the life and adventures of santa clause-第18章

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We　have　followed　the　life　of　Claus　from　the　time　he　was　found　a　helpless　infant　by　the　Wood…Nymph　Necile　and　reared　to　manhood　in　the　great　Forest　of　Burzee。　　And　we　know　how　he　began　to　make　toys　for　children　and　how；　with　the　assistance　and　goodwill　of　the　immortals；　he　was　able　to　distribute　them　to　the　little　ones　throughout　the　world。

For　many　years　he　carried　on　this　noble　work；　for　the　simple；　hard…working　life　he　led　gave　him　perfect　health　and　strength。　And　doubtless　a　man　can　live　longer　in　the　beautiful　Laughing　Valley；　where　there　are　no　cares　and　everything　is　peaceful　and　merry；　than　in　any　other　part　of　the　world。

But　when　many　years　had　rolled　away　Santa　Claus　grew　old。　　The　long　beard　of　golden　brown　that　once　covered　his　cheeks　and　chin　gradually　became　gray；　and　finally　turned　to　pure　white。　　His　hair　was　white；　too；　and　there　were　wrinkles　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes；　which　showed　plainly　when　he　laughed。　　He　had　never　been　a　very　tall　man；　and　now　he　became　fat；　and　waddled　very　much　like　a　duck　when　he　walked。　　But　in　spite　of　these　things　he　remained　as　lively　as　ever；　and　was　just　as　jolly　and　gay；　and　his　kind　eyes　sparkled　as　brightly　as　they　did　that　first　day　when　he　came　to　the　Laughing　Valley。

Yet　a　time　is　sure　to　come　when　every　mortal　who　has　grown　old　and　lived　his　life　is　required　to　leave　this　world　for　another；　so　it　is　no　wonder　that；　after　Santa　Claus　had　driven　his　reindeer　on　many　and　many　a　Christmas　Eve；　those　stanch　friends　finally　whispered　among　themselves　that　they　had　probably　drawn　his　sledge　for　the　last　time。

Then　all　the　Forest　of　Burzee　became　sad　and　all　the　Laughing　Valley　was　hushed；　for　every　living　thing　that　had　known　Claus　had　used　to　love　him　and　to　brighten　at　the　sound　of　his　footsteps　or　the　notes　of　his　merry　whistle。

No　doubt　the　old　man's　strength　was　at　last　exhausted；　for　he　made　no　more　toys；　but　lay　on　his　bed　as　in　a　dream。

The　Nymph　Necile；　she　who　had　reared　him　and　been　his　foster…mother；　was　still　youthful　and　strong　and　beautiful；　and　it　seemed　to　her　but　a　short　time　since　this　aged；　gray…bearded　man　had　lain　in　her　arms　and　smiled　on　her　with　his　innocent；　baby　lips。

In　this　is　shown　the　difference　between　mortals　and　immortals。

It　was　fortunate　that　the　great　Ak　came　to　the　Forest　at　this　time。　Necile　sought　him　with　troubled　eyes　and　told　him　of　the　fate　that　threatened　their　friend　Claus。

At　once　the　Master　became　grave；　and　he　leaned　upon　his　ax　and　stroked　his　grizzled　beard　thoughtfully　for　many　minutes。　　Then　suddenly　he　stood　up　straight；　and　poised　his　powerful　head　with　firm　resolve；　and　stretched　out　his　great　right　arm　as　if　determined　on　doing　some　mighty　deed。　　For　a　thought　had　come　to　him　so　grand　in　its　conception　that　all　the　world　might　well　bow　before　the　Master　Woodsman　and　honor　his　name　forever！

It　is　well　known　that　when　the　great　Ak　once　undertakes　to　do　a　thing　he　never　hesitates　an　instant。　　Now　he　summoned　his　fleetest　messengers；　and　sent　them　in　a　flash　to　many　parts　of　the　earth。　And　when　they　were　gone　he　turned　to　the　anxious　Necile　and　comforted　her；　saying：

〃Be　of　good　heart；　my　child；　our　friend　still　lives。　　And　now　run　to　your　Queen　and　tell　her　that　I　have　summoned　a　council　of　all　the　immortals　of　the　world　to　meet　with　me　here　in　Burzee　this　night。　　If　they　obey；　and　harken　unto　my　words；　Claus　will　drive　his　reindeer　for　countless　ages　yet　to　come。〃

At　midnight　there　was　a　wondrous　scene　in　the　ancient　Forest　of　Burzee；　where　for　the　first　time　in　many　centuries　the　rulers　of　the　immortals　who　inhabit　the　earth　were　gathered　together。

There　was　the　Queen　of　the　Water　Sprites；　whose　beautiful　form　was　as　clear　as　crystal　but　continually　dripped　water　on　the　bank　of　moss　where　she　sat。　　And　beside　her　was　the　King　of　the　Sleep　Fays；　who　carried　a　wand　from　the　end　of　which　a　fine　dust　fell　all　around；　so　that　no　mortal　could　keep　awake　long　enough　to　see　him；　as　mortal　eyes　were　sure　to　close　in　sleep　as　soon　as　the　dust　filled　them。　　And　next　to　him　sat　the　Gnome　King；　whose　people　inhabit　all　that　region　under　the　earth's　surface；　where　they　guard　the　precious　metals　and　the　jewel　stones　that　lie　buried　in　rock　and　ore。　　At　his　right　hand　stood　the　King　of　the　Sound　Imps；　who　had　wings　on　his　feet；　for　his　people　are　swift　to　carry　all　sounds　that　are　made。　　When　they　are　busy　they　carry　the　sounds　but　short　distances；　for　there　are　many　of　them；　but　sometimes　they　speed　with　the　sounds　to　places　miles　and　miles　away　from　where　they　are　made。　　The　King　of　the　Sound　Imps　had　an　anxious　and　careworn　face；　for　most　people　have　no　consideration　for　his　Imps　and；　especially　the　boys　and　girls；　make　a　great　many　unnecessary　sounds　which　the　Imps　are　obliged　to　carry　when　they　might　be　better　employed。

The　next　in　the　circle　of　immortals　was　the　King　of　the　Wind　Demons；　slender　of　frame；　restless　and　uneasy　at　being　confined　to　one　place　for　even　an　hour。　　Once　in　a　while　he　would　leave　his　place　and　circle　around　the　glade；　and　each　time　he　did　this　the　Fairy　Queen　was　obliged　to　untangle　the　flowing　locks　of　her　golden　hair　and　tuck　them　back　of　her　pink　ears。　　But　she　did　not　complain；　for　it　was　not　often　that　the　King　of　the　Wind　Demons　came　into　the　heart　of　the　Forest。　　After　the　Fairy　Queen；　whose　home　you　know　was　in　old　Burzee；　came　the　King　of　the　Light　Elves；　with　his　two　Princes；　Flash　and　Twilight；　at　his　back。　　He　never　went　anywhere　without　his　Princes；　for　they　were　so　mischievous　that　he　dared　not　let　them　wander　alone。

Prince　Flash　bore　a　lightning…bolt　in　his　right　hand　and　a　horn　of　gunpowder　in　his　left；　and　his　bright　eyes　roved　constantly　around；　as　if　he　longed　to　use　his　blinding　flashes。　　Prince　Twilight　held　a　great　snuffer　in　one　hand　and　a　big　black　cloak　in　the　other；　and　it　is　well　known　that　unless　Twilight　is　carefully　watched　the　snuffers　or　the　cloak　will　throw　everything　into　darkness；　and　Darkness　is　the　greatest　enemy　the　King　of　the　Light　Elves　has。

In　addition　to　the　immortals　I　have　named　were　the　King　of　the　Knooks；　who　had　come　from　his　home　in　the　jungles　of　India；　and　the　King　of　the　Ryls；　who　lived　among　the　gay　flowers　and　luscious　fruits　of　Valencia。　Sweet　Queen　Zurline　of　the　Wood…Nymphs　completed　the　circle　of　immortals。

But　in　the　center　of　the　circle　sat　three　others　who　possessed　powers　so　great　that　all　the　Kings　and　Queens　showed　them　reverence。

These　were　Ak；　the　Master　Woodsman　of　the　World；　who　rules　the　forests　and　the　orchards　and　the　groves；　and　Kern；　the　Master　Husbandman　of　the　World；　who　rules　the　grain　fields　and　the　meadows　and　the　gardens；　and　Bo；　the　Master　Mariner　of　the　World；　who　rules　the　seas　and　all　the　craft　that　float　thereon。　　And　all　other　immortals　are　more　or　less　subject　to　these　three。

When　all　had　assembled　the　Master　Woodsman　of　the　World　stood　up　to　address　them；　since　he　himself　had　summoned　them　to　the　council。

Very　clearly　he　told　them　the　story　of　Claus；　beginning　at　the　time　when　as　a　babe　he　had　been　adopted　a　child　of　the　Forest；　and　telling　of　his　noble　and　generous　nature　and　his　life…long　labors　to　make　children　happy。

〃And　now；〃　said　Ak；　〃when　he　had　won　the　love　of　all　the　world；　the　Spirit　of　Death　is　hovering　over　him。　　Of　all　men　who　have　inhabited　the　earth　none　other　so　well　deserves　immortality；　for　such　a　life　can　not　be　spared　so　long　as　there　are　children　of　mankind　to　miss　him　and　to　grieve　over　his　loss。　　We　immortals　are　the　servants　of　the　world；　and　to　serve　the　world　we　were　permitted　in　the　Beginning　to　exist。　But　what　one　of　us　is　more　worthy　of　immortality　than　this　man　Claus；　who　so　sweetly　ministers　to　the　little　children？〃

He　paused　and　glanced　around　the　circle；　to　find　every　immortal　listening　to　him　eagerly　and　nodding　approval。　　Finally　the　King　of　the　Wind　Demons；　who　had　been　whistling　softly　to　himself；　cried　out：

〃What　is　your　desire；　O　Ak？〃

〃To　bestow　upon　Claus　the　Mantle　of　Immortality！〃　said　Ak；　boldly。

That　this　demand　was　wholly　unexpected　was　proved　by　the　immortals　springing　to　their　feet　and　looking　into　each　other's　face　with　dismay　and　then　upon　Ak　with　wonder。　　For　it　was　a　grave　matter；　this　parting　with　the　Ma