I must now tell you something about the Awgwas, that terrible race of
creatures which caused our good Claus so much trouble and nearly
succeeded in robbing the children of the world of their earliest and
best friend.
I do not like to mention the Awgwas, but they are a part of this
history, and can not be ignored. They were neither mortals nor
immortals, but stood midway between those classes of beings. The
Awgwas were invisible to ordinary people, but not to immortals. They
could pass swiftly through the air from one part of the world to
another, and had the power of influencing the minds of human beings to
do their wicked will.
They were of gigantic stature and had coarse, scowling countenances
which showed plainly their hatred of all mankind. They possessed no
consciences whatever and delighted only in evil deeds.
Their homes were in rocky, mountainous places, from whence they sallied
forth to accomplish their wicked purposes.
The one of their number that could think of the most horrible deed for
them to do was always elected the King Awgwa, and all the race obeyed
his orders. Sometimes these creatures lived to become a hundred years
old, but usually they fought so fiercely among themselves that many
were destroyed in combat, and when they died that was the end of them.
Mortals were powerless to harm them and the immortals shuddered when
the Awgwas were mentioned, and always avoided them. So they flourished
for many years unopposed and accomplished much evil.
I am glad to assure you that these vile creatures have long since
perished and passed from earth; but in the days when Claus was making
his first toys they were a numerous and powerful tribe.
One of the principal sports of the Awgwas was to inspire angry passions
in the hearts of little children, so that they quarreled and fought
with one another. They would tempt boys to eat of unripe fruit, and
then delight in the pain they suffered; they urged little girls to
disobey their parents, and then would laugh when the children were
punished. I do not know what causes a child to be naughty in these
days, but when the Awgwas were on earth naughty children were usually
under their influence.
Now, when Claus began to make children happy he kept them out of the
power of the Awgwas; for children possessing such lovely playthings as
he gave them had no wish to obey the evil thoughts the Awgwas tried to
thrust into their minds.
Therefore, one year when the wicked tribe was to elect a new King, they
chose an Awgwa who proposed to destroy Claus and take him away from the
children.
"There are, as you know, fewer naughty children in the world since
Claus came to the Laughing Valley and began to make his toys," said the
new King, as he squatted upon a rock and looked around at the scowling
faces of his people. "Why, Bessie Blithesome has not stamped her foot
once this month, nor has Mayrie's brother slapped his sister's face or
thrown the puppy into the rain-barrel. Little Weekum took his bath
last night without screaming or struggling, because his mother had
promised he should take his toy cat to bed with him! Such a condition
of affairs is awful for any Awgwa to think of, and the only way we can
direct the naughty actions of children is to take this person Claus
away from them."
"Good! good!" cried the big Awgwas, in a chorus, and they clapped their
hands to applaud the speech of the King.
"But what shall we do with him?" asked one of the creatures.
"I have a plan," replied the wicked King; and what his plan was you
will soon discover.
That night Claus went to bed feeling very happy, for he had completed
no less than four pretty toys during the day, and they were sure, he
thought, to make four little children happy. But while he slept the
band of invisible Awgwas surrounded his bed, bound him with stout
cords, and then flew away with him to the middle of a dark forest in
far off Ethop, where they laid him down and left him.
When morning came Claus found himself thousands of miles from any human
being, a prisoner in the wild jungle of an unknown land.
From the limb of a tree above his head swayed a huge python, one of
those reptiles that are able to crush a man's bones in their coils. A
few yards away crouched a savage panther, its glaring red eyes fixed
full on the helpless Claus. One of those monstrous spotted spiders
whose sting is death crept stealthily toward him over the matted
leaves, which shriveled and turned black at its very touch.
But Claus had been reared in Burzee, and was not afraid.
"Come to me, ye Knooks of the Forest!" he cried, and gave the low,
peculiar whistle that the Knooks know.
The panther, which was about to spring upon its victim, turned and
slunk away. The python swung itself into the tree and disappeared
among the leaves. The spider stopped short in its advance and hid
beneath a rotting log.
Claus had no time to notice them, for he was surrounded by a band of
harsh-featured Knooks, more crooked and deformed in appearance than any
he had ever seen.
"Who are you that call on us?" demanded one, in a gruff voice.
"The friend of your brothers in Burzee," answered Claus. "I have been
brought here by my enemies, the Awgwas, and left to perish miserably.
Yet now I implore your help to release me and to send me home again."
"Have you the sign?" asked another.
"Yes," said Claus.
They cut his bonds, and with his free arms he made the secret sign of
the Knooks.
Instantly they assisted him to stand upon his feet, and they brought
him food and drink to strengthen him.
"Our brothers of Burzee make queer friends," grumbled an ancient Knook
whose flowing beard was pure white. "But he who knows our secret sign
and signal is entitled to our help, whoever he may be. Close your
eyes, stranger, and we will conduct you to your home. Where shall we
seek it?"
"'Tis in the Laughing Valley," answered Claus, shutting his eyes.
"There is but one Laughing Valley in the known world, so we can not go
astray," remarked the Knook.
As he spoke the sound of his voice seemed to die away, so Claus opened
his eyes to see what caused the change. To his astonishment he found
himself seated on the bench by his own door, with the Laughing Valley
spread out before him. That day he visited the Wood-Nymphs and related
his adventure to Queen Zurline and Necile.
"The Awgwas have become your enemies," said the lovely Queen,
thoughtfully; "so we must do all we can to protect you from their
power."
"It was cowardly to bind him while he slept," remarked Necile, with
indignation.
"The evil ones are ever cowardly," answered Zurline, "but our friend's
slumber shall not be disturbed again."
The Queen herself came to the dwelling of Claus that evening and placed
her Seal on every door and window, to keep out the Awgwas. And under
the Seal of Queen Zurline was placed the Seal of the Fairies and the
Seal of the Ryls and the Seals of the Knooks, that the charm might
become more powerful.
And Claus carried his toys to the children again, and made many more of
the little ones happy.
You may guess how angry the King Awgwa and his fierce band were when it
was known to them that Claus had escaped from the Forest of Ethop.
They raged madly for a whole week, and then held another meeting among
the rocks.
"It is useless to carry him where the Knooks reign," said the King,
"for he has their protection. So let us cast him into a cave of our
own mountains, where he will surely perish."
This was promptly agreed to, and the wicked band set out that night to
seize Claus. But they found his dwelling guarded by the Seals of the
Immortals and were obliged to go away baffled and disappointed.
"Never mind," said the King; "he does not sleep always!"
Next day, as Claus traveled to the village across the plain, where he
intended to present a toy squirrel to a lame boy, he was suddenly set
upon by the Awgwas, who seized him and carried him away to the
mountains.
There they thrust him within a deep cavern and rolled many huge rocks
against the entrance to prevent his escape.
Deprived thus of light and food, and with little air to breathe, our
Claus was, indeed, in a pitiful plight. But he spoke the mystic words
of the Fairies, which always command their friendly aid, and they came
to his rescue and transported him to the Laughing Valley in the
twinkling of an eye.
Thus the Awgwas discovered they might not destroy one who had earned
the friendship of the immortals; so the evil band sought other means of
keeping Claus from bringing happiness to children and so making them
obedient.
Whenever Claus set out to carry his toys to the little ones an Awgwa,
who had been set to watch his movements, sprang upon him and snatched
the toys from his grasp. And the children were no more disappointed
than was Claus when he was obliged to return home disconsolate. Still
he persevered, and made many toys for his little friends and started
with them for the villages. And always the Awgwas robbed him as soon
as he had left the Valley.
They threw the stolen playthings into one of their lonely caverns, and
quite a heap of toys accumulated before Claus became discouraged and
gave up all attempts to leave the Valley. Then children began coming
to him, since they found he did not go to them; but the wicked Awgwas
flew around them and caused their steps to stray and the paths to
become crooked, so never a little one could find a way into the
Laughing Valley.
Lonely days now fell upon Claus, for he was denied the pleasure of
bringing happiness to the children whom he had learned to love. Yet he
bore up bravely, for he thought surely the time would come when the
Awgwas would abandon their evil designs to injure him.
He devoted all his hours to toy-making, and when one plaything had been
completed he stood it on a shelf he had built for that purpose. When
the shelf became filled with rows of toys he made another one, and
filled that also. So that in time he had many shelves filled with gay
and beautiful toys representing horses, dogs, cats, elephants, lambs,
rabbits and deer, as well as pretty dolls of all sizes and balls and
marbles of baked clay painted in gay colors.
Often, as he glanced at this array of childish treasures, the heart of
good old Claus became sad, so greatly did he long to carry the toys to
his children. And at last, because he could bear it no longer, he
ventured to go to the great Ak, to whom he told the story of his
persecution by the Awgwas, and begged the Master Woodsman to assist him.