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