| The
next morning the squire’s house and surrounds
thronged with eager people. Some had come to buy while
others just to watch or be nosy. Nicholas strode past the
horses straight to the stables where the reindeer were
kept. "He’s after Donner and Blitzen," the
men whispered to each other. "He’s always
admired the way they go so fast." The squire, now a bent old man with a worried look on his face, seemed somewhat bewildered by all the people talking about his house and possessions. When Nicholas showed his interest in the two reindeer he replied sternly, "Well you can’t have Donner and Blitzen alone. The set of reindeer go together or not at all. Why Donner would go raving mad if she was separated from the rest of her family." "Family!" exclaimed Nicholas. "But Squire I only need two reindeer. How many more...?" Eventually Nicholas weakened and became the proud owner of not two, but eight prancing reindeer, Donner and Blitzen, the mother and father with their six children, Dasher and Dancer, Comet and Cupid, Prancer and Vixen. This year Nicholas was planning for a bigger and better Christmas Eve than ever before and worked day and night to finish the toys. Finally the great night arrived. Nicholas finished tying the eight reindeer to each other with a harness bright with jingling silver bells. He slowly backed them up to the wood shed door, which he proudly opened, disclosing a most beautiful sight. There stood a bright, shining red sleigh, trimmed with silver stripes, the runners curving up in the front to form a swan’s head, the back roomy enough to hold toys for children of several villages. Nicholas guided the reindeer into the shafts and climbed up onto the high seat, so beautifully padded with cushions made of soft doe skin. He took out of its holder, a long shiny black whip, cracked it in the cold air, and page 24 |
13b |
they
were off. That night the villagers were woken from their
sleep by a merry jingling of silver bells, the stamp of
reindeer’s hooves on the hard snow and the sharp
crack of a whip. They peeked out from behind their
curtains and saw by the white light of the moon, a
shinning red sleigh drawn by eight prancing reindeer
whose flying hooves moved as fast as lightning. Perched
high up in the seat, snapping a long whip with one hand
and guiding the reindeer with the other was a large round
man, dressed in a belted red tunic trimmed with white
fur, baggy trousers stuffed into high black boots and a
close fitting red stocking cap which flew in the wind. Of
course they weren’t close enough to see his face,
but one and all, as they returned to their warm beds
murmured kindly, "That’s Nicholas on his way to
the children. God bless him." page 25 |