2. How Claus Made the First Toy
Truly our Claus had wisdom, for his good fortune but strengthened hisresolve to befriend the little ones of his own race. He knew his planwas approved by the immortals, else they would not have favored him sogreatly.
So he began at once to make acquaintance with mankind. He walkedthrough the Valley to the plain beyond, and crossed the plain in manydirections to reach the abodes of men. These stood singly or in groupsof dwellings called villages, and in nearly all the houses, whether bigor little, Claus found children.
The youngsters soon came to know his merry, laughing face and the kindglance of his bright eyes; and the parents, while they regarded theyoung man with some scorn for loving children more than their elders,were content that the girls and boys had found a playfellow who seemedwilling to amuse them.
So the children romped and played games with Claus, and the boys rodeupon his shoulders, and the girls nestled in his strong arms, and thebabies clung fondly to his knees. Wherever the young man chanced tobe, the sound of childish laughter followed him; and to understand thisbetter you must know that children were much neglected in those daysand received little attention from their parents, so that it became tothem a marvel that so goodly a man as Claus devoted his time to makingthem happy. And those who knew him were, you may be sure, very happyindeed. The sad faces of the poor and abused grew bright for once; thecripple smiled despite his misfortune; the ailing ones hushed theirmoans and the grieved ones their cries when their merry friend camenigh to comfort them.
Only at the beautiful palace of the Lord of Lerd and at the frowningcastle of the Baron Braun was Claus refused admittance. There werechildren at both places; but the servants at the palace shut the doorin the young stranger's face, and the fierce Baron threatened to hanghim from an iron hook on the castle walls. Whereupon Claus sighed andwent back to the poorer dwellings where he was welcome.
After a time the winter drew near.
The flowers lived out their lives and faded and disappeared; thebeetles burrowed far into the warm earth; the butterflies deserted themeadows; and the voice of the brook grew hoarse, as if it had takencold.
One day snowflakes filled all the air in the Laughing Valley, dancingboisterously toward the earth and clothing in pure white raiment theroof of Claus's dwelling.
At night Jack Frost rapped at the door.
"Come in!" cried Claus.
"Come out!" answered Jack, "for you have a fire inside."
So Claus came out. He had known Jack Frost in the Forest, and likedthe jolly rogue, even while he mistrusted him.
"There will be rare sport for me to-night, Claus!" shouted the sprite."Isn't this glorious weather? I shall nip scores of noses and ears andtoes before daybreak."
"If you love me, Jack, spare the children," begged Claus.
"And why?" asked the other, in surprise.
"They are tender and helpless," answered Claus.
"But I love to nip the tender ones!" declared Jack. "The older onesare tough, and tire my fingers."
"The young ones are weak, and can not fight you," said Claus.
"True," agreed Jack, thoughtfully. "Well, I will not pinch a childthis night--if I can resist the temptation," he promised. "Good night,Claus!"
"Good night."
The young man went in and closed the door, and Jack Frost ran on to thenearest village.
Claus threw a log on the fire, which burned up brightly. Beside thehearth sat Blinkie, a big cat give him by Peter the Knook. Her fur wassoft and glossy, and she purred never-ending songs of contentment.
"I shall not see the children again soon," said Claus to the cat, whokindly paused in her song to listen. "The winter is upon us, the snowwill be deep for many days, and I shall be unable to play with mylittle friends."
The cat raised a paw and stroked her nose thoughtfully, but made noreply. So long as the fire burned and Claus sat in his easy chair bythe hearth she did not mind the weather.
So passed many days and many long evenings. The cupboard was alwaysfull, but Claus became weary with having nothing to do more than tofeed the fire from the big wood-pile the Knooks had brought him.
One evening he picked up a stick of wood and began to cut it with hissharp knife. He had no thought, at first, except to occupy his time,and he whistled and sang to the cat as he carved away portions of thestick. Puss sat up on her haunches and watched him, listening at thesame time to her master's merry whistle, which she loved to hear evenmore than her own purring songs.
Claus glanced at puss and then at the stick he was whittling, untilpresently the wood began to have a shape, and the shape was like thehead of a cat, with two ears sticking upward.
Claus stopped whistling to laugh, and then both he and the cat lookedat the wooden image in some surprise. Then he carved out the eyes andthe nose, and rounded the lower part of the head so that it rested upona neck.
Puss hardly knew what to make of it now, and sat up stiffly, as ifwatching with some suspicion what would come next.
Claus knew. The head gave him an idea. He plied his knife carefullyand with skill, forming slowly the body of the cat, which he made tosit upon its haunches as the real cat did, with her tail wound aroundher two front legs.
The work cost him much time, but the evening was long and he hadnothing better to do. Finally he gave a loud and delighted laugh atthe result of his labors and placed the wooden cat, now completed, uponthe hearth opposite the real one.
Puss thereupon glared at her image, raised her hair in anger, anduttered a defiant mew. The wooden cat paid no attention, and Claus,much amused, laughed again.
Then Blinkie advanced toward the wooden image to eye it closely andsmell of it intelligently: Eyes and nose told her the creature waswood, in spite of its natural appearance; so puss resumed her seat andher purring, but as she neatly washed her face with her padded paw shecast more than one admiring glance at her clever master. Perhaps shefelt the same satisfaction we feel when we look upon good photographsof ourselves.
The cat's master was himself pleased with his handiwork, withoutknowing exactly why. Indeed, he had great cause to congratulatehimself that night, and all the children throughout the world shouldhave joined him rejoicing. For Claus had made his first toy.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus Page 8