the life and adventures of santa clause-第6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！


s　plan　was　approved　by　the　immortals；　else　they　would　not　have　favored　him　so　greatly。

So　he　began　at　once　to　make　acquaintance　with　mankind。　　He　walked　through　the　Valley　to　the　plain　beyond；　and　crossed　the　plain　in　many　directions　to　reach　the　abodes　of　men。　　These　stood　singly　or　in　groups　of　dwellings　called　villages；　and　in　nearly　all　the　houses；　whether　big　or　little；　Claus　found　children。

The　youngsters　soon　came　to　know　his　merry；　laughing　face　and　the　kind　glance　of　his　bright　eyes；　and　the　parents；　while　they　regarded　the　young　man　with　some　scorn　for　loving　children　more　than　their　elders；　were　content　that　the　girls　and　boys　had　found　a　playfellow　who　seemed　willing　to　amuse　them。

So　the　children　romped　and　played　games　with　Claus；　and　the　boys　rode　upon　his　shoulders；　and　the　girls　nestled　in　his　strong　arms；　and　the　babies　clung　fondly　to　his　knees。　　Wherever　the　young　man　chanced　to　be；　the　sound　of　childish　laughter　followed　him；　and　to　understand　this　better　you　must　know　that　children　were　much　neglected　in　those　days　and　received　little　attention　from　their　parents；　so　that　it　became　to　them　a　marvel　that　so　goodly　a　man　as　Claus　devoted　his　time　to　making　them　happy。　　And　those　who　knew　him　were；　you　may　be　sure；　very　happy　indeed。　　The　sad　faces　of　the　poor　and　abused　grew　bright　for　once；　the　cripple　smiled　despite　his　misfortune；　the　ailing　ones　hushed　their　moans　and　the　grieved　ones　their　cries　when　their　merry　friend　came　nigh　to　comfort　them。

Only　at　the　beautiful　palace　of　the　Lord　of　Lerd　and　at　the　frowning　castle　of　the　Baron　Braun　was　Claus　refused　admittance。　　There　were　children　at　both　places；　but　the　servants　at　the　palace　shut　the　door　in　the　young　stranger's　face；　and　the　fierce　Baron　threatened　to　hang　him　from　an　iron　hook　on　the　castle　walls。　　Whereupon　Claus　sighed　and　went　back　to　the　poorer　dwellings　where　he　was　welcome。

After　a　time　the　winter　drew　near。

The　flowers　lived　out　their　lives　and　faded　and　disappeared；　the　beetles　burrowed　far　into　the　warm　earth；　the　butterflies　deserted　the　meadows；　and　the　voice　of　the　brook　grew　hoarse；　as　if　it　had　taken　cold。

One　day　snowflakes　filled　all　the　air　in　the　Laughing　Valley；　dancing　boisterously　toward　the　earth　and　clothing　in　pure　white　raiment　the　roof　of　Claus's　dwelling。

At　night　Jack　Frost　rapped　at　the　door。

〃Come　in！〃　cried　Claus。

〃Come　out！〃　answered　Jack；　〃for　you　have　a　fire　inside。〃

So　Claus　came　out。　　He　had　known　Jack　Frost　in　the　Forest；　and　liked　the　jolly　rogue；　even　while　he　mistrusted　him。

〃There　will　be　rare　sport　for　me　to…night；　Claus！〃　shouted　the　sprite。　〃Isn't　this　glorious　weather？　　I　shall　nip　scores　of　noses　and　ears　and　toes　before　daybreak。〃

〃If　you　love　me；　Jack；　spare　the　children；〃　begged　Claus。

〃And　why？〃　asked　the　other；　in　surprise。

〃They　are　tender　and　helpless；〃　answered　Claus。

〃But　I　love　to　nip　the　tender　ones！〃　declared　Jack。　　〃The　older　ones　are　tough；　and　tire　my　fingers。〃

〃The　young　ones　are　weak；　and　can　not　fight　you；〃　said　Claus。

〃True；〃　agreed　Jack；　thoughtfully。　　〃Well；　I　will　not　pinch　a　child　this　nightif　I　can　resist　the　temptation；〃　he　promised。　　〃Good　night；　Claus！〃

〃Good　night。〃

The　young　man　went　in　and　closed　the　door；　and　Jack　Frost　ran　on　to　the　nearest　village。

Claus　threw　a　log　on　the　fire；　which　burned　up　brightly。　　Beside　the　hearth　sat　Blinkie；　a　big　cat　give　him　by　Peter　the　Knook。　　Her　fur　was　soft　and　glossy；　and　she　purred　never…ending　songs　of　contentment。

〃I　shall　not　see　the　children　again　soon；〃　said　Claus　to　the　cat；　who　kindly　paused　in　her　song　to　listen。　　〃The　winter　is　upon　us；　the　snow　will　be　deep　for　many　days；　and　I　shall　be　unable　to　play　with　my　little　friends。〃

The　cat　raised　a　paw　and　stroked　her　nose　thoughtfully；　but　made　no　reply。　　So　long　as　the　fire　burned　and　Claus　sat　in　his　easy　chair　by　the　hearth　she　did　not　mind　the　weather。

So　passed　many　days　and　many　long　evenings。　　The　cupboard　was　always　full；　but　Claus　became　weary　with　having　nothing　to　do　more　than　to　feed　the　fire　from　the　big　wood…pile　the　Knooks　had　brought　him。

One　evening　he　picked　up　a　stick　of　wood　and　began　to　cut　it　with　his　sharp　knife。　　He　had　no　thought；　at　first；　except　to　occupy　his　time；　and　he　whistled　and　sang　to　the　cat　as　he　carved　away　portions　of　the　stick。　　Puss　sat　up　on　her　haunches　and　watched　him；　listening　at　the　same　time　to　her　master's　merry　whistle；　which　she　loved　to　hear　even　more　than　her　own　purring　songs。

Claus　glanced　at　puss　and　then　at　the　stick　he　was　whittling；　until　presently　the　wood　began　to　have　a　shape；　and　the　shape　was　like　the　head　of　a　cat；　with　two　ears　sticking　upward。

Claus　stopped　whistling　to　laugh；　and　then　both　he　and　the　cat　looked　at　the　wooden　image　in　some　surprise。　　Then　he　carved　out　the　eyes　and　the　nose；　and　rounded　the　lower　part　of　the　head　so　that　it　rested　upon　a　neck。

Puss　hardly　knew　what　to　make　of　it　now；　and　sat　up　stiffly；　as　if　watching　with　some　suspicion　what　would　come　next。

Claus　knew。　　The　head　gave　him　an　idea。　　He　plied　his　knife　carefully　and　with　skill；　forming　slowly　the　body　of　the　cat；　which　he　made　to　sit　upon　its　haunches　as　the　real　cat　did；　with　her　tail　wound　around　her　two　front　legs。

The　work　cost　him　much　time；　but　the　evening　was　long　and　he　had　nothing　better　to　do。　　Finally　he　gave　a　loud　and　delighted　laugh　at　the　result　of　his　labors　and　placed　the　wooden　cat；　now　completed；　upon　the　hearth　opposite　the　real　one。

Puss　thereupon　glared　at　her　image；　raised　her　hair　in　anger；　and　uttered　a　defiant　mew。　　The　wooden　cat　paid　no　attention；　and　Claus；　much　amused；　laughed　again。

Then　Blinkie　advanced　toward　the　wooden　image　to　eye　it　closely　and　smell　of　it　intelligently：　　Eyes　and　nose　told　her　the　creature　was　wood；　in　spite　of　its　natural　appearance；　so　puss　resumed　her　seat　and　her　purring；　but　as　she　neatly　washed　her　face　with　her　padded　paw　she　cast　more　than　one　admiring　glance　at　her　clever　master。　　Perhaps　she　felt　the　same　satisfaction　we　feel　when　we　look　upon　good　photographs　of　ourselves。

The　cat's　master　was　himself　pleased　with　his　handiwork；　without　knowing　exactly　why。　　Indeed；　he　had　great　cause　to　congratulate　himself　that　night；　and　all　the　children　throughout　the　world　should　have　joined　him　rejoicing。　　For　Claus　had　made　his　first　toy。



3。　　How　the　Ryls　Colored　the　Toys


A　hush　lay　on　the　Laughing　Valley　now。　　Snow　covered　it　like　a　white　spread　and　pillows　of　downy　flakes　drifted　before　the　dwelling　where　Claus　sat　feeding　the　blaze　of　the　fire。　　The　brook　gurgled　on　beneath　a　heavy　sheet　of　ice　and　all　living　plants　and　insects　nestled　close　to　Mother　Earth　to　keep　warm。　　The　face　of　the　moon　was　hid　by　dark　clouds；　and　the　wind；　delighting　in　the　wintry　sport；　pushed　and　whirled　the　snowflakes　in　so　many　directions　that　they　could　get　no　chance　to　fall　to　the　ground。

Claus　heard　the　wind　whistling　and　shrieking　in　its　play　and　thanked　the　good　Knooks　again　for　his　comfortable　shelter。　　Blinkie　washed　her　face　lazily　and　stared　at　the　coals　with　a　look　of　perfect　content。　The　toy　cat　sat　opposite　the　real　one　and　gazed　straight　ahead；　as　toy　cats　should。

Suddenly　Claus　heard　a　noise　that　sounded　different　from　the　voice　of　the　wind。　　It　was　more　like　a　wail　of　suffering　and　despair。

He　stood　up　and　listened；　but　the　wind；　growing　boisterous；　shook　the　door　and　rattled　the　windows　to　distract　his　attention。　　He　waited　until　the　wind　was　tired　and　then；　still　listening；　he　heard　once　more　the　shrill　cry　of　distress。

Quickly　he　drew　on　his　coat；　pulled　his　cap　over　his　eyes　and　opened　the　door。　　The　wind　dashed　in　and　scattered　the　embers　over　the　hearth；　at　the　same　time　blowing　Blinkie's　fur　so　furiously　that　she　crept　under　the　table　to　escape。　　Then　the　door　was　closed　and　Claus　was　outside；　peering　anxiously　into　the　darkness。

The　wind　laughed　and　scolded　and　tried　to　push　him　over；　but　he　stood　firm。　　The　helpless　flakes　stumbled　against　his　eyes　and　dimmed　his　sight；　but　he　rubbed　them　away　and　looked　again。　　Snow　was　everywhere；　white　and　glittering。　　It　covered　the　earth　and　filled　the　air。

The　cry　was　not　repeated。

Claus　turned　to　go　back