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Page 37
It was certainly a handsome sledge, and big and roomy. Claus painted
it in bright colors, although no one was likely to see it during his
midnight journeys, and when all was finished he sent for Glossie and
Flossie to come and look at it.
The deer admired the sledge, but gravely declared it was too big and
heavy for them to draw.
"We might pull it over the snow, to be sure," said Glossie; "but we
would not pull it fast enough to enable us to visit the far-away
cities and villages and return to the Forest by daybreak."
"Then I must add two more deer to my team," declared Claus, after a
moment's thought.
"The Knook Prince allowed you as many as ten. Why not use them all?"
asked Flossie. "Then we could speed like the lightning and leap to
the highest roofs with ease."
"A team of ten reindeer!" cried Claus, delightedly. "That will be
splendid. Please return to the Forest at once and select eight other
deer as like yourselves as possible. And you must all eat of the casa
plant, to become strong, and of the grawle plant, to become fleet of
foot, and of the marbon plant, that you may live long to accompany me
on my journeys. Likewise it will be well for you to bathe in the Pool
of Nares, which the lovely Queen Zurline declares will render you
rarely beautiful. Should you perform these duties faithfully there is
no doubt that on next Christmas Eve my ten reindeer will be the most
powerful and beautiful steeds the world has ever seen!"
So Glossie and Flossie went to the Forest to choose their mates, and
Claus began to consider the question of a harness for them all.
In the end he called upon Peter Knook for assistance, for Peter's
heart is as kind as his body is crooked, and he is remarkably shrewd,
as well. And Peter agreed to furnish strips of tough leather
for the harness.
This leather was cut from the skins of lions that had reached such an
advanced age that they died naturally, and on one side was tawny hair
while the other side was cured to the softness of velvet by the deft
Knooks. When Claus received these strips of leather he sewed them
neatly into a harness for the ten reindeer, and it proved strong and
serviceable and lasted him for many years.
The harness and sledge were prepared at odd times, for Claus devoted
most of his days to the making of toys. These were now much better
than the first ones had been, for the immortals often came to his
house to watch him work and to offer suggestions. It was Necile's
idea to make some of the dolls say "papa" and "mama." It was a
thought of the Knooks to put a squeak inside the lambs, so that when a
child squeezed them they would say "baa-a-a-a!" And the Fairy Queen
advised Claus to put whistles in the birds, so they could be made to
sing, and wheels on the horses, so children could draw them around.
Many animals perished in the Forest, from one cause or another, and
their fur was brought to Claus that he might cover with it the small
images of beasts he made for playthings. A merry Ryl suggested that
Claus make a donkey with a nodding head, which he did, and afterward
found that it amused the little ones immensely. And so the toys grew
in beauty and attractiveness every day, until they were the wonder of
even the immortals.
When another Christmas Eve drew near there was a monster load of
beautiful gifts for the children ready to be loaded upon the big
sledge. Claus filled three sacks to the brim, and tucked every corner
of the sledge-box full of toys besides.
Then, at twilight, the ten reindeer appeared and Flossie introduced
them all to Claus. They were Racer and Pacer, Reckless and Speckless,
Fearless and Peerless, and Ready and Steady, who, with Glossie and
Flossie, made up the ten who have traversed the world these hundreds
of years with their generous master. They were all exceedingly
beautiful, with slender limbs, spreading antlers, velvety dark eyes
and smooth coats of fawn color spotted with white.
Claus loved them at once, and has loved them ever since, for they are
loyal friends and have rendered him priceless service.
The new harness fitted them nicely and soon they were all fastened to
the sledge by twos, with Glossie and Flossie in the lead. These wore
the strings of sleigh-bells, and were so delighted with the music they
made that they kept prancing up and down to make the bells ring.
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