Latest / The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus / 02 - Childhood Part 2

Transcript

02 - Childhood Part 2 · The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

0:00
Chapter three, The Adoption, The Master Woodsman suddenly rose with knitted brows.
0:10
There was a strange presence in the forest, he declared. Then the Queen
0:15
and her nymphs turned and saw standing before them Necile, with the sleeping infant
0:21
clasped tightly in her arms, and a defiant look in her deep blue eyes.
0:28
And thus for a moment they remained, the nymphs filled with surprise and
0:33
consternation, but the brow of the Master Woodsman gradually clearing as he gazed intently
0:38
upon the beautiful immortal who had wilfully broken the law. Then the great act
0:45
to the wonder of all, laid his hand softly on Nisilee's flowing locks and
0:52
kissed her on her fair forehead for the first time within my knowledge, said
0:59
he, jess, a nymph has defied me and my laws. Yet in
1:04
my heart I can find no word of chiding. What is your desire,
1:10
Nail, Let me keep the child, she answered, beginning to tremble and
1:15
falling on her knees in supplication. Here in the forest of Berzi, where
1:22
the human race has never yet penetrated, questioned ac Here in the forest of
1:27
Berzi, replied the nymph boldly, it is my home, and I am
1:33
weary for lack of occupation. Let me care for the babe. See how
1:37
weak and helpless it is. Surely it cannot harm Berzi nor the Master Woodsman
1:42
of the world. But the law child, the law, cried ac sternly.
1:51
The law is made by the master Woodsman, returned Narcile. If he
1:56
bids me care for the babe, he himself has saved from death. Who
2:00
in all the world dare oppose me? Queen Zurline, who had listened intently
2:06
to this conversation, clapped her pretty hands gleefully at the Nymph's answer. You
2:12
are fairly trapped, o Ac, she exclaimed, laughing. Now I pray
2:16
you give heed to Nisile's petition. The woodsman, as was his habit,
2:23
when the in thought stroked his grizzled beard slowly. Then he said, she
2:30
shall keep the babe, and I will give it my protection. But I
2:36
warn you all that, as this is the first time I have relaxed the
2:38
law, so shall it be the last time? Nevermore, to the end
2:44
of the world shall a mortal be adopted by an immortal? Otherwise would we
2:50
abandon our happy existence for one of trouble? And anxiety. Good night,
2:54
my nymphs. Then ac was gone from their midst, and this Usille hurried
3:00
away to her bower to rejoice over her newfound treasure. End of Chapter three,
3:10
Chapter four Claws. Another day found Nasilee's bower the most popular place in
3:19
the forest. The nymphs clustered around her and the child that lay asleep in
3:23
her lap, with expressions of curiosity and delight. Nor were they wanting in
3:29
praises for the Great Ax's kindness in allowing Nzilee to keep the babe and to
3:34
care for it. Even the Queen came to peer into the innocent, childish
3:38
face and to hold a helpless, chubby fist in her own fair hand.
3:44
What shall we call him, Nasilee, she asked, smiling. He must
3:49
have a name, you know. Let him be called Claus, answered Nasile,
3:55
for that means a little one. Rather let him be called Necklaus.
4:03
Begin footnote. Some people have spelled this name Nicklaus, and others Nicolas,
4:11
which is the reason that Santa Claus is still known in some lands as Saint
4:15
Nicholas. But of course Neclaus is his right name, and Claus the nickname
4:20
given him by his adopted mother. The fair nymph Nessilee end footnote. Rather
4:29
let him be called Neclaus, returned the queen, for that will mean Nessilee's
4:34
little one. The nymphs clapped their hands in delight, and Necklaus became the
4:40
infant's name, although Nesicile loved best to call him Claus, and in after
4:46
days many of her sisters followed her example. Nessille gathered the softest moss in
4:51
all the forest for Claus to lie upon, and she made his bed in
4:56
her own bower of food. The infant had no las. The nymphs searched
5:01
the forest for bell utters, which grow upon the goa tree, and when
5:04
opened, are found to be filled with sweet milk, and the soft eyed
5:10
doze willingly gave a share of their milk to support the little stranger, while
5:15
Chiegra, the lioness, often crept stealthily into Nicile's bower and purred softly as
5:20
she lay beside the babe and fed it. So the little one flourished and
5:26
grew big and sturdy day by day. While Nicilee taught him to speak and
5:30
to walk, and to play. His thoughts and words were sweet and gentle,
5:36
for the nymphs knew no evil, and their hearts were pure and loving.
5:41
He became the pet of the forest, for acte decree had forbidden beast
5:45
or reptile to molest him, and he walked fearlessly wherever his will guided him.
5:51
Presently, the news reached the other immortals that the nymphs of Burzee had
5:57
adopted a human infant, and that the act had been sanctioned by the Great
6:00
ac. Therefore, many of them came to visit the little stranger, looking
6:05
upon him with much interest. First the rills, who are first cousins to
6:12
the wood nymphs, although so differently formed, for the rills are required to
6:16
watch over the flowers and plants. As the nymphs watch over the forest trees,
6:21
they search the wide world for the food required by the roots of the
6:25
flowering plants, while the brilliant colors possessed by the full blown flowers are due
6:30
to the dyes placed in the soil by the rills, which are drawn through
6:34
the little veins and the roots and the body of the plants as they reach
6:39
maturity. The rills are a busy people, for their flowers bloom and fade
6:45
continually, but they are merry and light hearted and are very popular with the
6:48
other immortals. Next came the nooks, whose duty it is to watch over
6:56
the beasts of the world, both gentle and wild. The knooks have a
7:00
hard time of it, since many of the beasts are ungovernable and rebel against
7:04
restraint. But they know how to manage them after all, and you will
7:09
find that certain laws of the knooks are obeyed by even the most ferocious animals.
7:15
Their anxieties make the knooks look old and worn and crooked, and their
7:19
natures are a bit rough from associating with wild creatures continually. Yet they are
7:26
most useful to humanity and to the world in general, as their laws are
7:30
the only laws the forest beasts recognize, except those of the master woodsmen.
7:35
Then there were the fairies, the guardians of mankind, who were much interested
7:41
in the adoption of claus because their own laws forbade them to become familiar with
7:45
their human charges. There are instances on record where the fairies have shown themselves
7:50
to human beings and have even conversed with them. But they are supposed to
7:56
guard the lives of mankind, unseen and unknown, and if they favor some
8:01
people more than others, it is because they have won such distinction fairly,
8:05
as the fairies are very just and impartial. But the idea of adopting a
8:11
child of men had never occurred to them, because it was in every way
8:13
opposed to their laws. So their curiosity was intense to behold the little stranger,
8:20
adopted by Nisilla and her sister nymphs claws. Looked upon the immortals,
8:26
who thronged around him with fearless eyes and smiling lips. He rode laughingly upon
8:31
the shoulders of the merry rills. He mischievously pulled the gray beards of the
8:35
low browed knooks. He rested his curly head confidently upon the dainty bosom of
8:41
the fairy queen herself, and the ryls loved the sound of his laughter.
8:46
The knooks loved his courage, the fairies loved his innocence. The boy made
8:54
friends of them all and learned to know their laws intimately. No forest flower
8:58
was trapped beneath his feet lest the friendly rill should be grieved. He never
9:03
interfered with the beasts of the forest, lest his friends, the knooks,
9:07
should become angry. The fairies he loved dearly, but knowing nothing of mankind,
9:15
he could not understand that he was the only one of his race admitted
9:18
to friendly intercourse with them. Indeed, Claws came to consider that he alone,
9:26
of all the forest people, had no like nor fellow to him.
9:30
The forest was the world. He had no idea that millions of toiling,
9:35
striving human creatures existed, and he was happy and content. End of Chapter
9:43
four, Chapter five, the Master Woodsman. Years passed swiftly in Bursey,
9:52
for the nymphs had no need to regard time in any way. Even centuries
9:56
make no change in the dainty creatures. Ever, and ever, they remained
10:01
the same, immortal and unchanging. Claws, however, being mortal, grew
10:07
to manhood day by day. Nessilee was disturbed presently to find him too big
10:13
to lie in her lap, and he had a desire for other food than
10:16
milk. His stout legs carried him far into Bersey's heart, where he gathered
10:22
supplies of nuts and berries, as well as several sweet and wholesome roots,
10:28
which suited his stomach better than the bell utters. He sought Nesilee's bower less
10:33
frequently, till finally it became his custom to return thither only to sleep.
10:39
The nymph who had come to love him dearly, was puzzled to comprehend the
10:43
changed nature of her charge, and unconsciously altered her own mode of life to
10:48
conform to his whims. She followed him readily through the forest paths, as
10:52
did many of her sister nymphs, explaining as they walked all the mysteries of
10:56
the gigantic wood and the habits and nature sure of the living things which dwelt
11:01
beneath its shade. The language of the beasts became clear to little claws,
11:07
but he never could understand their sulky and morose tempers. Only the squirrels,
11:13
the mice, and the rabbits seemed to possess cheerful and merry natures. Yet
11:18
would the boy laugh when the panther growled and stroke the bear's glossy coat,
11:22
while the creature snarled and bared its teeth menacingly. The growls and snarls were
11:28
not for claws, he well knew, so what did they matter. He
11:33
could sing the songs of the bees, recite the poetry of the wood flowers,
11:37
and relate the history of every blinking owl in Burzee. He helped the
11:43
rills to feed their plants, and the nooks to keep order among the animals.
11:48
The little immortals regarded him as a privileged person, being especially protected by
11:54
Queen Zerline and her nymphs, and favored by the Great Ac himself. One
12:00
day the Master Woodsman came back to the forest of Burzee. He had visited
12:05
in turn all his forests throughout the world, and they were many and broad.
12:11
Not until he entered the glade where the Queen and her nymphs were assembled
12:13
to greet him, did Ac remember the child he had permitted Nesile to adopt.
12:20
Then he found, sitting familiarly in the circle of lovely immortals, a
12:24
broad shouldered, stalwart youth, who, when erect stood fully as high as
12:30
the shoulder of the Master himself. Ac paused, silent and frowning, to
12:37
bend his piercing gaze upon claws. The clear eyes met his own steadfastly,
12:43
and the Woodsman gave a sigh of relief as he marked their placid depths and
12:48
read the youth's brave and innocent heart. Nevertheless, as Ak sat beside the
12:54
fair Queen and the golden chalice filled with rare nectar passed from lip to lip,
13:00
the Master woodsman was strangely silent and reserved, and stroked his beard many
13:05
times with a thoughtful motion with mourning. He called claws aside in kindly fashion,
13:11
saying bid good bye for a time to Nasille and her sisters, for
13:18
you shall accompany me on my journey through the world. The venture pleased Claus,
13:24
who knew well the honor of being companion of the master woodsman of the
13:28
world. But Nasile wept for the first time in her life, and clung
13:33
to the boy's neck as if she could not bear to let him go.
13:37
The nymph who had mothered this sturdy youth was still as dainty, as charming
13:43
and beautiful as when she had dared to face ak with the babe clasped to
13:46
her breast, Nor was her love less. Great ac beheld the two clinging
13:54
together seemingly as brother and sister to one another, and again he wore his
13:58
thoughts for look end of chapter five