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

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Frank Baum ten Christmas Eve, the day that broke as Claus returned from his night ride with glossy and flossy brought him to a new trouble.

Will Nook, the chief guardian of the deer, came to him surly and ill tempered, to complain that he had kept Glossy and Flossy beyond daybreak in opposition to his orders.

Yet it could not have been very long after daybreak, said Claus.

It was 1 minute after, answered Will Nook, and that is as bad as 1 hour.

I shall set the stinging nets on glossy and flossy, and they will thus suffer terribly for their disobedience.

Don't do that.

Begged claws.

It was my fault.

But Will Nook would listen to no excuses and went away, grumbling and growling in his ill natured way.

For this reason, Klaus entered the forest to consult Nassil about rescuing the good deer from punishment.

To its delight, he found his old friend, the master Woodsman, seated in the circle of Nymphs AC listened to the story of the night journey to the children and of the great assistance the deer had been the claws by drawing his sledge over the frozen snow.

I do not wish my friends to be punished if I can save them, said the toy maker when he had finished the relation.

They were only 1 minute late, and they ran swifter than a birdflies to get home before daybreak.

Axe stroked his beard thoughtfully a moment and then sent for the Prince of the Nooks, who ruled all his people in Burzi, and also for the Queen of the Fairies and the Prince of the Reals.

When all had assembled, Klaus told his story again at Axe command, and then the master addressed the Prince of the Nooks, saying, the good work that Claudes is doing among mankind deserves the support of every honest immortal.

Already he is called a saint in some of the towns, and before long the name of Santa Claus will be lovingly known in every home that is blessed with children.

Moreover, he is a son of our forest, so we owe him our encouragement.

You, ruler of the nooks, have known him these many years.

Am I not right in saying he deserves our friendship?

The Prince crooked and sour a visage as all nooks are, looked only upon the dead leaves at his feet and.

Muttered, you are the master woodsman of the world.

AK smiled, but he continued in soft tones it seems that the deer which are guarded by your people can be of great assistance to Claws.

And as they seem willing to draw his sledge, I beg that you will permit him to use their services whenever he pleases.

The Prince did not reply, but tapped the curled point of his sandal with the tip of his spear as if in thought.

Then the fairy queen spoke to him in this way if you consent to.

AK's request, I will see that no.

Harm comes to your deer while they are away from the forest.

And the Prince of the Reels added.

For my part, I will allow to every deer that assists quads the privilege of eating my casa plants which give strength, and my Grawl plants which give fleetness of foot, and my Marbon plants which give long life.

And the Queen of the Nymph said the deer which draw the sledge of Claws will be permitted to bathe in the forest pool of Narras which will give them sleet coats and wonderful beauty.

The Prince of the Nooks, hearing these promises, shifted uneasily on his seat, for in his heart he hated to refuse a request of his fellow immortals, although they were asking an unusual favor at his hands, and the nooks are unaccustomed to granting favors of any kind.

Finally he turned to his servants and.

Said, call will nook.

When Surley Will came and heard the demands of the Immortals, he protested loudly against granting them.

Dear.

Our dear, said he, and nothing but dear.

Were they horses, it would be right to harness them like horses.

But no one harnesses deer because they are free, wild creatures, owing no service of any sort to mankind.

It would degrade, my dear, to labor for Claws, who is only a man, in spite of the friendship lavished on him by the Immortals.

You have heard, said the Prince, to ask there is truth in what Will says.

Call, glossy and Flossy returned the master.

The deer were brought to the conference and AK asked them if they objected to drawing the sledge for Claws.

No indeed replied glossy.

We enjoyed the trip very much, and we tried to get home by daybreak, added Flossy.

But we're unfortunately a minute too late, a minute lost.

It daybreak doesn't matter, said AK.

You are forgiven for that delay, provided it does not happen again, said the.

Prince of the nooks sternly.

And will you permit them to make another journey with me?

Asked Claus eagerly.

The prince reflected while he gazed at Will, who was scowling, and at the master woodsman, who was smiling.

Then he stood up and addressed the.

Company as follows since you all urge me to grant the favor, I will permit the deer to go with Claws once every year on Christmas Eve, provided they always return to the forest by daybreak.

He may select any number he pleases up to ten to draw his sledge and those shall be known among us as reindeer to distinguish them from the others and they shall bathe in the pool of Nerries and eat the Casa and the Growl and Marbon plants, and shall be under the especial protection of the Fairy Queen.

And now cease scowling, Will nook, for my words shall be obeyed.

He hobbled quickly away through the trees to avoid the thanks of Claws and the approval of the other immortals, and Will, looking as crosses, ever followed him.

But AC was satisfied, knowing that he could rely on the promise of the prince, however grudgingly given and glossy and flossy, ran home kicking up their heels, delightedly at every step.

When is Christmas Eve?

Claus?

Asked the master.

In about ten days, he replied.

Then I cannot use the deer this year, said Claus thoughtfully, for I shall not have time enough to make my sack full of toys.

The shrewd prince foresaw that, responded AK, and therefore Christmas Eve as the day you might use the deer, knowing it would cause you to lose an entire year.

If I only had the toys the August stole for me, said Claus sadly, I could easily fill my sack for the children.

Where are they?

Asked the master.

I do not know, replied Claus, but the wicked August probably hid them in the mountains.

Act turned to the fairy queen.

Can you find them?

He asked.

I will try, she replied brightly.

Then Claus went back to the laughing valley to work as hard as he could, and a band of fairies immediately flew to the mountain that had been haunted by the aguas and began a search for the stolen toys.

The fairies, as we well know, possess wonderful powers, but the cunning August had hidden the toys in a deep cave and covered the opening with rocks so no one could look in.

Therefore all search for the missing playthings proved in vain for several days, and Claus, who sat at home waiting for the news from the fairies, almost despaired of getting the toys before Christmas Eve.

He worked hard every moment, but it took considerable time to carve out into shape each toy and to paint it properly, so that on the morning before Christmas Eve only half of one small shelf above the window was filled with playthings, ready for the children.

But on this morning the fairies who were searching in the mountains had a new thought.

They joined hands and moved in a straight line through the rocks that formed the mountain, beginning at the topmost peak and working downward so that no spot could be missed by their bright eyes.

And at last they discovered the cave where the toys had been heaped up by the wicked Aguas.

It did not take them long to burst open the mouth of the cave and then each one seized as many toys as he could carry and they all flew to Claws and laid the treasure before him.

The good man was rejoiced to receive, just in the nick of time, such a store of playthings with which to load his sledge.

And he sent word to Glossy and Flossy to be ready for the journey at nightfall.

With all his other labors, he had managed to find time since the last trip to repair the harness and to strengthen his sledge so that when the deer came to him at twilight he had no difficulty in harnessing them.

We must go in another direction tonight, he told them, where we shall find children I have never yet visited.

And we must travel fast and work quickly for my sack is full of toys and running over the brim.

So just as the moon arose, they dashed out of the laughing valley and across the plain and over the hills to the south.

The air was sharp and frosty and the starlight touched the snowflakes and made them glitter like countless diamonds.

The reindeer leapt onward with strong, steady bounds.

Claus's heart was so light and merry that he laughed and sang while the wind whistled past his ears with a ho, ho ho and a ha, ha ha and a ho, ho away we go or the frozen snow as merry as we can be.

Jack Frost heard him and came racing up with his nippers.

But when he saw it was Claws, he laughed and turned away again.

The mother owls heard him as he passed near a wood and stuck their heads out of the hollow places in the tree trunks.

But when they saw who it was, they whispered to the owlettes nestling near them that it was only Santa Claus carrying toys to the children.

It is strange how much those mother owls know.

Claus stopped at some of the scattered farmhouses and climbed down the chimneys to leave presents for the babies.

Soon after, he reached a village and worked merrily for an hour distributing playthings among the sleeping little ones.

Then away again he went, singing his joyous carol.

Now away we go or the gleaming snow while the deer runs swift and free for to girls and boys we carry the toys that will fill their hearts with glee.

The deer liked the sound of his deep bass voice and kept time to the song with their hoof beats on the hard snow.

But soon they stopped at another chimney and Santa Claus, with sparkling eyes and face brushed red by the wind, climbed down its smoky sides and left a present for every child the house contained.

It was a merry, happy night.

Swiftly the deer ran and busily.

Their driver worked to scatter his gifts among the sleeping children.

But the sack was empty at last, and the sledge headed homeward.

And now again the race with daybreak began.

Glossy and Flossy had no mind to be rebuked a second time for tardiness.

So they fled with the swiftness that enabled them to pass the gale on which the frost king rode, and soon brought them to the laughing valley.

It is true when Claus released his seeds from their harness the eastern sky was streaked with grey but glossy and flossy were deep in the forest before day fairly broke, claus was so wearied with his night's work that he threw himself upon his bed and fell into a deep slumber.

And while he slept, the Christmas sun appeared in the sky and shone upon hundreds of happy homes where the sound of childish laughter proclaimed that Santa Claus had made them a visit.

God bless him.

It was his first Christmas Eve and for hundreds of years since then he has nobly fulfilled his mission to bring happiness to the hearts of little children.

Thank you for joining Bite at a Time Books 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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