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11 - Old Age Part 1 · The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

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Old Age, Chapter one, The Mantle of Immortality. And now we come
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to a turning point in the career of Santa Claus, and it is my
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duty to relate the most remarkable that has happened since the world began or mankind
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was created. We have followed the life of Clause from the time he was
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found a helpless infant by the wood Nymphnicile and reared to manhood in the great
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forest of Burzee. And we know how he began to make toys for children,
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and how with the assistance and good will of the immortals, he was
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able to distribute them to the little ones throughout the world. For many years
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he carried on this noble work, for the simple, hard working life he
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led gave him perfect health and strength. And doubtless a man can live longer
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in the beautiful Laughing Valley, where there are no cares and every thing is
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peaceful and merry, than in any other part of the world. But when
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many years had rolled away, Santa Claus grew old. The long beard of
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golden brown that once covered his cheeks and chin gradually became gray and finally turned
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to pure white. His hair was white too, and there were wrinkles at
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the corners of his eyes, which showed plainly when he laughed. He had
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never been a very tall man, and now he became fat, and waddled
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very much like a duck when he walked. But in spite of these things,
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he remained as lively as ever, and was just as jolly and gay,
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and his kind eyes sparkled as brightly as they did that first day when
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he came to the Laughing Valley. Yet a time is sure to come when
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every mortal who has grown old and lived his life, is required to leave
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this world for another. So it is no wonder that, after Santa Claus
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had driven his reindeer on many and many a Christmas Eve, those staunch friends
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finally whispered among themselves that they had probably drawn his sledge for the last time.
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Then all the forest of Bursy became sad, and all the Laughing Valley
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was hushed, for every living thing that had known claws had used to love
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him and to brighten at the sound of his footsteps or the notes of his
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merry whistle. No doubt, the old man's strength was at last exhausted,
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for he made no more toys, but lay on his bed as in a
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dream. The nymph Nessile, she who had reared him and been his foster
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mother, was still youthful and strong and beautiful, and it seemed to her
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but a short time since this aged, gray bearded man had lain in her
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arms and smiled on her with his inner and baby lips. In this is
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shown the difference between mortals and immortals. It was fortunate that the Great Act
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came to the forest at this time. Nasille sought him with troubled eyes and
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told him of the fate that threatened their friend claws. At once the Master
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became grave, and he leaned upon his axe and stroked his grizzled beard thoughtfully
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for many minutes. Then suddenly he stood up straight and poised his powerful head
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with firm resolve, and stretched out his great right arm, as if determined
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on doing some mighty deed. For a thought had come to him so grand
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in its conception, that all the world might well bow before the Master Woodsman
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and honor his name forever. It is well known that when the Great Act,
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once undertakes to do a thing, he never hesitates in an instant.
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Now, he summoned his fleetest messengers and sent them in a flash to many
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parts of the earth, and when they were gone, he turned to the
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Anxiousness Seal and comforted her, saying, be of good heart, my child,
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our friend still lives. And now run to your queen and tell her
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that I have summoned a council of all the immortals of the world to meet
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with me here in Burzee this night. If they obey and hearken unto my
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words, Claus will drive his reindeer for countless ages yet to come. At
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midnight, there was a wondrous scene in the ancient forest of Burzee, where,
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for the first time in many centuries, the rulers of the immortals who
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inhabit the earth were gathered together. There was the Queen of the water Sprites,
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whose beautiful form was as clear as crystal but continually dripped water on the
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bank of moss where she sat. And beside her was the King of the
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sleep Faith, who carried a wand from the end of which a fine dust
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fell all around, so that no mortal could keep awake long enough to see
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him, as mortal eyes were sure to close in sleep as soon as the
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dust filled them. And next to him sat the Nome King, whose people
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inhabit all that region under the earth's surface, where they guard the precious metals
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and the jewel stones that lie buried in rock and ore. At his right
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hand stood the King of the sound Imps, who had wings on his feet,
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for his people are swift to carry all sounds that are made. When
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they are busy, they carry the sounds but short distances, for there are
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many of them. But sometimes they speed with the sounds to places miles and
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miles away from where they are made. The King of the sound Imps had
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an anxious and care worn face, for most people have no consideration for his
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imps, and especially the boys and girls, make a gri great many unnecessary
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sounds, which the imps are obliged to carry when they might be better employed.
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The next in the circle of immortals was the King of the wind Demons,
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slender of frame, restless and uneasy at being confined to one place for
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even an hour. Once in a while he would leave his place and circle
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around the glade, And each time he did this, the fairy queen was
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obliged to untangle the flowing locks of her golden hair and tuck them back of
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her pink ears, but she did not complain, for it was not often
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that the King of the wind demons came into the heart of the forest.
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After the fairy queen, whose home you know was in old Burzee, came
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the King of the light Elves with his two princes, Flash and Twilight at
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his back. He never went anywhere without his princes, for they were so
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mischievous that he dared not let them wander alone. Prince Flash bore a lightning
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bolt in his right hand and a horn of gunpowder in his left, and
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his bright eyes roved constantly around as if he longed to use his blinding flashes.
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Prince Twilight held a great snuffer in one hand and a big black cloak
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in the other, and it is well known that unless Twilight is carefully watched,
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the snuffers or the cloak will throw everything into darkness. And darkness is
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the greatest enemy the King of the light Elves has. In addition to the
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immortals I have named, were the King of the Knooks, who had come
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from his home in the jungles of India, the King of the Ryls,
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who lived among the gay flowers and luscious fruits of Valencia, sweet Queen Zurline
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of the wood nymphs completed the circle of immortals. But in the center of
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the circle sat three others who possessed powers so great that all the kings and
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queens showed them reverence. These were Ak, the master woodsmen of the world,
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who rules the forests and the orchards and the groves. And Kerne,
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the master husbandman of the world, who rules the grain fields and the meadows
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and the gardens. And Beau, the master mariner of the world, who
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rules the seas and all the craft that float thereon. And all other immortals
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are more or less subject to these three. When all had assembled, the
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master Woodsmen of the world stood up to address them, since he himself had
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summoned them to the council. Very clearly, he told them the story of
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Claws, beginning at the time when as a babe he had been adopted a
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child of the forest, and telling of his noble and generous nature and his
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life long labors to make children happy. And now, said Ak, when
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he had won the love of all the world, the spirit of death is
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hovering over him. Of all men who have inhabited the earth, none other
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so well deserves immortality, for such a life cannot be spared so long as
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there are children of mankind to miss him and to grieve over his loss.
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We immortals are the servants of the world, and to serve the world.
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We were permitted in the beginning to exist. But what one of us is
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more worthy of immortality than this man Clause, who so sweetly ministers to the
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little children. He paused and glanced around the circle to find every immortal listening
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to him eagerly and nodding approval. Finally, the king of the wind demons,
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who had been whistling softly to himself, cried out, what is your
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desire, O ak to bestow upon Clause? The mantle of immortality, said
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ac boldly that this demand was wholly unexpected. Was proved by the immortals springing
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to their feet and looking into each other's face with dismay, and then upon
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act with wonder, for it was a grave matter, this parting with the
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mantle of immortality. The Queen of the water Sprite spoke in her low,
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clear voice, and the words sounded like raindrops splashing upon a window pane.
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In all the world, there is but one mantle of immortality. She said.
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The King of the Sound phase added, it has existed since the beginning,
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and no mortal has ever dared to claim it. And the master mariner
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of the world arose and stretched his limbs, saying, only by vote of
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every immortal can it be bestowed upon immortal? I know all this, answered
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Ac quietly. But the mantle exists, and if it was created, as
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you say in the beginning, it was because the Supreme Master knew that some
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day it would be required. Until now no mortal has deserved it. But
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who among you dares deny that the good clause deserves it? Will you not
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all vote to bestow it upon him? They were silent, still, looking
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upon one another, questioningly, of what use is the mantle of immortality unless
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it is worn, demanded Ac, What will it profit any one of us
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to allow it to remain in its lonely shrine for all time to come?
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Enough, cried the Nome king abruptly. We will vote on the matter,
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yes or no. For my part, I say yes, and I said
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the fairy queen promptly, and Ac rewarded her with a smile. My people
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in Burzy tell me they have learned to love him. Therefore, I vote
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to give Claus the mantle, said the King of the Rills. He is
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already a comrade of the knooks, announced the ancient king of that band.
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Let him have immortality. Let him have it. Let him have it,
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sighed the King of the wind Demons. Why not, asked the King of
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the sleep face. He never disturbs the slumbers. My people allow humanity.
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Let the good Claus be immortal. I do not object, said the King
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of the sound imps, Nor, I muttered the Queen of the water sprites.
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If Claus does not receive the mantle, it is clear none other can
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ever claim it, remarked the King of the light elves. So let us
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have done with the thing for all time. The wood nymphs were first to
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adopt him, said Queen's early. Of course, I shall vote to make
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him immortal. Ac now turned to the master husbandman of the world, who
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held up his right arm and said yes. And the master Mariner of the
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world did likewise, after which Ak, with sparkling eyes and smiling face,
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cried out, I thank you, fellow immortals, for all have voted yes,
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and so to our dear claws shall fall the one mantle of immortality that
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is in our power to bestow. Let us fetch it at once, said
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the fake king. I'm in a hurry. They bowed assent, and instantly
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the forest glade was deserted, but in a place midway between the earth and
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the sky was suspended a gleaming crypt of gold and platinum, a glow with
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soft lights shed from the facets of countless gems. Within a high dome hung
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the pre precious mantle of immortality. And each immortal placed a hand on the
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hem of the splendid robe and said, as with one voice, we bestow
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this mantle upon Claus, who was called the patron Sate of children. At
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this the mantle came away from its lofty crypt, and they carried it to
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the house in the Laughing Valley. The spirit of Death was crouching very near
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to the bedside of Claws, and as the immortals approached, she sprang up
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and motioned them back with an angry gesture. But when her eyes fell upon
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the mantle they bore, she shrank away with a low moan of disappointment,
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and quitted that house forever. Softly and silently. The immortal band dropped upon
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Claws the precious mantle, and it closed about him and sank into the outlines
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of his body, and disappearing from view. It became a part of his
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being, and neither mortal nor immortal might ever take it from him. Then
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the kings and queens who had wrought this deed dispersed to their various homes,
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and all were well contented that they had added another immortal to their band and
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claws. Slept on the red blood of everlasting life coursing swiftly through his veins,
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And on his brow was a tiny drop of water that had fallen from
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the ever melting gown of the Queen of the water Sprites. And over his
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lips hovered a tender kiss that had been left by the sweet nymph Necile,
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for she had stolen in when the others were gone, to gaze with rapture
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upon the immortal form of her foster son. End of Chapter one