The Adventures of Nicholas

On a frozen winter's night in a remote northern fishing village, a young boynamed Nicholas is orphaned when his father is drowned at sea. His mother bravesthe raging storm to get medical help for Kati, the younger sister, and leavesNicholas to sit by her bedside. When the villagers arrive at the cottage inmorning, he learns that Kati has died of a fever, and his mother is killed by afalling tree as she passes through the forest.The fishermen's wives gather to discuss how Nicholas will be cared for, anddecide that if each family takes him in for one year, he will reach an age tocare for himself. So it is that Nicholas moves in with his firstfamily-for-a-year on Christmas Eve. He hides in a closet and cries himself tosleep.The next day, Christmas, is sorrowful for Nicholas but brightened by the companyof the family's children, two girls and especially Otto, who becomes Nicholas'life-long friend. Nicholas has learned to carve by watching his...