THE CHRISTMAS STORY
That was a never to be forgotten summer to Tuktu and Aklak. A ship came
in the harbor near which they were camped, and they had a chance to see
how the white men lived on the ship and all the wonders that the ship
contained. One of the white men spent much time at their camp asking
through one of the herders, who could speak his language, all sorts of
questions, questions that made Tuktu and Aklak think that he knew very
little. But then when they in their turn began asking questions, he told
them such wonderful things that they began to think that they knew very
little.
One day, as he sat watching Tuktu and her mother, Navaluk, making a
coat--with a hood attached, trimmed with a fringe of wolverine fur
around the edge--he told them stories, and the story that he told of
Christmas was the story that Tuktu liked best of all. She told it to
Aklak.
“What do you think, Aklak?” she said. “The children outside of our
beautiful Northland have no reindeer. Most of them have never seen a
reindeer.”
“What drags their sleds then, dogs?” demanded the practical Aklak.
“No,” replied Tuktu, “they have other animals called horses. But they
cannot be beautiful like our deer, for they have no antlers. But all
those children have heard of our reindeer, Aklak, and there is a certain
time in the winter called Christmas when in the night after every one is
asleep, there comes the children’s saint and visits each home. And,
Aklak, he comes with reindeer!”
Aklak looked up quickly. “The Good Spirit?” he cried.
Tuktu’s eyes were shining as she nodded. “It must be,” she said, “for
who else would have reindeer? And, listen, Aklak: he is short and round
and shakes when he laughs; and he has a white beard and a fur-trimmed
coat and a fur-trimmed hat; and his reindeer take him right up on the
roofs of the houses; and then he takes a pack on his back and goes
right down the chimney; and he leaves gifts for little children while
they are asleep. And if any little boy or little girl lies awake and
peeps and tries to see him, he doesn’t leave any presents for that
little girl or that little boy and they never do see him. When he has
made his visit, he goes right up the chimney again and jumps in his
sleigh and calls to his reindeer and away he goes to the next stopping
place. And he makes all those visits in one night. No wonder he wants
reindeer. No wonder he wants the very best reindeer.”
“But if no one ever sees him, how do they know what he looks like?”
demanded practical Aklak.
“Oh,” replied Tuktu, “it is only on the night before Christmas that he
never is seen. I mean he is never seen coming down the chimney and
putting the gifts for the children where they will find them. But he is
seen often going about before Christmas, for he has to find out who have
been good, that they may receive presents. And the children give him
letters and tell him what they want, and if they have been good, he
tries to give them what they want. So he leaves the Northland early,
some time before Christmas, and goes out into the Great World. Then he
returns for the gifts and the night before Christmas makes that
wonderful flying trip with the deer. He loves reindeer.”
“Of course he loves the reindeer!” Aklak interrupted. “How could he help
loving the reindeer? Aren’t they the most important animals in all the
Great World?”
“That is what I said, but the man said that horses are more important
down there. I asked him if they ate the meat of the horses and he said
no. And I asked him if they made clothing from the skins of the horses
and he said no. He said they were important because they worked for
men.”
Aklak shrugged his shoulders. “The reindeer work for men also. They
carry us where we want to go. We do not have to carry food for them, for
they find it for themselves. They furnish us with food and clothing and
our tents. I would not for the world live down there where there are no
reindeer. Did the man tell you anything else?”
Tuktu’s eyes were like stars. “Yes,” said she. “He said that all over
that land at Christmas time they have beautiful green trees covered with
lights at night and many shining things. And sometimes these trees are
hung with presents for the boys and girls; and sometimes the Good Saint
appears at one of these trees and with his own hands gives the gifts to
the children. But the very day after Christmas he disappears and he is
seen no more until the Christmas season comes again; and no one knows
where he is. All the children wonder and wonder where he is all through
the year, but they have never been able to find out.”
“Did you tell the man that we know?” Aklak asked.
Tuktu shook her head. “He wouldn’t believe,” said she. “But we do know,
Aklak, for that children’s saint is the Good Spirit who lives in the
Valley of the Good Spirit. Oh, Aklak, wouldn’t it be too wonderful if he
would choose our deer for that marvelous Christmas journey?”