"What do you want?" asked Nicholas almost roughly. "Go away. I want to be alone."

      Standing in the doorway, the little boy’s mouth quivered. "My boat’s broken," he cried. "The new one given to me for the Christmas feast. Father’s gone out fishing and mother cant fix it. What shall I do?" he asked holding up a broken toy fishing boat. Nicholas dried his eyes on his sleeves and took the broken toy in his hands. "I’ll fix it for you." he said as he turned back to his lonely corner.

      "Oh, come in here where there’s more light." said the young Bavran.

      So Nicholas went in where there was more light, more children, and more laughter and for a while he forgot his sorrows.

      As the months passed, Nicholas grew very fond of the Bavran children, Otto, Margaret and Gretchen. He loved playing with them, but he knew it couldn’t last forever. When Christmas day was approaching again and the Bavran family talked of Nicholas leaving them, he became very confused and frightened, yet his main thoughts were of how he could repay them for their kindness. Nicholas wished that he could give them all a gift, but the only things he owned in the world were the clothes that he wore, an extra coat and trousers, an old sea chest and the pocketknife that had belonged to his father. He just couldn’t part with any of these. Suddenly a wonderful idea came into his head. He would carve some toys for the children

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3b

Chapter Twelve

Nicholas Sleeps

      Holly was no longer little Holly, but a lovely slender young girl who led a happy life, her childish terrors long forgotten. She still continued the practice of bringing flowers to her old friend and every Christmas Eve she would go into the dark forest to gather holly to decorate his cottage on Christmas morning.

      It was almost noon, and as she approached the cottage she noticed how silent and empty it looked without Nicholas bending over his work and no smoke coming from the chimney.

      She stole silently into the cold little cottage and quietly opened the door to his bedroom.

      "Why the darling was so tired he fell asleep with his clothes on," she murmured tenderly.

      For the fat round figure lay there, still dressed in the bright red suit with the white fur, the shiny black boots and the close fitting cap.

      "Here’s your holly," whispered the girl, bending over Nicholas.

      Then with a startled exclamation she dropped the red berries over the still figure and sprang back frightened. It was a few moments before Holly realised what must have happened and as she edged back close to him she sobbed, "Poor Nicholas. Why did you have to die? We all loved you so much."

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