Good evening and welcome to Dreamtime Stories with Jackie.
I'm so glad you're here tonight because we have another exciting chapter in the life and adventures of Santa Claus.
The last chapter we read was chapter three in part two,
Manhood,
Where Santa made a different toy.
He was making cats for a while and Shagra came to visit him,
Shagra the lioness,
And so he made a lioness look just like her and the toy was very realistic.
So today we're gonna read chapter four,
How Little Mary Became Frightened.
So get all snuggled down in your blankets and ready for a cozy night and a wonderful story.
And here we go.
Chapter four,
How Little Mary Became Frightened.
The winter was over now and all the laughing valley was filled with joyous excitement.
The brook was so happy at being free once again that it gurgled more boisterously than ever and dashed so recklessly against the rocks that it sent showers of spray high up in the air.
The grass thrust its sharp little blades upward through the mat of dead stalks where it had hidden from the snow all winter long.
But the flowers were yet too timid to show themselves.
Although the rills were busy feeding their roots.
The sun was in remarkably good humor and sent his rays dancing merrily throughout the valley.
Klaus was eating his dinner one day when he heard a little knock on his door.
Come in,
He called.
No one entered,
But after a pause came another little knock.
Klaus jumped up and threw open the door.
Before him stood a small little girl holding a smaller brother fast by the hand.
This you Klaus,
She asked shyly.
Indeed I am my dear,
He answered with a laugh and caught both children up in his arms and welcomed them in.
Come on in,
You have come just in time to share my dinner.
He took them to the table and fed them with fresh milk and nut cakes.
When they had eaten enough,
He asked,
Why have you made this long journey to see me?
I want a tat replied little Mary and her brother who had not yet learned to speak very many words,
Nodded his head vigorously and exclaimed like an echo,
Tat,
Oh,
You want my toy cats,
Do you?
Returned Klaus,
Greatly pleased to discover that his creations were so popular with children.
The little visitors nodded eagerly.
Unfortunately,
He continued,
I have but one cat now ready for I just carried two to children in the town yesterday.
And the one I have,
I shall give to your little brother Mary and I will make a new one for you.
The boy's face was bright with smiles as he took the precious toy Klaus held out to him.
But little Mary covered her face with her arm and began to sob,
I want a tat now,
She wailed.
Her disappointment made Klaus feel miserable.
And then he remembered he had Shagra,
The lioness toy in his cupboard.
Oh,
Don't cry,
Darling,
He said soothingly.
I have another toy and you shall have that.
He went to the cupboard and drew out the image of the lioness,
Which he placed on the table before Mary.
The girl raised her arm and gave one glance at the fierce teeth and glaring eyes of the lioness.
And then uttering a terrified scream,
She rushed from the house.
The little boy followed her also screaming and even dropping his precious cat in his fear.
For a moment,
Klaus stood motionless,
Being puzzled and astonished.
Then he put Shagra's image into the cupboard and ran after the children,
Calling to them not to be frightened.
Little Mary stopped in her flight and her brother clung to her skirt.
But they both cast fearful glances at the house until Klaus had assured them many times that the beast had been locked in the cupboard.
Yet why were you frightened at seeing it?
He asked,
It's only a toy.
It's bad,
Said Mary decidedly.
And it's just horrid and not a bit nice like cats.
Oh,
Perhaps you are right,
Returned Klaus.
But if you'll come back with me to the house,
I will make you a pretty cat.
So they timidly entered the house again,
Having faith in their friend's words.
And afterward,
They had the joy of watching Klaus carve out a cat from a bit of wood and paint it in natural colors.
It did not take him long to do this for he had become very skillful with his knife by this time.
And Mary loved her toy more dearly because she had seen it made.
After his little visitors had trotted away on their journey homeward,
Klaus sat long in deep thought.
And then he decided that such a fierce creature as his friend,
The lioness,
Would never do as a model for which to fashion his toys.
There must be nothing to frighten the dear babies,
He reflected.
And while I know Shegra very well,
And I'm not afraid of her,
It is natural that children should look upon her image with terror.
Hereafter,
I will choose such mild mannered animals as squirrels and rabbits and deer and lambs from which to carve my toys.
For then the little ones will love rather than fear them.
He began his work that very day.
And before bedtime,
He had made a wooden rabbit and a lamb.
They were not quite as lifelike as the cats had been because these were made from memory while Blinky had sat very still for Klaus to look at while he worked to make his cat toy.
But the new toys pleased the children nevertheless,
And the fame of Klaus's playthings quickly spread to every cottage on the plain and in the villages.
He always carried his gifts to the sick or the crippled children.
But those who were strong enough walked to the house in the valley to ask for them.
So a little path was soon worn from the plain to the door of the toy maker's cottage.
This demand for his handiwork kept Klaus busily occupied,
But he was quite happy in knowing the pleasure he gave to so many of the dear children.
His friends,
The immortals,
Were very happy with his success and they supported him bravely.
The knooks selected for him clear pieces of soft wood that his knife might not be blunted in cutting them.
The rills kept him supplied with paints of all colors and brushes fashioned from the tips of Timothy grasses.
The fairies discovered that the workman needed saws and chisels and hammers and nails,
As well as knives,
And brought him a good array of such tools.
Soon Klaus turned his living room into a most wonderful workshop.
He built a bench before the window and arranged his tools and paints so that he could reach everything as he sat on a stool.
And as he finished toy after toy to delight the hearts of little children,
He found himself growing so happy that he could not refrain from singing and laughing and whistling all the day long.
It is because I live in the laughing valley where everything else laughs,
Said Klaus,
But that was not the reason.
So join me very soon for chapter five as we continue the life and adventures of Santa Claus.
Have a sweet,
Dreamy night now.
This is Jackie sending you so many hugs.
Good night now.
