Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the twelfth chapter of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

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Wherever you listen to podcasts today, we'll be continuing the Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by El Frank Baum five how Bessie Blivesome came to the Laughing valley one day as Claus sat before his door to enjoy the sunshine.

While he busily carved the head and horns of a toy deer, he looked up and discovered a glittering cavicade of horsemen approaching through the valley.

When they drew nearer, he saw that the band consisted of a score of men at arms, clad in bright armor and bearing in their hands spears and battle axes.

In front of these rode little Bessie Blithsome, the pretty daughter of that proud lord of LURD, who had once driven claws from his palace.

Her palphrey was pure white, its bridle was covered with glittering gems, and its saddle draped with cloth of gold, richly broidered.

The soldiers were sent to protect her from harm while she journeyed.

Claus was surprised, but he continued to whittle and to sing until the cavicade drew up before him.

Then the little girl leaned over the neck of her palsry and said, please, Mister Claus, I want a toy.

Her voice was so pleading that Claude jumped up at once and stood beside her.

But he was puzzled how to answer her request.

You are a rich lord's daughter, said he, and have all that you desire.

Except toys, added Bessie.

There are no toys than all the world but yours, and I make them for the poor children who have nothing else to amuse them, continued Claus.

Do poor children love to play with toys more than rich ones?

Asked Bessie.

I suppose not, said Claus thoughtfully.

Am I to blame because my father is a lord?

Must I be denied the pretty toys I long for because other children are poor than I?

She inquired earnestly.

I'm afraid you must, dear, he answered, for the poor have nothing else with which to amuse themselves.

You have your pony to ride, your servants to wait on you, and every comfort that money can procure.

But I want toys, cried Bessie, wiping away the tears that force themselves into her eyes.

If I cannot have them, I shall be very unhappy.

Claus was troubled, for her grief were called to him, the thought that his desire was to make all children happy without regard to their condition in life.

Yet while so many poor children were clamoring for his toys, he could not bear to give one of them to Bessie Blithe, some who had so much already to make her happy.

Listen, my child, said he gently, all the toys I am now making are promised to others, but the next shall be yours, since your heart so longs for it.

Come to me again in two days, and it shall be ready for you.

Bessie gave a cry of delight, and leaning over her pony's neck, she kissed Claus prettily upon his forehead.

Then, calling to her men at arms, she rode gaily away at leaving Claus to resume his work.

If I'm to supply the rich children as well as the poor ones, he thought, I shall not have a spare moment in the whole year.

But is it right I should give to the rich?

Surely I must go to Nicille and talk with her about this matter.

So when he had finished the toy deer, which was very like a deer he had known in the forest glades, he walked into Burzi and made his way to the bower of the beautiful Nymph Nassil, who had been his foster mother.

She greeted him tenderly and lovingly, listening with interest to his story of the visit of Bessie Bliththem.

And now tell me, said he, shall I give toys to rich children?

We of the forest know nothing of riches, she replied.

It seems to me that one child is like another child, since they are all made of the same clay, and that riches are like a gown which may be put on or taken away, leaving the child unchanged.

But the fairies are guardians of mankind, and no mortal children better than I.

Let us call the Fairy Queen.

This was done, and the queen of the Fairy sat beside them and heard Claws relate his reasons for thinking the rich children could get along without his toys, and also what the nymph had said and my heart tells me they are as just as they are wise.

Hereafter old children may claim my services.

And he bowed before the gracious fairy, and kissing the sil's red lips, went back into his valley.

At the brook he stopped to drink, and afterward he sat on the bank and took a piece of moist clay in his hands while he thought what sort of toy he should make for bessy blivesome.

He did not notice that his fingers were working the clay into shape until, glancing downward, he found he had unconsciously formed a head that bore a slight resemblance to the nymph Nassil.

At once he became interested.

Gathering more of the clay from the bank, he carried it to his house.

Then, with the aid of his knife and a bit of wood, he succeeded in working the clay into the image of a toy nymph.

With skilful strokes, he formed long waving hair on the head and covered the body with a gown of oak leaves, while the 2ft sticking out at the bottom of the gown were clad in sandals.

But the clay was soft, and claws found he must handle it gently to avoid ruining his pretty work.

Perhaps the rays of the sun will draw out the moisture and cause the clay to become hard, he thought.

So he laid the image on a flat board and placed it in the glare of the sun.

This done, he went to his bench and began painting the toy deer.

And soon he became so interested in the work that he forgot all about the clay nymph.

But next morning, happening to notice it as it lay on the board, he found the sun had baked it to the hardness of stone, and it was strong enough to be safely handled.

Claus now painted the nymph with great care in the likeness of Nassil, giving it deep blue eyes, white teeth, rosy lips and ruddy brown hair.

The gown he colored oak leaf green, and when the paint was dry, klaus himself was charmed with the new toy.

Of course, it was not nearly so lovely as the real missile, but considering the material of which it was made, klaus thought it was very beautiful.

When Bessie, riding upon her white palfrey, came to his dwelling next day, claus presented her with the new toy.

The girl's eyes were brighter than ever as she examined the pretty image, and she loved it at once and held it close to her breast as a mother does to her child.

What is it called, Claus?

She asked.

Now, Claus knew the nymphs do not like to be spoken of by mortals, so he could not tell Bessie it was an image of Massil he had given her.

But as it was a new toy, he searched his mind for a new name to call it by, and the first word he thought of, he decided, would do very well.

It is called a dolly, my dear, he said to bessy.

I shall call the dolly, my baby, returned Bessy, kissing it fondly, and I shall tend it and care for it just as Nurse cares for me.

Thank you very much, Claus.

Your gift has made me happier than I've ever been before.

Then she rode away, hugging the toy in her arms, and Claus, seeing her delight, thought he would make another dolly better and more natural.

Than the first.

He brought more clay from the brook and remembering that Bessie had called the dolly her baby, he resolved to form this one into a baby's image.

That was no difficult task to the clever workmen, and soon the baby dolly was lying on the board and placed in the sun to dry.

Then with the clay that was left, he began to make an image of Bessie Blithsome herself.

This was not so easy, for he found he could not make the silk and robe of the Lord's daughter out of the common clay.

So he called the fairies to his aid and asked them to bring him colored silks with it to make a real dress for the clay image.

The fairies set off at once on their errand and before nightfall they returned with a generous supply of silks and laces and golden threads.

Klaus now became impatient to complete his new dolly and instead of waiting for the next day's sun he placed the clay image upon his hearth and covered it over with glowing coals.

By morning, when he drew the dolly from the ashes it had baked his heart as if it had lain in a full day in the hot sun.

Now our claws became a dressmaker as well as a toy maker.

He cut the lavender silk and neatly sewed it into a beautiful gown that just fitted the new dolly.

And he put a lace collar around its neck and pink silk shoes on its feet.

A natural color of baked clay is a light grey.

But Claus painted the face to resemble the color of flesh and he gave the dolly Bessie's brown eyes and golden hair and rosy cheeks.

It was really a beautiful thing to look upon and sure to bring joy to some childish heart.

While Claus was admiring it, he heard a knock at his door and little Maury entered.

Her face was sad and her eyes red with continued weeping.

Why, what has grieved you, my dear?

Asked Claus, taking the child in his arms.

I've broke my tat, sobbed Mary.

How?

He inquired, his eyes twinkling.

I dwpped him and broke off his tail.

And I dropped him and broke off him's ear, and now him's all spoiled.

Claus laughed.

Never mind, Mary dear, he said.

How would you like this new dolly instead of a cat?

Mary looked at the silk robed dolly and her eyes grew big with astonishment.

Oh, claws.

She cried, clapping her small hands together with rapture.

Can I have that, beautiful lady?

Do you like it?

He asked.

I love it, said she.

It's better in tats than take it, dear.

And be careful not to break it.

Mayri took the dolly with a joy that was almost reverent and her face dimpled with smiles as she started along the path toward home.

Thank you for joining Bite at a Time booked today while we read a bite of one of your favorite classics again.

My name is Brie Carlyle, and I hope you come back tomorrow for the next bite of the life and adventures of Santa Claus.

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