A Kidnapped Santa Claus

You are quite

right to hate such base slanderers, and you ought to be revenged upon

them for their evil words."

"But I don't hate 'em!" exclaimed Santa Claus positively. "Such

people do me no real harm, but merely render themselves and their

children unhappy. Poor things! I'd much rather help them any day

than injure them."

Indeed, the Daemons could not tempt old Santa Claus in any way. On

the contrary, he was shrewd enough to see that their object in

visiting him was to make mischief and trouble, and his cheery laughter

disconcerted the evil ones and showed to them the folly of such an

undertaking. So they abandoned honeyed words and determined to use force.

It was well known that no harm can come to Santa Claus while he is in

the Laughing Valley, for the fairies, and ryls, and knooks all protect

him. But on Christmas Eve he drives his reindeer out into the big

world, carrying a sleighload of toys and pretty gifts to the children;

and this was the time and the occasion when his enemies had the best

chance to injure him. So the Daemons laid their plans and awaited the

arrival of Christmas Eve.

The moon shone big and white in the sky, and the snow lay crisp and

sparkling on the ground as Santa Claus cracked his whip and sped away

out of the Valley into the great world beyond. The roomy sleigh was

packed full with huge sacks of toys, and as the reindeer dashed onward

our jolly old Santa laughed and whistled and sang for very joy. For

in all his merry life this was the one day in the year when he was

happiest--the day he lovingly bestowed the treasures of his workshop

upon the little children.

It would be a busy night for him, he well knew. As he whistled and

shouted and cracked his whip again, he reviewed in mind all the towns

and cities and farmhouses where he was expected, and figured that he

had just enough presents to go around and make every child happy. The

reindeer knew exactly what was expected of them, and dashed along so

swiftly that their feet scarcely seemed to touch the snow-covered ground.