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The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus - L Frank Baum · Classic Adventure Library

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  Speaker 1: Chapter one, Bursy. Have you ever heard of the great
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  Speaker 1: forest of Burzy? Nurse used to sing of it when
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  Speaker 1: I was a child. She sang of the big tree
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  Speaker 1: trunks standing close together, with their roots intertwining below the earth,
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  Speaker 1: and their branches intertwining above it, of their rough coating
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  Speaker 1: of bark, and queer gnarled limbs, of the bushy foliage
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  Speaker 1: that roofed the entire forest, save where the sunbeams found
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  Speaker 1: a path through which to touch the ground in little spots,
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  Speaker 1: and to cast weird and curious shadows over the mosses,
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  Speaker 1: the lichens, and the drifts of dried leaves. The forest
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  Speaker 1: of Burzy is mighty and grand and awesome to those
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  Speaker 1: who steal beneath its shade. Coming from the sunlit meadows
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  Speaker 1: into its mazes, it seems at first gloomy, then pleasant,
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  Speaker 1: and afterwards filled with never ending delights. For hundreds of
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  Speaker 1: years it has flourished in all its magnificence, the silence
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  Speaker 1: of its enclosure unbroken save by the chirp of busy chipmunks,
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  Speaker 1: the growl of wild beasts, and the songs of birds.
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  Speaker 1: Yet Burzy has its inhabitants. For all this nature peopled
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  Speaker 1: it in the beginning with fairies, nooks, rills, and nymphs.
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  Speaker 1: As long as the forest stands, it will be a home,
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  Speaker 1: a refuge, and a playground to these sweet immortals who
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  Speaker 1: revel undisturbed in its depths. Civilization has never yet reached Burzy,
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  Speaker 1: will it ever? I wonder? End of chapter one, Chapter two,
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  Speaker 1: the child of the forest. Once so long ago our
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  Speaker 1: great grandfathers could scarcely have heard it mentioned. There lived
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  Speaker 1: within the great forest of Birzy a wood nymph named Nasile.
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  Speaker 1: She was closely related to the mighty Queen Zerline, and
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  Speaker 1: her home was beneath the shade of a wide spreading oak.
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  Speaker 1: Once every year, on Budding Day, when the trees put
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  Speaker 1: forth their new Budsnsile held the golden chalice of Ac
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  Speaker 1: to the lips of the Queen, who drank therefrom to
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  Speaker 1: the prosperity of the forest. So you see, she was
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  Speaker 1: a nymph of some importance. And moreover, it is said
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  Speaker 1: she was highly regarded because of her beauty and grace
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  Speaker 1: when she was created. She could not have told Queen Zurline,
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  Speaker 1: could not have told. The Great Ac himself could not
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  Speaker 1: have told. It was long ago, when the world was
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  Speaker 1: new and nymphs were needed to guard the forests and
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  Speaker 1: to minister to the wants of the young trees. Then
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  Speaker 1: on some day not remembered, Nasille sprang into being radiant, lovely, straight,
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  Speaker 1: and slim as the sapling she was created to guard.
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  Speaker 1: Her was the color that lines a chestnut burr. Her
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  Speaker 1: eyes were blue in the sunlight and purple in the shade.
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  Speaker 1: Her cheeks bloomed with a faint pink that edges the
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  Speaker 1: clouds at sunset. Her lips were full, red, pouting, and sweet.
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  Speaker 1: For costumes, she adopted oak leaf green. All the wood
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  Speaker 1: nymphs dress in that color and know no other so desirable.
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  Speaker 1: Her dainty feet were sandal clad, while her head remained
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  Speaker 1: bare of covering other than her silken tresses. Nessil's duties
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  Speaker 1: were few and simple. She kept hurtful weeds from growing
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  Speaker 1: beneath her trees and sapping the earth food required by
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  Speaker 1: her charges. She frightened away the gadgeles, who took evil
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  Speaker 1: delight in flying against the tree trunks and wounding them
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  Speaker 1: so that they dropped and died from the poisonous contact.
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  Speaker 1: In dry season, she carried water from the brooks and pools,
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  Speaker 1: and moistened the roots of her thirsty dependants. That was
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  Speaker 1: in the beginning. The weeds had now learned to avoid
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  Speaker 1: the forests where the wood nymphs dwelt the loathsome gagules
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  Speaker 1: no longer dared come nigh. The trees had become old
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  Speaker 1: and sturdy and could bear the drought better than when
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  Speaker 1: fresh sprouted. So Nesill's duties were lessened and time grew laggered,
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  Speaker 1: while succeeding years became more tiresome and uneventful than the
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  Speaker 1: nymph's joyous spirit. Loved truly, the forest dwellers did not
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  Speaker 1: lack amusement. Each full moon they danced in the royal
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  Speaker 1: circle of the Queen. There were also the feast of nuts,
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  Speaker 1: the jubilee of autumn tintings, the solemn ceremony of leaf shedding,
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  Speaker 1: and the revelry of budding day. But these periods of
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  Speaker 1: enjoyment were far apart and left many weary hours between.
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  Speaker 1: That a wood nymph should grow discontented was not thought
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  Speaker 1: of by Nicille's sisters. It came upon her only after
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  Speaker 1: many years of brooding. But when once she had settled
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  Speaker 1: in her mind that life was irksome, she had no
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  Speaker 1: patience with her condition, and longed to do something of
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  Speaker 1: real interest, and to pass her days in ways hitherto
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  Speaker 1: undreamed of by forest nymphs. The law of the forest
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  Speaker 1: alone restrained her from going forth in search of adventure.
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  Speaker 1: While this mood lay heavy upon pretty Nasile, it chanced
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  Speaker 1: that the Great Ak visited the forest of Burzee and
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  Speaker 1: allowed the wood nymphs, as was their wont to lie
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  Speaker 1: at his feet and listen to the words of wisdom
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  Speaker 1: that fell from his lips. Ak is the master woodsman
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  Speaker 1: of the world. He sees everything and knows more than
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  Speaker 1: the sons of men. That night he held the queen's hand,
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  Speaker 1: for he loved the nymphs as a father loves his children.
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  Speaker 1: And Nasile lay at his feet with many of her sisters,
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  Speaker 1: and earnestly hearkened as he spoke. We live so happily,
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  Speaker 1: my fair ones, in our forest glades, said Ax stroking
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  Speaker 1: his grizzled beard, thoughtfully, that we know nothing of the
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  Speaker 1: sorrow and misery that fall to the lot of those
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  Speaker 1: poor mortals who inhabit the open spaces of the earth.
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  Speaker 1: They are not of our race, it is true, yet
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  Speaker 1: compassion well befits being so fairly favored as ourselves. Often,
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  Speaker 1: as I pass by the dwelling of some suffering mortal,
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  Speaker 1: I am tempted to stop and banish the poor thing's misery.
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  Speaker 1: Yet suffering in moderation is the natural lot of mortals,
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  Speaker 1: and it is not our place to interfere with the
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  Speaker 1: laws of nature. Nevertheless, said the fair Queen, nodding her
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  Speaker 1: golden head at the master woodsman. It would not be
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  Speaker 1: a vain guess that AK has often assisted these hapless mortals.
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  Speaker 1: Ac smiled. Sometimes, he replied, when they are very young children,
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  Speaker 1: the mortals call them. I have stopped to rescue them
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  Speaker 1: from misery. The men and women I dare not interfere
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  Speaker 1: with they must bear the burdens nature has imposed upon them.
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  Speaker 1: But the helpless infants, the innocent children of men, have
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  Speaker 1: a right to be happy until they become full grown
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  Speaker 1: and able to bear the trials of humanity. So I
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  Speaker 1: feel I am justified in assisting them. Not long ago,
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  Speaker 1: a year maybe, I found four poor children huddled in
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  Speaker 1: a wooden hut, slowly freezing to death. Their parents had
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  Speaker 1: gone to a neighboring village for food and had left
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  Speaker 1: a fire to warm their little ones. While they were absent.
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  Speaker 1: But a storm arose and drifted the snow in their path,
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  Speaker 1: so they were long on the road. Meantime, the fire
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  Speaker 1: went out, and the frost crept into the bones of
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  Speaker 1: the waiting children. Poor things, murmured the queen softly. What
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  Speaker 1: did you do? I called Nelko, bidding him fetch wood
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  Speaker 1: from my forests, and breathe upon it until the fire
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  Speaker 1: blazed again and warmed the little room where the children lay.
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  Speaker 1: Then they ceased shivering and fell asleep until their parents came.
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  Speaker 1: I am glad you did, thus said the good Queen,
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  Speaker 1: beaming upon the master, and the zeal who had eagerly
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  Speaker 1: listened to every word, echoed in a whisper. I too,
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  Speaker 1: am glad. And this very night continued ac As I
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  Speaker 1: came to the edge of Berzie, I heard a feeble cry,
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  Speaker 1: which I judged came from a human infant. I looked
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  Speaker 1: about me and found close to the forest a helpless babe,
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  Speaker 1: lying quite naked upon the grasses and wailing piteously. Not
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  Speaker 1: far away, screened by the forest, crouched Chiagra, the lioness,
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  Speaker 1: intent upon devouring the infant for her evening meal. And
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  Speaker 1: what did you do? Act asked the Queen, breathlessly, not
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  Speaker 1: much being in a hurry to greet my nymphs. But
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  Speaker 1: I commanded Chiagra to lie close to the babe and
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  Speaker 1: to give it her milk, and to quiet its hunger.
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  Speaker 1: And I told her to send word throughout the forest
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  Speaker 1: to all beasts and reptiles that the child should not
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  Speaker 1: be harmed. I am glad you did, thus, said the
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  Speaker 1: good Queen again, in a tone of relief. But this
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  Speaker 1: time Nasile did not echo her words, for the nymph,
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  Speaker 1: filled with a strange resolve, had suddenly stolen away from
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  Speaker 1: the group. Swiftly, her lithe form darted through the forest
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  Speaker 1: paths until she reached the edge of Mighty Burzee, when
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  Speaker 1: she paused to gaze curiously about her. Never until now
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  Speaker 1: had she ventured so far, for the law of the
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  Speaker 1: forest had placed the nymphs in its inmost depths. Nasil
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  Speaker 1: knew she was breaking the law, but the thought did
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  Speaker 1: not give pause to her dainty feet. She had decided
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  Speaker 1: to see with her own eyes this infant act had
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  Speaker 1: told of, for she had never yet beheld a child
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  Speaker 1: of man. All the immortals are full grown, there are
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  Speaker 1: no children among them. Peering through the trees and a
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  Speaker 1: seal saw the child lying on the grass, But now
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  Speaker 1: it was sweetly sleeping, having been comforted by the milk
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  Speaker 1: drawn from chiagra. It was not old enough to know
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  Speaker 1: what peril means. If it did not feel hunger, it
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  Speaker 1: was content softly. The nymph stole to the side of
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  Speaker 1: the babe and knelt upon the sward, her long robe
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  Speaker 1: of rose leaf color spreading about her like a gossamer cloud.
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  Speaker 1: Her lovely countenance expressed curiosity and surprise, but most of
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  Speaker 1: all a tender, womanly pity. The babe was newborn, chubby
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  Speaker 1: and pink. It was entirely helpless. While the nymph gazed,
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  Speaker 1: the infant opened its eyes, smiled upon her, and stretched
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  Speaker 1: out two dimpled arms. In another instant, Necile had caught
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  Speaker 1: it to her breast and was hurrying with it through
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  Speaker 1: the forest paths. End of chapter two, Chapter three, the Adoption,
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  Speaker 1: the master woodsman suddenly rose with knitted brows. There was
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  Speaker 1: a strange presence in the forest, he declared. Then the
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  Speaker 1: Queen and her nymphs turned and saw standing before them Necile,
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  Speaker 1: with the sleeping infant clasped tightly in her arms and
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  Speaker 1: a defiant look in her deep blue eyes, and thus
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  Speaker 1: for a moment they remained the nymphs filled with surprise
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  Speaker 1: and consternation, but the brow of the Master Woodsmen gradually
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  Speaker 1: clearing as he gazed intently upon the beautiful immortal who
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  Speaker 1: had wilfully broken the law. Then the great act to
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  Speaker 1: the wonder of all laid his hand softly on Nasilee's
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  Speaker 1: flowing locks and kissed her on her fair forehead for
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  Speaker 1: the first time within my knowledge, said he gently. A
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  Speaker 1: nymph has defied me and my laws. Yet in my
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  Speaker 1: heart I can find no word of chiding. What is
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  Speaker 1: your desire, Narsile, Let me keep the child, she answered,
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  Speaker 1: beginning to tremble and falling on her knees in supplication.
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  Speaker 1: Here in the forest of Berzy, where the human race
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  Speaker 1: has never yet penetrated, questioned ac Here in the forest
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  Speaker 1: of Berzi, replied the nymph boldly. It is my home,
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  Speaker 1: and I am weary for lack of occupation. Let me
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  Speaker 1: care for the babe. See how weak and helpless it is.
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  Speaker 1: Surely it cannot harm Beerzee nor the Master Woodsman of
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  Speaker 1: the world. But the law child, the law, cried ac sternly.
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  Speaker 1: The law is made by the Master Woodsman, returned Nicile,
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  Speaker 1: if he bids me care for the babe he himself
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  Speaker 1: has saved from death, Who in all the world dare
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  Speaker 1: oppose me? Queen Zurline, who had listened intently to this conversation,
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  Speaker 1: clapped her pretty hands gleefully at the nymph's answer. You
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  Speaker 1: are fairly trapped, o Ac, she exclaimed, laughing. Now I
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  Speaker 1: pray you give heed Tonsile's petition the woodsman, as was
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  Speaker 1: his habit. When the in thought stroked his grizzled beard slowly.
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  Speaker 1: Then he said, she shall keep the babe, and I
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  Speaker 1: will give it my protection. But I warn you while that,
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  Speaker 1: as this is the first time I have relaxed the law,
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  Speaker 1: so shall it be the last time? Never more, to
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  Speaker 1: the end of the world, shall a mortal be adopted
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  Speaker 1: by an immortal? Otherwise would we abandon our happy existence
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  Speaker 1: for one of trouble and anxiety. Good Night, my nymphs.
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  Speaker 1: Then Ac was gone from their midst, and Necilee hurried
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  Speaker 1: away to her bower to rejoice over her newfound treasure.
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  Speaker 1: End of Chapter three, Chapter four clause. Another day found
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  Speaker 1: Nicille's bower the most popular place in the forest. The
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  Speaker 1: nymphs clustered around her and the child that lay asleep
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  Speaker 1: in her lap with expressions of curiosity and delight. Nor
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  Speaker 1: were they wanting in praises for the Great Act's kindness
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  Speaker 1: in allowing Nzele to keep the babe and to care
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  Speaker 1: for it. Even the the Queen came to peer into
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  Speaker 1: the innocent, childish face and to hold a helpless, chubby
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  Speaker 1: fist in her own fair hand. What shall we call him, Necilee,
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  Speaker 1: she asked, smiling. He must have a name, you know.
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  Speaker 1: Let him be called Claus, answered Necille, for that means
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  Speaker 1: a little one. Rather let him be called Necklaus. Begin footnote.
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  Speaker 1: Some people have spelled this name Nicklaus, and others Nicolas,
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  Speaker 1: which is the reason that Santa Claus is still known
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  Speaker 1: in some lands as Saint Nicholas. But of course Neclaus
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  Speaker 1: is his right name, and Clause the nickname given him
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  Speaker 1: by his adopted mother, the fair nymph Nessilee. End footnote.
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  Speaker 1: Rather let him be called Necklaus, returned the queen, for
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  Speaker 1: that will mean Nesilee's little one. The nymphs clapped their
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  Speaker 1: hands in delight, and Necklaws became the infant's name, although
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  Speaker 1: Nsile loved best to call him Claws, and in after
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  Speaker 1: days many of her sisters followed her example. Nesille gathered
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  Speaker 1: the softest moss in all the forest for claws to
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  Speaker 1: lie upon, and she made his bed in her own bower.
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  Speaker 1: Of food, the infant had no lack. The nymphs searched
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  Speaker 1: the forest for bell utters, which grow upon the goa tree,
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  Speaker 1: and when opened, are found to be filled with sweet milk,
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  Speaker 1: and the soft eyed doze willingly gave a share of
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  Speaker 1: their milk to support the little stranger, while Chiegra, the lioness,
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  Speaker 1: often crept stealthily into Nsile's bower and purred softly as
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  Speaker 1: she lay beside the babe and fed it. So the
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  Speaker 1: little one flourished and grew big and sturdy day by day,
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  Speaker 1: while Nilee taught him to speak, and to walk, and
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  Speaker 1: to play. His thoughts and words were sweet and gentle,
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  Speaker 1: for the nymphs knew no evil, and their hearts were
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  Speaker 1: pure and loving. He became the pet of the forest,
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  Speaker 1: for acts decree had forbidden beast or reptile to molest him,
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  Speaker 1: and he walked fearlessly wherever his will guided him. Presently,
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  Speaker 1: the news reached the other immortals that the nymphs of
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  Speaker 1: Burzee had adopted a human infant. And that the act
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  Speaker 1: had been sanctioned by the Great Act. Therefore, many of
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  Speaker 1: them came to visit the Little Stranger, looking upon him
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  Speaker 1: with much interest. First the rills, who are first cousins
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  Speaker 1: to the wood nymphs, although so differently formed, for the
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  Speaker 1: rills are required to watch over the flowers and plants
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  Speaker 1: as the nymphs watch over the forest trees. They searched
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  Speaker 1: the wide world for the food required by the roots
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  Speaker 1: of the flowering plants, while the brilliant colors possessed by
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  Speaker 1: the full blown flowers are due to the dyes placed
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  Speaker 1: in the soil by the rills, which are drawn through
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  Speaker 1: the little veins and the roots and the body of
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  Speaker 1: the plants as they reach maturity. The rylls are a
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  Speaker 1: busy people, for their flowers bloom and fade continually, but
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  Speaker 1: they are merry and light hearted and are very popular
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  Speaker 1: with the other immortals. Next came the knooks, whose duty
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  Speaker 1: it is to watch over the beasts of the world,
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  Speaker 1: both gentle and wild. The knooks have a hard time
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  Speaker 1: of it, since many of the beasts are ungovernable and
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  Speaker 1: rebel against restraint, but they know how to manage them
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  Speaker 1: after all, and you will find that certain laws of
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  Speaker 1: the knooks are obeyed by even the most ferocious animals.
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  Speaker 1: Their anxieties make the nooks look old and worn and crooked,
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  Speaker 1: and their natures are a bit rough from associating with
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  Speaker 1: wild creatures continually. Yet they are most useful to humanity
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  Speaker 1: and to the world in general, as their laws are
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  Speaker 1: the only laws the forest beasts recognize except those of
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  Speaker 1: the master woodsmen. And there were the fairies, the guardians
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  Speaker 1: of mankind, who were much interested in the adoption of
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  Speaker 1: Claus because their own laws forbade them to become familiar
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  Speaker 1: with their human charges. There are instances on record where
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  Speaker 1: the fairies have shown themselves to human beings and have
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  Speaker 1: even conversed with them. But they are supposed to guard
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  Speaker 1: the lives of mankind, unseen and unknown, and if they
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  Speaker 1: favor some people more than others, it is because they
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  Speaker 1: have won such distinction fairly, as the fairies are very
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  Speaker 1: just and impartial. But the idea of adopting a child
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  Speaker 1: of men had never occurred to them, because it was
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  Speaker 1: in every way opposed to their laws. So their curiosity
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: was intense to behold the little stranger adopted by Nitzella
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  Speaker 1: and her sister nymphs. Claws looked upon the immortals who
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  Speaker 1: thronged around him with fearless eyes and smiling lips. He
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  Speaker 1: rode laughingly upon the shoulders of the merry rylls. He
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  Speaker 1: mischievously pulled the gray beards of the low rod knooks.
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  Speaker 1: He rested his curly head confidently upon the dainty bosom
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  Speaker 1: of the fairy queen herself. And the rills loved the
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  Speaker 1: sound of his laughter. The knooks loved his courage, the
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  Speaker 1: fairies loved his innocence. The boy made friends of them
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  Speaker 1: all and learned to know their laws. Intimately. No forest
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  Speaker 1: flower was trampled beneath his feet lest the friendly rill
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  Speaker 1: should be grieved. He never interfered with the beasts of
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  Speaker 1: the forest, lest his friends, the knooks, should become angry.
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  Speaker 1: The fairies he loved dearly, But knowing nothing of mankind,
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  Speaker 1: he could not understand that he was the only one
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  Speaker 1: of his race admitted to friendly intercourse with them. Indeed,
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  Speaker 1: Claws came to consider that he alone, of all the
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  Speaker 1: forest people, had no like nor fellow to him. The
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  Speaker 1: forest was the world. He had no idea that millions
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  Speaker 1: of toiling, striving human creatures existed, and he was happy
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  Speaker 1: and content. End of chapter four, Chapter five the master
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  Speaker 1: woodsman years passed swiftly in burzy, for the nymphs has
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  Speaker 1: no need to regard time in any way. Even centuries
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  Speaker 1: make no change in the dainty creatures. Ever and ever
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  Speaker 1: they remained the same, immortal and unchanging claws. However, being mortal,
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: grew to manhood day by day. Nessille was disturbed presently
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  Speaker 1: to find him too big to lie in her lap,
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  Speaker 1: and he had a desire for other food than milk.
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  Speaker 1: His stout legs carried him far into Bersey's heart, where
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  Speaker 1: he gathered supplies of nuts and berries, as well as
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: several sweet and wholesome roots, which suited his stomach better
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: than the bell utters. He sought Nessilee's bower less frequently,
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: till finally it became his custom to return thither only
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: to sleep. The nymph, who had come to love him dearly,
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: was puzzled to comprehend the changed nature of her charge,
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: and unconsciously altered her own mode of life to conform
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: to his whims. She followed him readily through the forest paths,
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: as did many of her sister nymphs, explaining as they
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: walked all the mysteries of the gigantic wood, and the
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: habits and nature of the living things which dwelt beneath
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: its shade. The language of the beasts became clear to
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: little claws, but he never could understand their sulky and
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: morose tempers. Only the squirrels, the mice, and the rabbits
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: seemed to possess cheerful and merry natures. Yet would the
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: boy laugh when the panther growled and stroke the bear's
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: glossy coat, while the creature snarled and bared its teeth menacingly.
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: The growls and snarls were not for claws, he well knew,
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: so what did they matter. He could sing the songs
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: of the bees, recite the poetry of the wood flowers,
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: and relate the history of every blinking owl in Berze.
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: He helped the rills to feed their plants, and the
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: nooks to keep order among the animals. The little immortals
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: regarded him as a privileged person, being especially protected by
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: Queen Zerline and her nymphs, and favored by the Great
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: ac himself. One day, the master woodsmen came back to
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: the forest of Berzi. He had visited in turn all
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: his forests throughout the world, and they were many and broad.
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: Not until he entered the glade where the Queen and
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: her nymphs were assembled to greet him, did Ak remember
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: the child he had permitted Nasile to adopt. Then he found,
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: sitting familiarly in the circle of lovely immortals, a broad shouldered,
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: stalwart youth, who, when erect stood fully as high as
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: the shoulder of the master himself. Ac paused, silent and frowning,
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: to bend his piercing gaze upon claws. The clear eyes
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: met his own steadfastly, and the woodsman gave a sigh
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: of relief as he marked their placid depths and read
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: the youth's brave and innocent heart. Nevertheless, Asak sat beside
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: the fair Queen and the golden chalice filled with rare
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: nectar passed from lip to lip, the Master Woodsman was
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: strangely silent and reserved, and stroked his beard many times
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: with a thoughtful motion. With mourning. He called claws aside
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: in kindly fashion, saying bid good bye for a time
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: to Narasille and her sisters, for you shall accompany me
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: on my journey through the world. The venture pleased Claus,
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: who knew well the honor of being companion of the
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: master woodsman of the world. But Nasille wept for the
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: first time in her life, and clung to the boy's
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: neck as if she could not bear to let him go.
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: The nymph who had mothered this sturdy youth was still
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: as dainty, as charming, and beautiful as when she had
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: dared to face Ak with the babe clasped to her breast.
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: Nor was her love less. Great ac beheld the two
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: clinging together seemingly as brother and sister to one another,
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: and again he wore his thoughtful look. End of chapter five,
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: Chapter six, clause discovers humanity by l Frank Baum. Taking
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: Claws to a small clearing in the forest, the Master said,
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: place your hand upon my girdle and hold fast while
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: we journey through the air. For now we shall encircle
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: the world and look upon many of the haunts of
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: those men from whom you are descended. These words caused
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: Claus to marvel, for until now he had thought himself
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: the only one of his kind upon the earth. Yet
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: in his silence he grasped firmly the girdle of the
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: Great Ak his astonishment forbidding speech. Then the vast forest
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: of Burzee seemed to fall away from their feet, and
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: the youth found himself passing swiftly through the air at
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: a great height. Ere long there were spires beneath them,
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: while buildings of many shapes and colors met their downward view.
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: It was a city of men and ak Pausing to descend,
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: led claws to its enclosure, said the Master, So long
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: as you hold fast to my girdle, you will remain
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: unseen by all mankind, though seeing clearly yourself, to release
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: your grasp will be to separate yourself forever from me
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: and your home in Berzi. One of the first laws
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: of the forest is obedience, and Claws had no thought
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: of disobeying the master's wish. He clung fast to the
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: girdle and remained invisible. Thereafter, with each moment passed in
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: the city, the youth's wonder grew. He who had supposed
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: himself created differently from all others, now found the earth
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: swarming with creatures of his own kind. Indeed, said ac
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: the immortals are few, but the mortals are many. Claws
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: looked earnestly upon his fellows. There were sad faces, gay
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: and reckless faces, pleasant faces, anxious faces, and kindly faces,
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: all mingled in puzzling disorder. Some worked at tedious tasks,
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: some strutted in impudent conceit. Some were thoughtful and grave,
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: while others seemed happy and content. Men of many natures
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: there were as everywhere, and Claws found much to please him,
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: and much to make him sad. But especially he noted
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: the children, first curiously, then eagerly, then lovingly. Ragged little
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: ones rolled in the dust of the streets, playing with
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: scraps and pebbles. Other children, gaily dressed, were propped upon
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: cushions and fed with sugar plums. Yet the children of
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: the rich were not happier than those playing with the
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: dust and pebbles. It seemed to Claws. Childhood is the
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: time of man's greatest content, said ac following the youth's thoughts.
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: Tis during these years of innocent pleasure that the little
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: ones are most free from care. Tell me, said Claws,
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: why do not all these babies fair alike? Because they
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: are born in both cottage and palace, returned the master.
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: The difference in the wealth of the parents determines the
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: lot of the child. Some are carefully tended and clothed
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: in silks and dainty linen. Others are neglected and covered
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: with rags. Yet all seem equally fair and sweet, said Claws, thoughtfully.
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: While they are babes, yes, agreed Ac, their joy is
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: in being alive, and they do not stop to think.
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: In after years, the doom of mankind overtakes them, and
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: they find they must struggle and worry, work, and fret
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: to gain the wealth that is so dear to the
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: hearts of men. Such things are unknown in the forest
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: where you were reared. Claws was silent a moment. Then
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: he asked, why was I reared in the forest among
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: those who are not of my race? Then Ac, in
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: gentle voice, told him the story of his babyhood, how
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: he had been abandoned at the forest's edge and left
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: prey to wild beasts, and how the loving nymph Necilee,
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: had rescued him and brought him to manhood under the
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: protection of the immortals. I am not of them, said Claws, musingly.
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: You are not of them, returned the woodsman. The nymph
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: who cared for you as a mother, seems now like
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: a sister to you. By and by when you grow
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: old and gray, she will seem like a daughter yet
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: another brief span, and you will be but a memory
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: while she remains nezele. Then, why, if man must perish,
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: is he born? Demanded the boy. Everything perishes except the
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: world itself and its keepers, answered ac But while life lasts,
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: everything on earth has its use. The wise seek ways
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: to be helpful to the world, for the helpful ones
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: are sure to live again. Much of this clause failed
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: to understand fully, but a longing seized him to become
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: helpful to his fellows, and he remained grave and thoughtful.
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: While they resumed their journey, they visited many dwellings of
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: men in many parts of the world, watting farmers toil
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: in the fields, warriors dash into cruel fray, and merchants
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: exchanged their goods for bits of white and yellow metal,
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: And everywhere the eyes of claws sought out the children
• 31:18
  Speaker 1: in love and pity. For the thought of his own
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: helpless babyhood was strong within him, and he yearned to
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: give help to the innocent little ones of his race,
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: even as he had been succored by the kindly nymph.
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: Day by day, the master Woodsmen and his pupil traversed
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: the earth, ac speaking but seldom to the youth, who
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: clung steadfastly to his girdle, but guiding him into all
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: places where he might become familiar with the lives of
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: human beings. And at last they returned to the grand
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: old forest of Burzee, where the Master set Claws down
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: within the circle of nymphs, among whom the Prettiness Seal
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: anxiously awaited him. The brow of great Act was now
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: calm and peaceful, but the brow of Claws had become
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: lined with deep thought. Nasille sighed at the change in
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: her foster son, who until now had been ever joyous
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: and smiling, and the thought came to her that never
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: again would the life of the boy be the same
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: as before this eventful journey with the Master. End of
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: chapter six. Chapter seven, Claws leaves the forest. When good
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: Queen Zerline had touched the golden chalice with her fair lips,
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: and it had passed around the circle in honor of
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: the traveler's return, the Master Woodsman of the world, who
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: had not yet spoken, turned his gaze frankly upon Claws
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: and said, well, I understood, and rose slowly to his
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: feet beside the seal. Once only his eyes passed around
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: the familiar circle of nymphs, every one of whom he
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: remembered as a loving comrade. But tears came unbidden to
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: dim his sight. So he gazed thereafter steadfastly at the Master.
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: I have been ignorant, said he simply until the great
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: act in his kindness, taught me who and what I am. You,
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: who live so sweetly in your forest bowers, ever fair
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: and youthful and innocent, are no fit comrades for a
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: son of humanity. For I have looked upon man, binding
• 33:42
  Speaker 1: him doomed to live for a brief space upon earth,
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: to toil for the things he needs, to fade into
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: old age, and then to pass away as the leaves
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: in autumn. Yet every man has his mission, which is
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: to leave the world better in some way than he
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: found it. I am of the race of men, and
• 34:03
  Speaker 1: man's lot is my lot. For your tender care of
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: the poor forsaken babe you adopted, as well as for
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: your loving comradeship during my boyhood, my heart will ever
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: overflow with gratitude my foster mother. Here he stopped and
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: kissed Nesilee's white forehead. I shall love and cherish while
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: life lasts. But I must leave you to take my
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: part in the endless struggle to which humanity is doomed,
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: and to live my life in my own way. What
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: will you do, asked the queen gravely. I must devote
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: myself to the care of the children of mankind and
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: try to make them happy. He answered, Since your own
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: tender care of a babe brought me to happiness and strength,
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: it is just and right that I devote my life
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: to the pleasure of other babes. Thus will the memory
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: of the loving nymph Necile be planted within the hearts
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: of thousands of my race for many years to come,
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: and her kindly act be recounted in song and in
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: story while the world shall last. Have I spoken well,
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: O Master? You have spoken well, returned ac and, rising
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: to his feet, he continued, Yet one thing must not
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: be forgotten. Having been adopted as the child of the
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: forest and the playfellow of the nymphs, you have gained
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: distinction which forever separates you from your kind. Therefore, when
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: you go forth into the world of men, you shall
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: retain the protection of the forest, and the powers you
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: now enjoy will remain with you to assist you in
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: your labors. In any need, you may call upon the nymphs,
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: the rills, the knooks, and the fairies, and they will
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: serve you gladly. I the master woulds men of the world,
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: have said it, and my word is the law. Claws
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: looked upon ak with grateful eyes. This will make me
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: mighty among men, he replied. Protected by these kind friends,
• 36:17
  Speaker 1: I may be able to make thousands of little children happy.
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: I will try very hard to do my duty, and
• 36:23
  Speaker 1: I know the forest people will give me their sympathy
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: and help. We will, said the fairy queen, earnestly. We will,
• 36:33
  Speaker 1: cried the merry ryls, laughing. We will, shouted the crooked knooks, scowling.
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: We will, exclaimed the sweet nymphs proudly. But Nesille said nothing.
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: She only folded Claws in her arms and kissed him tenderly.
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: The world is big, continued the boy, turning again to
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: his loyal friends. But men are everywhere. I shall begin
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: my work near my friends, so that if I meet
• 37:05
  Speaker 1: with misfortune, I can come to the forest for counsel
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: or help. With that, he gave them all a loving
• 37:12
  Speaker 1: look and turned away. There was no need to say
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: good bye bye for him. The sweet wild life of
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: the forest was over. He went forth bravely to meet
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: his doom, the doom of the race of man, the
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: necessity to worry and work. But Ac who knew the
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: boy's heart, was merciful and guided his steps. Coming through
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: Bersey to its eastern edge, claws reached the laughing valley
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: of ho Ha Ho. On each side were rolling green hills,
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: and a brook wandered midway between them to wind afar
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: off beyond the valley. At his back was the grim
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: forest at the far end of the valley, a broad peace.
• 38:01
  Speaker 1: The eyes of the young man, which had until now
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: reflected his grave thoughts, became brighter as he stood silent,
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: looking out upon the laughing valley. Then, on a sudden
• 38:12
  Speaker 1: his eyes twinkled as stars do on a still night,
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: and grew merry and wide. For at his feet the
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: cowslips and daisies smiled on him in friendly regard. The
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: breeze whistled gaily as it passed by, and fluttered the
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: locks on his forehead. The brook laughed joyously as it
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: leapt over the pebbles and swept around the green curves
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: of its banks. The bees sang sweet songs as they
• 38:39
  Speaker 1: flew from dandelion to daffodil. The beadles chirruped happily in
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: the long grass, and the sunbeams glinted pleasantly over all
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: the scene here, cried Claws, stretching out his arms as
• 38:53
  Speaker 1: if to embrace the valley. I will make my home.
• 38:59
  Speaker 1: That was many, many years ago. It has been his
• 39:03
  Speaker 1: home ever since. It is his home now. End of
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: Chapter seven Manhood, Chapter one, the Laughing Valley. When Claws came,
• 39:21
  Speaker 1: the valley was empty save for the grass, the brook,
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: the wild flowers, the bees, and the butterflies. If he
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: would make his home here and live after the fashion
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: of men, he must have a house. This puzzled him
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: at first, but while he stood smiling in the sunshine,
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: he suddenly found beside him Old Nelko, the servant of
• 39:42
  Speaker 1: the master Woodsman. Nelko bore an axe, strong and broad,
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: with a blade that gleamed like burnished silver. This he
• 39:52
  Speaker 1: placed in the young man's hand, then disappeared without a word.
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: Claws understood, and, turning to the forest's end edge, he
• 40:00
  Speaker 1: selected a number of fallen tree trunks, which he began
• 40:04
  Speaker 1: to clear of their dead branches. He would not cut
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: into a living tree. His life among the nymphs who
• 40:11
  Speaker 1: guarded the forest had taught him that a live tree
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: is sacred, being a created thing endowed with feeling. But
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: with the dead and fallen trees it was different. They
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: had fulfilled their destiny as active members of the forest community,
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: and now it was fitting that their remains should minister
• 40:29
  Speaker 1: to the needs of man. The axe bit deep into
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: the logs. At every stroke. It seemed to have a
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: force of its own, and claws had but to swing
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: and guide it when shadows began creeping over the green
• 40:44
  Speaker 1: hills to lie in the valley over night, the young
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: man had chopped many logs into equal lengths and proper
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: shapes for building a house, such as he had seen
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: the poorer classes of men in habit, then resolving to
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: await another day before he tried to fit the logs together,
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: claws ate some of the sweet roots he well knew
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: how to find. Drank deeply from the laughing brook and
• 41:08
  Speaker 1: lay down to sleep on the grass, first seeking a
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: spot where no flowers grew lest the weight of his
• 41:14
  Speaker 1: body should crush them. And while he slumbered and breathed
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: in the perfume of the wondrous valley, The spirit of
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: happiness crept into his heart and drove out all terror
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: and care and misgivings. Never more would the face of
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: Claws be clouded with anxieties. Never more would the trials
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: of life weigh him down as with a burden. The
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: Laughing Valley had claimed him for its own. Would that
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: we all might live in that delightful place, But then
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: maybe it would become overcrowded for ages it had awaited
• 41:51
  Speaker 1: a tenant. Was a chance that led young Claws to
• 41:54
  Speaker 1: make his home in this happy vale? Or may we
• 41:58
  Speaker 1: guess that his thoughtful friends, the immortals, had directed his
• 42:02
  Speaker 1: steps when he wandered away from Berzi to seek a
• 42:05
  Speaker 1: home in the great world. Certain it is that while
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: the moon peered over the hilltop and flooded with its
• 42:13
  Speaker 1: soft beams the body of the sleeping stranger, the Laughing
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: Valley was filled with the queer, crooked shapes of the
• 42:20
  Speaker 1: friendly looks. These people spoke no words, but worked with
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: skill and swiftness. The log's claws had trimmed with his
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: bright axe, were carried to a spot beside the brook,
• 42:32
  Speaker 1: and fitted one upon another, And during the night a
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: strong and roomy dwelling was built. The birds came sweeping
• 42:41
  Speaker 1: into the valley at daybreak, and their songs, so seldom
• 42:45
  Speaker 1: heard in the deep wood, aroused the stranger. He rubbed
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: the web of sleep from his eyelids and looked around
• 42:53
  Speaker 1: the house met his gaze. I must thank the knooks
• 42:58
  Speaker 1: for this, said he gratefully. Then he walked to his
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: dwelling and entered at the doorway. A large room faced him,
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: having a fireplace at the end and a table and
• 43:09
  Speaker 1: bench in the middle. Beside the fireplace was a cupboard.
• 43:14
  Speaker 1: Another doorway was beyond. Claws entered here also and saw
• 43:19
  Speaker 1: a smaller room with a bed against the wall and
• 43:22
  Speaker 1: a stool set near a small stand. On the bed
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: were many layers of dried moss brought from the forest. Indeed,
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: it is a palace, exclaimed the smiling Claws. I must
• 43:36
  Speaker 1: thank the good knooks again for their knowledge of man's needs,
• 43:40
  Speaker 1: as well as for their labors in my behalf. He
• 43:44
  Speaker 1: left his new home with a glad feeling that he
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: was not quite alone in the world, although he had
• 43:49
  Speaker 1: chosen to abandon his forest life. Friendships are not easily broken,
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: and the immortals are everywhere. Upon reaching the brook, he
• 43:59
  Speaker 1: dress of the pure water, and then sat down on
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: the bank to laugh at the mischievous gambols of the
• 44:05
  Speaker 1: ripples as they pushed one another against rocks, or crowded
• 44:09
  Speaker 1: desperately to see which should first reach the turn beyond.
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: And as they raced away, he listened to the song
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: they sang, rushing, pushing on we go. Not a wave
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: may gently flow. All are too excited. Every drop, delighted,
• 44:28
  Speaker 1: turns to spray in merry play as we tumble on
• 44:31
  Speaker 1: our way. Next, claws searched for roots to eat, while
• 44:35
  Speaker 1: the daffodils turned their little eyes up to him laughingly
• 44:38
  Speaker 1: and lisped their dainty song. Blooming fairly, growing rarely never
• 44:44
  Speaker 1: Flowerets were so gay perfume, breathing joy, bequeathing as our
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: colors we display. It made claws laugh to hear the
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: little things voice their happiness as they nodded gracefully on
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: their stems. But another rain caught his ear as the
• 45:01
  Speaker 1: sunbeams fell gently across his face, and whispered, here is
• 45:06
  Speaker 1: gladness that our rays warmed the valley through the days.
• 45:12
  Speaker 1: Here is happiness to give comfort unto all who live yes,
• 45:19
  Speaker 1: cried Claws in answer, there is happiness and joy in
• 45:23
  Speaker 1: all things. Here, the Laughing Valley is a valley of
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: peace and good will. He passed the day talking with
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: the ants and beetles, and exchanging jokes with the light
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: hearted butterflies, And at night he lay on his bed
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: of soft moss and slept soundly. Then came the fairies,
• 45:44
  Speaker 1: merry but noiseless, bringing skillets and pots, and dishes and pans,
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: and all the tools necessary to prepare food and to
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: comfort a mortal. With these they filled cupboard and fireplace,
• 45:58
  Speaker 1: finally placing a stout suit of wool clothing on the
• 46:01
  Speaker 1: stool by the bedside. When Claws awoke, he rubbed his
• 46:06
  Speaker 1: eyes again and laughed and spoke aloud his thanks to
• 46:09
  Speaker 1: the fairies and the master woodsmen who had sent them.
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: With eager joy, he examined all his new possessions, wondering
• 46:17
  Speaker 1: what sum might be used for. But in the days
• 46:20
  Speaker 1: when he had clung to the girdle of the great
• 46:22
  Speaker 1: ac and visited the cities of men, his eyes had
• 46:26
  Speaker 1: been quick to note all the manners and customs of
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: the race to which he belonged. So he guessed from
• 46:32
  Speaker 1: the gifts brought by the fairies. That the Master had
• 46:35
  Speaker 1: expected him hereafter to live in the fashion of his
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: fellow creatures, which means that I must plow the earth
• 46:42
  Speaker 1: and plant corn, he reflected, so that when winter comes
• 46:46
  Speaker 1: I shall have garnered food and plenty. But as he
• 46:50
  Speaker 1: stood in the grassy valley, he saw that to turn
• 46:54
  Speaker 1: up the earth in furrows would be to destroy hundreds
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: of pretty, helpless flowers, as well as thousands of the
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: tender blades of grass, and this he could not bear
• 47:04
  Speaker 1: to do. Therefore, he stretched out his arms and uttered
• 47:08
  Speaker 1: a peculiar whistle he had learned in the forest. Afterward,
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: crying rills of the field flowers come to me. Instantly
• 47:18
  Speaker 1: a dozen of the queer little rills were squatting upon
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: the ground before him, and they nodded to him in
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: cheerful greeting. Claws gazed upon them earnestly. Your brothers of
• 47:30
  Speaker 1: the forest, he said, I have known and loved many years.
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: I shall love you also when we have become friends
• 47:38
  Speaker 1: to me. The laws of the rills, whether those of
• 47:41
  Speaker 1: the forest or of the field, are sacred. I have
• 47:44
  Speaker 1: never wilfully destroyed one of the flowers you tend so carefully.
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: But I must plant grain to use for food during
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: the cold winter. And how am I to do this
• 47:53
  Speaker 1: without killing the little creatures that sing to me so
• 47:56
  Speaker 1: prettily of their fragrant blossoms. The yellow rill, he who
• 48:01
  Speaker 1: tends the buttercups, made answer, fret not, friend, Claws. The
• 48:05
  Speaker 1: great Ak has spoken to us of you. There is
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: better work for you in life than to labor for food.
• 48:11
  Speaker 1: And though not being of the forest, Ak has no
• 48:15
  Speaker 1: command over us, nevertheless, we are glad to favor one
• 48:18
  Speaker 1: he loves live. Therefore, to do the good work you
• 48:22
  Speaker 1: are resolved to undertake, we the field rills, will attend
• 48:26
  Speaker 1: to your food supplies. After this speech, the rills were
• 48:31
  Speaker 1: no longer to be seen, and Claws drove from his
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: mind the thought of tilling the earth. When next he
• 48:38
  Speaker 1: wandered back to his dwelling, a bowl of fresh milk
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: stood upon the table. Bread was in the cupboard, and
• 48:44
  Speaker 1: sweet honey filled a dish beside it. A pretty basket
• 48:48
  Speaker 1: of rosy apples and new plucked grapes were also awaiting him.
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: He called out, thanks, my friends, to the invisible rills,
• 48:57
  Speaker 1: and straightway began to eat of the food. Thereafter, when hungry,
• 49:02
  Speaker 1: he had but look into the cupboard to find goodly
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: supplies brought by the kindly rills. And the knooks cut
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: and stacked much wood for his fireplace, and the fairies
• 49:12
  Speaker 1: brought him warm blankets and clothing. So began his life
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: in the Laughing Valley, with the favor and friendship of
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: the immortals to minister to his every want. End of
• 49:26
  Speaker 1: chapter one, Chapter two, How claws made the first toy. Truly,
• 49:38
  Speaker 1: our claws had wisdom for his good fortune, but strengthened
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: his resolve to befriend the little ones of his own race.
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: He knew his plan was approved by the immortals, else
• 49:49
  Speaker 1: they would not have favored him so greatly. So he
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: began at once to make acquaintance with mankind. He walked
• 49:56
  Speaker 1: through the valley to the plain beyond, and crossed the
• 49:59
  Speaker 1: plain in many directions to reach the abodes of men.
• 50:03
  Speaker 1: These stood stingly or in groups of dwellings called villages,
• 50:07
  Speaker 1: And in nearly all the houses, whether big or little,
• 50:11
  Speaker 1: claws found children. The youngster soon came to know his merry,
• 50:15
  Speaker 1: laughing face and the kind glance of his bright eyes,
• 50:20
  Speaker 1: and the parents, while they regarded the young man with
• 50:23
  Speaker 1: some scorn for loving children more than their elders, were
• 50:26
  Speaker 1: content that the girls and boys had found a playfellow
• 50:29
  Speaker 1: who seemed willing to amuse them. So the children romped
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: and played games with Claws, and the boys rode upon
• 50:37
  Speaker 1: his shoulders, and the girls nestled in his strong arms,
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: and the babies clung fondly to his knees. Wherever the
• 50:46
  Speaker 1: young man chanced to be, the sound of childish laughter
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: followed him. And to understand this better, you must know
• 50:54
  Speaker 1: that children were much neglected in those days, and received
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: little attention from their parents, so that it became to
• 51:01
  Speaker 1: them a marvel that so goodly a man as Claws
• 51:04
  Speaker 1: devoted his time to making them happy, and those who
• 51:08
  Speaker 1: knew him, where you may be sure, very happy. Indeed,
• 51:13
  Speaker 1: the sad faces of the poor and abused grew bright,
• 51:16
  Speaker 1: for once the cripple smile despite his misfortune. The ailing
• 51:21
  Speaker 1: ones hushed their moans, and the grieved ones their cries
• 51:25
  Speaker 1: when their merry friend came nigh to comfort them. Only
• 51:29
  Speaker 1: at the beautiful palace of the Lord of Lurd, and
• 51:32
  Speaker 1: at the frowning castle of the Baron Brown was Claw's
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: refused admittance. There were children at both places, but the
• 51:39
  Speaker 1: servants at the palace shut the door in the young
• 51:41
  Speaker 1: stranger's face, and the fierce baron threatened to hang him
• 51:45
  Speaker 1: from an iron hook on the castle walls, whereupon Claws
• 51:50
  Speaker 1: sighed and went back to the poorer dwellings, where he
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: was welcome. After a time, the winter drew near. The
• 51:59
  Speaker 1: flower lived out their lives and faded and disappeared. The
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: beetles burrowed far into the warm earth, and the butterflies
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: deserted the meadows, and the voice of the brook grew hoarse,
• 52:11
  Speaker 1: as if it had taken cold. One day, snowflakes filled
• 52:15
  Speaker 1: all the air in the Laughing Valley, dancing boisterously toward
• 52:19
  Speaker 1: the earth, and clothing in pure white raiment the roof
• 52:23
  Speaker 1: of Claws's dwelling. At night, Jack Frost rapped at the door.
• 52:29
  Speaker 1: Come in, cried Claws. Come out, answered Jack, for you
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: have a fire inside. So Claws came out. He had
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: known Jack Frost in the forest and liked the jolly rogue,
• 52:43
  Speaker 1: even while he mistrusted him. There will be rare sport
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: for me to night, Claws shouted. The sprite, isn't this
• 52:51
  Speaker 1: glorious weather? I shall nip scores of noses and ears
• 52:55
  Speaker 1: and toes before daybreak. If you love me, Jack, spare
• 53:00
  Speaker 1: the children, begged Claws. And why, asked the other, in surprise.
• 53:07
  Speaker 1: They are tender and helpless, answered Claws. But I love
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: to nip the tender ones, declared Jack. The older ones
• 53:16
  Speaker 1: are tough and tire my fingers. The young ones are
• 53:20
  Speaker 1: weak and cannot fight you, said Claws. True, agreed Jack thoughtfully. Well,
• 53:29
  Speaker 1: I will not pinch a child this night, if I
• 53:31
  Speaker 1: can resist the temptation, he promised. Good night, Claws, good night.
• 53:39
  Speaker 1: The young man went in and closed the door, and
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: Jack Frost ran on to the nearest village. Claws threw
• 53:46
  Speaker 1: a log on the fire, which burned up brightly. Beside
• 53:50
  Speaker 1: the hearth sat Blinky, a big cat given him by
• 53:53
  Speaker 1: Peter the Nook. Her fur was soft and glossy, and
• 53:57
  Speaker 1: she purred never ending songs of contentment. I shall not
• 54:02
  Speaker 1: see the children again soon, said Claws to the cat,
• 54:05
  Speaker 1: who kindly paused in her song to listen. The winter
• 54:09
  Speaker 1: is upon us. The snow will be deep for many days,
• 54:13
  Speaker 1: and I shall be unable to play with my little friends.
• 54:18
  Speaker 1: The cat raised a paw and stroked her nose. Thoughtfully,
• 54:21
  Speaker 1: but made no reply. So long as the fire burned
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: and Claws sat in his easy chair by the hearth,
• 54:29
  Speaker 1: she did not mind the weather. So passed many days
• 54:33
  Speaker 1: and many long evenings. The cupboard was always full, but
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: Claws became weary with having nothing to do more than
• 54:41
  Speaker 1: to feed the fire from the big wood pile the
• 54:43
  Speaker 1: knooks had brought him. One evening, he picked up a
• 54:47
  Speaker 1: stick of wood and began to cut it with his
• 54:49
  Speaker 1: sharp knife. He had no thought at first except to
• 54:53
  Speaker 1: occupy his time, and he whistled and sang to the
• 54:56
  Speaker 1: cat as he carved away portions of the stick. Push
• 55:00
  Speaker 1: set up on her haunches and watched him, listening at
• 55:02
  Speaker 1: the same time to her master's merry whistle, which she
• 55:05
  Speaker 1: loved to hear even more than her own purring songs.
• 55:09
  Speaker 1: Claws glanced at Puss and then at the stick he
• 55:12
  Speaker 1: was whittling, until presently the wood began to have a shape,
• 55:16
  Speaker 1: and the shape was like the head of a cat
• 55:19
  Speaker 1: with two ears sticking upward. Claws stopped whistling to laugh,
• 55:24
  Speaker 1: and then both he and the cat looked at the
• 55:26
  Speaker 1: wooden image in some surprise. Then he carved out the
• 55:30
  Speaker 1: eyes and the nose and rounded the lower part of
• 55:32
  Speaker 1: the head so that it rested upon a neck. Puss
• 55:36
  Speaker 1: hardly knew what to make of it now, and sat
• 55:39
  Speaker 1: up stiffly, as if watching with some suspicion what would
• 55:42
  Speaker 1: come next. Claws knew the head gave him an idea.
• 55:47
  Speaker 1: He plied his knife carefully and with skill, forming slowly
• 55:51
  Speaker 1: the body of the cat, which he made to sit
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: upon its haunches, as the real cat did, with her
• 55:56
  Speaker 1: tail wound around her two front legs. The work cost
• 56:01
  Speaker 1: him much time, but the evening was long and he
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: had nothing better to do. Finally, he gave a loud
• 56:08
  Speaker 1: and delighted laugh at the result of his labors, and
• 56:11
  Speaker 1: placed the wooden cat, now completed, upon the hearth opposite
• 56:15
  Speaker 1: the real one. Puss thereupon glared at her image, raised
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: her hair in anger, and uttered a defiant mew. The
• 56:24
  Speaker 1: wooden cat paid no attention, and Claws, much amused, laughed again.
• 56:31
  Speaker 1: Then Blinky advanced toward the wooden image to eye it
• 56:33
  Speaker 1: closely and smell of it intelligently. Eyes and nose told
• 56:38
  Speaker 1: her the creature was wood in spite of its natural appearance.
• 56:42
  Speaker 1: So Puss resumed her seat and her purring but as
• 56:45
  Speaker 1: she neatly washed her face with her padded paw, she
• 56:48
  Speaker 1: cast more than one admiring glance at her clever master.
• 56:52
  Speaker 1: Perhaps she felt the same satisfaction we feel when we
• 56:55
  Speaker 1: look upon good photographs of ourselves. The cat's master was
• 57:01
  Speaker 1: himself pleased with his handiwork, without knowing exactly why. Indeed,
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: he had great cause to congratulate himself that night, and
• 57:09
  Speaker 1: all the children throughout the world should have joined him rejoicing,
• 57:13
  Speaker 1: for Claws had made his first toy. End of Chapter two,
• 57:22
  Speaker 1: Chapter three, how the rylls colored the toys. A hush
• 57:31
  Speaker 1: lay on the laughing valley, now snow covered it like
• 57:35
  Speaker 1: a white spread, and pillows of downy flakes drifted before
• 57:38
  Speaker 1: the dwelling where Claws sat feeding the blaze of the fire.
• 57:42
  Speaker 1: The brook gurgled on beneath a heavy sheet of ice,
• 57:45
  Speaker 1: and all living plants and insects nestled close to Mother
• 57:48
  Speaker 1: Earth to keep warm. The face of the moon was
• 57:51
  Speaker 1: hid by dark clouds, and the wind, delighting in the
• 57:54
  Speaker 1: wintry sport, pushed and whirled the snowflakes in so many
• 57:58
  Speaker 1: directions that they could get no chance to fall to
• 58:01
  Speaker 1: the ground. Claws heard the wind whistling and shrieking in
• 58:06
  Speaker 1: its play, and thanked the good nooks again for his
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: comfortable shelter. Blinkie washed her face lazily and stared at
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: the coals with a look of perfect content. The toy
• 58:18
  Speaker 1: cat sat opposite the real one and gazed straight ahead,
• 58:21
  Speaker 1: as toy cats should. Suddenly, Claws heard a noise that
• 58:26
  Speaker 1: sounded different from the voice of the wind. It was
• 58:30
  Speaker 1: more like a wail of suffering and despair. He stood
• 58:34
  Speaker 1: up and listened, but the wind, growing boisterous, shook the
• 58:38
  Speaker 1: door and rattled the windows to distract his attention. He
• 58:43
  Speaker 1: waited until the wind was tired, and then, still listening,
• 58:47
  Speaker 1: he heard once more the shrill cry of distress. Quickly,
• 58:52
  Speaker 1: he drew on his coat, pulled his cap over his eyes,
• 58:55
  Speaker 1: and opened the door. The wind dashed in and scattered
• 58:58
  Speaker 1: the embers over the hearth, at the same time blowing
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: Blinkie's fur so furiously that she crept under the table
• 59:04
  Speaker 1: to escape. Then the door was closed and Claws was outside,
• 59:09
  Speaker 1: peering anxiously into the darkness. The wind laughed and scolded
• 59:15
  Speaker 1: and tried to push him over, but he stood firm.
• 59:18
  Speaker 1: The helpless flake stumbled against his eyes and dimmed his sight,
• 59:22
  Speaker 1: But he rubbed them away and looked again. Snow was everywhere,
• 59:27
  Speaker 1: white and glittering. It covered the earth and filled the air.
• 59:32
  Speaker 1: The cry was not repeated. Claws turned to go back
• 59:37
  Speaker 1: into the house, but the long wind caught him unawares,
• 59:40
  Speaker 1: and he stumbled and fell across a snow drift. His
• 59:44
  Speaker 1: hand plunged into the snow drift and touched something that
• 59:47
  Speaker 1: was not snow. This he seized, and, pulling it gently
• 59:51
  Speaker 1: toward him, found it to be a child. The next moment,
• 59:56
  Speaker 1: he had lifted it in his arms and carried it
• 59:58
  Speaker 1: into the house. The wind followed him through the door,
• 1:00:02
  Speaker 1: but Claw shut it out quickly. He laid the rescued
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 1: child on the hearth, and brushing away the snow, he
• 1:00:09
  Speaker 1: discovered it to be weakum, the little boy who lived
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: in a house beyond the valley. Claws wrapped a warm
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 1: blanket around the little one and rubbed the frost from
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: its limbs. Before long, the child opened his eyes, and,
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 1: seeing where he was, smiled happily. Then Claws warmed milk
• 1:00:28
  Speaker 1: and fed it to the boy slowly, while the cat
• 1:00:31
  Speaker 1: looked on with sober curiosity. Finally, the little one curled
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: up in his friend's arms and sighed and fell asleep,
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 1: and Claws, filled with gladness that he had found the wanderer,
• 1:00:44
  Speaker 1: held him closely while he slumbered the wind. Finding no
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 1: more mischief to do, climbed the hill and swept on
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 1: toward the north. This gave the weary snowflakes time to
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 1: settle down to earth, and the valley became still again.
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 1: The boy, having slept well in the arm of his friend,
• 1:01:01
  Speaker 1: opened his eyes and sat up. Then, as a child will,
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 1: he looked around the room and saw all that it contained.
• 1:01:10
  Speaker 1: Your cat is a nice cat, Claws, he said, at last,
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 1: let me hold it. But Puss objected and ran away.
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 1: The other cat won't run, Claws, continued the boy. Let
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 1: me hold that one. Claws placed the toy in his arms,
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: and the boy held it lovingly and kissed the tip
• 1:01:29
  Speaker 1: of its wooden ear. How did you get lost in
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: the storm, weakum, asked Claws. I started to walk to
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 1: my aunty's house and lost my way, answered Weakam. Were
• 1:01:42
  Speaker 1: you frightened? It was cold, said Weakam, and the snow
• 1:01:47
  Speaker 1: got in my eyes so I could not see. Then
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 1: I kept on till I fell on the snow without
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 1: knowing where I was, and the wind blew the flakes
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 1: over me and covered me up. Claws gently stroked his head,
• 1:01:59
  Speaker 1: and the boy looked up at him him and smiled.
• 1:02:02
  Speaker 1: I'm all right now, said Weakm. Yes, replied Claws happily. Now,
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: I will put you in my warm bed, and you
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 1: must sleep until morning, when I will carry you back
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 1: to your mother. May the cat sleep with me? Asked
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 1: the boy, Yes, if you wish it to, answered Claws.
• 1:02:22
  Speaker 1: It's a nice cat, Weakham said, smiling, as Claws tucked
• 1:02:26
  Speaker 1: the blankets around him, and presently the little one fell
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 1: asleep with a wooden toy in his arms. When morning came,
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 1: the sun claimed the Laughing valley and flooded it with
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 1: its rays. So Claws prepared to take the lost child
• 1:02:40
  Speaker 1: back to its mother. May I keep the cat, Claws
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 1: asked weakm It's nicer than real cats. It doesn't run
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 1: away or scratch or bite. May I keep it? Yes, indeed,
• 1:02:55
  Speaker 1: answered Claws, Please that the toy he had made could
• 1:02:58
  Speaker 1: give pleasure to the child, So he wrapped the boy
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 1: and the wooden cat in a warm cloak, perching the
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: bundle upon his own broad shoulders and Then he tramped
• 1:03:08
  Speaker 1: through the snow and the drifts of the valley and
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: across the plain beyond to the poor cottage where Wickham's
• 1:03:13
  Speaker 1: mother lived. See Mamma, cried the boy as soon as
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 1: they entered, I've got a cat. The good woman wept
• 1:03:22
  Speaker 1: tears of joy over the rescue of her darling, and
• 1:03:25
  Speaker 1: thanked Claws many times for his kind act. So he
• 1:03:29
  Speaker 1: carried a warm and happy heart back to his home
• 1:03:32
  Speaker 1: in the valley. That night he said to Puss, I
• 1:03:38
  Speaker 1: believe the children will love the wooden cats almost as
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 1: well as the real ones, and they can't hurt them
• 1:03:44
  Speaker 1: by pulling their tails and ears. I'll make another. So
• 1:03:49
  Speaker 1: this was the beginning of his great work. The next
• 1:03:53
  Speaker 1: cat was made better than the first. While Klau sat
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 1: whittling it out, the yellow rill came in to make
• 1:03:58
  Speaker 1: him a visit, and so pleased was he with the
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 1: man's skill, that he ran away and brought several of
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: his fellows. There sat the red rill, the black rill,
• 1:04:08
  Speaker 1: the green rill, the blue rill, and the yellow rill
• 1:04:11
  Speaker 1: in a circle on the floor, while Claws whittled and whistled,
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 1: and the wooden cat grew into shape. If it could
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 1: be made, the same color as the real cat. No
• 1:04:21
  Speaker 1: one would know the difference, said the yellow rill. Thoughtfully.
• 1:04:26
  Speaker 1: The little ones maybe would not know the difference, replied claws,
• 1:04:30
  Speaker 1: pleased with the idea. I will bring you some of
• 1:04:34
  Speaker 1: the red that I color my roses and tulips with,
• 1:04:37
  Speaker 1: cried the red rill, and then you can make the
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 1: cat's lips and tongue red. I will bring some of
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 1: the green that I color my grasses and leaves with,
• 1:04:47
  Speaker 1: said the green rill, and then you can color the
• 1:04:50
  Speaker 1: cat's eyes green. Ah, they will need a bit of yellow, also,
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 1: remarked the yellow rill. I must fetch some of the
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 1: yellow that I used to color my buttercups and go
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: goldenrods with. The real cat is black, said the black rill.
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 1: I will bring some of the black that I used
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 1: to color the eyes of my pansies with, and then
• 1:05:11
  Speaker 1: you can paint your wooden cat black. I see you
• 1:05:16
  Speaker 1: have a blue ribbon around Blinkie's neck, added the blue rill.
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 1: I will get some of the color that I used
• 1:05:22
  Speaker 1: to paint the bluebells and forget me nots with, and
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 1: then you can carve a wooden ribbon on the toy
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 1: cat's neck and painted blue. So the Rills disappeared, and
• 1:05:32
  Speaker 1: by the time Claws had finished carving out the form
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 1: of the cat, they were all back with the paints
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: and brushes. They made Blinky sit upon the table that
• 1:05:42
  Speaker 1: Claws might paint the toy cat just the right color,
• 1:05:45
  Speaker 1: and when the work was done, the Rills declared it
• 1:05:48
  Speaker 1: was exactly as good as a live cat, that is,
• 1:05:52
  Speaker 1: to all appearances, added the red rill, Blinkie seemed a
• 1:05:57
  Speaker 1: little offended by the attention bestowed upon the toy and
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: that she might not seem to approve the imitation cat.
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 1: She walked to the corner of the hearth and sat
• 1:06:06
  Speaker 1: down with a dignified air. But Claws was delighted, and
• 1:06:10
  Speaker 1: as soon as morning came he started out and tramped
• 1:06:13
  Speaker 1: through the snow, across the valley and the plain, until
• 1:06:16
  Speaker 1: he came to a village. There, in a poor hut
• 1:06:19
  Speaker 1: near the walls of the beautiful palace of the Lord
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: of Lurd, a little girl lay upon a wretched cot,
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 1: moaning with pain. Claws approached the child and kissed her
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 1: and comforted her, and then he drew the toy cat
• 1:06:32
  Speaker 1: from beneath his coat where he had hidden it, and
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 1: placed it in her arms. Ah how well he felt
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 1: himself repaid for his labor and his long walk. When
• 1:06:43
  Speaker 1: he saw the little one's eyes grow bright with pleasure.
• 1:06:47
  Speaker 1: She hugged the kiddy tight to her breast as if
• 1:06:49
  Speaker 1: it had been a precious gem, and would not let
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 1: it go for a single moment. The fever was quieted,
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 1: the pain grew less, and she fell into a sweet
• 1:06:59
  Speaker 1: and freshing sleep. Claws laughed and whistled and sang all
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 1: the way home. Never had he been so happy as
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 1: on that day. When he entered his house, he found Chiegra,
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 1: the lioness, awaiting him. Since his babyhood, Chiegra had loved Claws,
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: and while he dwelt in the forest, she had often
• 1:07:19
  Speaker 1: come to visit him at Nesil's bower. After Claws had
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 1: gone to live in the Laughing Valley, Chiegra became lonely
• 1:07:27
  Speaker 1: and ill at ease, And now she had braved the
• 1:07:29
  Speaker 1: snow drifts which all lions abhore, to see him once more.
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 1: Chiagro was getting old and her teeth were beginning to
• 1:07:38
  Speaker 1: fall out, while the hairs that tipped her ears and
• 1:07:41
  Speaker 1: tail had changed from tawny yellow to white. Claws found
• 1:07:47
  Speaker 1: her lying on his hearth, and he put his arms
• 1:07:50
  Speaker 1: round the neck of the lioness and hugged her lovingly.
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 1: The cat had retired into a far corner she did
• 1:07:56
  Speaker 1: not care to associate with. Chiegra. Claws told his friend
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 1: about the cats he had made and how much pleasure
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 1: they had given Weakham and the sick girl. Chiagra did
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 1: not know much about children. Indeed, if she met a child,
• 1:08:10
  Speaker 1: she could scarcely be trusted not to devour it. But
• 1:08:14
  Speaker 1: she was interested in Claws's new labors, and said, these
• 1:08:18
  Speaker 1: images seemed to me very attractive. Yet I cannot see
• 1:08:21
  Speaker 1: why you should make cats, which are very unimportant animals.
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: Suppose now that I am here, you make the image
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: of a lioness, the queen of all beasts, then indeed
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 1: your children will be happy and safe. At the same time,
• 1:08:37
  Speaker 1: Claws thought this was a good suggestion, so he got
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 1: a piece of wood and sharpened his knife, while Chiagra
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 1: crouched upon the hearth at his feet. With much care,
• 1:08:47
  Speaker 1: he carved the head in the likeness of the lioness,
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 1: even to the two fierce teeth that curved over her
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 1: lower lip and the deep frowning lines above her wide
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 1: open eyes. When it was finished, he said, you have
• 1:09:02
  Speaker 1: a terrible look, Chiagra. Then the image is like me,
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 1: she answered, for I am indeed terrible to all who
• 1:09:10
  Speaker 1: are not my friends. Claws now carved out the body,
• 1:09:15
  Speaker 1: with Chiagra's long tail trailing behind it. The image of
• 1:09:19
  Speaker 1: the crouching lioness was very lifelike. It pleases me, said Chiagra,
• 1:09:25
  Speaker 1: yawning and stretching her body gracefully. Now I will watch
• 1:09:29
  Speaker 1: while you paint. He brought the paints the Rills had
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: given him from the cupboard and colored the image to
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 1: resemble the real Chiagra. The lioness placed her big, padded
• 1:09:41
  Speaker 1: paws upon the edge of the table and raised herself
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 1: while she carefully examined the toy that was her likeness.
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: You are indeed skillful, she said proudly. The children will
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: like that better than cats, I'm sure. Then, snarling at Blinkie,
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 1: who arched her back in terror and whined fearful, she
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 1: walked away toward her forest home with stately strides. End
• 1:10:07
  Speaker 1: of chapter three, Chapter four of Santa Claus's Adulthood. How
• 1:10:15
  Speaker 1: little Mayre became frightened. The winter was over now, and
• 1:10:21
  Speaker 1: all the laughing valley was filled with joyous excitement. The
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 1: brook was so happy at being free once again, that
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 1: it gurgled more boisterously than ever, and dashed so recklessly
• 1:10:33
  Speaker 1: against the rocks that it sent showers of spray high
• 1:10:36
  Speaker 1: in the air. The grass thrust its sharp little blades
• 1:10:40
  Speaker 1: upward through the mat of dead stalks where it had
• 1:10:43
  Speaker 1: hidden from the snow, but the flowers were yet too
• 1:10:46
  Speaker 1: timid to show themselves. Although the rills were busy feeding
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 1: their roots, the sun was in remarkably good humor and
• 1:10:54
  Speaker 1: sent his rays dancing merrily throughout the valley. Claws was
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 1: eating his dinner one day when he heard a timid
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 1: knock on his door. Come in, he called, No one entered,
• 1:11:09
  Speaker 1: but after a pause came another rapping. Claws jumped up
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: and threw open the door. Before him stood a small
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 1: girl holding a smaller brother fast by the hand. Is
• 1:11:23
  Speaker 1: you Clows, she asked shyly. Indeed, I am, my dear,
• 1:11:29
  Speaker 1: he answered with a laugh, as he caught both children
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 1: in his arms and kissed. Them. You are very welcome,
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 1: and you have come just in time to share my dinner.
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 1: He took them to the table and fed them with
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 1: fresh milk and nutcakes. When they had eaten enough, he asked,
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 1: why have you made this long journey to see me.
• 1:11:51
  Speaker 1: I want a tat, replied little Mayre, and her brother,
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 1: who had not yet learned to speak many words, nodded
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: his head and exclaimed, like an echo, tat, Oh you
• 1:12:04
  Speaker 1: want my toy cats, do you? Returned Claws, greatly, pleased
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 1: to discover that his creations were so popular with children.
• 1:12:13
  Speaker 1: The little visitors nodded eagerly. Unfortunately, he continued, I have
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 1: but one cat now ready for I carried two to
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 1: children in town yesterday, and the one I have shall
• 1:12:27
  Speaker 1: be given to your brother Mary, because he is the smaller,
• 1:12:30
  Speaker 1: and the next one I make shall be for you.
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 1: The boy's face was bright with smiles as he took
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 1: the precious toy Claws held out to him. But little
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 1: Mary covered her face with her arm and began to
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 1: sob grievously. I I I WoT the tt D tat now,
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: she wailed. Her disappointment made Claws feel miserable for a moment.
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: Then he suddenly remember chiagra. Don't cry, darling, he said soothingly.
• 1:13:06
  Speaker 1: I have a toy much nicer than a cat, and
• 1:13:08
  Speaker 1: you shall have that. He went to the cupboard and
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 1: drew out the image of the Lioness, which he placed
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 1: on the table before Mayy. The girl raised her arm
• 1:13:19
  Speaker 1: and gave one glance at the fierce teeth and glaring
• 1:13:22
  Speaker 1: eyes of the beast, and then, uttering a terrified scream,
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 1: she rushed from the house. The boy followed her, also
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: screaming lustily and even dropping his precious cat in his fear.
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: For a moment, Claw stood motionless, being puzzled and astonished.
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 1: Then he threw Chiagra's image into the cupboard and ran
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: after the children, calling to them not to be frightened.
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 1: Little Mayy stopped in her flight, and her brother clung
• 1:13:54
  Speaker 1: to her skirt, but they both cast fearful glances at
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: the house until Claws had assured them many times that
• 1:14:01
  Speaker 1: the beast had been locked in the cupboard. Yet why
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: were you frightened at seeing it? He asked? It is
• 1:14:10
  Speaker 1: only a toy to play with. It's bad, said may decidedly,
• 1:14:17
  Speaker 1: and just horrid and not a bit nice like cats.
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you are right, returned Claws thoughtfully. But if you
• 1:14:28
  Speaker 1: will return with me to the house, I will soon
• 1:14:31
  Speaker 1: make you a pretty cat. So they timidly entered the
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 1: house again, having faith in their friend's words, and afterward
• 1:14:40
  Speaker 1: they had the joy of watching Claws carve out a
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 1: cat from a bit of wood and painted in natural colors.
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 1: It did not take him long to do this, for
• 1:14:49
  Speaker 1: he had become skillful with his knife by this time,
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 1: and Mayre loved her toy the more dearly because she
• 1:14:55
  Speaker 1: had seen it made. After his little visitors had trotted
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 1: away on their journey homeward. Claws sat long in deep thought,
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 1: and he then decided that such fierce creatures as his
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: friend the Lioness, would never do as models from which
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: to fashion his toys. There must be nothing to frighten
• 1:15:17
  Speaker 1: the dear babes, he reflected, And while I know she,
• 1:15:21
  Speaker 1: I grow well and am not afraid of her, it
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 1: is but natural that children should look upon her image
• 1:15:27
  Speaker 1: with terror. Hereafter, I will choose such mild mannered animals
• 1:15:32
  Speaker 1: as squirrels and rabbits, and deer and lambkins from which
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 1: to carve my toys, For then the little ones will
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 1: love rather than fear them. He began his work that
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 1: very day, and before bedtime had made a wooden rabbit
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 1: and lamb. They were not quite so lifelike as the
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 1: cats had been, because they were formed from memory. While
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 1: Blinkie had sat very still for Claws to look at
• 1:15:59
  Speaker 1: while he worked. But the new toys pleased the children nevertheless,
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 1: and the fame of Claus's playthings quickly spread to every
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 1: cottage on plain and in village. He always carried his
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: gifts to the sick or crippled children, but those who
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: were strong enough walked to the house in the valley
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 1: to ask for them. So a little path was soon
• 1:16:20
  Speaker 1: worn from the plain to the door of the toy
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: maker's cottage. First came the children who had been playmates
• 1:16:27
  Speaker 1: of Claws before he began to make toys. These, you
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 1: may be sure, were well supplied. Then children who lived
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: farther away heard of the wonderful images and made journeys
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 1: to the valley to secure them. All the little ones
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 1: were welcome, and never a one went away empty handed.
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 1: This demand for his handiwork kept Claws busily occupied, but
• 1:16:51
  Speaker 1: he was quite happy in knowing the pleasure he gave
• 1:16:54
  Speaker 1: to so many of the dear children. His friends, the immortals,
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 1: were pleased with his success and supported him bravely. The
• 1:17:04
  Speaker 1: Nook selected for him clear pieces of soft wood that
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 1: his knife might not be blunted in cutting them. The
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 1: rills kept him supplied with paints of all colors and
• 1:17:15
  Speaker 1: brushes fashioned from the tips of timothy grasses. The fairies
• 1:17:20
  Speaker 1: discovered that the workmen needed saws and chisels, and hammers
• 1:17:24
  Speaker 1: and nails, as well as knives, and brought him a
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 1: goodly array of such tools. Claws soon turned his living
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 1: room into a most wonderful workshop. He built a bench
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 1: before the window and arranged his tools and paints so
• 1:17:40
  Speaker 1: that he could reach everything. As he sat on his stool,
• 1:17:43
  Speaker 1: and as he finished toy after toy to delight the
• 1:17:47
  Speaker 1: hearts of little children, he found himself growing so gay
• 1:17:51
  Speaker 1: and happy that he could not refrain from singing and
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 1: laughing and whistling all day long. It's because I in
• 1:18:00
  Speaker 1: the Laughing Valley, where everything else laughs, said Claws. But
• 1:18:06
  Speaker 1: that was not the reason. End of chapter Chapter five
• 1:18:13
  Speaker 1: of Claus's Adulthood. How Bessie Blithesome came to the Laughing Valley.
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 1: One day, as Claws sat before his door to enjoy
• 1:18:23
  Speaker 1: the sunshine, while he busily carved the head and horns
• 1:18:27
  Speaker 1: of a toy deer, he looked up and discovered a
• 1:18:30
  Speaker 1: glittering cavalcade of horsemen approaching through the valley. When they
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 1: drew nearer, he saw that the band consisted of a
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 1: score of men at arms, clad in bright armor, and
• 1:18:41
  Speaker 1: bearing in their hands spears and battle axes. In front
• 1:18:46
  Speaker 1: of these rode little Bessie Blithesome, the pretty daughter of
• 1:18:50
  Speaker 1: that proud Lord of Lurd, who had once driven Claws
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 1: from his palace. Her palfrey was pure white, Its bridle
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 1: was covered with glittering gems, and its saddle draped with
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 1: cloth of gold richly broidered. The soldiers were sent to
• 1:19:08
  Speaker 1: protect her from harm while she journeyed. Claws was surprised,
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 1: but he continued to whittle and to sing until the
• 1:19:14
  Speaker 1: cavalcade drew up before him. Then the little girl leaned
• 1:19:18
  Speaker 1: over the neck of her palfrey and said, please, mister Klaws,
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 1: I want a toy. Her voice was so pleading that
• 1:19:29
  Speaker 1: Claws jumped up at once and stood beside her. But
• 1:19:33
  Speaker 1: he was puzzled how to answer her request. You are
• 1:19:36
  Speaker 1: a rich lord's daughter, said he, and have all that
• 1:19:40
  Speaker 1: you desire, except toys, added Bessie. There are no toys
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 1: in all the world but yours, and I make them
• 1:19:51
  Speaker 1: for the poor children who have nothing else to amuse them.
• 1:19:54
  Speaker 1: Continued Claws, do poor children love to play with toys
• 1:19:59
  Speaker 1: more than rich ones? Asked Bessie, I suppose not, said
• 1:20:05
  Speaker 1: Claus thoughtfully. Am I to blame because my father is
• 1:20:09
  Speaker 1: a lord? Must I be denied the pretty toys I
• 1:20:13
  Speaker 1: long for? Because other children are poorer than I? She
• 1:20:17
  Speaker 1: inquired earnestly. I am afraid you must, dear, he answered,
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 1: for the poor have nothing else with which to amuse themselves.
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 1: You have your pony to ride, your servants to wait
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 1: on you, and every comfort that money can procure. But
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 1: I want toys, cried Bessie, wiping away the tears that
• 1:20:41
  Speaker 1: forced themselves into her eyes. If I cannot have them,
• 1:20:46
  Speaker 1: I shall be very unhappy. Claws was troubled for her
• 1:20:51
  Speaker 1: grief recalled to him the thought that his desire was
• 1:20:54
  Speaker 1: to make all children happy, without regard to their condition
• 1:20:57
  Speaker 1: in life. Yet well, so many any poor children were
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: clamoring for his toys. He could not bear to give
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 1: one of them to Bessy Blithesome, who had so much
• 1:21:08
  Speaker 1: already to make her happy. Listen, my child, he said gently.
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 1: All the toys I am now making are promise to others,
• 1:21:19
  Speaker 1: but the next shall be yours, since your heart so
• 1:21:23
  Speaker 1: longs for it. Come to me again in two days,
• 1:21:27
  Speaker 1: and it shall be ready for you. Bessy gave a
• 1:21:32
  Speaker 1: cry of delight, and leaning over her pony's neck, she
• 1:21:35
  Speaker 1: kissed Claws prettily upon his forehead. Then, calling to her
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 1: men at arms, she rode gaily away, leaving Claws to
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 1: resume his work. If I am to supply the rich
• 1:21:49
  Speaker 1: children as well as the poor ones, he thought, I
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 1: shall not have a spare moment in the whole year.
• 1:21:57
  Speaker 1: But is it right I should give to the rich?
• 1:22:00
  Speaker 1: Surely I must go to Nicilee and talk with her
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 1: about this matter. So, when he had finished the toy deer,
• 1:22:07
  Speaker 1: which was very like a deer he had known in
• 1:22:09
  Speaker 1: the forest glades, he walked into Bursey and made his
• 1:22:13
  Speaker 1: way to the bower of the beautiful nymph Nicile, who
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 1: had been his foster mother. She greeted him tenderly and lovingly,
• 1:22:22
  Speaker 1: listening with interest to his story of the visit of
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 1: Bessie Blythsome. And now tell me, said he shall I
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 1: give toys to rich children? We of the forest know
• 1:22:37
  Speaker 1: nothing of riches. She replied, It seems to me that
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 1: one child is like another child, since they are all
• 1:22:45
  Speaker 1: made of the same clay, and that riches are like
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: a gown which may be put on or taken away,
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 1: leaving the child unchanged. But the fairies are guardians of mankind,
• 1:22:59
  Speaker 1: and no more cottle children better than I. Let us
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 1: call the fairy queen. This was done, and the Queen
• 1:23:07
  Speaker 1: of the fairy sat beside them and heard Claws relate
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 1: his reasons for thinking the rich children could get along
• 1:23:13
  Speaker 1: without his toys, and also what the nymph had said.
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 1: Nesille is right, declared the queen. For whether it be
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 1: rich or poor, a child's longings for pretty playthings are
• 1:23:27
  Speaker 1: but natural. Rich Bessie's heart may suffer as much grief
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 1: as poor Mary's. She can be just as lonely and discontented,
• 1:23:36
  Speaker 1: and just as gay and happy. I think, friend Claws,
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: it is your duty to make all little ones glad,
• 1:23:44
  Speaker 1: whether they chanced to live in palaces or in cottages.
• 1:23:50
  Speaker 1: Your words are wise, fair queen, replied Claws. And my
• 1:23:55
  Speaker 1: heart tells me they are just as they are wise.
• 1:24:00
  Speaker 1: Hereafter all children may claim my services. Then he bowed
• 1:24:06
  Speaker 1: before the gracious fairy, and, kissing Nesil's red lips, went
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 1: back into his valley. At the brook, he stopped to drink,
• 1:24:15
  Speaker 1: and afterward he sat on the bank and took a
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: piece of moist clay in his hands. While he thought
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 1: what sort of toy he should make for Bessy Blithesome.
• 1:24:25
  Speaker 1: He did not notice that his fingers were working the
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 1: clay into shape, until glancing downward, he found he had
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 1: unconsciously formed a head that bore a slight resemblance to
• 1:24:37
  Speaker 1: the nymph nes seal. At once he became interested. Gathering
• 1:24:42
  Speaker 1: more of the clay from the bank, he carried it
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 1: to his house. Then, with the aid of his knife
• 1:24:48
  Speaker 1: and a bit of wood, he succeeded in working the
• 1:24:50
  Speaker 1: clay into the image of a toy nymph. With skillful strokes,
• 1:24:55
  Speaker 1: he formed long, waving hair on the head and covered
• 1:24:59
  Speaker 1: the body with a gown of oak leaves, while the
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 1: two feet sticking out at the bottom of the gown
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 1: were clad in sandals. But the clay was soft and
• 1:25:09
  Speaker 1: claws found he must handle it gently to avoid ruining
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 1: his pretty work. Perhaps the rays of the sun will
• 1:25:17
  Speaker 1: draw out the moisture and cause the clay to become hard,
• 1:25:21
  Speaker 1: he thought, So he laid the image on a flat
• 1:25:25
  Speaker 1: board and placed it in the glare of the sun.
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 1: This done, he went to his bench and began painting
• 1:25:32
  Speaker 1: the toy deer, and soon he became so interested in
• 1:25:36
  Speaker 1: the work that he forgot all about the clay nymph.
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 1: But next morning, happening to notice it as it lay
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 1: on the board, he found the sun had baked it
• 1:25:46
  Speaker 1: to the hardness of stone, and it was strong enough
• 1:25:49
  Speaker 1: to be safely handled. Claws now painted the nymph with
• 1:25:54
  Speaker 1: great care, in the likeness of Nasille, giving it deep
• 1:25:58
  Speaker 1: blue eyes, teeth, rosy lips, and ruddy brown hair. The
• 1:26:04
  Speaker 1: gown he colored oak leaf green, and when the paint
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 1: was dry, Claws himself was charmed with the new toy.
• 1:26:12
  Speaker 1: Of course, it was not nearly so lovely as the
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 1: real nessle, but considering the material of which it was made,
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 1: Claws thought it was very beautiful. When Bessie, riding upon
• 1:26:25
  Speaker 1: her white palfrey, came to his dwelling next day, Claws
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: presented her with the new toy. The little girl's eyes
• 1:26:34
  Speaker 1: were brighter than ever as she examined the pretty image,
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 1: and she loved it at once and held it close
• 1:26:40
  Speaker 1: to her breast as a mother does to her child.
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 1: What is it called, Claws, she asked. Now Claws knew
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 1: that nymphs do not like to be spoken of by mortals,
• 1:26:54
  Speaker 1: so he could not tell Bessie it was an image
• 1:26:56
  Speaker 1: of nessile he had given her. But as it was
• 1:26:59
  Speaker 1: a new toy, he searched his mind for a new
• 1:27:02
  Speaker 1: name to call it by, and the first word he
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 1: thought of he decided would do very well. It is
• 1:27:10
  Speaker 1: called a dolly, my dear, he said to Bessie. I
• 1:27:15
  Speaker 1: shall call the dolly my baby, returned Bessie, kissing it fondly,
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 1: and I shall tend it and care for it just
• 1:27:23
  Speaker 1: as nurse cares for me. Thank you very much, Claus.
• 1:27:27
  Speaker 1: Your gift has made me happier than I have ever
• 1:27:29
  Speaker 1: been before. Then she rode away, hugging the toy in
• 1:27:35
  Speaker 1: her arms and claw. Seeing her delight, thought he would
• 1:27:39
  Speaker 1: make another dolly, better and more natural than the first.
• 1:27:44
  Speaker 1: He brought more clay from the brook, and, remembering that
• 1:27:47
  Speaker 1: Bessie had called the dolly her baby, he resolved to
• 1:27:50
  Speaker 1: form this one into a baby's image. That was no
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: difficult task to the clever workman, and soon the baby
• 1:27:58
  Speaker 1: doll was lying on the board and placed in the
• 1:28:01
  Speaker 1: sun to dry. Then, with the clay that was left,
• 1:28:05
  Speaker 1: he began to make an image of Bessy Blithesome herself.
• 1:28:09
  Speaker 1: This was not so easy, for he found he could
• 1:28:12
  Speaker 1: not make the silken robe of the lord's daughter out
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: of common clay. So he called the fairies to his
• 1:28:19
  Speaker 1: aid and asked them to bring him colored silks with
• 1:28:22
  Speaker 1: which to make a real dress for the clay image.
• 1:28:26
  Speaker 1: The fairies set off at once on their errand, and
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 1: before nightfall they returned with a generous supply of silks
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 1: and laces and golden threads. Claws now became impatient to
• 1:28:38
  Speaker 1: complete his new Dolly, and instead of waiting for the
• 1:28:42
  Speaker 1: next day's sun, he placed the clay image upon his
• 1:28:45
  Speaker 1: hearth and covered it over with glowing coals. By morning,
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 1: when he drew the dolly from the ashes, it had
• 1:28:52
  Speaker 1: baked as hard as if it had lain a full
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 1: day in the hot sun. Now our Claws became dressmaker
• 1:29:00
  Speaker 1: as well as a toy maker. He cut the lavender
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 1: silk and nearly sewed it into a beautiful gown that
• 1:29:07
  Speaker 1: just fitted the new Dolly, and he put a lace
• 1:29:10
  Speaker 1: collar around its neck and pink silk shoes on its feet.
• 1:29:15
  Speaker 1: The natural color of baked clay is a light gray,
• 1:29:18
  Speaker 1: but Claws painted the face to resemble the color of flesh,
• 1:29:22
  Speaker 1: and he gave the dolly Bessie's brown eyes and golden
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 1: hair and rosy cheeks. It was really a beautiful thing
• 1:29:30
  Speaker 1: to look upon, and sure to bring joy to some
• 1:29:34
  Speaker 1: childish heart. While Claws was admiring it, he heard a
• 1:29:38
  Speaker 1: knock at his door, and little Mayre entered. Her face
• 1:29:42
  Speaker 1: was sad and her eyes red with continued weeping. Why
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 1: what has grieved you, my dear, asked Claws, taking the
• 1:29:51
  Speaker 1: child in his arms. I've I've book my tat, sobbed
• 1:29:59
  Speaker 1: may How, he inquired, his eyes twinkling. I I dwopped
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 1: him and broke him's tail off, and and then I
• 1:30:10
  Speaker 1: dwopped him and boke off him's ear, and and now
• 1:30:15
  Speaker 1: Hymn's all spoilt. Claws laughed. Never mind, Mayrie, dear, he said,
• 1:30:22
  Speaker 1: how would you like this new dolly instead of a cat?
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 1: Mayy looked at the silk robe dolly, and her eyes
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 1: grew big with astonishment. Oh Claws, she cried, clapping her
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 1: small hands together with rapture. Can I have that? Booful lady?
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 1: Do you like it? He asked? I love it, said she.
• 1:30:48
  Speaker 1: It's better an tat's then take it, dear, and be
• 1:30:53
  Speaker 1: careful not to break it. May took the dolly with
• 1:30:57
  Speaker 1: a joy that was almost reverent, and her face dimpled
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 1: with smiles as she started along the path toward home.
• 1:31:08
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter five, Adulthood. Chapter six, The Wickedness of
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 1: the Oguas. I must now tell you something about the Ogas,
• 1:31:23
  Speaker 1: that terrible race of creatures which caused our good claws
• 1:31:27
  Speaker 1: so much trouble, and nearly succeeded in robbing the children
• 1:31:30
  Speaker 1: of the world of their earliest and best friend. I
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 1: do not like to mention the Oguas, but they are
• 1:31:37
  Speaker 1: a part of this history and cannot be ignored. They
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 1: were neither mortals nor immortals, but stood midway between those
• 1:31:44
  Speaker 1: classes of beings. The Oguas were invisible to ordinary people,
• 1:31:49
  Speaker 1: but not to immortals. They could pass swiftly through the
• 1:31:53
  Speaker 1: air from one part of the world to another, and
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 1: had the power of influencing the minds of human beings
• 1:32:00
  Speaker 1: to do their wicked will. They were of gigantic stature
• 1:32:03
  Speaker 1: and had coarse, scowling countenances, which showed plainly their hatred
• 1:32:08
  Speaker 1: of all mankind. They possessed no consciences whatever, and delighted
• 1:32:13
  Speaker 1: only in evil deeds. Their homes were in rocky, mountainous places,
• 1:32:18
  Speaker 1: from whence they sallied forth to accomplish their wicked purposes.
• 1:32:22
  Speaker 1: The one of their number that could think of the
• 1:32:25
  Speaker 1: most horrible deed for them to do, was always elected
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 1: the king Ogua, and all the race obeyed his orders.
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 1: Sometimes these creatures lived to become a hundred years old,
• 1:32:37
  Speaker 1: but usually they fought so fiercely among themselves that many
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: were destroyed in combat, and when they died, that was
• 1:32:45
  Speaker 1: the end of them. Mortals were powerless to harm them,
• 1:32:49
  Speaker 1: and the immortals shuddered when the Oguas were mentioned and
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 1: always avoided them. So they flourished for many years unopposed
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 1: and accomplished much evil. I am glad to assure you
• 1:33:03
  Speaker 1: that these vile creatures have long since perished and passed
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 1: from the earth. But in the days when Claus was
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 1: making his first toys, they were a numerous and powerful tribe.
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 1: One of the principal sports of the Aguas was to
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 1: inspire angry passions in the hearts of little children, so
• 1:33:21
  Speaker 1: that they quarreled and fought with one another. They would
• 1:33:25
  Speaker 1: tempt boys to eat of unripe fruit and then delight
• 1:33:28
  Speaker 1: in the pain they suffered. They urged little girls to
• 1:33:31
  Speaker 1: disobey their parents, and then would laugh when the children
• 1:33:35
  Speaker 1: were punished. I do not know what causes a child
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 1: to be naughty in these days, but when the Oguas
• 1:33:42
  Speaker 1: were on earth, naughty children were usually under their influence. Now,
• 1:33:48
  Speaker 1: when Claws began to make children happy, he kept them
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 1: out of the power of the Oguas. For children possessing
• 1:33:55
  Speaker 1: such lovely playthings as he gave them had no wish
• 1:33:58
  Speaker 1: to obey the evil thoughts the Aguas tried to thrust
• 1:34:01
  Speaker 1: into their minds. Therefore, one year, when the wicked tribe
• 1:34:06
  Speaker 1: was to elect a new king, they chosen Ogua, who
• 1:34:09
  Speaker 1: proposed to destroy Claws and take him away from the children.
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 1: There are, as you know, fewer naughty children in the
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: world since Claws came to the Laughing Valley and began
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 1: to make his toys, said the new king, as he
• 1:34:26
  Speaker 1: squatted upon a rock and looked around at the scowling
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 1: faces of his people. Why Bessie Blithesome has not stamped
• 1:34:34
  Speaker 1: her foot once this month, nor has Mary's brother slapped
• 1:34:38
  Speaker 1: his sister's face or thrown the puppy into the rain barrel.
• 1:34:43
  Speaker 1: Little Weigham took his bath last night without screaming or struggling,
• 1:34:48
  Speaker 1: because his mother had promised he should take his toy
• 1:34:51
  Speaker 1: cat to bed with him. Such a condition of affairs
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 1: is awful for any agua to think of, And the
• 1:34:59
  Speaker 1: only we can direct the naughty actions of children is
• 1:35:03
  Speaker 1: to take this person, Claws away from them. Good good,
• 1:35:08
  Speaker 1: cried the big oguas in a chorus, and they clapped
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 1: their hands to applaud the speech of the king. But
• 1:35:15
  Speaker 1: what shall we do with him, asked one of the creatures.
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 1: I have a plan, replied the wicked king. And what
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 1: his plan was you will soon discover. That night, Claws
• 1:35:28
  Speaker 1: went to bed feeling very happy, for he had completed
• 1:35:31
  Speaker 1: no less than four pretty toys during the day, and
• 1:35:35
  Speaker 1: they were sure he thought to make four little children happy.
• 1:35:39
  Speaker 1: But while he slept, the band of invisible oguas surrounded
• 1:35:43
  Speaker 1: his bed, bound him with stout cords, and then flew
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: away with him to the middle of a dark forest
• 1:35:50
  Speaker 1: in far off Ethop, where they had laid him down
• 1:35:53
  Speaker 1: and left him. When morning came, Klaws found himself thousands
• 1:35:59
  Speaker 1: of miles from any human being, a prisoner in the
• 1:36:02
  Speaker 1: wild jungle of an unknown land. From the limb of
• 1:36:06
  Speaker 1: a tree above his head swayed a huge python, one
• 1:36:11
  Speaker 1: of those reptiles that are able to crush a man's
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: bones in their coils. A few yards away crouched a
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: savage panther, its glaring red eyes fixed full on the
• 1:36:22
  Speaker 1: helpless claws. One of those monstrous spotted spiders whose sting
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 1: is death, crept stealthily toward him over the matted leaves,
• 1:36:32
  Speaker 1: which shriveled and turned black at its very touch. But
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: claws had been reared in burzee, and was not afraid.
• 1:36:41
  Speaker 1: Come to me, ye nooks of the forest, He cried
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 1: and gave the low, peculiar whistle that the knooks snow.
• 1:36:49
  Speaker 1: The panther, which was about to spring upon its victim,
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 1: turned and slunk away. The python swung itself into the
• 1:36:57
  Speaker 1: tree and disappeared among the leaves. The spider stopped short
• 1:37:02
  Speaker 1: in its advance and hid beneath a rotting log. Claws
• 1:37:06
  Speaker 1: had no time to notice them, for he was surrounded
• 1:37:09
  Speaker 1: by a band of harsh, featured nooks, more crooked and
• 1:37:12
  Speaker 1: deformed in appearance than any he had ever seen. Who
• 1:37:17
  Speaker 1: are you that call on us? Demanded one in a
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 1: gruff voice. The friend of your brothers in Burzi, answered Claws.
• 1:37:27
  Speaker 1: I have been brought here by my enemies, the Oguas,
• 1:37:30
  Speaker 1: and left to perish miserably. Yet now I implore your
• 1:37:34
  Speaker 1: help to release me and to send me home again.
• 1:37:37
  Speaker 1: Have you the sign asked another, Yes, said Claws. They
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 1: cut his bonds, and with his free arms he made
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 1: the secret sign of the knooks. Instantly, they assisted him
• 1:37:51
  Speaker 1: to stand upon his feet, and they brought him food
• 1:37:54
  Speaker 1: and drink to strengthen him. Our brothers of Berzy make
• 1:37:58
  Speaker 1: queer friends, grumbled an ancient knook, whose flowing beard was
• 1:38:03
  Speaker 1: pure white. But he who knows our secret sign and
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 1: signal is entitled to our help, whoever he may be.
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 1: Close your eyes, stranger, and we will conduct you to
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 1: your home. Where shall we seek? It tis in the
• 1:38:18
  Speaker 1: laughing valley, answered Claws, shutting his eyes. There is but
• 1:38:23
  Speaker 1: one laughing valley in the known world, so we cannot
• 1:38:27
  Speaker 1: go astray, remarked the knook. As he spoke, the sound
• 1:38:32
  Speaker 1: of his voice seemed to die away, so Claws opened
• 1:38:35
  Speaker 1: his eyes to see what caused the change. To his astonishment,
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: he found himself seated on the bench by his own door,
• 1:38:43
  Speaker 1: with the laughing valley spread out before him. That day
• 1:38:47
  Speaker 1: he visited the wood Nymphs and related his adventure to
• 1:38:51
  Speaker 1: Queen's Erline and Nicelle. The Aguas have become your enemies,
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 1: said the lovely queen thoughtfully, so we must do all
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 1: we can to protect you from their power. It was
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 1: cowardly to bind him while he slept, remarked Nesille with indignation.
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 1: The evil ones are ever cowardly, answered Zerline. But our
• 1:39:15
  Speaker 1: friend's slumber shall not be disturbed again. The Queen herself
• 1:39:20
  Speaker 1: came to the dwelling of Claws that evening and placed
• 1:39:23
  Speaker 1: her seal on every door and window to keep out
• 1:39:27
  Speaker 1: the Oguas. And under the seal of Queen Zerline was
• 1:39:31
  Speaker 1: placed the seal of the Fairies, and the seal of
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 1: the Rylls, and the seals of the knooks. That the
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 1: charm might become more powerful. And Claws carried his toys
• 1:39:42
  Speaker 1: to the children again and made many more of the
• 1:39:44
  Speaker 1: little ones happy. You may guess how angry the king
• 1:39:48
  Speaker 1: Ogua and his fierce band were when it was known
• 1:39:51
  Speaker 1: to them that Claws had escaped from the forest of Athop.
• 1:39:55
  Speaker 1: They raged madly for a whole week and then held
• 1:39:59
  Speaker 1: another meeting among the rocks. It is useless to carry
• 1:40:03
  Speaker 1: him where the knooks rain, said the king, for he
• 1:40:07
  Speaker 1: has their protection. So let us cast him into a
• 1:40:11
  Speaker 1: cave of our own mountains, where he will surely perish.
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 1: This was promptly agreed to, and the wicked band set
• 1:40:19
  Speaker 1: out that night to seize Claws. But they found his
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 1: dwelling guarded by the seals of the immortals, and were
• 1:40:26
  Speaker 1: obliged to go away, baffled and disappointed. Never mind, said
• 1:40:32
  Speaker 1: the king, he does not sleep always. Next day, as
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 1: Claws traveled to the village across the plain, where he
• 1:40:40
  Speaker 1: intended to present a new toy squirrel to a lame boy,
• 1:40:44
  Speaker 1: he was suddenly set upon by the oguas, who seized
• 1:40:47
  Speaker 1: him and carried him away to the mountains. There they
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: thrust him within a deep cavern and rolled many huge
• 1:40:55
  Speaker 1: rocks against the entrance to prevent his escape. Deprived thus
• 1:41:00
  Speaker 1: of light and food, and with little air to breathe,
• 1:41:03
  Speaker 1: our Claws was indeed in a pitiable plight. But he
• 1:41:08
  Speaker 1: spoke the mystic words of the fairies, which always command
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: their friendly aid, and they came to his rescue and
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 1: transported him to the Laughing valley in the twinkling of
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 1: an eye. Thus the oguas discovered they might not destroy
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 1: one who had earned the friendship of the immortals. So
• 1:41:27
  Speaker 1: the evil band sought other means of keeping Claws from
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 1: bringing happiness to children and so making them obedient. Whenever
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: Claw set out to carry his toys to the little ones,
• 1:41:39
  Speaker 1: and ogua, who had been set to watch his movements,
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 1: sprang upon him and snatched the toys from his grasp.
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: And the children were no more disappointed than was Claws
• 1:41:49
  Speaker 1: when he was obliged to return home. Disconsolate, still, he
• 1:41:54
  Speaker 1: persevered and made many toys for his little friends, and
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 1: started with them for the villages. And always the oguas
• 1:42:02
  Speaker 1: robbed him as soon as he had left the valley.
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 1: They threw the stolen playthings into one of their lonely caverns,
• 1:42:09
  Speaker 1: and quite a heap of toys accumulated before Claws became
• 1:42:12
  Speaker 1: discouraged and gave up all attempts to leave the valley.
• 1:42:17
  Speaker 1: Then children began coming to him, since they found he
• 1:42:20
  Speaker 1: did not go to them, but the wicked oguas flew
• 1:42:23
  Speaker 1: around them and caused their steps to stray, and the
• 1:42:26
  Speaker 1: path to become crooked, so never a little one could
• 1:42:30
  Speaker 1: find a way into the laughing valley. Lonely days now
• 1:42:34
  Speaker 1: fell upon Claws, for he was denied the pleasure of
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 1: bringing happiness to the children whom he had learned to love.
• 1:42:42
  Speaker 1: Yet he bore up bravely, for he thought surely the
• 1:42:46
  Speaker 1: time would come when the oguas would abandon their evil
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 1: designs to injure him. He devoted all his hours to
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 1: toy making, and when one plaything had been completed, he
• 1:42:57
  Speaker 1: stood it on a shelf he had built for that purpose.
• 1:43:01
  Speaker 1: When the shelf became filled with rows of toys, he
• 1:43:04
  Speaker 1: made another one and filled that also, so that in
• 1:43:08
  Speaker 1: time he had many shelves filled with gay and beautiful
• 1:43:12
  Speaker 1: toys representing horses, dogs, cats, elephants, lambs, rabbits, and deer,
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 1: as well as pretty dolls of all sizes, and balls
• 1:43:24
  Speaker 1: and marbles of baked clay painted in gay colors. Often,
• 1:43:30
  Speaker 1: as he glanced at this array of childish treasures, the
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: heart of good old Claws became sad. So greatly did
• 1:43:37
  Speaker 1: he long to carry the toys to his children. And
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 1: at last, because he could bear it no longer, he
• 1:43:44
  Speaker 1: ventured to go to the great act, to whom he
• 1:43:47
  Speaker 1: told the story of his persecution by the Aguas and
• 1:43:51
  Speaker 1: begged the Master Woodsman to assist him. End of Chapter six,
• 1:43:58
  Speaker 1: Chapter seven, The Great Battle between Good and Evil. Ac
• 1:44:04
  Speaker 1: listened gravely to the recital of Claws stroking his beard
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: the while with the slow, graceful motion that betokened deep thought.
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 1: He nodded approvingly when Claws told how the knooks and
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 1: fairies had saved him from death, and frowned when he
• 1:44:20
  Speaker 1: heard how the og was had stolen the children's toys.
• 1:44:24
  Speaker 1: At last, he said, from the beginning, I have approved
• 1:44:29
  Speaker 1: the work you are doing among the children of men,
• 1:44:32
  Speaker 1: and it annoys me that your good deeds should be
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 1: thwarted by the ogas. We immortals have no connection whatever
• 1:44:40
  Speaker 1: with the evil creatures who have attacked you. Always have
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 1: we avoided them, and they in turn have hitherto taken
• 1:44:48
  Speaker 1: care not to cross our pathway. But in this matter
• 1:44:53
  Speaker 1: I find they have interfered with one of our friends,
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 1: and I will ask them to abandon their persecutions, as
• 1:45:02
  Speaker 1: you are under our protection. Claws thanked the Master Woodsmen
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 1: most gratefully and returned to his valley, while Ak, who
• 1:45:11
  Speaker 1: never delayed, carrying out his promises, at once traveled to
• 1:45:15
  Speaker 1: the mountains of the Aguas. There, standing on the bare rocks,
• 1:45:20
  Speaker 1: he called on the king and his people to appear. Instantly,
• 1:45:25
  Speaker 1: The place was filled with throngs of the scowling Aguas,
• 1:45:28
  Speaker 1: and their king, perching himself on a point of a rock, demanded, fiercely,
• 1:45:34
  Speaker 1: who dares call on us? It is I, the master
• 1:45:39
  Speaker 1: woodsmen of the world, responded, AC. Here are no forests
• 1:45:45
  Speaker 1: for you to claim, cried the king angrily. We owe
• 1:45:49
  Speaker 1: no allegiance to you, nor to any immortal, That is true,
• 1:45:55
  Speaker 1: replied Ac calmly. Yet you have ventured to interfere with
• 1:46:00
  Speaker 1: the actions of Claws, who dwells in the Laughing Valley
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 1: and is under our protection. Many of the Aguas began
• 1:46:08
  Speaker 1: muttering at this speech, and their king turned threateningly on
• 1:46:12
  Speaker 1: the master woodsmen. You are set to rule the forests,
• 1:46:17
  Speaker 1: but the plains and the valleys are ours, he shouted.
• 1:46:21
  Speaker 1: Keep to your own, dark woods. We will do as
• 1:46:24
  Speaker 1: we please with Claws. You shall not harm our friend
• 1:46:29
  Speaker 1: in any way, replied Ac, shall we not, asked the
• 1:46:36
  Speaker 1: king impudently. You will see our powers are vastly superior
• 1:46:41
  Speaker 1: to those of mortals. And fully as great as those
• 1:46:45
  Speaker 1: of immortals. It is your conceit that misleads you, said
• 1:46:50
  Speaker 1: Ax sternly, you are a transient race, passing from life
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 1: into nothingness. We who live forever pity but despise you.
• 1:47:00
  Speaker 1: On earth, you are scorned by all, and in heaven
• 1:47:03
  Speaker 1: you have no place. Even the mortals, after their earth
• 1:47:08
  Speaker 1: life enter another existence for all time, and so are
• 1:47:12
  Speaker 1: your superiors. How then, dare you, who are neither mortal
• 1:47:17
  Speaker 1: nor immortal, refuse to obey my wish. The Agua sprang
• 1:47:23
  Speaker 1: to their feet with menacing gestures, but their king motioned
• 1:47:27
  Speaker 1: them back. Never before, he cried to Ak, while his
• 1:47:32
  Speaker 1: voice trembled with rage. Has an immortal declared himself the
• 1:47:38
  Speaker 1: master of the Oguas, never shall an immortal venture to
• 1:47:42
  Speaker 1: interfere with our actions again, For we will avenge your
• 1:47:46
  Speaker 1: scornful words by killing your friend Claus within three days.
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 1: Nor you nor all the immortals can save him from
• 1:47:55
  Speaker 1: our wrath. We defy your powers. Begone, master, woodsmen of
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 1: the world, in the country of the Aguas, you have
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 1: no place. It is war, declared Ac with flashing eyes.
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 1: It is war, returned the king savagely. In three days,
• 1:48:15
  Speaker 1: your friend will be dead. The Master turned away and
• 1:48:20
  Speaker 1: came to his forest of Burzi, where he called a
• 1:48:23
  Speaker 1: meeting of the immortals, and told them of the defiance
• 1:48:26
  Speaker 1: of the Oguas and their purpose to kill claws within
• 1:48:29
  Speaker 1: three days. The little folk listened to him quietly. What
• 1:48:35
  Speaker 1: shall we do, asked Ak These creatures are of no
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 1: benefit to the world, said the Prince of the Knooks.
• 1:48:43
  Speaker 1: We must destroy them. Their lives are devoted only to
• 1:48:47
  Speaker 1: evil deeds, said the Prince of the Rials. We must
• 1:48:51
  Speaker 1: destroy them. They have no conscience and endeavor to make
• 1:48:56
  Speaker 1: all mortals as bad as themselves. Said the Queen of
• 1:49:00
  Speaker 1: the Fairies. We must destroy them. They have defied the
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 1: great Act and threatened the life of our adopted son,
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 1: said beautiful Queen Zurline, We must destroy them. The Master
• 1:49:16
  Speaker 1: Woodsman smiled. You speak well, said he. These Oguas we
• 1:49:22
  Speaker 1: know to be a powerful race, and they will fight desperately.
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 1: Yet the outcome is certain, for we who live can
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 1: never die, even though conquered by our enemies. While every
• 1:49:35
  Speaker 1: Agua who is struck down is one foe, the less
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 1: to oppose us. Prepare then for battle, and let us
• 1:49:42
  Speaker 1: resolve to show no mercy to the wicked. Thus arose
• 1:49:47
  Speaker 1: that terrible war between the immortals and the spirits of evil,
• 1:49:51
  Speaker 1: which is sung of in fairyland to this fairy day.
• 1:49:55
  Speaker 1: The King Agua and his band determined to carry out
• 1:49:58
  Speaker 1: the threat to destroy They now hated him for two reasons.
• 1:50:04
  Speaker 1: He made children happy and was a friend of the
• 1:50:07
  Speaker 1: Master Woodsman. But since Act's visit, they had reason to
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 1: fear the opposition of the immortals, and they dreaded defeat.
• 1:50:16
  Speaker 1: So the king sent swift messengers to all parts of
• 1:50:19
  Speaker 1: the world to summon every evil creature to his aid.
• 1:50:24
  Speaker 1: And on the third day after the declaration of war,
• 1:50:27
  Speaker 1: a mighty army was at the command of the King Agua.
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 1: There were three hundred asiatic dragons, breathing fire that consumed
• 1:50:36
  Speaker 1: everything it touched. These hated mankind and all good spirits.
• 1:50:42
  Speaker 1: And there were the three eyed giants of Tattery, a
• 1:50:45
  Speaker 1: host in themselves who liked nothing better than to fight.
• 1:50:50
  Speaker 1: And next came the black demons from Patalonia, with great
• 1:50:55
  Speaker 1: spreading wings like those of a bat, which swept terror
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 1: and misery through the world as they beat upon the air.
• 1:51:02
  Speaker 1: And joined to these were the gooselgoblins, with long talons
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 1: as sharp as swords, with which they clawed the flesh
• 1:51:09
  Speaker 1: from their foes. Finally, a free mountain Agua in the
• 1:51:14
  Speaker 1: world had come to participate in the great battle with
• 1:51:17
  Speaker 1: the immortals. The King Agua looked around upon this vast army,
• 1:51:23
  Speaker 1: and his heart beat high with wicked pride, for he
• 1:51:26
  Speaker 1: believed he would surely triumph over his gentle enemies, who
• 1:51:30
  Speaker 1: had never before been known to fight. But the master
• 1:51:34
  Speaker 1: Woodmen had not been idle. None of his people was
• 1:51:37
  Speaker 1: used to warfare. Yet now that they were called upon
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 1: to face the hosts of evil, they willingly prepared for
• 1:51:44
  Speaker 1: the fray. Ac had commanded them to assemble in the
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 1: Laughing Valley, where Claws, ignorant of the terrible battle that
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 1: was to be waged on his account, was quietly making toys.
• 1:51:56
  Speaker 1: Soon the entire valley from hill to hill was filled
• 1:52:00
  Speaker 1: with the little immortals. The master Woodsmen stood first, bearing
• 1:52:05
  Speaker 1: a gleaming axe that shone like burnished silver. Next came
• 1:52:10
  Speaker 1: the rills, armed with sharp thorns from bramble bushes, Then
• 1:52:15
  Speaker 1: the nooks, bearing the spears they used when they were
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 1: forced to prod their savage beasts into submission. The fairies,
• 1:52:22
  Speaker 1: dressed in white gauze with rainbow hued wings, bore golden wands,
• 1:52:28
  Speaker 1: and the wood nymphs, in their uniforms of oak leaf green,
• 1:52:31
  Speaker 1: carried switches from ash trees as weapons. Loud laughed the
• 1:52:36
  Speaker 1: Agua king when he beheld the size and the arms
• 1:52:39
  Speaker 1: of his floes. To be sure, the mighty axe of
• 1:52:42
  Speaker 1: the woodsmen was to be dreaded. But the sweet faced
• 1:52:45
  Speaker 1: nymphs and pretty fairies, the gentle rills and crooked nooks,
• 1:52:50
  Speaker 1: were such harmless folk that he almost felt shame at
• 1:52:53
  Speaker 1: having called such a terrible host to oppose them. Since
• 1:52:57
  Speaker 1: these fools dare fight, he said to the leader of
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 1: the Tattery giants, I will overwhelm them with our evil powers.
• 1:53:07
  Speaker 1: To begin the battle, he poised a great stone in
• 1:53:10
  Speaker 1: his left hand and cast it full against the sturdy
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 1: form of the master Woodsmen, who turned it aside with
• 1:53:16
  Speaker 1: his axe. Then rushed the three eyed giants of Tattery
• 1:53:20
  Speaker 1: upon the knooks, and the gooselgoblins upon the rills, and
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 1: the fire breathing dragons upon the sweet fairies. Because the
• 1:53:29
  Speaker 1: nymphs were A's own people, the band of Agua sought
• 1:53:32
  Speaker 1: them out, seeking to overcount them with ease. But it
• 1:53:37
  Speaker 1: is the law that while evil unopposed may accomplish terrible deeds,
• 1:53:42
  Speaker 1: the powers of good can never be overthrown when opposed
• 1:53:45
  Speaker 1: to evil. Well had it been for the King Agua,
• 1:53:49
  Speaker 1: had he known the law, his ignorance cost him his existence.
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 1: For one flash of the axe, borne by the master
• 1:53:56
  Speaker 1: woodsmen of the world, cleft the wicked king intoine and
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 1: rid the earth of the vilest creature it contained. Greatly
• 1:54:05
  Speaker 1: marveled the tattery giants when the spears of the little
• 1:54:08
  Speaker 1: nooks pierced their thick walls of flesh and sent them
• 1:54:11
  Speaker 1: reeling to the ground with howls of agony. Woe came
• 1:54:16
  Speaker 1: upon the sharp taloned goblins when the thorns of the
• 1:54:19
  Speaker 1: rills reached their savage hearts and let their life blood
• 1:54:22
  Speaker 1: sprinkle all the plane, and afterward from every drop a
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: thistle grew. The dragons paused, astonished before the fairy winds
• 1:54:32
  Speaker 1: from whence rushed a power that caused their fiery breaths
• 1:54:36
  Speaker 1: to flow back on themselves, so that they shriveled away
• 1:54:38
  Speaker 1: and died. As for the oguas they had scant time
• 1:54:43
  Speaker 1: to realize how they were destroyed, for the ash switches
• 1:54:47
  Speaker 1: of the nymphs bore a charm unknown to any Ogua,
• 1:54:51
  Speaker 1: and turned their foes into clods of earth at the
• 1:54:53
  Speaker 1: slightest touch. When Ac leaned upon his gleaming axe and
• 1:54:58
  Speaker 1: turned to look over them field of battle, he saw
• 1:55:02
  Speaker 1: the few giants who were able to run disappearing over
• 1:55:05
  Speaker 1: the distant hills. On their return to Tattery. The goblins
• 1:55:09
  Speaker 1: had perished every one, as had the terrible dragons, while
• 1:55:14
  Speaker 1: all that remained of the wicked oguas was a great
• 1:55:17
  Speaker 1: number of earthen hillocks dotting the plain. And now the
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 1: immortals melted from the valley like dew at sunrise to
• 1:55:25
  Speaker 1: resume their duties in the forest. While Ak walked slowly
• 1:55:29
  Speaker 1: and thoughtfully to the house of Claws and entered. You
• 1:55:34
  Speaker 1: have many toys ready for the children, said the woodsmen,
• 1:55:39
  Speaker 1: and now you may carry them across the plain to
• 1:55:42
  Speaker 1: the dwellings and the villages without fear. Will not the
• 1:55:46
  Speaker 1: ogwas harm me, asked Claws eagerly. The Ogas, said Ak,
• 1:55:52
  Speaker 1: have perished. Now I will gladly have done with wicked
• 1:55:56
  Speaker 1: spirits and with fighting and bloodshed. It was not from
• 1:56:01
  Speaker 1: choice that I told you of the Aguas and their allies,
• 1:56:04
  Speaker 1: and of their great battle with the immortals. They were
• 1:56:07
  Speaker 1: part of this history and could not be avoided. End
• 1:56:12
  Speaker 1: of Chapter seven, Manhood. Chapter eight, The first journey with
• 1:56:18
  Speaker 1: the Reindeer. Those were happy days for Claws when he
• 1:56:23
  Speaker 1: carried his accumulation of toys to the children who had
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 1: awaited them so long during his imprisonment in the valley.
• 1:56:30
  Speaker 1: He had been so industrious that all his shelves were
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: filled with playthings, And after quickly supplying the little ones
• 1:56:38
  Speaker 1: living near by, he saw he must now extend his
• 1:56:42
  Speaker 1: travels to wider fields. Remembering the time when he had
• 1:56:45
  Speaker 1: journeyed with act through all the world, he knew children
• 1:56:49
  Speaker 1: were everywhere, and he longed to make as many as
• 1:56:52
  Speaker 1: possible happy with his gifts. So he loaded a great
• 1:56:56
  Speaker 1: sack with all kinds of toys, slung it upon his
• 1:56:59
  Speaker 1: back that he might carry it more easily, and started
• 1:57:02
  Speaker 1: off on a longer trip than he had yet undertaken.
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 1: Wherever he showed his merry face in hamlet or in farmhouse,
• 1:57:10
  Speaker 1: he received a cordial welcome, for his fame had spread
• 1:57:14
  Speaker 1: into far lands. At each village, the children swarmed about him,
• 1:57:19
  Speaker 1: following his footsteps wherever he went, and the women thanked
• 1:57:23
  Speaker 1: him gratefully for the joy he brought their little ones,
• 1:57:27
  Speaker 1: and the men looked upon him curiously that he should
• 1:57:30
  Speaker 1: devote his time to such a queer occupation as toy making.
• 1:57:35
  Speaker 1: But everyone smiled on him and gave him kindly words,
• 1:57:38
  Speaker 1: and Claws felt amply repaid for his long journey. When
• 1:57:42
  Speaker 1: the sack was empty, he went back again to the
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: Laughing Valley and once more filled it to the brim.
• 1:57:49
  Speaker 1: This time he followed another road into a different part
• 1:57:52
  Speaker 1: of the country, and carried his happiness to many children
• 1:57:56
  Speaker 1: who never before had owned a toy or guessed that
• 1:57:59
  Speaker 1: such a delightful plaything existed. After a third journey so
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 1: far away that Claws was many days walking the distance,
• 1:58:08
  Speaker 1: the store of toys became exhausted, and without delay he
• 1:58:12
  Speaker 1: set about making a fresh supply. From seeing so many
• 1:58:16
  Speaker 1: children and studying their tastes, he had acquired several new
• 1:58:20
  Speaker 1: ideas about toys. The dollies were he had found the
• 1:58:24
  Speaker 1: most delightful of all playthings for babies and little girls,
• 1:58:29
  Speaker 1: and often those who could not say Dolly would call
• 1:58:32
  Speaker 1: for a doll in their sweet baby talk. So Claws
• 1:58:36
  Speaker 1: resolved to make many dolls of all sizes, and to
• 1:58:40
  Speaker 1: dress them in bright colored clothing. The older boys and
• 1:58:44
  Speaker 1: even some of the girls, loved the images of animals,
• 1:58:48
  Speaker 1: so he still made cats and elephants and horses. And
• 1:58:52
  Speaker 1: many of the little fellows had musical natures and longed
• 1:58:56
  Speaker 1: for drums and cymbals and whistles and horns, so he
• 1:59:00
  Speaker 1: made a number of toy drums with tiny sticks to
• 1:59:03
  Speaker 1: beat them with, and he made whistles from the willow trees,
• 1:59:07
  Speaker 1: and horns from the ball reeds, and cymbals from bits
• 1:59:10
  Speaker 1: of beaten metal. All this kept him busily at work,
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 1: and before he realized it, the winter season came with
• 1:59:18
  Speaker 1: deeper snows than usual, and he knew he could not
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 1: leave the valley with his heavy pack. Moreover, the next
• 1:59:25
  Speaker 1: trip would take him farther from home than ever before,
• 1:59:29
  Speaker 1: and Jack Frost was mischievous enough to nip his nose
• 1:59:32
  Speaker 1: and ears if he undertook the long journey while the
• 1:59:35
  Speaker 1: Frost King reigned. The Frost King was Jack's father and
• 1:59:39
  Speaker 1: never reproved him for his pranks, so claws remained at
• 1:59:43
  Speaker 1: his work bench, but he whistled and sang as merrily
• 1:59:46
  Speaker 1: as ever, for he would allow no disappointment to sour
• 1:59:50
  Speaker 1: his temper or make him unhappy. One bright morning, he
• 1:59:54
  Speaker 1: looked from his window and saw two of the deer
• 1:59:57
  Speaker 1: he had known in the forest walking towards his house.
• 2:00:01
  Speaker 1: Claus was surprised not that the friendly deer should visit him,
• 2:00:06
  Speaker 1: but that they should walk on the surface of the
• 2:00:08
  Speaker 1: snow as easily as if it were solid ground, notwithstanding
• 2:00:13
  Speaker 1: the fact that throughout the valley the snow lay many
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 1: feet deep. He had walked out of his house a
• 2:00:19
  Speaker 1: day or two before and had sunk to his armpits
• 2:00:22
  Speaker 1: in a drift. So when the deer came near, he
• 2:00:25
  Speaker 1: opened the door and called to them, good morning. FLOSSI,
• 2:00:29
  Speaker 1: tell me, how are you able to walk on the
• 2:00:31
  Speaker 1: snow so easily? It is frozen hard, answered FLOSSI. The
• 2:00:37
  Speaker 1: frost king has breathed on it, said Glossie, coming up,
• 2:00:41
  Speaker 1: and the surface is now as solid as ice. Perhaps,
• 2:00:47
  Speaker 1: remarked Klaws thoughtfully, I might now carry my pack of
• 2:00:51
  Speaker 1: toys to the children. Is it a long journey, asked Flossi. Yes,
• 2:00:57
  Speaker 1: it will take me many days, for the pack is heavy,
• 2:01:00
  Speaker 1: answered Claws. Then the snow would melt before you could
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 1: get back, said the deer. You must wait until spring, claws.
• 2:01:09
  Speaker 1: Claws sighed, Ah, had I your feet, said he, I
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 1: could make the journey in a day, but you have
• 2:01:17
  Speaker 1: not returned Glossie, looking at his own slender legs with pride.
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 1: Perhaps I could ride upon your back, Claws ventured to remark.
• 2:01:29
  Speaker 1: After a pause. Oh no, our backs are not strong
• 2:01:33
  Speaker 1: enough to bear your weight, said Flosi decidedly. But if
• 2:01:38
  Speaker 1: you had a sledge and could harness us to it,
• 2:01:42
  Speaker 1: we might draw you easily, and your pack as well.
• 2:01:46
  Speaker 1: I'll make a sledge, exclaimed Claws. Will you agree to
• 2:01:51
  Speaker 1: draw me? If I do well, replied Flossi, we must
• 2:01:57
  Speaker 1: first go and ask the knooks who are our guardians,
• 2:02:00
  Speaker 1: for permission. But if they consent and you can make
• 2:02:03
  Speaker 1: a sledge and harness, we will gladly assist you. Then
• 2:02:07
  Speaker 1: at once, cried Claws eagerly. I am sure the friendly
• 2:02:12
  Speaker 1: knooks will give their consent, and by the time you
• 2:02:15
  Speaker 1: are back, I shall be ready to harness you to
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 1: my sledge. Flossy and Glossy, being dear of much intelligence,
• 2:02:23
  Speaker 1: had long wished to see the great world, so they
• 2:02:26
  Speaker 1: gladly ran over the frozen snow to ask the Nooks
• 2:02:29
  Speaker 1: if they might carry Claws on his journey. Meantime, the
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 1: toy maker hurriedly began the construction of a sledge. Using
• 2:02:37
  Speaker 1: material from his woodpile. He made two long runners that
• 2:02:42
  Speaker 1: turned upward at the front ends, and across these nailed
• 2:02:46
  Speaker 1: short boards to make a platform. It was soon completed,
• 2:02:51
  Speaker 1: but was as rude in appearance as it is possible
• 2:02:53
  Speaker 1: for a sledge to be. The harness was more difficult
• 2:02:57
  Speaker 1: to prepare, but Claws twisted strong cords together and nodded
• 2:03:01
  Speaker 1: them so they would fit around the necks of the
• 2:03:03
  Speaker 1: deer in the shape of a collar. From these ran
• 2:03:07
  Speaker 1: other cords to fasten the deer to the front of
• 2:03:09
  Speaker 1: the sledge. Before the work was complete, Glossy and Flossy
• 2:03:14
  Speaker 1: were back from the forest, having been granted permission by
• 2:03:17
  Speaker 1: will Nook to make the journey with Claws, provided they
• 2:03:21
  Speaker 1: would to Burzee by daybreak the next morning. That is
• 2:03:25
  Speaker 1: not a very long time, said Flossi. But we are
• 2:03:29
  Speaker 1: swift and strong, and if we get started by this evening,
• 2:03:32
  Speaker 1: we can travel many miles during the night. Claws decided
• 2:03:36
  Speaker 1: to make the attempt, so he hurried on his preparations
• 2:03:39
  Speaker 1: as fast as possible. After a time, he fastened the
• 2:03:43
  Speaker 1: collars around the necks of his steeds and harnessed them
• 2:03:46
  Speaker 1: to his rude sledge. Then he placed a stool on
• 2:03:50
  Speaker 1: the little platform to serve as a seat, and filled
• 2:03:53
  Speaker 1: the sack with his prettiest toys. How do you intend
• 2:03:57
  Speaker 1: to guide us, asked Glossy. We have never been out
• 2:04:01
  Speaker 1: of the forest before, except to visit your house, so
• 2:04:05
  Speaker 1: we shall not know the way. Claws thought about that
• 2:04:08
  Speaker 1: for a moment. Then he brought more cords and fastened
• 2:04:12
  Speaker 1: two of them to the spreading antlers of each deer,
• 2:04:16
  Speaker 1: one on the right and the other on the left.
• 2:04:19
  Speaker 1: Those will be my reins, said Claws. And when I
• 2:04:23
  Speaker 1: pull them to the right or to the left, you
• 2:04:25
  Speaker 1: must go in that direction. If I do not pull
• 2:04:28
  Speaker 1: the reins at all, you may go straight ahead. Very well,
• 2:04:32
  Speaker 1: answered Glossy and Flossie. And then they asked, are you ready?
• 2:04:37
  Speaker 1: Claws seated himself upon the stool, placed the sack of
• 2:04:41
  Speaker 1: toys at his feet, and then gathered up the reins.
• 2:04:46
  Speaker 1: All ready, he shouted, away we go. The deer leaned forward,
• 2:04:52
  Speaker 1: lifted their slender limbs, and the next moment away flew
• 2:04:56
  Speaker 1: the sledge over the frozen snow. The swiftnessness of the
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 1: motion surprised Claws, for in a few strides they were
• 2:05:04
  Speaker 1: across the valley and gliding over the broad plain beyond.
• 2:05:09
  Speaker 1: The day had melted into evening by the time they
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 1: started for swiftly as Claws had worked. Many hours had
• 2:05:16
  Speaker 1: been consumed in making his preparations. But the moon shone
• 2:05:20
  Speaker 1: brightly to light their way, and Claws soon decided it
• 2:05:24
  Speaker 1: was just as pleasant to travel by night as by day.
• 2:05:28
  Speaker 1: The deer liked it better, for although they wished to
• 2:05:31
  Speaker 1: see something of the world, they were timid about meeting men.
• 2:05:35
  Speaker 1: And now all the dwellers in the towns and farm
• 2:05:38
  Speaker 1: houses were sound asleep and could not see them. Away
• 2:05:42
  Speaker 1: and away they sped on and on, over the hills,
• 2:05:46
  Speaker 1: and through the valleys and across the plains, until they
• 2:05:49
  Speaker 1: reached a village where Claws had never been before. Here
• 2:05:54
  Speaker 1: he called on them to stop, and they immediately obeyed.
• 2:05:58
  Speaker 1: But a new difficulty now presented itself, for the people
• 2:06:02
  Speaker 1: had locked their doors when they went to bed, and
• 2:06:05
  Speaker 1: Claws found he could not enter the houses to leave
• 2:06:07
  Speaker 1: his toys. I'm afraid, my friends, we have made our
• 2:06:12
  Speaker 1: journey for nothing, said he for I shall be obliged
• 2:06:16
  Speaker 1: to carry my playthings back home again without giving them
• 2:06:19
  Speaker 1: to the children of this village. What's the matter, asked Flossi.
• 2:06:25
  Speaker 1: The doors are locked, answered Claws, and I cannot get in.
• 2:06:29
  Speaker 1: Glossy looked around at the houses. The snow was quite
• 2:06:33
  Speaker 1: deep in that village, and just before them was a
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 1: roof only a few feet above the sledge. A broad chimney,
• 2:06:40
  Speaker 1: which seemed to Glossy big enough to admit Claws, was
• 2:06:43
  Speaker 1: at the peak of the roof. Why don't you climb
• 2:06:46
  Speaker 1: down that chimney, asked Glossi. Claws looked at it. That
• 2:06:52
  Speaker 1: would be easy enough if I were on top of
• 2:06:54
  Speaker 1: the roof, he answered. Then hold fast and we will
• 2:06:58
  Speaker 1: take you there, said the deer, and they gave one
• 2:07:01
  Speaker 1: bound to the roof and landed beside the big chimney. Good,
• 2:07:06
  Speaker 1: cried Claws. Well pleased, and he slung the pack of
• 2:07:10
  Speaker 1: toys over his shoulder and got into the chimney. There
• 2:07:14
  Speaker 1: was plenty of soot on the bricks, but he did
• 2:07:16
  Speaker 1: not mind that, and by placing his hands and knees
• 2:07:19
  Speaker 1: against the sides, he crept downward until he reached the fireplace,
• 2:07:25
  Speaker 1: leaping lightly over the smoldering coals. He found himself in
• 2:07:28
  Speaker 1: a large sitting room, where a dim light was burning.
• 2:07:32
  Speaker 1: From this room, two doorways led into smaller chambers. In one,
• 2:07:37
  Speaker 1: a woman lay asleep with a baby beside her in
• 2:07:39
  Speaker 1: a crib. Claws laughed, but he did not laugh aloud,
• 2:07:44
  Speaker 1: for fear of waking the baby. Then he slipped a
• 2:07:47
  Speaker 1: big daw from his pack and laid it in the crib.
• 2:07:51
  Speaker 1: The little one smiled as if it dreamed of the
• 2:07:53
  Speaker 1: pretty plaything it was to find on the morrow, and
• 2:07:57
  Speaker 1: Claws crept softly from the room and entered at the
• 2:08:00
  Speaker 1: other doorway. Here were two boys fast asleep with their
• 2:08:04
  Speaker 1: arms around each other's necks. Claws gazed at them lovingly
• 2:08:08
  Speaker 1: a moment, and then placed upon the bed a drum,
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 1: two horns, and a wooden elephant. He did not linger,
• 2:08:16
  Speaker 1: now that his work in this house was done, but
• 2:08:18
  Speaker 1: climbed the chimney again and seated himself on his sledge.
• 2:08:22
  Speaker 1: Can you find another chimney, he asked? The reindeer easily enough, replied,
• 2:08:28
  Speaker 1: Glossy and flossy. Down to the edge of the roof,
• 2:08:31
  Speaker 1: they raced, and then, without pausing, leaped through the air.
• 2:08:35
  Speaker 1: To the top of the next building, where a huge,
• 2:08:38
  Speaker 1: old fashioned chimney stood. Don't be so long this time,
• 2:08:43
  Speaker 1: called Flossie, or we shall never get back to the forest.
• 2:08:46
  Speaker 1: By daybreak, Claws made a trip down this chimney also
• 2:08:51
  Speaker 1: and found five children sleeping in the house, all of
• 2:08:54
  Speaker 1: whom were quickly supplied with toys. When he returned, the
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 1: deer sprang to the next roof, But on descending the chimney,
• 2:09:02
  Speaker 1: Claws found no children there at all. That was not
• 2:09:05
  Speaker 1: often the case in this village, however, so he lost
• 2:09:08
  Speaker 1: less time than you might suppose in visiting the dreary
• 2:09:11
  Speaker 1: homes where there were no little ones. When he had
• 2:09:15
  Speaker 1: climbed down the chimneys of all the houses in that
• 2:09:17
  Speaker 1: village and had left a toy for every sleeping child,
• 2:09:21
  Speaker 1: Claws found that his great sack was not yet half emptied. Onward, friends,
• 2:09:27
  Speaker 1: he called to the deer, we must seek another village.
• 2:09:32
  Speaker 1: So away they dashed, although it was long past midnight,
• 2:09:36
  Speaker 1: and in a surprisingly short time they came to a
• 2:09:39
  Speaker 1: large city, the largest Claws had ever visited since he
• 2:09:43
  Speaker 1: began to make toys, but nothing daunted by the throng
• 2:09:47
  Speaker 1: of houses, he set to work at once, and his
• 2:09:49
  Speaker 1: beautiful steeds carried him rapidly from one roof to another,
• 2:09:54
  Speaker 1: only the highest being beyond the leaps of the agile deer.
• 2:09:58
  Speaker 1: At last, the supply of toys was exhausted, and Claw
• 2:10:01
  Speaker 1: seated himself in the sledge with the empty sack at
• 2:10:04
  Speaker 1: his feet, and turned the heads of Glossy and Flossy
• 2:10:08
  Speaker 1: toward home. Presently, Flossi asked, what is that streak of
• 2:10:12
  Speaker 1: gray in the sky. It is the coming dawn of day,
• 2:10:17
  Speaker 1: answered Claws, surprised to find that it was so late.
• 2:10:21
  Speaker 1: Good gracious, exclaimed Glossy. Then we shall not be home
• 2:10:25
  Speaker 1: by daybreak, and the knooks will punish us and never
• 2:10:28
  Speaker 1: let us come again. We must race for the laughing
• 2:10:31
  Speaker 1: belly and make our best speed, returned Flossie. So hold fast, friend, Claws.
• 2:10:38
  Speaker 1: Claws held fast, and the next moment was flying so
• 2:10:41
  Speaker 1: swiftly over the snow that he could not see the
• 2:10:44
  Speaker 1: trees as they whirled past up hill and down dale,
• 2:10:49
  Speaker 1: swift as an arrow shot from a bow. They dashed,
• 2:10:52
  Speaker 1: and Claws shut his eyes to keep the wind out
• 2:10:54
  Speaker 1: of them, and left the deer to find their own way.
• 2:10:58
  Speaker 1: It seemed to him they were plunging through space, but
• 2:11:01
  Speaker 1: he was not at all afraid. The Knooks were severe
• 2:11:05
  Speaker 1: masters and must be obeyed at all hazards, and the
• 2:11:08
  Speaker 1: gray streak in the sky was growing brighter every moment. Finally,
• 2:11:13
  Speaker 1: the sledge came to a sudden stop, and Claws, who
• 2:11:16
  Speaker 1: was taken unawares, tumbled from his seat into a snow drift.
• 2:11:20
  Speaker 1: As he picked himself up, he heard the deer crying, quick, friend, quick,
• 2:11:25
  Speaker 1: cut away our harness. He drew his knife and rapidly
• 2:11:29
  Speaker 1: severed the cords, And then he wiped the moisture from
• 2:11:32
  Speaker 1: his eyes and looked around him. The sledge had come
• 2:11:35
  Speaker 1: to a stop in the Laughing Valley, only a few
• 2:11:38
  Speaker 1: feet he found from his own door in the east,
• 2:11:42
  Speaker 1: day was breaking, and turning to the edge of Bursey,
• 2:11:46
  Speaker 1: he saw Glossy and Flossy just disappearing in the forest.
• 2:11:51
  Speaker 1: End of chapter eight Chapter nine of Santa Claus's Manhood.
• 2:11:57
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus Claws thought that none of the children would
• 2:12:03
  Speaker 1: ever know where the toys came from, which they found
• 2:12:05
  Speaker 1: by their bedsides when they wakened the following morning. But
• 2:12:10
  Speaker 1: kindly deeds are sure to bring fame, and fame has
• 2:12:13
  Speaker 1: many wings. To carry its tidings into far lands. So
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 1: for miles and miles in every direction, people were talking
• 2:12:21
  Speaker 1: of Claws and his wonderful gifts to the children. The
• 2:12:25
  Speaker 1: sweet generousness of his work caused a few selfish folk
• 2:12:28
  Speaker 1: to sneer, but even these were forced to admit their
• 2:12:31
  Speaker 1: respect for a man so gentle natured that he loved
• 2:12:35
  Speaker 1: to devote his life to pleasing the helpless little ones
• 2:12:38
  Speaker 1: of his race. Therefore, the inhabitants of every city and
• 2:12:42
  Speaker 1: village had been eagerly watching the coming of Claws, and
• 2:12:46
  Speaker 1: remarkable stories of his beautiful playthings were told the children
• 2:12:50
  Speaker 1: to keep them patient and contented. When on the morning
• 2:12:54
  Speaker 1: following the first trip of Claws with his deer, the
• 2:12:58
  Speaker 1: little ones came running to their parents with the pretty
• 2:13:00
  Speaker 1: toys they had found, and asked from whence they came.
• 2:13:04
  Speaker 1: There was but one reply to the question. The good
• 2:13:09
  Speaker 1: Claws must have been here, my darlings, for his are
• 2:13:12
  Speaker 1: the only toys in all the world. But how did
• 2:13:16
  Speaker 1: he get in? Asked the children. At this the fathers
• 2:13:21
  Speaker 1: shook their heads, being themselves unable to understand how Claws
• 2:13:25
  Speaker 1: had gained admittance to their homes. But the mothers watching
• 2:13:29
  Speaker 1: the glad faces of their dear ones, whispered that the
• 2:13:33
  Speaker 1: Good Claus was no mortal man, but assuredly a saint,
• 2:13:37
  Speaker 1: and they piously blessed his name for the happiness he
• 2:13:40
  Speaker 1: had bestowed upon their children. A saint, said, one with
• 2:13:45
  Speaker 1: bowed head has no need to unlock doors if it
• 2:13:49
  Speaker 1: pleases him to enter our homes. And afterward, when a
• 2:13:54
  Speaker 1: child was naughty or disobedient, its mother would say, you
• 2:13:59
  Speaker 1: must pray to the good Santa Claus for forgiveness. He
• 2:14:02
  Speaker 1: does not like naughty children, and unless you repent, he
• 2:14:06
  Speaker 1: will bring you no more pretty toys. But Santa Claus
• 2:14:12
  Speaker 1: himself would not have approved this speech. He brought toys
• 2:14:16
  Speaker 1: to the children because they were little and helpless, and
• 2:14:19
  Speaker 1: because he loved them. He knew that the best of
• 2:14:22
  Speaker 1: children were sometimes naughty, and that the naughty ones were
• 2:14:26
  Speaker 1: often good. It is the way with children the world over,
• 2:14:30
  Speaker 1: and he would not have changed their natures had he
• 2:14:32
  Speaker 1: possessed the power to do so. And that is how
• 2:14:36
  Speaker 1: our clause became Santa Claus. It is possible for any man,
• 2:14:41
  Speaker 1: by good deeds, to enshrine himself as a saint in
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 1: the hearts of the people. End of chapter nine Chapter
• 2:14:52
  Speaker 1: ten of Santa Claus's Manhood. Christmas Eve, the day that
• 2:14:59
  Speaker 1: broke as Claus was turned from his night ride with
• 2:15:01
  Speaker 1: Glossy and Flossie, brought him to a new trouble. Will Nook,
• 2:15:06
  Speaker 1: the chief guardian of the deer, came to him surly
• 2:15:09
  Speaker 1: and ill tempered to complain that he had kept Glossy
• 2:15:12
  Speaker 1: and Flossi beyond daybreak in opposition to his orders. Yet
• 2:15:18
  Speaker 1: it could not have been very long after daybreak, said Claws.
• 2:15:23
  Speaker 1: It was one minute after, answered will Nook, and that
• 2:15:28
  Speaker 1: is as bad as one hour. I shall set the
• 2:15:31
  Speaker 1: stinging gnats on Glossy and Flossy, and they will thus
• 2:15:34
  Speaker 1: suffer terribly for their disobedience. Don't do that, begged Claus.
• 2:15:40
  Speaker 1: It was my fault, But will Nook would listen to
• 2:15:44
  Speaker 1: no excuses and went away, grumbling and growling in his
• 2:15:47
  Speaker 1: ill natured way. For this reason, Claws entered the forest
• 2:15:52
  Speaker 1: to consult the seal about rescuing the good deer from punishment.
• 2:15:57
  Speaker 1: To his delight, he found his old friend and the
• 2:16:00
  Speaker 1: master Woodsman, seated in the circle of nymphs Ac listened
• 2:16:05
  Speaker 1: to the story of the night journey to the children
• 2:16:08
  Speaker 1: and of the great assistance the deer had been to
• 2:16:10
  Speaker 1: Claws by drawing his sledge over the frozen snow. I
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 1: do not wish my friend to be punished if I
• 2:16:19
  Speaker 1: can save them, said the toy maker when he had
• 2:16:22
  Speaker 1: finished the relation. They were only one minute late, and
• 2:16:27
  Speaker 1: they ran swifter than a bird flies to get home
• 2:16:30
  Speaker 1: before daybreak. Ak stroked his beard thoughtfully a moment, and
• 2:16:36
  Speaker 1: then sent for the Prince of the Knooks, who rules
• 2:16:39
  Speaker 1: all his people in Burzee, and also for the Queen
• 2:16:42
  Speaker 1: of the Fairies and the Prince of the Ryls. When
• 2:16:46
  Speaker 1: all had assembled, Claws told his story again at Ak's command,
• 2:16:51
  Speaker 1: and then the Master addressed the Prince of the Knooks, saying,
• 2:16:55
  Speaker 1: the good work that Claws is doing among mankind deserves
• 2:17:00
  Speaker 1: the support of every honest immortal. Already he is called
• 2:17:05
  Speaker 1: a saint in some of the towns, and before long
• 2:17:09
  Speaker 1: the name of Santa Claus will be lovingly known in
• 2:17:11
  Speaker 1: every home that is blessed with children. Moreover, he is
• 2:17:16
  Speaker 1: a son of our forest, so we owe him our encouragement. You,
• 2:17:21
  Speaker 1: ruler of the Knooks, have known him these many years.
• 2:17:25
  Speaker 1: Am I not right in saying he deserves our friendship?
• 2:17:30
  Speaker 1: The Prince crooked and sour of visage, as all knooks
• 2:17:34
  Speaker 1: are looked only upon the dead leaves at his feet,
• 2:17:37
  Speaker 1: and muttered, you are the master woodsman of the world.
• 2:17:43
  Speaker 1: Axe smiled, but continued in soft tones. It seems that
• 2:17:48
  Speaker 1: the deer which are guarded by your people can be
• 2:17:51
  Speaker 1: of great assistance to Claus, And as they seem willing
• 2:17:55
  Speaker 1: to draw his sledge, I beg that you will permit
• 2:17:58
  Speaker 1: him to use their service whenever he pleases. The Prince
• 2:18:04
  Speaker 1: did not reply, but tapped the curled point of his
• 2:18:06
  Speaker 1: sandal with the tip of his spear, as if in thought.
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 1: Then the fairy queen spoke to him in this way,
• 2:18:16
  Speaker 1: if you consent to Act's request, I will see that
• 2:18:20
  Speaker 1: no harm comes to your deer while they are away
• 2:18:23
  Speaker 1: from the forest. And the Prince of the Rials added,
• 2:18:28
  Speaker 1: for my part, I will allow to every deer that
• 2:18:31
  Speaker 1: assists claws the privilege of eating my cussa plants, which
• 2:18:35
  Speaker 1: will give strength, and my grola plants, which give fleetness
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 1: of foot, and my marbon plants, which give long life.
• 2:18:44
  Speaker 1: And the Queen of the Nymphs said, the deer which
• 2:18:48
  Speaker 1: draw the sledge of Claws will be permitted to bathe
• 2:18:51
  Speaker 1: in the forest pool of nares, which will give them
• 2:18:54
  Speaker 1: sleek coats and wonderful beauty. The Prince of the Knook,
• 2:19:00
  Speaker 1: hearing these promises, shifted uneasily on his seat, for in
• 2:19:04
  Speaker 1: his heart he hated to refuse a request of his
• 2:19:07
  Speaker 1: fellow immortals, although they were asking an unusual favor at
• 2:19:12
  Speaker 1: his hands, and the Knooks are unaccustomed to granting favors
• 2:19:16
  Speaker 1: of any kind. Finally, he turned to his servants and said,
• 2:19:21
  Speaker 1: call will, Knook. When surly will came and heard the
• 2:19:26
  Speaker 1: demands of the immortals, he protested loudly against granting them. Dear,
• 2:19:32
  Speaker 1: our dear, said he, and nothing but dear. Were they horses,
• 2:19:36
  Speaker 1: it would be right to harness them like horses. But
• 2:19:39
  Speaker 1: no one harnesses dear, because they are free, wild creatures,
• 2:19:44
  Speaker 1: owing no service of any sort to mankind. It would
• 2:19:48
  Speaker 1: degrade my dear to labor for Claws, who was only
• 2:19:52
  Speaker 1: a man in spite of the friendship lavished on him
• 2:19:54
  Speaker 1: by the immortals. You have heard, said the prince to
• 2:20:00
  Speaker 1: ac there is truth in what will says call glossy
• 2:20:06
  Speaker 1: and FLOSSI returned the master. The deer were brought to
• 2:20:11
  Speaker 1: the conference and Ac asked them if they objected to
• 2:20:14
  Speaker 1: drawing the sledge for Claws. No, indeed, replied Glossie. We
• 2:20:21
  Speaker 1: enjoyed the trip very much, and we tried to get
• 2:20:25
  Speaker 1: home by daybreak, said Flossi, but were unfortunately a minute
• 2:20:29
  Speaker 1: too late. A minute lost at daybreak doesn't matter, said Ac.
• 2:20:36
  Speaker 1: You are forgiven for that delay, provided it does not
• 2:20:40
  Speaker 1: happen again, said the Prince of the Knooks sternly. And
• 2:20:45
  Speaker 1: will you permit them to make another journey with me?
• 2:20:49
  Speaker 1: Asked Clause. Eagerly, the Prince reflected while he gazed at Will,
• 2:20:54
  Speaker 1: who was scowling, and at the master woodsman, who was smiling.
• 2:21:00
  Speaker 1: Then he stood up and addressed the company as follows,
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 1: Since you all urge me to grant the favor, I
• 2:21:09
  Speaker 1: will permit the deer to go with Claws once every
• 2:21:12
  Speaker 1: year on Christmas Eve, provided they always return to the
• 2:21:17
  Speaker 1: forest by daybreak. He may select any number he pleases,
• 2:21:21
  Speaker 1: up to ten to draw his sledge, and those shall
• 2:21:24
  Speaker 1: be known among us as reindeer, to distinguish them from
• 2:21:28
  Speaker 1: the others. And they shall bathe in the pool of
• 2:21:31
  Speaker 1: nares and eat the cassa and the graal and marbon plants.
• 2:21:36
  Speaker 1: And shall be under the especial protection of the fairy Queen.
• 2:21:40
  Speaker 1: And now see scowling will Nook, for my words shall
• 2:21:43
  Speaker 1: be obeyed. He hobbled quickly away through the trees to
• 2:21:49
  Speaker 1: avoid the thanks of Claws and the approval of the
• 2:21:52
  Speaker 1: other immortals, and will, looking as cross as ever, followed him.
• 2:21:58
  Speaker 1: But Ac was satisfied, knowing that he could rely on
• 2:22:01
  Speaker 1: the promise of the Prince. However, grudgingly given, and Glossy
• 2:22:06
  Speaker 1: and Flossi ran home, kicking up their heels delightedly at
• 2:22:10
  Speaker 1: every step. When is Christmas Eve, Claus, asked the Master,
• 2:22:17
  Speaker 1: in about ten days, he replied, Then I cannot use
• 2:22:22
  Speaker 1: the deer this year, said Klaws thoughtfully, for I shall
• 2:22:27
  Speaker 1: not have time enough to make my sack full of toys.
• 2:22:31
  Speaker 1: The shrewd Prince foresaw that, responded Ac, and therefore named
• 2:22:36
  Speaker 1: Christmas Eve as the day you might use the deer,
• 2:22:39
  Speaker 1: knowing it would cause you to lose an entire year.
• 2:22:43
  Speaker 1: If I only had the toys the aguas stole from me,
• 2:22:47
  Speaker 1: said Klaws. Sadly, I could easily fill my sack for
• 2:22:51
  Speaker 1: the children. Where are they asked the Master. I do
• 2:22:57
  Speaker 1: not know, replied Klaws, But the wicked Oguas probably hid
• 2:23:02
  Speaker 1: them in the mountains. Ac turned to the fairy queen,
• 2:23:09
  Speaker 1: Can you find them, he asked, I will try, she
• 2:23:13
  Speaker 1: replied brightly. Then Claws went back to the Laughing Valley
• 2:23:18
  Speaker 1: to work as hard as he could, and a band
• 2:23:21
  Speaker 1: of fairies immediately flew to the mountain that had been
• 2:23:23
  Speaker 1: haunted by the oguas and began a search for the
• 2:23:26
  Speaker 1: stolen toys. The fairies, as we well know, possess wonderful powers,
• 2:23:33
  Speaker 1: but the cunning Oguas had hidden the toys in a
• 2:23:36
  Speaker 1: deep cave and covered the opening with rocks so no
• 2:23:39
  Speaker 1: one could look in. Therefore, all search for the missing
• 2:23:44
  Speaker 1: playthings proved in vain for several days, and Claws, who
• 2:23:48
  Speaker 1: sat at home waiting for news from the fairies, almost
• 2:23:52
  Speaker 1: despaired of getting the toys before Christmas Eve. He worked
• 2:23:57
  Speaker 1: hard every moment, but it took considerable time to carve
• 2:24:01
  Speaker 1: out and to shape each toy, and to paint it properly,
• 2:24:06
  Speaker 1: so that on the morning before Christmas Eve, only half
• 2:24:09
  Speaker 1: of one small shelf above the window was filled with
• 2:24:13
  Speaker 1: playthings ready for the children. But on this morning, the
• 2:24:18
  Speaker 1: fairies who were searching the mountains had a new thought.
• 2:24:22
  Speaker 1: They joined hands and moved in a straight line through
• 2:24:26
  Speaker 1: the rocks that formed the mountain, beginning at the topmost
• 2:24:29
  Speaker 1: peak and working downward, so that no spot could be
• 2:24:33
  Speaker 1: missed by their bright eyes. And at last they discovered
• 2:24:37
  Speaker 1: the cave where the toys had been heaped up by
• 2:24:40
  Speaker 1: the wicked aguas. It did not take them long to
• 2:24:43
  Speaker 1: burst open the mouth of the cave, and then each
• 2:24:46
  Speaker 1: one seized as many toys as he could carry, and
• 2:24:49
  Speaker 1: they all flew to claws and laid the treasure before him.
• 2:24:55
  Speaker 1: The good man was rejoiced to receive, just in the
• 2:24:58
  Speaker 1: nick of time, such a a store of playthings with
• 2:25:01
  Speaker 1: which to load his sledge, and he sent word to
• 2:25:04
  Speaker 1: Glossy and Flossy to be ready for the journey at nightfall.
• 2:25:08
  Speaker 1: With all his other labors, he had managed to find
• 2:25:11
  Speaker 1: time since the last trip to repair the harness and
• 2:25:14
  Speaker 1: to strengthen his sledge, so that when the deer came
• 2:25:17
  Speaker 1: to him at twilight, he had no difficulty in harnessing them.
• 2:25:23
  Speaker 1: We must go in another direction to night, he told them,
• 2:25:27
  Speaker 1: where we shall find children I have never yet visited.
• 2:25:30
  Speaker 1: And we must travel fast and work quickly, for my
• 2:25:33
  Speaker 1: sack is full of toys and running over the brim.
• 2:25:37
  Speaker 1: So just as the moon arose, they dashed out of
• 2:25:40
  Speaker 1: the Laughing Valley and across the plain and over the
• 2:25:44
  Speaker 1: hills to the south. The air was sharp and frosty,
• 2:25:48
  Speaker 1: and the starlight touched the snowflakes and made them glitter
• 2:25:51
  Speaker 1: like countless diamonds. The reindeer leaped onward with strong, steady bounds,
• 2:25:58
  Speaker 1: and Claus's heart was so low and merry that he
• 2:26:01
  Speaker 1: laughed and sang while the wind whistled past his years
• 2:26:06
  Speaker 1: with a ho ho ho, and ha ha ha, and
• 2:26:08
  Speaker 1: a ho ho ha ha. Now away we got or
• 2:26:12
  Speaker 1: the frozen snow as merry as we can be. Jack
• 2:26:17
  Speaker 1: Frost heard him and came racing up with his nippers,
• 2:26:20
  Speaker 1: but when he saw it was Claws, he laughed and
• 2:26:22
  Speaker 1: turned away again. The mother owls heard him as he
• 2:26:27
  Speaker 1: passed near a wood, and stuck their heads out of
• 2:26:30
  Speaker 1: the hollow places in the tree trunks. But when they
• 2:26:33
  Speaker 1: saw who it was, they whispered to the owlets nesting
• 2:26:36
  Speaker 1: near them that it was only Santa Claus, carrying toys
• 2:26:39
  Speaker 1: to the children. It is strange how much those mother
• 2:26:43
  Speaker 1: owls know. Claws stopped at some of the scattering farmhouses
• 2:26:50
  Speaker 1: and climbed down the chimneys to leave presents for the babies.
• 2:26:54
  Speaker 1: Soon after he reached a village and worked merrily for
• 2:26:57
  Speaker 1: an hour distributing playthings among the sea sleeping little ones.
• 2:27:01
  Speaker 1: Then away again he went, singing his joyous carol. Now
• 2:27:07
  Speaker 1: away we go o'er the gleaming snow, while the deer
• 2:27:10
  Speaker 1: runs swift and free. For to girls envoys, we carried
• 2:27:13
  Speaker 1: the toys that will fill their hearts with glee. The
• 2:27:18
  Speaker 1: deer liked the sound of his deep bass voice and
• 2:27:22
  Speaker 1: kept time to the song with their hoof beats on
• 2:27:24
  Speaker 1: the hard snow. But soon they stopped at another chimney,
• 2:27:28
  Speaker 1: and Santa Claus, with sparkling eyes and face brushed red
• 2:27:31
  Speaker 1: by the wind, climbed down its smoky sides and left
• 2:27:35
  Speaker 1: a present for every child the house contained. It was
• 2:27:41
  Speaker 1: a merry, happy night. Swiftly the deer ran, and busily
• 2:27:45
  Speaker 1: their driver worked to scatter his gifts among the sleeping children.
• 2:27:50
  Speaker 1: But the sack was empty at last, and the sledge
• 2:27:53
  Speaker 1: headed homeward. And now again the race, with daybreak began
• 2:27:58
  Speaker 1: Glossy and Flossy had no to be rebuked a second
• 2:28:01
  Speaker 1: time for tardiness. So they fled with a swiftness that
• 2:28:05
  Speaker 1: enabled them to pass the gale on which the frost
• 2:28:08
  Speaker 1: King rode, and soon brought them to the Laughing Valley.
• 2:28:13
  Speaker 1: It is true, when Claws released his steeds from their harness,
• 2:28:17
  Speaker 1: the eastern sky was streaked with gray, but Glossy and
• 2:28:20
  Speaker 1: Flossy were deep in the forest before day fairly broke.
• 2:28:26
  Speaker 1: Claws was so wearied with his night's work that he
• 2:28:29
  Speaker 1: threw himself upon his bed and fell into a deep slumber.
• 2:28:33
  Speaker 1: And while he slept, the Christmas sun appeared in the
• 2:28:36
  Speaker 1: sky and shone upon hundreds of happy homes, where the
• 2:28:40
  Speaker 1: sound of childish laughter proclaimed that Santa Claus had made
• 2:28:44
  Speaker 1: them a visit. God bless him. It was his first
• 2:28:48
  Speaker 1: Christmas Eve, and for hundreds of years since then he
• 2:28:52
  Speaker 1: has nobly fulfilled his mission to bring happiness to the
• 2:28:56
  Speaker 1: hearts of little children. End of chapter ten Chapter eleven
• 2:29:04
  Speaker 1: of Claus's adulthood. How the first stockings were hung by
• 2:29:08
  Speaker 1: the chimneys. When you remember that no child, until Santa
• 2:29:13
  Speaker 1: Claus began his travels, had ever known the pleasure of
• 2:29:17
  Speaker 1: possessing a toy, you will understand how joy crept into
• 2:29:22
  Speaker 1: the homes of those who had been favored with a
• 2:29:24
  Speaker 1: visit from the good Man, and how they talked of
• 2:29:27
  Speaker 1: him day by day in loving tones, and were honestly
• 2:29:31
  Speaker 1: grateful for his kindly deeds. It is true that great
• 2:29:36
  Speaker 1: warriors and mighty kings and clever scholars of that day
• 2:29:41
  Speaker 1: were often spoken of by the people, But no one
• 2:29:44
  Speaker 1: of them was so greatly beloved as Santa Claus, because
• 2:29:48
  Speaker 1: none other was so unselfish as to devote himself to
• 2:29:51
  Speaker 1: making others happy. For a generous deed lives longer than
• 2:29:56
  Speaker 1: a great battle or a king's decree of a scholar's
• 2:29:59
  Speaker 1: da say, because it spreads and leaves its mark on
• 2:30:03
  Speaker 1: all nature and endures through many generations. The bargain made
• 2:30:09
  Speaker 1: with the Nook prints change the plans of claws for
• 2:30:11
  Speaker 1: all future time. For being able to use the reindeer
• 2:30:16
  Speaker 1: on but one night of each year, he decided to
• 2:30:19
  Speaker 1: devote all the other days to the manufacture of playthings,
• 2:30:23
  Speaker 1: and on Christmas Eve to carry them to the children
• 2:30:26
  Speaker 1: of the world. But a year's work would, he knew,
• 2:30:31
  Speaker 1: result in a vast accumulation of toys. So he resolved
• 2:30:35
  Speaker 1: to build a new sledge that would be larger and stronger,
• 2:30:39
  Speaker 1: and better fitted for swift travel than the old and
• 2:30:42
  Speaker 1: clumsy one. His first act was to visit the Nome King,
• 2:30:46
  Speaker 1: with whom he made a bargain to exchange three drums,
• 2:30:50
  Speaker 1: a trumpet, and two dolls for a pair of fine
• 2:30:53
  Speaker 1: steel runners, curled beautifully at the ends, For the Nome
• 2:30:58
  Speaker 1: King had children of his own, who living in the
• 2:31:01
  Speaker 1: hollows under the earth, in mines and caverns, needing something
• 2:31:05
  Speaker 1: to amuse them. In three days the steel runners were ready,
• 2:31:11
  Speaker 1: and when Claws brought the playthings to the Nome King,
• 2:31:14
  Speaker 1: his Majesty was so greatly pleased with them that he
• 2:31:17
  Speaker 1: presented Claws with a string of sweet toned sleigh bells
• 2:31:21
  Speaker 1: in addition to the runners. These will please Glossy and Flossy,
• 2:31:27
  Speaker 1: said Claws, as he jingled the bells and listened to
• 2:31:30
  Speaker 1: their merry sound. But I should have two strings of bells,
• 2:31:34
  Speaker 1: one for each deer. Bring me another trumpet and a toy, cat,
• 2:31:40
  Speaker 1: replied the king, And you shall have a second string
• 2:31:43
  Speaker 1: of bells like the first. It is a bargain, cried Claws,
• 2:31:49
  Speaker 1: and he went home again for the toys. The new
• 2:31:53
  Speaker 1: sledge was carefully built, the knooks bringing plenty of strong
• 2:31:57
  Speaker 1: but thin boards to use in its construction. Claws made
• 2:32:01
  Speaker 1: a high rounding dashboard to keep off the snow cast
• 2:32:05
  Speaker 1: behind the fleet hoofs of the deer, and he made
• 2:32:08
  Speaker 1: high sides to the platform so that many toys could
• 2:32:12
  Speaker 1: be carried. And finally he mounted the sledge upon the
• 2:32:15
  Speaker 1: slender steel runners made by the Nome King. It was
• 2:32:21
  Speaker 1: certainly a handsome sledge, and big and roomy. Claws painted
• 2:32:26
  Speaker 1: it in bright colors, although no one was likely to
• 2:32:29
  Speaker 1: see it during his midnight journeys, and when all was finished,
• 2:32:33
  Speaker 1: he sent for Glossy and Flossy to come and look
• 2:32:36
  Speaker 1: at it. The deer admired the sledge, but gravely declared
• 2:32:41
  Speaker 1: it was too big and heavy for them to draw.
• 2:32:45
  Speaker 1: We might pull it over the snow, to be sure,
• 2:32:48
  Speaker 1: said Glossy, but we would not pull it fast enough
• 2:32:51
  Speaker 1: to enable us to visit the far away cities and
• 2:32:54
  Speaker 1: villages and return to the forest by daybreak. Then I
• 2:32:59
  Speaker 1: must add two more deer to my team, declared Claws,
• 2:33:03
  Speaker 1: after a moment's thought. The knook prints allowed you as
• 2:33:08
  Speaker 1: many as ten, why not use them all, asked FLOSSI.
• 2:33:12
  Speaker 1: Then we could speed like the lightning and leap to
• 2:33:15
  Speaker 1: the highest roofs with ease. Team of ten reindeer, cried
• 2:33:20
  Speaker 1: Claws delightedly, that will be splendid. Please return to the
• 2:33:25
  Speaker 1: forest at once and select eight other deer as like
• 2:33:28
  Speaker 1: yourselves as possible. And you must all eat of the
• 2:33:31
  Speaker 1: casa plant to become strong, and of the grawl a
• 2:33:34
  Speaker 1: plant to become fleet afoot, and of the marbon plant,
• 2:33:38
  Speaker 1: that you may live long to accompany me on my journeys. Likewise,
• 2:33:43
  Speaker 1: it will be well for you to bathe in the
• 2:33:44
  Speaker 1: pool of nares, which the lovely Queen Zurline declares will
• 2:33:48
  Speaker 1: render you rarely beautiful. Should you perform these duties faithfully,
• 2:33:53
  Speaker 1: there is no doubt that on next Christmas Eve, my
• 2:33:57
  Speaker 1: ten reindeer will be the most powerful and beautiful steeds
• 2:34:01
  Speaker 1: the world has ever seen. So Glossy and Flossy went
• 2:34:05
  Speaker 1: to the forest to choose their mates, and Claws began
• 2:34:09
  Speaker 1: to consider the question of a harness for them all.
• 2:34:12
  Speaker 1: In the end he called upon Peter Nook for assistance.
• 2:34:16
  Speaker 1: For Peter's heart is as kind as his body is crooked,
• 2:34:19
  Speaker 1: and he is remarkably shrewd as well. And Peter agreed
• 2:34:23
  Speaker 1: to furnish strips of tough leather for the harness. This
• 2:34:28
  Speaker 1: leather was cut from the skins of lions that had
• 2:34:30
  Speaker 1: reached such an advanced age that they died naturally, and
• 2:34:35
  Speaker 1: on one side was tawny hair, while the other side
• 2:34:38
  Speaker 1: was cured to the softness of velvet by the deft nooks.
• 2:34:43
  Speaker 1: When Claws received these strips of leather, he sowed them
• 2:34:46
  Speaker 1: neatly into a harness for the ten reindeer, and it
• 2:34:49
  Speaker 1: proved strong and serviceable, and lasted him for many years.
• 2:34:54
  Speaker 1: The harness and sledge were prepared at odd times for
• 2:34:57
  Speaker 1: Claws devoted most of his days to the mai making
• 2:35:00
  Speaker 1: of toys. These were now much better than the first
• 2:35:03
  Speaker 1: ones had been, for the immortals often came to his
• 2:35:06
  Speaker 1: house to watch him work and to offer suggestions. It
• 2:35:11
  Speaker 1: was Nesile's idea to make some of the dolls say
• 2:35:14
  Speaker 1: Papa and Mamma. It was a thought of the knooks
• 2:35:19
  Speaker 1: to put a squeak inside the lambs, so that when
• 2:35:22
  Speaker 1: a child squeezed them, they would say ba a A.
• 2:35:27
  Speaker 1: And the fairy queen advised Claus to put whistles in
• 2:35:30
  Speaker 1: the birds so they could be made to sing, and
• 2:35:34
  Speaker 1: wheels on the horses so children could draw them around.
• 2:35:39
  Speaker 1: Many animals perished in the forest from one cause or another,
• 2:35:43
  Speaker 1: and their fur was brought to Claws that he might
• 2:35:46
  Speaker 1: cover it with the small images of beasts he made
• 2:35:48
  Speaker 1: for playthings. A merry real suggested that Claws make a
• 2:35:53
  Speaker 1: donkey with a nodding head, which he did, and afterward
• 2:35:57
  Speaker 1: found that it amused the little ones immensely. And so
• 2:36:01
  Speaker 1: the toys grew in beauty and attractiveness every day, until
• 2:36:06
  Speaker 1: they were the wonder of even the immortals. When another
• 2:36:10
  Speaker 1: Christmas Eve drew near, there was a monster load of
• 2:36:13
  Speaker 1: beautiful gifts for the children ready to be loaded upon
• 2:36:17
  Speaker 1: the big sledge. Claws filled three sacks to the brim
• 2:36:21
  Speaker 1: and tucked every corner of the sledge box full of toys. Besides.
• 2:36:27
  Speaker 1: Then at twilight the ten reindeer appeared, and Flossi introduced
• 2:36:31
  Speaker 1: them all to Claws. They were racer and pacer, reckless
• 2:36:36
  Speaker 1: and speckless, fearless and peerless, and ready and steady, who
• 2:36:41
  Speaker 1: with Glossy and Flossy, made up the ten who have
• 2:36:45
  Speaker 1: traversed the world these hundreds of years with their generous master.
• 2:36:50
  Speaker 1: They were all exceedingly beautiful, with slender limbs, spreading antlers,
• 2:36:56
  Speaker 1: velvety dark eyes, and smooth coats of fawn color spotted
• 2:37:01
  Speaker 1: with white. Claws loved them at once and has loved
• 2:37:06
  Speaker 1: them ever since, for they are loyal friends and have
• 2:37:09
  Speaker 1: rendered him priceless service. The new harness fitted them nicely,
• 2:37:15
  Speaker 1: and soon they were all fastened to the sledge by twos,
• 2:37:18
  Speaker 1: with Glossy and Flossy in the lead. These wore the
• 2:37:22
  Speaker 1: strings of sleigh bells, and were so delighted with the
• 2:37:25
  Speaker 1: music they made that they kept prancing up and down
• 2:37:28
  Speaker 1: to make the bells ring. Claws now seated himself in
• 2:37:32
  Speaker 1: the sledge, drew a warm robe over his knees and
• 2:37:36
  Speaker 1: his fur cap over his ears, and cracked his long
• 2:37:40
  Speaker 1: whip as a signal to start. Instantly, the ten leaped
• 2:37:44
  Speaker 1: forward and were away like the wind, while Jolly Claws
• 2:37:48
  Speaker 1: laughed gleefully to see them run, and shouted this song
• 2:37:51
  Speaker 1: in his big, hardy voice, with ho ho ho and
• 2:37:56
  Speaker 1: ha ha ha and ho ho ha ha. He. Now
• 2:38:00
  Speaker 1: away we goat or the frozen snow, as merry as
• 2:38:03
  Speaker 1: we can be. There are many joys in our load
• 2:38:07
  Speaker 1: of toys, as many a child will know. We'll scatter
• 2:38:11
  Speaker 1: them wide on our wild night ride or the crisp
• 2:38:14
  Speaker 1: ben sparkling snow. Now. It was on this same Christmas
• 2:38:18
  Speaker 1: Eve that little Margot and her brother Dick, and her
• 2:38:21
  Speaker 1: cousins Ned and Sarah, who were visiting at Margot's house,
• 2:38:26
  Speaker 1: came in from making a snow man, with their clothes damp,
• 2:38:30
  Speaker 1: their mittens stripping, and their shoes and stockings wet through
• 2:38:33
  Speaker 1: and through. They were not scolded, for Margot's mother knew
• 2:38:37
  Speaker 1: the snow was melting, but they were sent early to
• 2:38:40
  Speaker 1: bed that their clothes might be hung over chairs to dry.
• 2:38:44
  Speaker 1: The shoes were placed on the red tiles of the hearth,
• 2:38:47
  Speaker 1: where the heat from the hot embers would strike them,
• 2:38:50
  Speaker 1: and the stockings were carefully hung in a row by
• 2:38:53
  Speaker 1: the chimney, directly over the fireplace. That was the reason
• 2:38:57
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus noticed them. When he came down the chimney
• 2:39:00
  Speaker 1: that night, and all the household were fast asleep, he
• 2:39:05
  Speaker 1: was in a tremendous hurry, and seeing the stockings all
• 2:39:08
  Speaker 1: belonged to children, he quickly stuffed his toys into them
• 2:39:11
  Speaker 1: and dashed up the chimney again, appearing on the roof
• 2:39:15
  Speaker 1: so suddenly that the reindeer were astonished at his agility.
• 2:39:20
  Speaker 1: I wish they would all hang up their stockings, he thought,
• 2:39:23
  Speaker 1: as he drove to the next chimney. It would save
• 2:39:26
  Speaker 1: me a lot of time, and I could then visit
• 2:39:28
  Speaker 1: more children before daybreak. When Margot and Nick, and Ned
• 2:39:33
  Speaker 1: and Sarah jumped out of bed next morning and ran
• 2:39:36
  Speaker 1: downstairs to get their stockings from the fireplace, they were
• 2:39:40
  Speaker 1: filled with delight to find the toys from Santa Claus
• 2:39:44
  Speaker 1: inside them. In face, I think they found more presents
• 2:39:48
  Speaker 1: in their stockings than any other children of that city
• 2:39:51
  Speaker 1: had received, for Santa Claus was in a hurry and
• 2:39:54
  Speaker 1: did not stop to count the toys. Of course, they
• 2:39:58
  Speaker 1: told all their little friends about it, and of course
• 2:40:01
  Speaker 1: every one of them decided to hang his own stockings
• 2:40:04
  Speaker 1: by the fireplace the next Christmas eve. Even Bessie Blithesome,
• 2:40:09
  Speaker 1: who made a visit to that city with her father,
• 2:40:12
  Speaker 1: the Great Lord of Lurd, heard the story from the
• 2:40:15
  Speaker 1: children and hung her own pretty stockings by the chimney
• 2:40:18
  Speaker 1: when she returned home at Christmas time. On his next trip,
• 2:40:23
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus found so many stockings hung up in anticipation
• 2:40:28
  Speaker 1: of his visit that he could fill them in a
• 2:40:30
  Speaker 1: jiffy and be away again in half the time required
• 2:40:34
  Speaker 1: to hunt the children up and place the toys by
• 2:40:36
  Speaker 1: their bedsides. The custom grew year after year and has
• 2:40:41
  Speaker 1: always been a great help to Santa Claus. And with
• 2:40:44
  Speaker 1: so many children to visit, he surely needs all the
• 2:40:48
  Speaker 1: help we are able to give him. End of Chapter eleven.
• 2:40:55
  Speaker 1: Chapter twelve of Claus's Manhood, the first Christmas Tree, Claws
• 2:41:02
  Speaker 1: had always kept his promise to the Nooks by returning
• 2:41:04
  Speaker 1: to the Laughing Valley by daybreak. But only the swiftness
• 2:41:08
  Speaker 1: of his reindeer has enabled him to do this, for
• 2:41:11
  Speaker 1: he travels over all the world. He loved his work,
• 2:41:15
  Speaker 1: and he loved the brisk night ride on his sledge
• 2:41:18
  Speaker 1: and the gay tinkle of the sleigh bells. On that
• 2:41:22
  Speaker 1: first trip with the ten reindeer, only Glossy and Flossy
• 2:41:25
  Speaker 1: wore bells. But each year thereafter, for eight years, Claws
• 2:41:29
  Speaker 1: carried presents to the children of the Nome King, and
• 2:41:32
  Speaker 1: that good natured monarch gave him in return a string
• 2:41:36
  Speaker 1: of bells at each visit, so that finally every one
• 2:41:39
  Speaker 1: of the ten deer was supplied. And you may imagine
• 2:41:43
  Speaker 1: what a merry tune the bells played as the sledge
• 2:41:45
  Speaker 1: spread over the snow. The children's stockings were so long
• 2:41:50
  Speaker 1: that it required a great many toys to fill them,
• 2:41:53
  Speaker 1: and soon Claws found there were other things besides toys
• 2:41:57
  Speaker 1: that children love, So he sent some of the fairies,
• 2:42:00
  Speaker 1: who were always his good friends, into the tropics, from
• 2:42:04
  Speaker 1: whence they returned with great bags full of oranges and
• 2:42:08
  Speaker 1: bananas which they had plucked from the trees. And other
• 2:42:12
  Speaker 1: fairies flew to the wonderful valley of funny Land, where
• 2:42:15
  Speaker 1: delicious candies and bon bonds grew thickly on the bushes,
• 2:42:19
  Speaker 1: and returned laden with many boxes of sweetmeats for the
• 2:42:22
  Speaker 1: little ones. These things Santa Claus on each Christmas Eve
• 2:42:27
  Speaker 1: placed in the long stockings, together with his toys, and
• 2:42:31
  Speaker 1: the children were glad to get them. You may be
• 2:42:33
  Speaker 1: sure there are also warm countries where there is no
• 2:42:38
  Speaker 1: snow in winter, but Claws and his reindeer visited them
• 2:42:42
  Speaker 1: as well as the colder climes, for there were little
• 2:42:45
  Speaker 1: wheels inside the runners of his sledge, which permitted it
• 2:42:48
  Speaker 1: to run as smoothly over bare ground as on the snow.
• 2:42:53
  Speaker 1: And the children who lived in the warm countries learned
• 2:42:56
  Speaker 1: to know the name of Santa Claus, as well as
• 2:42:58
  Speaker 1: those who lived nearer to them Laughing Valley. Once, just
• 2:43:03
  Speaker 1: as the reindeer were ready to start on their yearly trip,
• 2:43:07
  Speaker 1: a fairy came to Claws and told him of three
• 2:43:10
  Speaker 1: little children who lived beneath a rude tent of skins
• 2:43:14
  Speaker 1: on a broad plain where there were no trees whatever.
• 2:43:18
  Speaker 1: These poor babies were miserable and unhappy, for their parents
• 2:43:22
  Speaker 1: were ignorant people who neglected them. Sadly, Claws resolved to
• 2:43:27
  Speaker 1: visit these children before he returned home, and during his
• 2:43:31
  Speaker 1: ride he picked up the bushy top of a pine
• 2:43:34
  Speaker 1: tree which the wind had broken off, and placed it
• 2:43:37
  Speaker 1: in his sledge. It was nearly morning when the deer
• 2:43:40
  Speaker 1: stopped before the lonely tent of skins where the poor
• 2:43:43
  Speaker 1: children lay asleep. Claws at once planted the bit of
• 2:43:48
  Speaker 1: pine tree in the sand and stuck many candles on
• 2:43:51
  Speaker 1: the branches. Then he hung some of his prettiest toys
• 2:43:55
  Speaker 1: on the tree, as well as several bags of candies.
• 2:43:59
  Speaker 1: It did not take long to do all this, for
• 2:44:01
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus works quickly, and when all was ready, he
• 2:44:05
  Speaker 1: lighted the candles, and, thrusting his head in at the
• 2:44:08
  Speaker 1: opening of the tent, he shouted, Merry Christmas, little ones.
• 2:44:14
  Speaker 1: With that he leaped on to his sledge and was
• 2:44:17
  Speaker 1: out of sight before the children, rubbing the sleep from
• 2:44:20
  Speaker 1: their eyes, could come out to see who had called them.
• 2:44:24
  Speaker 1: You can imagine the wonder and joy of those little ones,
• 2:44:27
  Speaker 1: who had never in their lives known a real pleasure before,
• 2:44:31
  Speaker 1: when they saw the tree sparkling with lights that shone
• 2:44:35
  Speaker 1: brilliant in the gray dawn, and hung with toys enough
• 2:44:38
  Speaker 1: to make them happy for years to come. They joined
• 2:44:42
  Speaker 1: hands and danced around the tree, shouting and laughing until
• 2:44:46
  Speaker 1: they were obliged to pause for breath. And their parents
• 2:44:49
  Speaker 1: also came out to look and wonder, and thereafter had
• 2:44:53
  Speaker 1: more respect and consideration for their children since Santa Claus
• 2:44:57
  Speaker 1: had honored them with such beautiful gifts. The idea of
• 2:45:02
  Speaker 1: the Christmas tree pleased Claws, and so the following year
• 2:45:06
  Speaker 1: he carried many of them in his sledge and set
• 2:45:09
  Speaker 1: them up in the homes of poor people who seldom
• 2:45:12
  Speaker 1: saw trees, and placed candles and toys on the branches.
• 2:45:16
  Speaker 1: Of course, he could not carry enough trees in one
• 2:45:19
  Speaker 1: load of all who wanted them, but in some homes
• 2:45:22
  Speaker 1: the fathers were able to get trees and have them
• 2:45:24
  Speaker 1: all ready for Santa Claus when he arrived, and these
• 2:45:28
  Speaker 1: the good Claws always decorated as prettily as possible, and
• 2:45:32
  Speaker 1: hung with toys enough for all the children who came
• 2:45:35
  Speaker 1: to see the tree lighted. These novel ideas, and the
• 2:45:39
  Speaker 1: generous manner in which they were carried out, made the
• 2:45:42
  Speaker 1: children long for that one night in the year when
• 2:45:45
  Speaker 1: their friend Santa Claus should visit them. And as such
• 2:45:49
  Speaker 1: anticipation is very pleasant and comforting. The little ones gleaned
• 2:45:54
  Speaker 1: much happiness by wondering what would happen when Santa Claus
• 2:45:57
  Speaker 1: next arrived. Perhaps remember that stern Baron Brown who once
• 2:46:03
  Speaker 1: drove Claws from his castle and forbade him to visit
• 2:46:05
  Speaker 1: his children. Well, many years afterwards, when the old baron
• 2:46:10
  Speaker 1: was dead and his son ruled in his place, the
• 2:46:13
  Speaker 1: new Baron Brown came to the house of Claws with
• 2:46:16
  Speaker 1: his train of knights and pages and henchmen, and, dismounting
• 2:46:21
  Speaker 1: from his charger, bared his head humbly before the friend
• 2:46:24
  Speaker 1: of children. My father did not know your goodness and worth,
• 2:46:30
  Speaker 1: he said, and therefore threatened to hang you from the
• 2:46:33
  Speaker 1: castle walls. But I have children of my own who
• 2:46:37
  Speaker 1: long for a visit from Santa Claus, and I have
• 2:46:40
  Speaker 1: come to beg that you will favor them hereafter, as
• 2:46:43
  Speaker 1: you do other children. Claws was pleased with this speech,
• 2:46:48
  Speaker 1: for Castle Brown was the only place he had never visited,
• 2:46:52
  Speaker 1: and he gladly promised to bring presents to the baron's
• 2:46:54
  Speaker 1: children the next Christmas Eve. The baron went away, contented,
• 2:46:59
  Speaker 1: and Clause kept his promise faithfully. Thus did this man,
• 2:47:04
  Speaker 1: through very goodness, conquer the hearts of all. And it
• 2:47:08
  Speaker 1: is no wonder he was ever merry and gay, for
• 2:47:11
  Speaker 1: there was no home in the wide world where he
• 2:47:14
  Speaker 1: was not welcomed more royally than any king. End of
• 2:47:19
  Speaker 1: Chapter twelve. End of Santa Claus's Manhood old Age, Chapter one,
• 2:47:28
  Speaker 1: The Mantle of Immortality. And now we come to a
• 2:47:34
  Speaker 1: turning point in the career of Santa Claus, and it
• 2:47:37
  Speaker 1: is my duty to relate the most remarkable that has
• 2:47:40
  Speaker 1: happened since the world began or mankind was created. We
• 2:47:45
  Speaker 1: have followed the life of Clause from the time he
• 2:47:47
  Speaker 1: was found a helpless infant by the wood nymph Nicile
• 2:47:52
  Speaker 1: and reared to manhood in the Great Forest of Burzee,
• 2:47:57
  Speaker 1: and we know how he began to make toys for children,
• 2:48:00
  Speaker 1: and how with the assistance and good will of the
• 2:48:03
  Speaker 1: immortals he was able to distribute them to the little
• 2:48:06
  Speaker 1: ones throughout the world. For many years he carried on
• 2:48:11
  Speaker 1: this noble work, for the simple, hard working life he
• 2:48:14
  Speaker 1: led gave him perfect health and strength, And doubtless a
• 2:48:19
  Speaker 1: man can live longer in the beautiful Laughing Valley, where
• 2:48:22
  Speaker 1: there are no cares, and everything is peaceful and merry,
• 2:48:26
  Speaker 1: than in any other part of the world. But when
• 2:48:30
  Speaker 1: many years had rolled away, Santa Claus grew old. The
• 2:48:34
  Speaker 1: long beard of golden brown that once covered his cheeks
• 2:48:38
  Speaker 1: and chin gradually became gray and finally turned to pure white.
• 2:48:44
  Speaker 1: His hair was white too, and there were wrinkles at
• 2:48:47
  Speaker 1: the corners of his eyes, which showed plainly when he laughed.
• 2:48:52
  Speaker 1: He had never been a very tall man, and now
• 2:48:55
  Speaker 1: he became fat, and waddled very much like a duck
• 2:48:58
  Speaker 1: when he walked. But in spite of these things, he
• 2:49:03
  Speaker 1: remained as lively as ever, and was just as jolly
• 2:49:06
  Speaker 1: and gay, and his kind eyes sparkled as brightly as
• 2:49:11
  Speaker 1: they did that first day when he came to the
• 2:49:13
  Speaker 1: Laughing valley. Yet a time is sure to come when
• 2:49:18
  Speaker 1: every mortal who has grown old and lived his life
• 2:49:21
  Speaker 1: is required to leave this world for another. So it
• 2:49:25
  Speaker 1: is no wonder that, after Santa Claus had driven his
• 2:49:28
  Speaker 1: reindeer on many and many a Christmas Eve, those staunch
• 2:49:33
  Speaker 1: friends finally whispered among themselves that they had probably drawn
• 2:49:37
  Speaker 1: his sledge for the last time. Then all the forest
• 2:49:42
  Speaker 1: of Bursey became sad, and all the laughing valley was hushed,
• 2:49:47
  Speaker 1: for every living thing that had known claws had used
• 2:49:50
  Speaker 1: to love him and to brighten at the sound of
• 2:49:53
  Speaker 1: his footsteps or the notes of his merry whistle. No doubt,
• 2:49:58
  Speaker 1: the old man's strength was last exhausted, for he made
• 2:50:02
  Speaker 1: no more toys, but lay on his bed as in
• 2:50:05
  Speaker 1: a dream. The nymph necile, she who had reared him
• 2:50:10
  Speaker 1: and been his foster mother, was still youthful and strong
• 2:50:14
  Speaker 1: and beautiful, And it seemed to her but a short
• 2:50:17
  Speaker 1: time since this aged, gray bearded man had lain in
• 2:50:21
  Speaker 1: her arms and smiled on her with his innocent baby lips.
• 2:50:26
  Speaker 1: In this is shown the difference between mortals and immortals.
• 2:50:31
  Speaker 1: It was fortunate that the great Act came to the
• 2:50:33
  Speaker 1: forest at this time, Nasille sought him with troubled eyes
• 2:50:38
  Speaker 1: and told him of the fate that threatened their friend Claws.
• 2:50:43
  Speaker 1: At once the Master became grave, and he leaned upon
• 2:50:46
  Speaker 1: his axe and stroked his grizzled beard thoughtfully for many minutes.
• 2:50:51
  Speaker 1: Then suddenly he stood up straight and poised his powerful
• 2:50:56
  Speaker 1: head with firm resolve, and stretched out his great right arm,
• 2:51:00
  Speaker 1: as if determined on doing some mighty deed. For a
• 2:51:05
  Speaker 1: thought had come to him so grand in its conception,
• 2:51:09
  Speaker 1: that all the world might well bow before the Master
• 2:51:12
  Speaker 1: Woodsman and honor his name forever. It is well known
• 2:51:17
  Speaker 1: that when the Great act once undertakes to do a thing,
• 2:51:20
  Speaker 1: he never hesitates in an instant. Now he summoned his
• 2:51:25
  Speaker 1: fleetest messengers and sent them in a flash to many
• 2:51:28
  Speaker 1: parts of the earth. And when they were gone, he
• 2:51:31
  Speaker 1: turned to the anxiousness Seal and comforted her, saying, be
• 2:51:35
  Speaker 1: of good heart, my child, Our friend still lives. And
• 2:51:39
  Speaker 1: now run to your queen and tell her that I
• 2:51:42
  Speaker 1: have summoned a council of all the immortals of the
• 2:51:45
  Speaker 1: world to meet with me here in Burzee this night.
• 2:51:49
  Speaker 1: If they obey and hearken unto my words, Claus will
• 2:51:53
  Speaker 1: drive his reindeer for countless ages yet to come. At midnight,
• 2:51:58
  Speaker 1: there was a wondrous scene in the ancient forest of Burzee, where,
• 2:52:02
  Speaker 1: for the first time in many centuries, the rulers of
• 2:52:05
  Speaker 1: the immortals who inhabit the earth were gathered together. There
• 2:52:11
  Speaker 1: was the Queen of the water Sprites, whose beautiful form
• 2:52:14
  Speaker 1: was as clear as crystal but continually dripped water on
• 2:52:18
  Speaker 1: the bank of moss where she sat. And beside her
• 2:52:22
  Speaker 1: was the King of the sleep Fays, who carried a
• 2:52:25
  Speaker 1: wand from the end of which a fine dust fell
• 2:52:28
  Speaker 1: all around, so that no mortal could keep awake long
• 2:52:32
  Speaker 1: enough to see him, as mortal eyes were sure to
• 2:52:35
  Speaker 1: close in sleep as soon as the dust filled them.
• 2:52:38
  Speaker 1: And next to him sat the Nome King, whose people
• 2:52:41
  Speaker 1: inhabit all that region under this earth's surface, where they
• 2:52:45
  Speaker 1: guard the precious metals and the jewel stones that lie
• 2:52:49
  Speaker 1: buried in rock and ore. At his right hand stood
• 2:52:53
  Speaker 1: the King of the sound imps, who had wings on
• 2:52:56
  Speaker 1: his feet, for his people are swift to carry all
• 2:53:00
  Speaker 1: sounds that are made. When they are busy, they carry
• 2:53:02
  Speaker 1: the sounds but short distances, for there are many of them.
• 2:53:07
  Speaker 1: But sometimes they speed with the sounds to places miles
• 2:53:10
  Speaker 1: and miles away from where they are made. The King
• 2:53:14
  Speaker 1: of the sound Imps had an anxious and care worn face,
• 2:53:18
  Speaker 1: for most people have no consideration for his imps, and
• 2:53:21
  Speaker 1: especially the boys and girls make a great many unnecessary sounds,
• 2:53:26
  Speaker 1: which the imps are obliged to carry when they might
• 2:53:29
  Speaker 1: be better employed. The next in the circle of immortals was
• 2:53:33
  Speaker 1: the King of the wind Demons, slender of frame, restless
• 2:53:37
  Speaker 1: and uneasy at being confined to one place for even
• 2:53:41
  Speaker 1: an hour. Once in a while he would leave his
• 2:53:44
  Speaker 1: place and circle around the glade, and each time he
• 2:53:47
  Speaker 1: did this, the fairy Queen was obliged to untangle the
• 2:53:50
  Speaker 1: flowing locks of her golden hair and tuck them back
• 2:53:54
  Speaker 1: of her pink ears, but she did not complain, for
• 2:53:58
  Speaker 1: it was not often that the King of the wind
• 2:54:00
  Speaker 1: Demons came into the heart of the forest. After the
• 2:54:03
  Speaker 1: fairy Queen, whose home you know was in old Burzee,
• 2:54:07
  Speaker 1: came the King of the light Elves, with his two princes,
• 2:54:11
  Speaker 1: Flash and Twilight at his back. He never went anywhere
• 2:54:15
  Speaker 1: without his princes, for they were so mischievous that he
• 2:54:18
  Speaker 1: dared not let them wander alone. Prince Flash bore a
• 2:54:22
  Speaker 1: lightning bolt in his right hand and a horn of
• 2:54:25
  Speaker 1: gunpowder in his left, and his bright eyes roved constantly around,
• 2:54:30
  Speaker 1: as if he longed to use his blinding flashes. Prince
• 2:54:34
  Speaker 1: Twilight held a great snuffer in one hand and a
• 2:54:37
  Speaker 1: big black cloak in the other, And it is well
• 2:54:41
  Speaker 1: known that unless Twilight is carefully watched, the snuffers or
• 2:54:45
  Speaker 1: the cloak will throw everything into darkness, and darkness is
• 2:54:49
  Speaker 1: the greatest enemy the King of the light Elves has.
• 2:54:54
  Speaker 1: In addition to the immortals I have named, were the
• 2:54:56
  Speaker 1: King of the Knooks, who had come from his home
• 2:54:59
  Speaker 1: in the Uncles of India. The King of the Rills,
• 2:55:03
  Speaker 1: who lived among the gay flowers and luscious fruits of Valencia.
• 2:55:08
  Speaker 1: Sweet Queen Zurline of the wood nymphs completed the circle
• 2:55:12
  Speaker 1: of immortals. But in the center of the circle sat
• 2:55:16
  Speaker 1: three others who possessed powers so great that all the
• 2:55:20
  Speaker 1: kings and queens showed them reverence. These were ak, the
• 2:55:25
  Speaker 1: master woodsmen of the world, who rules the forests and
• 2:55:28
  Speaker 1: the orchards and the groves and Kern, the master husbandmen
• 2:55:33
  Speaker 1: of the world, who rules the grain fields and the
• 2:55:36
  Speaker 1: meadows and the gardens, and Beau, the master mariner of
• 2:55:40
  Speaker 1: the world, who rules the seas and all the craft
• 2:55:44
  Speaker 1: that float thereon, And all other immortals are more or
• 2:55:47
  Speaker 1: less subject to these three. When all had assembled, the
• 2:55:52
  Speaker 1: master woodsmen of the world stood up to address them,
• 2:55:56
  Speaker 1: since he himself had summoned them to the council. Very clearly,
• 2:56:01
  Speaker 1: he told them the story of Claus, beginning at the
• 2:56:05
  Speaker 1: time when as a babe he had been adopted a
• 2:56:08
  Speaker 1: child of the forest, and telling of his noble and
• 2:56:11
  Speaker 1: generous nature and his life long labors to make children happy.
• 2:56:18
  Speaker 1: And now, said Ac, when he had won the love
• 2:56:22
  Speaker 1: of all the world, the spirit of death is hovering
• 2:56:26
  Speaker 1: over him. Of all men who have inhabited the earth,
• 2:56:30
  Speaker 1: none other so well deserves immortality, for such a life
• 2:56:34
  Speaker 1: cannot be spared so long as there are children of
• 2:56:37
  Speaker 1: mankind to miss him and to grieve over his loss.
• 2:56:42
  Speaker 1: We immortals are the servants of the world, and to
• 2:56:45
  Speaker 1: serve the world. We were permitted in the beginning to exist.
• 2:56:50
  Speaker 1: But what one of us is more worthy of immortality
• 2:56:53
  Speaker 1: than this man Claus, who so sweetly ministers to the
• 2:56:57
  Speaker 1: little children. He paused and glanced around the circle to
• 2:57:03
  Speaker 1: find every immortal listening to him eagerly and nodding approval. Finally,
• 2:57:09
  Speaker 1: the King of the wind Demons, who had been whistling
• 2:57:11
  Speaker 1: softly to himself, cried out, what is your desire, o Ak,
• 2:57:18
  Speaker 1: to bestow upon claws the mantle of immortality? Said Ac boldly,
• 2:57:26
  Speaker 1: that this demand was wholly unexpected. Was proved by the
• 2:57:30
  Speaker 1: immortals springing to their feet and looking into each other's
• 2:57:33
  Speaker 1: face with dismay, and then upon Ak with wonder, for
• 2:57:38
  Speaker 1: it was a grave matter disparting with the mantle of immortality.
• 2:57:44
  Speaker 1: The Queen of the water Sprite spoke in her low,
• 2:57:46
  Speaker 1: clear voice, and the words sounded like raindrops splashing upon
• 2:57:51
  Speaker 1: a window pane. In all the world, there is but
• 2:57:54
  Speaker 1: one mantle of immortality, she said. The King of the
• 2:57:59
  Speaker 1: Sound Phase added it has existed since the beginning, and
• 2:58:04
  Speaker 1: no mortal has ever dared to claim it. And the
• 2:58:08
  Speaker 1: Master Mariner of the world arose and stretched his limbs, saying,
• 2:58:13
  Speaker 1: only by vote of every immortal can it be bestowed
• 2:58:16
  Speaker 1: upon immortal. I know all this, answered Ac quietly. But
• 2:58:24
  Speaker 1: the mantle exists, and if it was created, as you
• 2:58:27
  Speaker 1: say in the beginning, it was because the Supreme Master
• 2:58:31
  Speaker 1: knew that some day it would be required. Until now
• 2:58:36
  Speaker 1: no mortal has deserved it. But who among you dares
• 2:58:40
  Speaker 1: deny that the good Clause deserves it? Will you not
• 2:58:44
  Speaker 1: all vote to bestow it upon him? They were silent,
• 2:58:49
  Speaker 1: still looking upon one another questioningly, of what use is
• 2:58:53
  Speaker 1: the mantle of immortality unless it is worn demanded ac
• 2:58:59
  Speaker 1: What will it any one of us to allow it
• 2:59:01
  Speaker 1: to remain in its lonely shrine for all time to come? Enough,
• 2:59:08
  Speaker 1: cried the Nome king abruptly. We will vote on the matter,
• 2:59:12
  Speaker 1: yes or no. For my part, I say yes, and
• 2:59:16
  Speaker 1: I said the fairy queen promptly, and Ak rewarded her
• 2:59:21
  Speaker 1: with a smile. My people in Burzy tell me they
• 2:59:25
  Speaker 1: have learned to love him. Therefore I vote to give
• 2:59:28
  Speaker 1: Claus the mantle, said the King of the Rills. He
• 2:59:33
  Speaker 1: is already a comrade of the knooks, announced the ancient
• 2:59:37
  Speaker 1: king of that band. Let him have immortality. Let him
• 2:59:42
  Speaker 1: have it. Let him have it, sighed the king of
• 2:59:46
  Speaker 1: the wind Demons. Why not, asked the king of the
• 2:59:51
  Speaker 1: sleep face. He never disturbs the slumbers. My people allow humanity.
• 2:59:57
  Speaker 1: Let the good Claus be immortal. I do not object,
• 3:00:01
  Speaker 1: said the King of the sound imps nor, I muttered
• 3:00:05
  Speaker 1: the Queen of the water sprites. If Claus does not
• 3:00:09
  Speaker 1: receive the mantle, it is clear none other can ever
• 3:00:13
  Speaker 1: claim it, remarked the King of the light elves. So
• 3:00:16
  Speaker 1: let us have done with the thing for all time.
• 3:00:20
  Speaker 1: The wood nymphs were first to adopt him, said Queen Zurline.
• 3:00:25
  Speaker 1: Of course, I shall vote to make him immortal. Ac
• 3:00:29
  Speaker 1: now turned to the master husbandman of the world, who
• 3:00:32
  Speaker 1: held up his right arm and said yes. And the
• 3:00:36
  Speaker 1: master mariner of the world did likewise, after which Ak,
• 3:00:41
  Speaker 1: with sparkling eyes and smiling face, cried out, I thank you,
• 3:00:46
  Speaker 1: fellow immortals, for all have voted yes, and so to
• 3:00:51
  Speaker 1: our dear Claus shall fall the one mantle of immortality
• 3:00:55
  Speaker 1: that is in our power to bestow. Let us at once,
• 3:01:01
  Speaker 1: said the fake king. I'm in a hurry. They bowed assent,
• 3:01:06
  Speaker 1: and instantly the forest glade was deserted, but in a
• 3:01:09
  Speaker 1: place midway between the earth and the sky was suspended
• 3:01:13
  Speaker 1: a gleaming crypt of gold and platinum, a glow with
• 3:01:17
  Speaker 1: soft lights shed from the facets of countless gems. Within
• 3:01:22
  Speaker 1: a high dome hung the precious mantle of immortality, and
• 3:01:26
  Speaker 1: each immortal placed a hand on the hem of the
• 3:01:29
  Speaker 1: splendid robe, and said, as with one voice, we bestow
• 3:01:35
  Speaker 1: this mantle upon Claws, who was called the patron Sate
• 3:01:40
  Speaker 1: of children. At this the mantle came away from its
• 3:01:45
  Speaker 1: lofty crypt, and they carried it to the house in
• 3:01:48
  Speaker 1: the Laughing Valley. The spirit of Death was crouching very
• 3:01:54
  Speaker 1: near to the bedside of Claws, and as the immortals approached,
• 3:01:58
  Speaker 1: she sprang up and motioned them back with an angry gesture.
• 3:02:02
  Speaker 1: But when her eyes fell upon the mantle they bore,
• 3:02:05
  Speaker 1: she shrank away with a low moan of disappointment, and
• 3:02:09
  Speaker 1: quitted that house forever. Softly and silently, the immortal band
• 3:02:15
  Speaker 1: dropped upon Claws the precious mantle, and it closed about
• 3:02:19
  Speaker 1: him and sank into the outlines of his body, and
• 3:02:23
  Speaker 1: disappearing from view. It became a part of his being,
• 3:02:28
  Speaker 1: and neither mortal nor immortal might ever take it from him.
• 3:02:33
  Speaker 1: Then the kings and queens who had wrought this deed
• 3:02:37
  Speaker 1: dispersed to their various homes, and all were well contented
• 3:02:40
  Speaker 1: that they had added another immortal to their band. And
• 3:02:45
  Speaker 1: Claws slept on the red blood of everlasting life coursing
• 3:02:50
  Speaker 1: swiftly through his veins, and on his brow was a
• 3:02:53
  Speaker 1: tiny drop of water that had fallen from the ever
• 3:02:57
  Speaker 1: melting gown of the Queen of the water Sprite. And
• 3:03:01
  Speaker 1: over his lips hovered a tender kiss that had been
• 3:03:05
  Speaker 1: left by the sweet nymph Necile, for she had stolen
• 3:03:08
  Speaker 1: in when the others were gone, to gaze with rapture
• 3:03:11
  Speaker 1: upon the immortal form of her foster son. End of
• 3:03:17
  Speaker 1: Chapter one, Old Age, Chapter two, When the World grew Old.
• 3:03:27
  Speaker 1: The next morning, when Santa Claus opened his eyes and
• 3:03:30
  Speaker 1: gazed around the familiar room which he had feared he
• 3:03:33
  Speaker 1: might never see again, he was astonished to find his
• 3:03:37
  Speaker 1: old strength renewed, and to feel the red blood of
• 3:03:40
  Speaker 1: perfect health coursing through his veins. He sprang from his
• 3:03:46
  Speaker 1: bed and stood where the bright sunshine came in through
• 3:03:49
  Speaker 1: his window and flooded him with its merry, dancing rays.
• 3:03:53
  Speaker 1: He did not then understand what had happened to restore
• 3:03:56
  Speaker 1: him to the vigor of youth. But in spite of
• 3:03:59
  Speaker 1: the fact that his beard remained the color of snow,
• 3:04:02
  Speaker 1: and that wrinkle still lingered in the corners of his
• 3:04:05
  Speaker 1: bright eyes, Old Santa Claus felt as brisk and merry
• 3:04:09
  Speaker 1: as a boy of sixteen, and was soon whistling contentedly
• 3:04:13
  Speaker 1: as he busied himself fashioning new toys. Then Act came
• 3:04:18
  Speaker 1: to him and told of the mantle of immortality and
• 3:04:22
  Speaker 1: how Claws had won it through his love for little children.
• 3:04:27
  Speaker 1: It made Santa look grave for a moment to think
• 3:04:30
  Speaker 1: he had been so favored, but it also made him
• 3:04:33
  Speaker 1: glad to realize that now he need never fear being
• 3:04:37
  Speaker 1: parted from his dear ones. At once he began preparations
• 3:04:41
  Speaker 1: for making a remarkable assortment of pretty and amusing playthings,
• 3:04:46
  Speaker 1: and in larger quantities than ever before, for now that
• 3:04:50
  Speaker 1: he might always devote himself to this work. He decided
• 3:04:54
  Speaker 1: that no child in the world, poor or rich, should
• 3:04:58
  Speaker 1: hereafter go without a critsmsgift, if he could manage to
• 3:05:02
  Speaker 1: supply it. The world was new in the days when
• 3:05:06
  Speaker 1: dear old Santa Claus first began toy making and won
• 3:05:10
  Speaker 1: by his loving deeds the mantle of immortality, and the
• 3:05:14
  Speaker 1: task of supplying cheering words, sympathy, and pretty playthings to
• 3:05:19
  Speaker 1: all the young of his race did not seem a
• 3:05:22
  Speaker 1: difficult undertaking at all. But every year more and more
• 3:05:27
  Speaker 1: children were born into the world, and these, when they
• 3:05:31
  Speaker 1: grew up, began spreading slowly over all the face of
• 3:05:34
  Speaker 1: the earth, seeking new homes, So that Santa Claus found
• 3:05:39
  Speaker 1: each year that his journeys must extend farther and farther
• 3:05:42
  Speaker 1: from the Laughing Valley, and that the packs of toys
• 3:05:46
  Speaker 1: must be made larger and ever larger. So at length
• 3:05:51
  Speaker 1: he took counsel with his fellow immortals how his work
• 3:05:55
  Speaker 1: might keep pace with the increasing number of children, that
• 3:05:58
  Speaker 1: none might be neglected. And the immortals were so greatly
• 3:06:02
  Speaker 1: interested in his labors that they gladly rendered him their assistance.
• 3:06:07
  Speaker 1: Ac gave him his man Kilter, the silent and swift,
• 3:06:12
  Speaker 1: and the Knook Prince gave him Peter, who was more
• 3:06:15
  Speaker 1: crooked and less surly than any of his brothers, And
• 3:06:19
  Speaker 1: the real Prince gave him Nutter, the sweetest tempered rill
• 3:06:23
  Speaker 1: ever known, And the fairy Queen gave him Whisk, that tiny,
• 3:06:29
  Speaker 1: mischievous but lovable fairy, who knows to day almost as
• 3:06:33
  Speaker 1: many children as does Santa Claus himself with these people
• 3:06:38
  Speaker 1: to help make the toys, and to keep his house
• 3:06:40
  Speaker 1: in order, and to look after the sledge and the harness,
• 3:06:44
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus found it much easier to prepare his yearly
• 3:06:47
  Speaker 1: load of gifts, and his days began to follow one
• 3:06:51
  Speaker 1: another smoothly and pleasantly. Yet after a few generations, his
• 3:06:57
  Speaker 1: worries were renewed, for it was remarkable how the number
• 3:07:01
  Speaker 1: of people continued to grow, and how many more children
• 3:07:05
  Speaker 1: there were every year to be served. When the people
• 3:07:09
  Speaker 1: filled all the cities and lands of one country, they
• 3:07:13
  Speaker 1: wandered into another part of the world, and the men
• 3:07:16
  Speaker 1: cut down the trees in many of the great forests
• 3:07:20
  Speaker 1: that had been ruled by Ak, and with the wood
• 3:07:23
  Speaker 1: they built new cities. And where the forests had been
• 3:07:26
  Speaker 1: were fields of grain and herds of browsing cattle. You
• 3:07:32
  Speaker 1: might think the master woodsmen would rebel at the loss
• 3:07:35
  Speaker 1: of his forests, but not so. The wisdom of Ak
• 3:07:39
  Speaker 1: was mighty and far seeing. The world was made for men,
• 3:07:44
  Speaker 1: said he to Santa Claus. And I have but guarded
• 3:07:47
  Speaker 1: the forests until men needed them for their use. I
• 3:07:51
  Speaker 1: am glad my strong trees can furnish shelter for men's
• 3:07:55
  Speaker 1: weak bodies and warm them through the cold winters. But
• 3:07:59
  Speaker 1: I hope they will not cut down all the trees
• 3:08:03
  Speaker 1: for mankind needs the shelter of the woods in summer
• 3:08:07
  Speaker 1: as much as the warmth of blazing logs in winter.
• 3:08:12
  Speaker 1: And however crowded the world may grow, I do not
• 3:08:16
  Speaker 1: think men will ever come to Burzee, nor to the
• 3:08:19
  Speaker 1: great Black Forest, nor to the wooded wilderness of Brass,
• 3:08:24
  Speaker 1: unless they seek their shades for pleasure, and not to
• 3:08:28
  Speaker 1: destroy their giant trees. By and by people made ships
• 3:08:33
  Speaker 1: from the tree trunks, and crossed over oceans and built
• 3:08:36
  Speaker 1: cities in far lands. But the oceans made little difference
• 3:08:41
  Speaker 1: to the journeys of Santa Claus. His reindeer sped over
• 3:08:45
  Speaker 1: the waters as swiftly as over land, and his sledge
• 3:08:49
  Speaker 1: headed from east to west and followed in the wake
• 3:08:52
  Speaker 1: of the sun, so that as the earth rolled slowly
• 3:08:56
  Speaker 1: over Santa Claus had all of twenty four hours to
• 3:09:00
  Speaker 1: encircle it each Christmas Eve, and the speedy reindeer enjoyed
• 3:09:05
  Speaker 1: these wonderful journeys more and more so year after year,
• 3:09:11
  Speaker 1: and generation after generation, and century after century. The world
• 3:09:16
  Speaker 1: grew older, and the people became more numerous, and the
• 3:09:21
  Speaker 1: labors of Santa Claus steadily increased. The fame of his
• 3:09:26
  Speaker 1: good deeds spread to every household where children dwelt, and
• 3:09:29
  Speaker 1: all the little ones loved him dearly, and the fathers
• 3:09:33
  Speaker 1: and mothers honored him for the happiness he had given
• 3:09:36
  Speaker 1: them when they too were young, and the aged grand
• 3:09:40
  Speaker 1: sires and grand dams remembered him with tender gratitude and
• 3:09:44
  Speaker 1: blessed his name. Chapter three, The Deputies of Santa Claus. However,
• 3:09:54
  Speaker 1: there was one evil following in the path of civilization
• 3:09:58
  Speaker 1: that caused Santa Claus a vast amount of trouble before
• 3:10:02
  Speaker 1: he discovered a way to overcome it. But fortunately it
• 3:10:06
  Speaker 1: was the last trial he was forced to undergo. One
• 3:10:11
  Speaker 1: Christmas Eve, when his reindeer had leaped to the top
• 3:10:14
  Speaker 1: of a new building, Santa Claus was surprised to find
• 3:10:18
  Speaker 1: that the chimney had been built much smaller than usual,
• 3:10:22
  Speaker 1: but he had no time to think about it just then,
• 3:10:25
  Speaker 1: so he drew in his breath and made himself as
• 3:10:28
  Speaker 1: small as possible and slid down the chimney. I ought
• 3:10:33
  Speaker 1: to be at the bottom by this time, he thought,
• 3:10:38
  Speaker 1: as he continued to slip downward, But no fireplace of
• 3:10:42
  Speaker 1: any sort met his view, and by and by he
• 3:10:45
  Speaker 1: reached the very end of the chimney, which was in
• 3:10:48
  Speaker 1: the cellar. This is odd, he reflected, much puzzled by
• 3:10:54
  Speaker 1: this experience. If there is no fireplace, what on earth
• 3:10:59
  Speaker 1: is the chimney good for. Then he began to climb
• 3:11:03
  Speaker 1: out again and found it hard work, the space being
• 3:11:06
  Speaker 1: so small, And on his way up he noticed a
• 3:11:09
  Speaker 1: thin round pipe sticking through the side of the chimney,
• 3:11:14
  Speaker 1: but could not guess what it was for. Finally he
• 3:11:18
  Speaker 1: reached the roof and said to the reindeer, there was
• 3:11:21
  Speaker 1: no need of my going down that chimney, for I
• 3:11:24
  Speaker 1: could find no fireplace through which to enter the house.
• 3:11:28
  Speaker 1: I fear the children who lived there must go without
• 3:11:30
  Speaker 1: playthings this Christmas. Then he drove on, but soon came
• 3:11:36
  Speaker 1: to another new house with a small chimney. This caused
• 3:11:40
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus to shake his head doubtfully, but he tried
• 3:11:44
  Speaker 1: the chimney nevertheless and found it exactly like the other. Moreover,
• 3:11:49
  Speaker 1: he nearly stuck fast in the narrow flue and tore
• 3:11:52
  Speaker 1: his jacket trying to get out again. So although he
• 3:11:56
  Speaker 1: came to several such chimneys that night, he did not
• 3:11:59
  Speaker 1: venture to descend any more of them. What in the
• 3:12:03
  Speaker 1: world are people thinking of to build such useless chimneys,
• 3:12:08
  Speaker 1: he exclaimed, in all the years I have traveled with
• 3:12:11
  Speaker 1: my reindeer, I have never seen the like before. True enough,
• 3:12:17
  Speaker 1: but Santa Claus had not then discovered that stoves had
• 3:12:20
  Speaker 1: been invented and were fast coming into use. When he
• 3:12:25
  Speaker 1: did find it out, he wondered how the builders of
• 3:12:27
  Speaker 1: those houses could have so little consideration for him, when
• 3:12:31
  Speaker 1: they knew very well it was his custom to climb
• 3:12:34
  Speaker 1: down chimneys and enter houses by way of the fireplaces.
• 3:12:40
  Speaker 1: Perhaps the men who built those houses had outgrown their
• 3:12:42
  Speaker 1: own love for toys and were indifferent whether Santa Claus
• 3:12:46
  Speaker 1: called on their children or not. Whatever the explanation might be,
• 3:12:51
  Speaker 1: the poor children were forced to bear the burden of
• 3:12:53
  Speaker 1: grief and disappointment. The following year Santa Claus found more
• 3:13:00
  Speaker 1: more and more of the new fashioned chimneys that had
• 3:13:03
  Speaker 1: no fireplaces, and the next year still more. The third year,
• 3:13:09
  Speaker 1: so numerous had the narrow chimneys become. He even had
• 3:13:13
  Speaker 1: a few toys left in his sledge that he was
• 3:13:15
  Speaker 1: unable to give away because he could not get to
• 3:13:18
  Speaker 1: the children. The matter had now become so serious that
• 3:13:23
  Speaker 1: it worried the good man greatly, and he decided to
• 3:13:26
  Speaker 1: talk it over with Kilter and Peter, and Nutder and Whisk.
• 3:13:32
  Speaker 1: Kilter already knew something about it, for it had been
• 3:13:35
  Speaker 1: his duty to run around to all the houses just
• 3:13:38
  Speaker 1: before Christmas and gather up the notes and letters to
• 3:13:41
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus that the children had written, telling what they
• 3:13:44
  Speaker 1: wished to put in their stockings or hung on their
• 3:13:46
  Speaker 1: Christmas trees. But Kilter was a silent fellow and seldom
• 3:13:51
  Speaker 1: spoke of what he saw in the cities and villages.
• 3:13:54
  Speaker 1: The others were very indignant. Those people act as if
• 3:13:58
  Speaker 1: they do not wish their children to be made happy,
• 3:14:02
  Speaker 1: said sensible Peter in a vexed tone, the idea of
• 3:14:06
  Speaker 1: shutting out such a generous friend to their little ones.
• 3:14:11
  Speaker 1: But it is my intention to make children happy, whether
• 3:14:14
  Speaker 1: their parents wish it or not, returned Santa Claus. Years ago,
• 3:14:19
  Speaker 1: when I first began making toys, children were even more
• 3:14:23
  Speaker 1: neglected by their parents than they are now. So I
• 3:14:26
  Speaker 1: have learned to pay no attention to thoughtless or selfish parents,
• 3:14:30
  Speaker 1: but to consider only the longings of childhood. You are right,
• 3:14:34
  Speaker 1: my master, said Nutter the rill many children would lack
• 3:14:39
  Speaker 1: a friend if you did not consider them and try
• 3:14:42
  Speaker 1: to make them happy, then declared the laughing whisk. We
• 3:14:47
  Speaker 1: must abandon any thought of using these new fashioned chimneys,
• 3:14:52
  Speaker 1: but become burglars and break into the houses some other way.
• 3:14:57
  Speaker 1: What way, asked Santa Claus. Why walls of brick and
• 3:15:03
  Speaker 1: wood and plaster are nothing to fairies. I can easily
• 3:15:06
  Speaker 1: pass through them whenever I wish, and so can Peter
• 3:15:10
  Speaker 1: and Nudder and Kilter. Is it not so, comrades, I
• 3:15:16
  Speaker 1: often passed through the walls when I gather up the letters,
• 3:15:20
  Speaker 1: said Kilter. And that was a long speech for him,
• 3:15:24
  Speaker 1: and so surprised Peter and Nutter that their big round
• 3:15:27
  Speaker 1: eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Therefore, continued the fairy,
• 3:15:34
  Speaker 1: you may as well take us with you on your
• 3:15:36
  Speaker 1: next journey, and when we come to one of those
• 3:15:38
  Speaker 1: houses with the stoves instead of the fireplaces, we will
• 3:15:42
  Speaker 1: distribute the toys to the children without the need of
• 3:15:45
  Speaker 1: using a chimney. That seems to me a good plan,
• 3:15:49
  Speaker 1: replied Santa Claus, well pleased at having solved the problem.
• 3:15:55
  Speaker 1: We will try it next year. That was how the Fairy,
• 3:16:00
  Speaker 1: the Pixie, the Nook, and the rill all rode in
• 3:16:03
  Speaker 1: the sledge with their master. The following Christmas Eve, and
• 3:16:07
  Speaker 1: they had no trouble at all in entering the new
• 3:16:09
  Speaker 1: fashioned houses and leaving toys for the children that lived
• 3:16:12
  Speaker 1: in them. And their deft services not only relieved Santa
• 3:16:16
  Speaker 1: Claus of much labor, but enabled him to complete his
• 3:16:19
  Speaker 1: own work more quickly than usual, so that the merry
• 3:16:23
  Speaker 1: party found themselves at home with an empty sledge a
• 3:16:26
  Speaker 1: full hour before daybreak. The only drawback to the journey
• 3:16:32
  Speaker 1: was that the mischievous whisk persisted in tickling the reindeer
• 3:16:35
  Speaker 1: with the long feather to see them jump, and Santa
• 3:16:39
  Speaker 1: Claus found it necessary to watch him every minute, and
• 3:16:42
  Speaker 1: to tweak his long ears once or twice to make
• 3:16:44
  Speaker 1: him behave himself. But taken altogether, the trip was a
• 3:16:49
  Speaker 1: great success, and to this day the four little folk
• 3:16:53
  Speaker 1: always accompanied Santa Claus on his yearly ride and help
• 3:16:57
  Speaker 1: him in the distribution of his gifts. But the indifference
• 3:17:01
  Speaker 1: of parents, which had so annoyed the good Saint, did
• 3:17:05
  Speaker 1: not continue very long, and Santa Claus soon found they
• 3:17:09
  Speaker 1: were really anxious he should visit their homes on Christmas
• 3:17:12
  Speaker 1: Eve and leave presents for their children, so to lighten
• 3:17:15
  Speaker 1: his task, which was fast becoming very difficult. Indeed, Old
• 3:17:20
  Speaker 1: Santa decided to ask the parents to assist him. Get
• 3:17:25
  Speaker 1: your Christmas trees all ready for my coming, he said
• 3:17:28
  Speaker 1: to them, and that then I shall be able to
• 3:17:31
  Speaker 1: leave the presents without loss of time, and you can
• 3:17:33
  Speaker 1: put them on the trees when I am gone. And
• 3:17:37
  Speaker 1: to others, he said, see that the children's stockings are
• 3:17:41
  Speaker 1: hung up in readiness for my coming, and then I
• 3:17:43
  Speaker 1: can fill them as quick as a wink. And often,
• 3:17:47
  Speaker 1: when parents were kind and good natured, Santa Claus would
• 3:17:50
  Speaker 1: simply fling down his package of gifts and leave the
• 3:17:53
  Speaker 1: fathers and mothers to fill the stockings after he had
• 3:17:56
  Speaker 1: darted away in his sledge. I will make all loving
• 3:18:00
  Speaker 1: parents my deputies, cried the jolly old fellow, and they
• 3:18:04
  Speaker 1: shall help me to do my work, for in this
• 3:18:07
  Speaker 1: way I shall save many precious minutes, and few children
• 3:18:11
  Speaker 1: need be neglected for lack of time to visit them.
• 3:18:15
  Speaker 1: Besides carrying around the big packs in his swift flying sledge,
• 3:18:19
  Speaker 1: Old Santa began to send great heaps of toys to
• 3:18:22
  Speaker 1: the toy shops, so that if parents wanted larger supplies
• 3:18:26
  Speaker 1: for their children, they could easily get them. And if
• 3:18:29
  Speaker 1: any children were by chance missed by Santa Claus on
• 3:18:33
  Speaker 1: his yearly rounds, they could go to the toy shops
• 3:18:36
  Speaker 1: and get enough to make them happy and contented. For
• 3:18:39
  Speaker 1: the loving friend of the little ones decided that no child,
• 3:18:43
  Speaker 1: if he could help it, should long for toys in vain.
• 3:18:47
  Speaker 1: And the toy shops also proved convenient whenever a child
• 3:18:51
  Speaker 1: fell ill and needed a new toy to amuse it.
• 3:18:55
  Speaker 1: And sometimes on birthdays the fathers and mothers go to
• 3:18:58
  Speaker 1: the toy shops and get pretty gifts for their children
• 3:19:01
  Speaker 1: in honor of the happy event. Perhaps you will now
• 3:19:06
  Speaker 1: understand how, in spite of the bigness of the world,
• 3:19:09
  Speaker 1: Santa Claus is able to supply all the children with
• 3:19:13
  Speaker 1: beautiful gifts. To be sure, the old gentleman is rarely
• 3:19:17
  Speaker 1: seen in these days, but it is not because he
• 3:19:20
  Speaker 1: tries to keep out of sight. I assure you, Santa
• 3:19:24
  Speaker 1: Claus is the same loving friend of children that in
• 3:19:27
  Speaker 1: the old days used to play and romp with them
• 3:19:29
  Speaker 1: by the hour. And I know he would love to
• 3:19:32
  Speaker 1: do the same now if he had the time. But
• 3:19:35
  Speaker 1: you see, he is so busy all the year making toys,
• 3:19:39
  Speaker 1: and so hurried on that one night when he visits
• 3:19:43
  Speaker 1: our homes with his packs. That he comes and goes
• 3:19:46
  Speaker 1: among us like a flash, it is almost impossible to
• 3:19:49
  Speaker 1: catch a glimpse of him. And although there are millions
• 3:19:53
  Speaker 1: and millions more children in the world than there used
• 3:19:56
  Speaker 1: to be, Santa Claus has never been known to complain
• 3:20:00
  Speaker 1: of their increasing numbers. The more, the merrier he cries
• 3:20:06
  Speaker 1: with his jolly laugh, And the only difference to him
• 3:20:10
  Speaker 1: is the fact that his little workmen have to make
• 3:20:12
  Speaker 1: their busy fingers fly faster every year to satisfy the
• 3:20:16
  Speaker 1: demands of so many little ones. In all this world,
• 3:20:21
  Speaker 1: there is nothing so beautiful as a happy child, says
• 3:20:25
  Speaker 1: good old Santa Claus. And if he had his way,
• 3:20:28
  Speaker 1: the children would all be beautiful, for all would be happy.
• 3:20:34
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter three, end of the Life and Adventures
• 3:20:39
  Speaker 1: of Santa Claus.