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03 - Childhood Part 3 · The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

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  Chapter six, Claws Discovers Humanity by L. Frank Baum. Taking Claws to
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  a small clearing in the forest, the Master said, place your hand upon
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  my girdle and hold fast while we journey through the air. For now we
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  shall encircle the world and look upon many of the haunts of those men from
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  whom you are descended. These words caused Claws to marvel, for until now
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  he had thought himself the only one of his kind upon the earth. Yet
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  in his silence he grasped firmly the girdle of the great Ak, his astonishment
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  forbidding speech. Then the vast forest of Burzee seemed to fall away from their
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  feet, and the youth found himself passing swiftly through the air at a great
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  height. Ere long there were spires beneath them, while buildings of many shapes
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  and colors met their downward view. It was a city of men and Ak.
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  Pausing to descend, led Claws to its enclosure, said the Master,
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  So long as you hold fast to my girdle, you will remain unseen by
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  all mankind, though seeing clearly yourself, to release your grasp will be to
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  separate yourself forever from me, and your home in Berzi. One of the
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  first laws of the forest is obedience, and Claws had no thought of disobeying
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  the master's wish. He clung fast to the girdle and remained invisible. Thereafter,
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  With each moment passed in the city, the youth's wonder grew. He
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  who had supposed himself created differently from all others, now found the earth swarming
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  with creatures of his own kind. Indeed, said Ak, the immortals are
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  few, but the mortals are many. Claws looked earnestly upon his fellows.
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  There were sad faces, gay and reckless faces, pleasant faces, anxious faces,
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  and kindly faces, all mingled in puzzling disorder. Some worked at tedious
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  tasks, some strutted in impudent conceit. Some were thoughtful and grave, while
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  others seemed happy and content. Men of many natures there were as everywhere,
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  and Claws found much to please him and much to make him sad. But
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  especially he noted the children, first curiously, then eagerly, then lovingly.
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  Ragged little ones rolled in the dust of the streets, playing with scraps and
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  pebbles. Other children, gaily dressed, were propped upon cushions and fed with
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  sugar plums. Yet the children of the rich were not happier than those playing
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  with the dust and pebbles. It seemed to Claws, childhood is the time
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  of man's greatest content, said Ak, following the youth's thoughts. Tis during
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  these years of innocent pleasure that the little ones are most free from care.
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  Tell me, said Claws, why do not all these babies fare alike?
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  Because they are born in both cottage and palace, returned the master. The
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  difference in the wealth of the parents determines the lot of the child. Some
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  are carefully tended and clothed in silks and dainty linen. Others are neglected and
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  covered with rags. Yet all seem equally fair and sweet, said Claws thoughtfully.
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  While they are babes, yes, agreed ac their joy is in being
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  alive, and they do not stop to think. In after years, the
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  doom of mankind overtakes them, and they find they must struggle and worry,
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  work and fret to gain the wealth that is so dear to the hearts of
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  men. Such things are unknown in the forest where you were reared. Claws
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  was silent a moment. Then he asked, why was I reared in the
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  forest among those who are not of my race. Then Ac, in gentle
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  voice, told him the story of his babyhood, how he had been abandoned
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  at the forest's edge and left prey to wild beasts, and how the loving
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  nymph Nesilee, had rescued him and brought him to manhood under the protection of
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  the immortals. Yet I am not of them, said Claws, musingly,
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  you are not of them, returned the woodsman. The nymph who cared for
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  you as a mother, seems now like a sister to you. By and
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  by, when you grow old and gray, she will seem like a daughter
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  yet another brief span, and you will be but a memory while she remains
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  nesile. Then why, if man must perish, is he born the boy?
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  Everything perishes except the world itself and its keepers, answered Ac, But
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  while life lasts, everything on earth has its use. The wise seek ways
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  to be helpful to the world, for the helpful ones are sure to live
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  again. Much of this clause failed to understand fully, but a longing seized
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  him to become helpful to his fellows, and he remained grave and thoughtful.
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  While they resumed their journey, they visited many dwellings of men in many parts
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  of the world, watching farmers toil in the fields, warriors dash into cruel
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  fray, and merchants exchange their goods for bits of white and yellow metal.
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  And everywhere the eyes of claws sought out the children in love and pity.
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  For the thought of his own helpless babyhood was strong within him, and he
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  yearned to give help to the innocent little ones of his race, even as
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  he had been succored by the kindly nymph. Day by day, the master
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  Woodsman and his pupil traversed the earth, ac speaking but seldom to the youth,
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  who clung steadfastly to his girdle, but guiding him into all places where
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  he might become familiar with the lives of human beings. And at last they
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  returned to the grand old forest of Berzi, where the Master set claws down
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  within the circle of nymphs, among whom the pretty naicile anxiously awaited him.
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  The brow of great act was now calm and peaceful, but the brow of
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  claws had become lined with deep thought. Nasille sighed at the change in her
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  foster son, who until now had been ever joyous and smiling, and the
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  thought came to her that never again would the life of the boy be the
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  same as before this eventful journey with the Master. End of chapter six,
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  Chapter seven, Claws leaves the forest. When good Queen Zerline had touched the
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  golden chalice with her fair lips, and it had passed around the circle in
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  honor of the traveler's return, the Master Woodsman of the world, who had
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  not yet spoken, turned his gaze frankly upon Claws, and said, well.
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  The boy understood, and rose slowly to his feet beside the seal.
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  Once only his eyes passed around the familiar circle of nymphs, every one of
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  whom he remembered as a loving comrade. But tears came unbidden to dim his
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  sight. So he gazed thereafter steadfastly at the Master. I have been ignorant,
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  said he simply, until the great act in his kindness, taught me
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  who and what I am. You, who live so sweetly in your forest
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  bowers, ever, fair and youthful and innocent, are no fit comrades for
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  a son of humanity. For I have looked upon man, binding him doomed
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  to live for a brief space upon earth, to toil for the things he
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  needs to fade into old age and then to pass away as the leaves in
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  autumn. Yet every man has his mission, which is to leave the world
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  better in some way than he found it. I am of the race of
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  men, and man's lot is my lot. For your tender care of the
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  poor forsaken babe you adopted, as well as for your loving comradeship during my
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  boyhood, my heart will ever overflow with gratitude my foster mother. Here,
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  he stopped and kissed Nesilee's white forehead. I shall love and cherish while life
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  lasts. I must leave you to take my part in the endless struggle to
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  which humanity is doomed, and to live my life in my own way.
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  What will you do, asked the queen gravely. I must devote myself to
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  the care of the children of mankind and try to make them happy. He
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  answered. Since your own tender care of a babe brought me to happiness and
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  strength, it is just and right that I devote my life to the pleasure
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  of other babes. Thus will the memory of the loving nymph Necile be planted
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  within the hearts of thousands of my race for many years to come, and
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  her kindly act be recounted in song and in story, while the world shall
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  last. Have I spoken well, O master, you have spoken well,
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  returned ac and rising to his feet, he continued, Yet one thing must
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  not be forgotten. Having been adopted as the child of the forest and the
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  playfellow of the nymphs, you have gained distinction which forever separates you from your
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  kind. Therefore, when you go forth into the world of men, you
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  shall retain the protection of the forest, and the powers you now enjoy will
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  remain with you to assist you in your labors. In any need, you
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  may call upon the nymphs, the rills, the knooks, and the fairies,
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  and they will serve you gladly. I the master woodsmen of the world,
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  have said it, and my word is the law. Claws looked upon
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  AK with grateful eyes. This will make me mighty among men, he replied.
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  Protected by these kind friends, I may be able to make thousands of
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  little children happy. I will try very hard to do my duty, and
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  I know the forest people will give me their sympathy and help. We will,
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  said the fairy queen. Earnestly, we will, cried the merry ryls,
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  laughing we will, shouted the crooked knooks, scowling. We will,
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  exclaimed the sweet nymphs proudly. But Nesile said nothing. She only folded Claws
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  in her arms and kissed him tenderly. The world is big, continued the
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  boy, turning again to his loyal friends. But men are everywhere. I
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  shall begin my work near my friends, so that if I meet with misfortune,
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  I can come to the forest for counsel or help. With that.
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  He gave them all a loving look and turned away. There was no need
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  to say good bye bye. For him. The sweet wild life of the
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  forest was over. He went forth bravely to meet his doom, the doom
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  of the race of man, the necessity to worry and work. But ac
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  who knew the boy's heart, was merciful and guided his steps. Coming through
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  Bersey to its eastern edge, Claws reached the laughing valley of ho Ha Ho.
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  On each side were rolling green hills, and a brook wandered midway between
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  them to wind afar off beyond the valley. At his back was the grim
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  forest. At the far end of the valley a broad plain. The eyes
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  of the young man, which had until now reflected his grave thoughts became brighter
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  as he stood silent, looking out upon the laughing valley. Then, on
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  a sudden his eyes twinkled as stars do on a still night, and grew
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  merry and wide. For at his feet the cowslips, and daisies smiled on
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  him in friendly regard. The breeze whistled gaily as it passed by, and
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  fluttered the locks on his forehead. The brook laughed joyously as it leapt over
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  the pebbles and swept around the green curves of its banks. The bees sang
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  sweet songs as they flew from dandelion to daffodil. The beetles chirruped happily in
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  the long grass, and the sunbeams glinted pleasantly over all the scene here cried
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  Claws, stretching out his arms as if to embrace the valley. I will
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  make my home. That was many many years ago. It has been his
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  home ever since. It is his home now. End of chapter seven