since；　for　they　are　loyal　friends　and　have　rendered　him　priceless　service。

The　new　harness　fitted　them　nicely　and　soon　they　were　all　fastened　to　the　sledge　by　twos；　with　Glossie　and　Flossie　in　the　lead。　　These　wore　the　strings　of　sleigh…bells；　and　were　so　delighted　with　the　music　they　made　that　they　kept　prancing　up　and　down　to　make　the　bells　ring。

Claus　now　seated　himself　in　the　sledge；　drew　a　warm　robe　over　his　knees　and　his　fur　cap　over　his　ears；　and　cracked　his　long　whip　as　a　signal　to　start。

Instantly　the　ten　leaped　forward　and　were　away　like　the　wind；　while　jolly　Claus　laughed　gleefully　to　see　them　run　and　shouted　a　song　in　his　big；　hearty　voice：


　　　〃With　a　ho；　ho；　ho！　　　　　And　a　ha；　ha；　ha！　And　a　ho；　ho；　ha；　ha；　hee！　　　　　Now　away　we　go　　　　　O'er　the　frozen　snow；　As　merry　as　we　can　be！


　　　　There　are　many　joys　　　　　In　our　load　of　toys；　As　many　a　child　will　know；　　　　　We'll　scatter　them　wide　　　　　On　our　wild　night　ride　O'er　the　crisp　and　sparkling　snow！〃


Now　it　was　on　this　same　Christmas　Eve　that　little　Margot　and　her　brother　Dick　and　her　cousins　Ned　and　Sara；　who　were　visiting　at　Margot's　house；　came　in　from　making　a　snow　man；　with　their　clothes　damp；　their　mittens　dripping　and　their　shoes　and　stockings　wet　through　and　through。