Chapter VI: Part I: Stories Children Can Read (3)

Marie was not afraid of mice, and she could not help being amused by this sight. She stood watching the mice come from all directions when suddenly there came a sharp and terrible piping noise and seven mouse heads with seven shining crowns upon them, rose through the floor and behind them wriggled a mouse’s body on which the seven heads had all grown. Then the whole army of mice shouted in full chorus and went trot, trot, trot! right up to the cupboard--in fact, to Marie who was standing beside it.

Half frightened, Marie leaned back against the cupboard door and there was a klirr, klirr, klirr! What was happening? Right behind Marie a movement seemed to commence in the cupboard and small, faint voices began to be heard, saying:

“Come, awake, measures take,
Out to the fight, out to the fight;
Shield the right, shield the right,
Arm and away, this is the night,”

and bells began ringing as prettily as you please.

“Oh, that’s my little peal of bells,” cried Marie, and she went nearer and looked in. Then she saw that there was a bright light in the cupboard and everything there was astir. Dolls and little figures of all kinds were running about together and struggling with their little arms. All at once Nutcracker rose from his bed, cast off the bed clothes and sprang with both feet to the floor (of the shelf), calling out:

“Knack, knack, knack:
Stupid mousey pack.”

And with this he drew his little sword, waved it in the air, and cried: “My trusty followers, are you ready to stand by me in the battle?”

Instantly, three clowns, one pantaloon, four chimney sweeps, and a drummer cried, “Yes, yes, we follow you, Nutcracker,” and then they threw themselves down from the upper shelf after the brave Nutcracker.

“But what is going to happen now?” thought Marie. At this moment Nutcracker sprang down, and the squeaking and piping commenced again, worse than ever. Under the big table the mouse army was massed under the command of the terrible mouse king. What was to be the result?

“Beat the _generale_, drummer,” called out Nutcracker. Immediately the drummer began to roll his drum in the most splendid style so that the windows of the glass cupboard rattled and resounded. Then there began a cracking and a clattering inside, and Marie saw all the lids of the boxes in which Fritz’s army was quartered burst open and the soldiers came out and jumped down to the bottom of the shelf, where they formed up in good order. Nutcracker hurried up and down the ranks, speaking words of encouragement. Then turning to Pantaloon, who was looking rather pale and wobbling his long chin, he said:

“I know you are a brave and experienced general. I intrust you, Pantaloon, with the command of the cavalry and artillery. You can do without a horse; your own legs are long and you can gallop as fast as it is necessary. Do your duty!”

Immediately Pantaloon put his long, lean fingers to his mouth and gave a piercing whistle that rang as if a hundred little trumpets had been sounding lustily.

Then there began a tramping and neighing in the cupboard, and Fritz’s new, glittering hussars marched out and came to a halt on the floor. They marched past Nutcracker by regiments, with flags flying and bands playing; then they wheeled into line and formed at right angles to the march. And now boomed Fritz’s cannon with a pum, pum, pum! shooting sugarplums constantly under the mice. Poom, poom! again, and a fine fire of gingerbread nuts went into the enemy’s ranks, scattering the mice in all directions. Still the mice displayed continually more forces. Their little silver balls, which they delivered with great precision, went even inside the glass cupboard. You’ve no idea of the hurly-burly that went on. It went prr-prr-poof, piff, boom-booroom! Pantaloon had made several most brilliant cavalry charges and covered himself with glory. But Fritz’s hussars were pelted by the mice’s silver balls, which made bad spots on their red waistcoats. This made them hesitate and hang back for a time. Pantaloon made them take ground to the left, and in the excitement of the moment they all wheeled round and marched home to their quarters.

“The reserves shall come out!” cried Nutcracker, who hoped that more troops would come out from the glass cupboard. And there did, in fact, advance some brown gingerbread men and women, with gilt faces, hats, and helmets, but they fought so clumsily that they never hit any of the mice and soon knocked off the cap of Nutcracker himself. Poor Nutcracker was now hard pressed and closely surrounded by enemies. He tried to jump the bottom ledge of the cupboard, but his legs were not long enough.

“A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”

At that moment two of the enemies seized him by his wonder cloak, and the king of the mice went rushing up to him, squeaking in triumph.

Marie could contain herself no longer. “Oh, my poor Nutcracker!” she sobbed. She took off her left shoe, without distinctly knowing what she was about, and threw it as hard as she could into the thick of the enemy, straight at mouse king. Instantly everything vanished and all was silence. But there stood Nutcracker, with his sword in his hand. He fell upon one knee and said, “It was you, and you only, dearest lady, who inspired me with knightly valor. To you alone I owe my life. If you will take the trouble to follow me for a few steps, what glorious and beautiful things I could show you. Oh, do come with me, dearest lady!”

TOYLAND

“I will go with you, dear Nutcracker,” said Marie, “but it mustn’t be far, and must not be for long, because, you know, I haven’t had any sleep yet.”

“Then we will go by the shortest way,” said Nutcracker, “although it is perhaps the most difficult.”

He went on in front, followed by Marie, till he stopped before the big old wardrobe which stood in the hall. Marie was surprised to see that, though it was generally shut, the doors of it were now wide open. Her father’s fur traveling cloak hung in front. Nutcracker climbed up this cloak by the edgings and trimmings, and got hold of the big tassel which was fastened at the back of it by a thick cord. He gave this tassel a tug, and a pretty little ladder of cedar wood let itself quickly down through one of the armholes of the cloak.

“Step up that ladder, if you’ll be so kind,” said Nutcracker. Marie did so. But as soon as she had gone up through the armhole, and began to look out at the neck, a dazzling light came streaming on to her, and she found herself standing on a lovely sweet-scented meadow, from which millions of sparks were streaming upward like the glitter of beautiful gems.

“This is Candy Meadow where we are now,” said Nutcracker. “But we’ll go in at that gate there.”

Marie looked up, and saw a beautiful gateway on the meadow, only a few steps off. It seemed to be made of white, brown, and raisin-colored marble; but when she came close to it she saw it was all of baked sugar-almonds and raisins, which--as Nutcracker said when they were going through it--was the reason it was called Almond and Raisin Gate.

Presently the sweetest of odors came breathing round her, streaming from a beautiful little wood on both sides of the way. There was such a glittering and sparkling among the dark foliage that one could see all the gold and silver fruits hanging on the many-tinted stems, and these stems and branches were all ornamented and dressed up in ribbons and bunches of flowers.

“Oh, how charming this is!” cried Marie.

“This is Christmas Wood,” said Nutcracker.

“Ah,” said Marie, “if I only could stay for a little! Oh, it is so lovely!”

Nutcracker clapped his little hands, and immediately there appeared a number of little shepherds and shepherdesses, and hunters and huntresses, so white and delicate that you would have thought they were made of pure sugar, although they had been walking about in the wood. They brought a beautiful golden easy-chair for Marie, and invited her to take a seat. As soon as she did so the shepherds and shepherdesses danced a pretty ballet, for which the hunters and huntresses played the music on their horns, and then they all disappeared amongst the thickets.

“Had we not better go on a little farther?” asked Nutcracker.

“Oh, I’m sure it was most delightful,” said Marie, as she stood up and followed Nutcracker, who was going on, leading the way. They walked by the side of a sweet babbling brook, which seemed to be what was giving out all the perfume which filled the wood.

“This is Orange Brook,” said Nutcracker, “but, except for its sweet scent, it is nothing like as fine a water as the River Lemonade, a beautiful broad stream which falls--as this one does--into Almond-milk Sea.” And, indeed, Marie soon heard a louder splashing and rushing, and came in sight of the River Lemonade, which went rolling along in swelling waves of yellowish color, between banks covered with herbage and underwood. A short distance farther, on the banks of this stream, stood a nice little village. The houses were all dark brown, with gilded roofs so gay that one might suppose that they were plastered over with lemon peel and shelled almonds.

“That is Gingerbread Valley on the Honey River,” said Nutcracker. “It is known for the good looks of its people, but they are very short-tempered, because they suffer so much from toothache. So we will not go there, nor, indeed, visit all the little towns and villages or country. Let us be off to the capital.”

He stepped quickly onwards, and Marie followed him until they came to a great lake which kept broadening and broadening out wider and wider and on which the loveliest swans, white as silver--with colors of gold--were floating everywhere. Nutcracker clapped his little hands and the waves of the lake began to sound louder and splash higher, and at once there came a large shell barge made of precious stones of every color and drawn by two dolphins with scales of gold. It carried her and Nutcracker over the lake.

Oh, how beautiful it was when Marie went onward there over the waters in the shell-shaped barge, with the rose perfume breathing around her, and the rosy waves splashing! But she could not restrain a cry of admiration and astonishment as she now found herself all of a sudden before a castle, brightly lighted and splendid with a hundred beautiful towers. Here and there upon its walls were rich bouquets of violets, narcissus, tulips, and carnations. The great dome as well as the roofs of the towers were set all over with thousands of sparkling gold and silver stars.

“Aha!” said Nutcracker, “here we are at Marzipan Castle at last.”

Marie was lost in admiration of this magic palace. The fact did not escape her that the roof was wanting to one of the tallest towers, and that little men, upon a scaffold of sticks of cinnamon, were busy putting it on again. But before she had time to ask Nutcracker about this, beautiful music was heard and out came twelve little pages with lighted clove sticks, which they held in their little hands as torches. After them came four ladies about the size of Marie’s Christmas doll, but so gorgeously and brilliantly dressed that Marie saw in a moment they could be nothing but princesses. They embraced Nutcracker most tenderly, and cried at once, “O dearest prince! Beloved brother!”

Nutcracker seemed deeply affected. Then he took Marie by the hand and said, “Here is the noble preserver of my life. Had she not thrown her slipper in the nick of time, I should have been captured by the enemy.”

Then they embraced Marie and said, “Ah! Noble preserver of our beloved royal brother! Come into the castle and rest yourself while we prepare some food.”

Marie and Nutcracker were conducted into the castle, and while the princesses were setting forth a dainty repast, Nutcracker related the adventures of his fight with the mouse king. He told how everything would have gone against him if Marie had not come to his rescue. During all this time it seemed to Marie as if what Nutcracker was saying kept growing more and more indistinct, and going farther and farther away. Presently she saw a silver mistiness rising up all about, like clouds in which the princesses, the pages, Nutcracker, and she herself were floating. And a curious singing and buzzing and humming began, which seemed to die away in the distance, and then she seemed to be going up--up--up, as if in waves constantly rising and swelling higher and higher, higher and higher and higher. And then came a prr--poof! and all was gone.

That was a crash and a tumble!

However, Marie opened her eyes, and, lo and behold, there she was in her own bed!

Of course, you see how it was. Marie, confounded and amazed by all the wonderful things she had seen, had fallen asleep at last in Marzipan Castle, and no doubt the princesses themselves had carried her home and put her to bed.

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS

CLEMENT C. MOORE

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugarplums danced through their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave a luster of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, _Dasher_! now, _Dancer_! now, _Prancer_ and _Vixen_!
On, _Comet_! on, _Cupid_! on, _Donder_ and _Blitzen_!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now, dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly.
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof,
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes--how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“_Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!_”

CHRISTMAS IN MANY LANDS

TIME: Christmas Eve

PLACE: A living room in a German cottage. A Christmas tree stands
at one side. As the curtain rises, a small boy and girl in German
costume are trimming the tree and singing.

HANS and GRETCHEN sing:

Santa Claus to-morrow comes,
Bringing gifts in plenty;
Drums and trumpets, guns--a score,
Flags and sabers and still more,
Yes, a whole great army corps--
Would it might be plenty!

Bring us, dear old Santa Claus--
Do not pass us blindly--
Musketeer and grenadier,
Grizzly bear with panther near,
Horse and donkey, sheep and steer--
Bring us all these kindly.

HANS: I wish St. Nicholas would hurry up and come! I think he is dreadfully slow.

GRETCHEN: He won’t come while we’re here, I’m afraid. Besides, he has so far to travel! Only think how many places he has to go!

HANS: Does he visit all the little children all over the world?

GRETCHEN: Why, of course! (_Slowly._) At least, I suppose so.

HANS: Do all the children have Christmas trees?

GRETCHEN: Oh! I hope so. Wouldn’t it be too bad not to have a tree on Christmas?

HANS: _I_ think it would be fun to have an airship and go about the world to-night and see what all the little children are doing.

GRETCHEN: Where would you like to go?

HANS: I’d like to fly over the sea and visit Cousin Heinrich in America.

GRETCHEN: I’d be afraid to fly so far. I’d go to Holland; it’s such a little way.

HANS: Oh! I’d fly up in the mountains of Switzerland.

GRETCHEN (_thoughtfully_): I think I’d rather have the children come and tell us about their Christmas. I’d be afraid in an airship.

HANS (_eagerly_): Let’s shut our eyes and wish they would come. They’ll be sure to if we wish hard on Christmas Eve. We’ll have a Christmas party!

(_Both children shut their eyes and are silent. A fairy enters. She is dressed in white, spangled with gilt. She has a star on her forehead and carries a wand. She dances about the stage, singing; then stands in front of the children. She waves her wand over them, and they open their eyes._)

GRETCHEN (_rising in surprise_): Who are you, Fairy?

FAIRY: I am the Christmas fairy, and I have come to answer your wish. I grant all the wishes that good children make on Christmas Eve.

HANS (_earnestly_): Oh, dear Fairy, will children really come from America and from Switzerland and from Holland to tell us about their Christmas?

FAIRY: They will come because you wished it, and from other countries as well. (_She dances around the room once more, and vanishes. Hans and Gretchen run to the door and look after her. They clap their hands and dance around the room for joy._)

HANS: We’re really going to have a Christmas party! Let’s go on trimming the tree. (_While they are doing this, they finish the song._)

But, indeed, you know our need,
Know our heart’s desires;
Children, father, and mamma!
You know, too, our grandpapa!
Yes, we all are waiting--ah!
Waiting, you know, tires!

(_The sound of a bell is heard and a little girl_ e_nters, ringing a Swiss bell. She is dressed in a Swiss costume._)

SWISS CHILD: I come from the lofty mountains of Switzerland to give you greeting. (_The two children run to welcome her._)

HANS: Did you come in an airship?

SWISS CHILD: No; the Christmas fairy brought me. What a beautiful tree!

HANS: Yes; it’s our Christmas tree. Don’t you have one? Doesn’t St. Nicholas bring you presents?

SWISS CHILD: No; the Christmas Lady[10] comes to us. She wears a white gown and a red cap, and she carries a basket of toys on her back. But only good children get toys. She brings a switch for the bad ones, and they must keep it all the year and get whipped whenever they are naughty!

GRETCHEN: I’m so glad St. Nicholas has a wife to help him. It would be so hard for him to get along by himself. Let’s sing a little till the other children come.

(_They dance slowly around the tree, singing. While they are singing, a hard clacking of wooden shoes is heard at the door. The children stop to listen, and a little Dutch girl enters. She carries a wand with a star on the end and has a basket of sweetmeats on her arm._)

GRETCHEN (_coming to greet her_): Here is our little neighbor. I’m so glad you have come. Do the children in Holland have a Christmas Eve like ours?

DUTCH CHILD: We don’t have a pretty tree like that, and we don’t hang our stockings before the fire. Good St. Nicholas comes to visit us in the evening. He brings toys for the good children and a _big birch rod_ for the naughty ones. When he comes in, every one joins in this song of welcome:

Welcome, good St. Nicholas, welcome,
Bring no rod for us to-night;
While our voices bid thee welcome,
Every heart with joy is light.

Then we recite verses and play games for a while. As St. Nicholas goes away he scatters sweetmeats on the floor. We children scramble for them and try to fill our baskets. Then, after he has gone away, we all go into another room and put our shoes on a table. We always put a bit of hay in each shoe for St. Nicholas’s good old horse, Sleipner.

GRETCHEN: Oh! St. Nicholas comes to us with reindeer.

DUTCH CHILD: In Holland he goes about on his good horse, Sleipner. Then we all say “Good-night,” and go to bed. While we are asleep St. Nicholas comes back and fills all the shoes. Every one in the house gets presents.

GRETCHEN: Why do you carry that pretty star?

DUTCH CHILD: This is the Star of Bethlehem. The children in Holland walk about the streets early on Christmas Eve and follow one who carries the star. People give the children gifts of money and other things, and these are all given to the poor.

GRETCHEN: I think that is a beautiful Christmas Eve. Will you try to teach us your song of welcome to St. Nicholas? (_The Dutch child sings her song again and the other children sing it after her. They join hands, and dance a simple folk dance in time to the music. As they sing, a sound of sleigh bells interrupts them. A child runs in, dressed in Russian coat and furs. She is glistening with snow._)

RUSSIAN CHILD: Oh! Your fire looks warm and bright! Christmas is cold, indeed, on the snowy plains of Russia. I am sorry for poor Babouscka to-night.

GRETCHEN: Come up to the fire and get warm, and tell us who Babouscka is. (_All seat themselves around the fire._)

RUSSIAN CHILD: Babouscka! Don’t you know about her? On Christmas Eve every little Russian child expects a visit from a little old woman called Babouscka. Long, long ago, on Christmas Eve, Babouscka was sweeping her house when Three Wise Men came to the door and asked her to go with them to bear gifts to a little child. She said she would go when she had finished sweeping, but they said, “We may not wait. We follow a star.” So they went their way. Afterwards Babouscka was sorry she hadn’t gone with them. So she started out alone to find the child, and ever since, on Christmas Eve, she wanders about to every house where there are children, seeking the wonderful child the Wise Men talked about. But always, when she asks for the child, the answer is the same, “Farther on! Farther on!”

GRETCHEN: Poor Babouscka! I hope she will find the child sometime. Let’s go on with the song. Perhaps some one else will come. (_They continue singing. A French child enters._)

HANS: Oh! Here comes a little maid of France! I know her by her pretty cap. Come, tell us what you do on Christmas Eve, and who brings your gifts.

FRENCH CHILD: Christmas is a holy time with us. The Christ Child himself brings the gifts. We call him Le Petit Noël.

HANS: Do you hang up your stocking for him to fill?

FRENCH CHILD: No; we put our shoes by the hearth at night and Le Petit Noël comes down the chimney and fills them.

HANS: Your shoes? I’m glad we hang up our stockings--they hold so much more. Wooden shoes won’t stretch!

GRETCHEN: What a lovely Christmas party we are having! Just think, here are children from Switzerland, Holland, Russia, and France. I wonder if any more children will come. Let’s all dance and sing while we wait. (_They go on with the song. Sound of sleigh bells is heard outside. An English child enters._)

ENGLISH CHILD: A Merrie Christmas from Merrie England!

HANS: Oh! another guest! How lovely of you to come to our party. Do you have Christmas Eve parties at home?

ENGLISH CHILD: Oh, yes; Christmas Eve is the merriest night of the year with us.

HANS: Tell us all about it. (_The children seat themselves about the hearth, the English child in the center._)

ENGLISH CHILD: Early in the morning we go to the woods and gather evergreens. Then we trim all the rooms with holly, mistletoe, box, and bay; in the evening we light the great yule log.

GRETCHEN: What’s the yule log?

ENGLISH CHILD: Well, it’s a big log that we always burn in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. All the family meet together on Christmas Eve, and we have a beautiful tree like yours. Every one gives a present to every one else, and we sing and tell stories and have a happy time. Then early on Christmas morning the waits come round and waken us, singing Christmas carols. At dinner we have a great big plum pudding, and mother puts brandy on it and sets fire to the brandy, and it makes a pretty blue flame.

GRETCHEN: I think that must be a happy Christmas. Who are the waits that sing the carols?

ENGLISH CHILD: They are children who go about from house to house, early on Christmas morning, and sing.

GRETCHEN: Will you sing one of your carols for us?

ENGLISH CHILD: Yes, if you will all help. (_English child sings carol._)

I saw three ships come sailing in;
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in;
On Christmas day in the morning.

Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?

And all the bells on earth shall ring
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
And all the bells on earth shall ring
On Christmas day in the morning.

(_Children join in the refrain. As they finish the carol, a Swedish child enters._)

SWEDISH CHILD: What a beautiful Christmas party! I’m so glad the Christmas fairy brought me.

HANS: Oh, are you another little maid from France?

SWEDISH CHILD: Oh, no; I come from the frozen north--from Sweden.

GRETCHEN: Do you have Christmas ’way up there? And does St. Nicholas go so far on Christmas Eve?

SWEDISH CHILD: Of course we have Christmas, but I never heard of St. Nicholas before.

HANS (_to Gretchen_): There’s another country he doesn’t go to, Gretchen. (_To Swedish child._) Doesn’t any one bring the little Swedish children presents on Christmas Eve?

SWEDISH CHILD: Oh, yes; the Christmas gnomes do that! They are a little old man and a little old woman who come to every home in Sweden, bringing gifts for all in the house. The old man carries a bell and the old woman a large basket filled with gifts. In Sweden every one is remembered on Christmas Day, and a sheaf of grain is fastened to a pole at each house so that not even the birds are forgotten.

HANS: Oh, Gretchen, let us put up some grain for the birds to-morrow morning! (_Song is heard outside._)

GRETCHEN: Hark--some one is singing! (_They all listen. Irish child sings behind the screen._)

At Christmas time in Ireland
There is feasting, there is song,
And merrily the fife and fiddle play;
And lightly dance the colleens,
And the boys, the evening long,
At Christmas time in Ireland far away!

(_Irish child enters, singing._)

Oh, there’s nothing half so sweet
In any land on earth
As Christmas time in Ireland far away!

HANS: Christmas time in Ireland!

IRISH CHILD: Yes, Christmas Day is a day of feasting and merriment. Where did you get that pretty tree?

HANS: It’s our Christmas tree. Don’t you have one?

IRISH CHILD: No; I never saw one before.

HANS: Doesn’t St. Nicholas come to you? Don’t you get presents?

IRISH CHILD (_shaking her head thoughtfully_): No.

HANS: Then how can you have a merry Christmas?

IRISH CHILD: No; we don’t get gifts at home. We give them to the poor. On Christmas Eve we light the great yule log in the fireplace. Then, while it roars and crackles on the hearth, we sit around and hear the tale that we love so well, of the shepherds who watched their flock by night, and of the Christ Child in the manger. Before we go to bed we put the great candle decked with ribbons in the window so that our welcome may shine out for the Christ Child, should he wander that way. On Christmas morning, of course, we all go to church, and then we come home to the best dinner, and all the young people dance and make merry far into the night.

HANS (_to Gretchen_): Think of a Christmas Eve without a tree or St. Nicholas or gifts!

IRISH CHILD: But we have the yule log and the story-telling, and we dance and sing.

HANS: Was that one of your Christmas songs you were singing as you came in?

IRISH CHILD: Yes, every one sings that song at Christmas time.

HANS: Won’t you sing the rest of it for us?

(_Child finishes the song._)

At Christmas time in Ireland,
How the holly branches twine,
In stately hall and cabin old and gray!
And red among the leaves
The holly berries twine--
At Christmas time in Ireland far away!

(_Just as she finishes the song, the American child runs in. They all rise to greet her._)

AMERICAN CHILD: I’m late because I had so far to come. The fairy carried me high over the seas from America.

HANS: America! I’m so glad you have come! I wondered what the American children were doing to-night.

AMERICAN CHILD (_looking around_): Why, I think you must do just what we do on Christmas Eve. You have a tree--you put evergreens around--and you hang your stockings up for Santa Claus to fill.

HANS: Santa Claus? St. Nicholas comes to us.

GRETCHEN: He’s the same, Hans, only they call him a little different.

DUTCH CHILD: Does he come on his horse?

AMERICAN CHILD: No, he is drawn in a sleigh with eight reindeer. He comes down the chimney and fills our stockings with toys and candy, when we are asleep.

DUTCH CHILD: Doesn’t he bring a switch for the bad ones?

AMERICAN CHILD: Oh, no; Santa Claus never leaves anything but toys.

DUTCH CHILD: I wish he wouldn’t bring it when he comes to us!

GRETCHEN: Isn’t it funny? We all do different things on Christmas Eve. But we all have a happy time and love it, and I’m sure each one of us likes her own way the best. (_Sounds of sleigh bells are heard outside, and children laughing. Gretchen runs to the window and looks out._) Oh, here are the village children! They have come to our Christmas party. (_The village children run in. All greet each other and join in singing._)

This tree was grown on Christmas Day.
Hail, old Father Christmas!
Old and young together say,
Hail, old Father Christmas!
Bright the colored tapers shine;
Hail, old Father Christmas!
Bright to-day the love divine.
Hail, old Father Christmas!
Bright and light our Christmas tree,
Hail, old Father Christmas!
Bright and light our hearts must be.
Hail, old Father Christmas!
Dance, then, children, dance and sing,
Hail, old Father Christmas!
All the merry chorus ring.
Hail, old Father Christmas!