the life and adventures of santa clause-第9章

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　　Her　palfrey　was　pure　white；　its　bridle　was　covered　with　glittering　gems；　and　its　saddle　draped　with　cloth　of　gold；　richly　broidered。　　The　soldiers　were　sent　to　protect　her　from　harm　while　she　journeyed。

Claus　was　surprised；　but　he　continued　to　whittle　and　to　sing　until　the　cavalcade　drew　up　before　him。　　Then　the　little　girl　leaned　over　the　neck　of　her　palfrey　and　said：

〃Please；　Mr。　Claus；　I　want　a　toy！〃

Her　voice　was　so　pleading　that　Claus　jumped　up　at　once　and　stood　beside　her。　　But　he　was　puzzled　how　to　answer　her　request。

〃You　are　a　rich　lord's　daughter；〃　said　he；　〃and　have　all　that　you　desire。〃

〃Except　toys；〃　added　Bessie。　　〃There　are　no　toys　in　all　the　world　but　yours。〃

〃And　I　make　them　for　the　poor　children；　who　have　nothing　else　to　amuse　them；〃　continued　Claus。

〃Do　poor　children　love　to　play　with　toys　more　than　rich　ones？〃　asked　Bessie。

〃I　suppose　not；〃　said　Claus；　thoughtfully。

〃Am　I　to　blame　because　my　father　is　a　lord？　　Must　I　be　denied　the　pretty　toys　I　long　for　because　other　children　are　poorer　than　I？〃　she　inquired　earnestly。

〃I'm　afraid　you　must；　dear；〃　he　answered；　〃for　the　poor　have　nothing　else　with　which　to　amuse　themselves。　　You　have　your　pony　to　ride；　your　servants　to　wait　on　you；　and　every　comfort　that　money　can　procure。〃

〃But　I　want　toys！〃　cried　Bessie；　wiping　away　the　tears　that　forced　themselves　into　her　eyes。　　〃If　I　can　not　have　them；　I　shall　be　very　unhappy。〃

Claus　was　troubled；　for　her　grief　recalled　to　him　the　thought　that　his　desire　was　to　make　all　children　happy；　without　regard　to　their　condition　in　life。　　Yet；　while　so　many　poor　children　were　clamoring　for　his　toys　he　could　not　bear　to　give　one　to　them　to　Bessie　Blithesome；　who　had　so　much　already　to　make　her　happy。

〃Listen；　my　child；〃　said　he；　gently；　〃all　the　toys　I　am　now　making　are　promised　to　others。　　But　the　next　shall　be　yours；　since　your　heart　so　longs　for　it。　　Come　to　me　again　in　two　days　and　it　shall　be　ready　for　you。〃

Bessie　gave　a　cry　of　delight；　and　leaning　over　her　pony's　neck　she　kissed　Claus　prettily　upon　his　forehead。　　Then；　calling　to　her　men…at…arms；　she　rode　gaily　away；　leaving　Claus　to　resume　his　work。

〃If　I　am　to　supply　the　rich　children　as　well　as　the　poor　ones；〃　he　thought；　〃I　shall　not　have　a　spare　moment　in　the　whole　year！　　But　is　it　right　I　should　give　to　the　rich？　　Surely　I　must　go　to　Necile　and　talk　with　her　about　this　matter。〃

So　when　he　had　finished　the　toy　deer；　which　was　very　like　a　deer　he　had　known　in　the　Forest　glades；　he　walked　into　Burzee　and　made　his　way　to　the　bower　of　the　beautiful　Nymph　Necile；　who　had　been　his　foster　mother。

She　greeted　him　tenderly　and　lovingly；　listening　with　interest　to　his　story　of　the　visit　of　Bessie　Blithesome。

〃And　now　tell　me；〃　said　he；　〃shall　I　give　toys　to　rich　children？〃

〃We　of　the　Forest　know　nothing　of　riches；〃　she　replied。　　〃It　seems　to　me　that　one　child　is　like　another　child；　since　they　are　all　made　of　the　same　clay；　and　that　riches　are　like　a　gown；　which　may　be　put　on　or　taken　away；　leaving　the　child　unchanged。　　But　the　Fairies　are　guardians　of　mankind；　and　know　mortal　children　better　than　I。　　Let　us　call　the　Fairy　Queen。〃

This　was　done；　and　the　Queen　of　the　Fairies　sat　beside　them　and　heard　Claus　relate　his　reasons　for　thinking　the　rich　children　could　get　along　without　his　toys；　and　also　what　the　Nymph　had　said。

〃Necile　is　right；〃　declared　the　Queen；　〃for；　whether　it　be　rich　or　poor；　a　child's　longings　for　pretty　playthings　are　but　natural。　　Rich　Bessie's　heart　may　suffer　as　much　grief　as　poor　Mayrie's；　she　can　be　just　as　lonely　and　discontented；　and　just　as　gay　and　happy。　　I　think；　friend　Claus；　it　is　your　duty　to　make　all　little　ones　glad；　whether　they　chance　to　live　in　palaces　or　in　cottages。〃

〃Your　words　are　wise；　fair　Queen；〃　replied　Claus；　〃and　my　heart　tells　me　they　are　as　just　as　they　are　wise。　　Hereafter　all　children　may　claim　my　services。〃

Then　he　bowed　before　the　gracious　Fairy　and；　kissing　Necile's　red　lips；　went　back　into　his　Valley。

At　the　brook　he　stopped　to　drink；　and　afterward　he　sat　on　the　bank　and　took　a　piece　of　moist　clay　in　his　hands　while　he　thought　what　sort　of　toy　he　should　make　for　Bessie　Blithesome。　　He　did　not　notice　that　his　fingers　were　working　the　clay　into　shape　until；　glancing　downward；　he　found　he　had　unconsciously　formed　a　head　that　bore　a　slight　resemblance　to　the　Nymph　Necile！

At　once　he　became　interested。　　Gathering　more　of　the　clay　from　the　bank　he　carried　it　to　his　house。　　Then；　with　the　aid　of　his　knife　and　a　bit　of　wood　he　succeeded　in　working　the　clay　into　the　image　of　a　toy　nymph。　　With　skillful　strokes　he　formed　long；　waving　hair　on　the　head　and　covered　the　body　with　a　gown　of　oakleaves；　while　the　two　feet　sticking　out　at　the　bottom　of　the　gown　were　clad　in　sandals。

But　the　clay　was　soft；　and　Claus　found　he　must　handle　it　gently　to　avoid　ruining　his　pretty　work。

〃Perhaps　the　rays　of　the　sun　will　draw　out　the　moisture　and　cause　the　clay　to　become　hard；〃　he　thought。　　So　he　laid　the　image　on　a　flat　board　and　placed　it　in　the　glare　of　the　sun。

This　done；　he　went　to　his　bench　and　began　painting　the　toy　deer；　and　soon　he　became　so　interested　in　the　work　that　he　forgot　all　about　the　clay　nymph。　　But　next　morning；　happening　to　notice　it　as　it　lay　on　the　board；　he　found　the　sun　had　baked　it　to　the　hardness　of　stone；　and　it　was　strong　enough　to　be　safely　handled。

Claus　now　painted　the　nymph　with　great　care　in　the　likeness　of　Necile；　giving　it　deep…blue　eyes；　white　teeth；　rosy　lips　and　ruddy…brown　hair。　The　gown　he　colored　oak…leaf　green；　and　when　the　paint　was　dry　Claus　himself　was　charmed　with　the　new　toy。　　Of　course　it　was　not　nearly　so　lovely　as　the　real　Necile；　but；　considering　the　material　of　which　it　was　made；　Claus　thought　it　was　very　beautiful。

When　Bessie；　riding　upon　her　white　palfrey；　came　to　his　dwelling　next　day；　Claus　presented　her　with　the　new　toy。　　The　little　girl's　eyes　were　brighter　than　ever　as　she　examined　the　pretty　image；　and　she　loved　it　at　once；　and　held　it　close　to　her　breast；　as　a　mother　does　to　her　child。

〃What　is　it　called；　Claus？〃　she　asked。

Now　Claus　knew　that　Nymphs　do　not　like　to　be　spoken　of　by　mortals；　so　he　could　not　tell　Bessie　it　was　an　image　of　Necile　he　had　given　her。　But　as　it　was　a　new　toy　he　searched　his　mind　for　a　new　name　to　call　it　by；　and　the　first　word　he　thought　of　he　decided　would　do　very　well。

〃It　is　called　a　dolly；　my　dear；〃　he　said　to　Bessie。

〃I　shall　call　the　dolly　my　baby；〃　returned　Bessie；　kissing　it　fondly；　〃and　I　shall　tend　it　and　care　for　it　just　as　Nurse　cares　for　me。　Thank　you　very　much；　Claus；　your　gift　has　made　me　happier　than　I　have　ever　been　before！〃

Then　she　rode　away；　hugging　the　toy　in　her　arms；　and　Claus；　seeing　her　delight；　thought　he　would　make　another　dolly；　better　and　more　natural　than　the　first。

He　brought　more　clay　from　the　brook；　and　remembering　that　Bessie　had　called　the　dolly　her　baby　he　resolved　to　form　this　one　into　a　baby's　image。　　That　was　no　difficult　task　to　the　clever　workman；　and　soon　the　baby　dolly　was　lying　on　the　board　and　placed　in　the　sun　to　dry。　　Then；　with　the　clay　that　was　left；　he　began　to　make　an　image　of　Bessie　Blithesome　herself。

This　was　not　so　easy；　for　he　found　he　could　not　make　the　silken　robe　of　the　lord's　daughter　out　of　the　common　clay。　　So　he　called　the　Fairies　to　his　aid；　and　asked　them　to　bring　him　colored　silks　with　which　to　make　a　real　dress　for　the　clay　image。　　The　Fairies　set　off　at　once　on　their　errand；　and　before　nightfall　they　returned　with　a　generous　supply　of　silks　and　laces　and　golden　threads。

Claus　now　became　impatient　to　complete　his　new　dolly；　and　instead　of　waiting　for　the　next　day's　sun　he　placed　the　clay　image　upon　his　hearth　and　covered　it　over　with　glowing　coals。　　By　morning；　when　he　drew　the　dolly　from　the　ashes；　it　had　baked　as　hard　as　if　it　had　lain　a　full　day　in　the　hot　sun。

Now　our　Claus　became　a　dressmaker　as　well　as　a　toymaker。　　He　cut　the　lavender　silk；　and　nearly　sewed　it　into　a　beautiful　gown　that　just　fitted　the　new　dolly。　　And　he　put　a　lace　collar　around　its　neck　and　pink　silk　shoes　on　its　feet。　　The　natural　color　of　baked　clay　is　a　light　gray；　but　Claus　painted　the　face　to　resemble　the　color