A Kidnapped Santa Claus.docx

A Kidnapped Santa Claus.docx

《A Kidnapped Santa Claus.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《A Kidnapped Santa Claus.docx（10页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

AKidnappedSantaClaus

AKidnappedSantaClausbyL.FrankBaumSantaClauslivesintheLaughingValley,wherestandsthebig,ramblingcastleinwhichhistoysaremanufactured.Hisworkmen,selectedfromtheryls,knooks,pixiesandfairies,livewithhim,andeveryoneisasbusyascanbefromoneyear'sendtoanother.

ItiscalledtheLaughingValleybecauseeverythingthereishappyandgay.Thebrookchucklestoitselfasitleapsrollickingbetweenitsgreenbanks;thewindwhistlesmerrilyinthetrees;thesunbeamsdancelightlyoverthesoftgrass,andthevioletsandwildflowerslooksmilinglyupfromtheirgreennests.Tolaughoneneedstobehappy;tobehappyoneneedstobecontent.AndthroughouttheLaughingValleyofSantaClauscontentmentreignssupreme.

OnonesideisthemightyForestofBurzee.AttheothersidestandsthehugemountainthatcontainstheCavesoftheDaemons.AndbetweenthemtheValleyliessmilingandpeaceful.

OnewouldthingthatourgoodoldSantaClaus,whodevoteshisdaystomakingchildrenhappy,wouldhavenoenemiesonalltheearth;and,asamatteroffact,foralongperiodoftimeheencounterednothingbutlovewhereverhemightgo.

ButtheDaemonswholiveinthemountaincavesgrewtohateSantaClausverymuch,andallforthesimplereasonthathemadechildrenhappy.

TheCavesoftheDaemonsarefiveinnumber.Abroadpathwayleadsuptothefirstcave,whichisafinelyarchedcavernatthefootofthemountain,theentrancebeingbeautifullycarvedanddecorated.InitresidestheDaemonofSelfishness.BackofthisisanothercaverninhabitedbytheDaemonofEnvy.ThecaveoftheDaemonofHatredisnextinorder,andthroughthisonepassestothehomeoftheDaemonofMalice--situatedinadarkandfearfulcaveintheveryheartofthemountain.Idonotknowwhatliesbeyondthis.Somesaythereareterriblepitfallsleadingtodeathanddestruction,andthismayverywellbetrue.However,fromeachoneofthefourcavesmentionedthereisasmall,narrowtunnelleadingtothefifthcave--acozylittleroomoccupiedbytheDaemonofRepentance.Andastherockyfloorsofthesepassagesarewellwornbythetrackofpassingfeet,I

judgethatmanywanderersintheCavesoftheDaemonshaveescapedthroughthetunnelstotheabodeoftheDaemonofRepentance,whoissaidtobeapleasantsortoffellowwhogladlyopensforonealittledooradmittingyouintofreshairandsunshineagain.

Well,theseDaemonsoftheCaves,thinkingtheyhadgreatcausetodislikeoldSantaClaus,heldameetingonedaytodiscussthematter.

"I'mreallygettinglonesome,"saidtheDaemonofSelfishness."ForSantaClausdistributessomanyprettyChristmasgiftstoallthechildrenthattheybecomehappyandgenerous,throughhisexample,andkeepawayfrommycave."

"I'mhavingthesametrouble,"rejoinedtheDaemonofEnvy."ThelittleonesseemquitecontentwithSantaClaus,andtherearefew,indeed,thatIcancoaxtobecomeenvious."

"Andthatmakesitbadforme!

"declaredtheDaemonofHatred."ForifnochildrenpassthroughtheCavesofSelfishnessandEnvy,nonecangettoMYcavern."

"Ortomine,"addedtheDaemonofMalice.

"Formypart,"saidtheDaemonofRepentance,"itiseasilyseenthatifchildrendonotvisityourcavestheyhavenoneedtovisitmine;

sothatIamquiteasneglectedasyouare."

"AndallbecauseofthispersontheycallSantaClaus!

"exclaimedtheDaemonofEnvy."Heissimplyruiningourbusiness,andsomethingmustbedoneatonce."

Tothistheyreadilyagreed;butwhattodowasanotherandmoredifficultmattertosettle.TheyknewthatSantaClausworkedallthroughtheyearathiscastleintheLaughingValley,preparingthegiftshewastodistributeonChristmasEve;andatfirsttheyresolvedtotrytotempthimintotheircaves,thattheymightleadhimontotheterriblepitfallsthatendedindestruction.

Sotheverynextday,whileSantaClauswasbusilyatwork,surroundedbyhislittlebandofassistants,theDaemonofSelfishnesscametohimandsaid:

"Thesetoysarewonderfullybrightandpretty.Whydoyounotkeepthemforyourself?

It'sapitytogivethemtothosenoisyboysandfretfulgirls,whobreakanddestroythemsoquickly."

"Nonsense!

"criedtheoldgraybeard,hisbrighteyestwinklingmerrilyasheturnedtowardthetemptingDaemon."Theboysandgirlsareneversonoisyandfretfulafterreceivingmypresents,andifIcanmakethemhappyforonedayintheyearIamquitecontent."

SotheDaemonwentbacktotheothers,whoawaitedhimintheircaves,andsaid:

"Ihavefailed,forSantaClausisnotatallselfish."

ThefollowingdaytheDaemonofEnvyvisitedSantaClaus.Saidhe:

"Thetoyshopsarefullofplaythingsquiteasprettyasthoseyouaremaking.Whatashameitisthattheyshouldinterferewithyourbusiness!

Theymaketoysbymachinerymuchquickerthanyoucanmakethembyhand;andtheysellthemformoney,whileyougetnothingatallforyourwork."

ButSantaClausrefusedtobeenviousofthetoyshops.

"Icansupplythelittleonesbutonceayear--onChristmasEve,"heanswered;"forthechildrenaremany,andIambutone.AndasmyworkisoneofloveandkindnessIwouldbeashamedtoreceivemoneyformylittlegifts.Butthroughoutalltheyearthechildrenmustbeamusedinsomeway,andsothetoyshopsareabletobringmuchhappinesstomylittlefriends.Ilikethetoyshops,andamgladtoseethemprosper."

Inspiteofthesecondrebuff,theDaemonofHatredthoughthewouldtrytoinfluenceSantaClaus.Sothenextdayheenteredthebusyworkshopandsaid:

"Goodmorning,Santa!

Ihavebadnewsforyou."

"Thenrunaway,likeagoodfellow,"answeredSantaClaus."Badnewsissomethingthatshouldbekeptsecretandnevertold."

"Youcannotescapethis,however,"declaredtheDaemon;"forintheworldareagoodmanywhodonotbelieveinSantaClaus,andtheseyouareboundtohatebitterly,sincetheyhavesowrongedyou."

"Stuffandrubbish!

"criedSanta.

"Andthereareotherswhoresentyourmakingchildrenhappyandwhosneeratyouandcallyouafoolisholdrattlepate!

Youarequiterighttohatesuchbaseslanderers,andyououghttoberevengeduponthemfortheirevilwords."

"ButIdon'thate'em!

"exclaimedSantaClauspositively."Suchpeopledomenorealharm,butmerelyrenderthemselvesandtheirchildrenunhappy.Poorthings!

I'dmuchratherhelpthemanydaythaninjurethem."

Indeed,theDaemonscouldnottemptoldSantaClausinanyway.Onthecontrary,hewasshrewdenoughtoseethattheirobjectinvisitinghimwastomakemischiefandtrouble,andhischeerylaughterdisconcertedtheevilonesandshowedtothemthefollyofsuchanundertaking.Sotheyabandonedhoneyedwordsanddeterminedtouseforce.

ItwaswellknownthatnoharmcancometoSantaClauswhileheisintheLaughingValley,forthefairies,andryls,andknooksallprotecthim.ButonChristmasEvehedriveshisreindeeroutintothebigworld,carryingasleighloadoftoysandprettygiftstothechildren;

andthiswasthetimeandtheoccasionwhenhisenemieshadthebestchancetoinjurehim.SotheDaemonslaidtheirplansandawaitedthearrivalofChristmasEve.

Themoonshonebigandwhiteinthesky,andthesnowlaycrispandsparklingonthegroundasSantaClauscrackedhiswhipandspedawayoutoftheValleyintothegreatworldbeyond.Theroomysleighwaspackedfullwithhugesacksoftoys,andasthereindeerdashedonwardourjollyoldSantalaughedandwhistledandsangforveryjoy.Forinallhismerrylifethiswastheonedayintheyearwhenhewashappiest--thedayhelovinglybestowedthetreasuresofhisworkshopuponthelittlechildren.

Itwouldbeabusynightforhim,hewellknew.Ashewhistledandshoutedandcrackedhiswhipagain,hereviewedinmindallthetownsandcitiesandfarmhouseswherehewasexpected,andfiguredthathehadjustenoughpresentstogoaroundandmakeeverychildhappy.Thereindeerknewexactlywhatwasexpectedofthem,anddashedalongsoswiftlythattheirfeetscarcelyseemedtotouchthesnow-coveredground.

Suddenlyastrangethinghappened:

aropeshotthroughthemoonlightandabignoosethatwasintheendofitsettledoverthearmsandbodyofSantaClausanddrewtight.Beforehecouldresistorevencryouthewasjerkedfromtheseatofthesleighandtumbledheadforemostintoasnowbank,whilethereindeerrushedonwardwiththeloadoftoysandcarrieditquicklyoutofsightandsound.

SuchasurprisingexperienceconfusedoldSantaforamoment,andwhenhehadcollectedhissenseshefoundthatthewickedDaemonshadpulledhimfromthesnowdriftandboundhimtightlywithmanycoilsofthestoutrope.AndthentheycarriedthekidnappedSantaClausawaytotheirmountain,wheretheythrusttheprisonerintoasecretcaveandchainedhimtotherockywallsothathecouldnotescape.

"Ha,ha!

"laughedtheDaemons,rubbingtheirhandstogetherwithcruelglee."Whatwillthechildrendonow?

HowtheywillcryandscoldandstormwhentheyfindtherearenotoysintheirstockingsandnogiftsontheirChristmastrees!

Andwhatalotofpunishmenttheywillreceivefromtheirparents,andhowtheywillflocktoourCavesofSelfishness,andEnvy,andHatred,andMalice!

Wehavedoneamightycleverthing,weDaemonsoftheCaves!

"

NowitsochancedthatonthisChristmasEvethegoodSantaClaushadtakenwithhiminhissleighNutertheRyl,PetertheKnook,KilterthePixie,andasmallfairynamedWisk--hisfourfavoriteassistants.

Theselittlepeoplehehadoftenfoundveryusefulinhelpinghimtodistributehisgiftstothechildren,andwhentheirmasterwassosuddenlydraggedfromthesleightheywereallsnuglytucked