Charlie the Great White Horse and the Journey to the North Pole

by Kenneth Mullinix

  ~Chapter 16~

  Algar the Elf

  At Algar's house, he hid all the cold weary, travelers behind some thick curtains at a side area of the medium-sized round room. He stowed their gear away in a back storage area, then proceeded to show them where they could sleep comfortably for the evening: three small beds, stuffed with goose feathers, found all in a row by a back wall.

  Upon washing up a bit, changing from their traveling clothes, and into elves traditional sleeping clothes, Algar brought them some warm leftovers from that night's family's dinner.

  This was the first home-cooked meal they had had in a very long time, and it was the first elf-meal they had ever tried. There was served sweet elf-bread, buttered baby sweet corn, wild mushroom creamed soup, and some fresh slow-cooked rabbit stew. It was delicious. It was so good that not a word was said by any of the three the entire time they ate. After changing their clothes, and devouring a quick hot meal, all were ready to find their beds to rest in for the remainder of the evening.

  All three quickly fell asleep before Algar could return with dessert.

 

  Morning broke quietly.

  The delightful aroma of bee's honey, and Ceylon black tea, flavored with a mild spicy cinnamon, pungent cloves, thinly sliced circles of sweet orange peels, and a sprig of winter-mint filled the cozy and modest home in the morning. There was a small brick cooking-oven lit in the middle of the lone circular room, with a long black iron stovepipe attached to the top that exited, out of the thatched roof of the hut. A tray of homemade sweet-biscuits were placed into the oven by Elvina, (Algar's wife) and a frying pan full of sweet butter, fresh hen eggs and link-sausages were placed upon the stove top to slow cook.

  "They all must have been exceptionally tired because, it is well past ten o'clock in the morning, and they still have not stirred once, since they had laid down to sleep last night" said Elvina as she handed Algar a cup of hot, sweet tea.

  "Well from some of the stories Louis and Chug told us last night as we walked to our home they have been through quite a lot, especially in the last few days as they passed through the Polar Gates, and across the Ingnok Mountains. Alfreda, Alfeo, and I, have all agreed to help them, all we can, so when they wake come over and get me at work, in the central hall. Will you please my dear?" asked Algar with a twinkle in his eye.

  "I will my honey. Are you off to work then?"

  "Yes I will be back right after noon, for lunch. So again, if they wake before then, please come and fetch me. Bye pumpkin, see you soon."

  Algar grabbed his thick winter coat, woolen hat and glass thermos full of hot, spicy tea and off he went to work for the day.

  "Well past eleven and still sleeping, my they must have been exhausted" thought Elvina as she washed the morning's dishes, and swept up around the center of the home.

  Molly was the first to stir.

  "Oh my, that tea sure smells good this morning, and I smell sweet rolls. Are there any left?"

  "Why yes child. Please come sit down at the table and fill your hungry little belly. I have fresh hen eggs that I have cooked for you, and some hot sausage-links ready. Can't you smell them?"

  "Why yes I can smell them. They smell just wonderful," said Molly as she alighted over to the table.

  Chug and Louis finally stirred as well after hearing all the chatter coming from Molly and Elvina. After yawing and stretching for a moment, Chug was the second to the table right behind Molly.

  "Good morning, could I please have some eggs and sausages as well? Gosh... those sweet rolls, they look...simply delicious. We have not had a decent meal in over two long months, since we left the Great Lake and French captain Legrande Legrange. I am so hungry I could eat as much as a hippopotamus, and would you mind if I took another hot bath after that?

  "Well in all my days on earth, I have never heard a child ask for a bath. Are you being plain silly?" asked Elvina as she smiled broadly. She handed Chug a large heaping of scrambled eggs, hot sweet rolls and, sausages.

  Louis poked his head out from behind one of the cloth room dividers that cornered off his area of the room and said, "Good morning everyone. Any eggs left for me?"

  "Well, absolutely my young man. All elves are known to be very generous, and I am certainly an elf as you can tell by my: pointy ears, wide feet, and sturdy behind.

  With this said Elvina performed a little jig, and shook her well-portioned bottom, which brought laughter and delight to Louis and his friends.

  As breakfast was being served and a hot bath poured for Chug, Elvina was so happy to have friendly company in her home, and work to do this morning that she, broke into a wondrous elfish song that was often, sung during the Christmas season. The lyrics flowed out from her large, over-sized lungs, up her short, stocky neck and through her red wiggling tonsils. Molly and Louis had never heard this delightful song before, but they instantly joined the festivities, and hummed right along in perfect harmony.

  The words were elfish and sung in an upper octave. Small jingle bells and chimes were hung around the interior of the room, and as she was singing, the vibrations moved the bells and chimes in perfect time. It was as if an orchestra was playing around the room just for them.

  So this was the life of an elf?

  Cheerful songs, soul nourishing food, and a loving home made that way, by two elves that certainly had a weakness for each other; it was a first time experience for Louis, Molly, and Chug being in an elf's home and boy did they have fun.

  Singing and dancing the morning away.

  The mid-morning wore on as all took hot baths, and drank more soothing sweet tea. As the noon hour approached, Algar finally made his way back home for his noontime lunch. As he opened the front door, a wide smile crossed his face at seeing all his new friends, and long time wife singing and dancing around the center of the room. Louis pulled out his flute, and was playing along in time as Chug and Molly tapped in rhythm, on a few pots and pans found nearby. Algar joined in the pageant until his lunch was ready, then he slowly ate a delightful noontime meal, served with a wonderful sugary dessert.

  "Well I guess hiding them behind that old curtain all day is out of the question then?" said Algar.

  "Algar how often will we have: Hot Tamale Molly, the world famous Chug Martin, the left fielder for the Centerville Giants, and the great bear-slayer Louis Parks staying with us? Let's have some fun."

  After Algar ate his mid-day meal, and all had quieted down Louis explained their plight and their hopes to his new friends. Both agreed the journey to the North Pole had been long and filled with danger, but they were glad now, that they had finally found safety and refuge in their home. Algar talked on and on about how Black Jack Tilly had taken over Santa's Village, by gaining some of the powers that lay within the magic jingle bells (that had previously hung around Charlie's neck). And about the sole key to the Great Wrapping-Machine, being stolen by the Barker Boys.

  He then told them that the great machine was only turned on, and being used when they were wrapping toys and presents for all the "bad children" in the world and that they were making only toys that would turn, "the good children bad", by playing with them.

  Oh, it was all so terrible and confusing to Algar and the other elves.

  He then explained Santa had the only other key to the wrapping-machine but he was out of the country, and would not be seen this year, because he knew Charlie would be running everything while he, was gone on vacation.

  "The toys Black Jack are making and wrapping are just horrible. They are making toys with no good in them at all. Some of the toys being made are to place bad thoughts into the children's young minds or worse, the toys are being made so they do not use their imaginations. In other words, they are just toys to waste the children's childhood, and keep them busy in the wrong way, so they will not be free to use their creativity on their own. Since that is what c
hildren do best, use their imagination's, that's what makes it...all the worse" said Algar with tears now free flowing-down both sides of his plump cherubic face.

  "That's a horrible thing to do to the children of the world. I had no idea how evil that Black Jack Tilly really was. I cannot think of anything worse than losing one's own imagination. That is my most prized possession, and the thing I value most in my life. The ability to: dream; find fulfillment and happiness by myself, by using my own mind.

  "I know that is what all children do best."

  "Why would, Black Jack Tilly be doing this?" asked Louis.

  "What could be his motivation?" asked Chug in disbelief, at all that he was hearing.

  "He's doing this because he will corner the entire toy market, everyone knows that the best toys, and the ones that matter the most come from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Black Jack will make millions of dollars by making, and packaging all those bad toys himself, and what's worse, he's using the elves to do it for him" said Algar as tears of sadness were still rolling down his face.

  Louis just could not contain himself, and spoke out again.

  "The one thing the children of the world must have is the power to keep and use their own imaginations, and be given toys that help them use that imagination to their fullest. If they do not learn good from the toys they play with then all will be lost, and our future generations will be under some sort of mind-control, or have no minds at all. We have to stop this insanity immediately."

  "Well do you have any ideas, what we can do Louis?"

  "We came all the way up here to save Christmas and stop that Black Jack. It is now time for answers" chimed in Molly as she looked intently into Louis's face.

  "We all must think together and ponder this over, all this day if we have to, until we find a solution to this mess. So much, must be done, and we only have less than three days to find an answer. Only three days!" said Louis.

  The rest of the afternoon and well into the early evening Louis, Chug, Molly, and Elvina sat at the large dining room table in the center of the room: drinking sweet tea, eating apple pies, and conversing freely about what should be done with Black Jack.

  Algar took only a short lunch break, then he was back to work at the great hall. Some of Algar's friends had heard about the new visitors in town (from some of the other elves) and workingmen, so they stopped by from time to time, to learn all they could about the situation, and give advice, or suggestions, about what should be done.

  Finally as all were about to give up hope; a saving bell rang in Louis's mind.

  "I've got it."

  "Got what Louis..." asked Molly.

  "I've got it!"

  "Well...?"

  "I know what to do. I do not think any of you will agree with me, but I feel this is the only answer. Please don't go getting mad at me again Molly, but I must go back up the mountainside."

  "Wha-t...?"

  "I must...go back...into Growlar's lair."

  "Why...for heaven's sake?"

  "It's only about a one day hike up, and about a one day hike back. I can be back here in two days. That would give us one day: to get the Magic Jingle Bells back, save Charlie, and start getting the right toys wrapped, and ready for Christmas Eve the next day."

  Molly upon hearing Louis's exclamations loudly protested.

  "Go back up that horrible mountain again! What on earth...what would drive you...to want to do that?"

  "Molly you're just going to have to trust me...this one last time. I feel I have come up with a plan that will work. Will you support me Molly in this last great deed that I, and I alone...must do?"

  "You know I care so much about you Louis. I always have some fear in my mind when you get brave...but..."

  "But Molly..."

  Oh...Louis...you! You're just so...so...willful and stubborn!"

  "Yes..."

  "Ok, alright already. You know that...I have all the trust in you in the world, that whatever plan you have come up with, will be a good one. Well...what's your plan Louis? How can we help?"

  "I can't tell you the whole plan right now because I need to get started on it as soon as possible, but I assure you it is a good one, and if done correctly it should work just fine with, getting those Magic Jingle Bells back in our hands. You need to summon Alfeo the Lead Wood-Working elf, and his friend Elfrida the Second Lead-Elf. They need to build me something in their workshop and quickly!"

  Elvina put on her large winter coat and scarf, she hastily made for the door. She needed to do just as Louis had wished, and find the two elves just as quickly as she could.

  Louis's mind began to race.

  He took from his backpack a small notebook, which he always carried with him. He placed it on the table in front of him, and started rapidly to draw out his plans, writing notes, and making sketches (for the elves to follow in detail), of what Louis wanted them to build, within the next two days. Louis now went over and over the ideas; he had to foil Black Jack with Molly and Chug. The discussion went on for over an hour. When he was sure that both understood what was to be done Louis stood up from the table. He started to pack for his long journey back up the mountainside.

  "I must leave now. I cannot wait for the elves any longer. You two will have my notes, and my drawing. You both can explain everything to them what needs to be built for when I return from the mountain everything must be ready. Look for me two days from now...before sunset. I will travel by day and by night, and go just as fast as my legs will carry me. I promise I will return, on the second day and on time."