Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20
SYNOPSIS of Preceding Chapters.

is permitted by Ak, the master workman on I'M. .ne
world to adopt a little boy who Is lost III Tue
forest The child Is named Neclaus, or Nicolas;
and grows up among the fairies nympn Pms anu anu
Cnoinrs The master workman then taxes Nun
through the world and the youth discovers nu
manty Deeply impressed with the SO. sorI h, ~
the world Nicolas, or Claus, consecrates Mimi. II
10 making happy the children OF men, Accord,
fngly the fairies and knocks, or gnomes, p anu
him house and there Claus makes the nrst
TOW Toy-making becomes his CHIEF oceu-
patton The Ryls give him the coiors to win 10,
which they decorate flowers and Claus Is in
sp!red To make the first dol-an image OF
Nece. Claus is granted the nse Of the feiao ar
team Christmas eve TO distribute ms ".
but he has not sufficient time TO make new
supply The Fairies come TO his assistance anu
fnd Inc tcvs stolen by the Awgwas. Glossie
and Fi"sse take Claus his first journey with
the relndcers. \ bargain with hhook R ila'e
changes Claus plans for all FUTURE 'uius "
new sI.dae and plans for toys More rein;
deer are required for him to MAKE ms nin, ha
chimney The first Christmas tree. Claus be-
old In the work
The Nymph Necile, she who had reared
him and been his foster-mother, was still
vouthful and strong and beautiful, and 1t
seemed TO her but a short time since this
aged gray boarded man had lain IN her
arms and smiled on her with his innocent,
baby lips.
In this is shown the difference between
mortals and immortals.
1t was fortunate that the great AK came
20 the Forest at this time. Necile sought
hin, with troubled eyes and told him of the
fate that threatened their friend Claus.
At once the Master became grave. and
he leaned upon his AK and stroked his gr1z-
zled beard thoughtfuly for many minutes.
Then suddenly he stood up straight, and
poised his powerful head with firm resolve,
and stretched out his great right arm as II
determined on doing some mighty deed.
For a thought had come to him so grand in
its conception that all the world might well
how before the Master Woodman and hon
or his name forever!
1t is well known that when the great AK
once undertakes to do a thing he never
hesitates an instant. Now he summoned MS
fe5tost messengers. and sent them IN
fash to many parts of the earth. Ana
when they were gone he turned to the anX-
ious Necile and comforted her, saying:
"Re of good heart, my child; our friend
still lives. And now run to your Queen and
tel her that l have summoned a council
of all the immortals of the world to meet
with me here in Burzee this night. If they
obey, and harken unto my words. Claus
will drive his reindeer for countless ages
yet TO come.
At midnight there was wondrous scene
In the ancient Forest OF Burzee. where for
the first time in many centuries the rulers
of the immortals who inhabit the eartn
were gathered together.
There was the Queen of the Water
Sprites. whose beautiful form was as clear
CRYSTAL DuE COnIlnu9lIE ullpptu water
on the bank of moss where she sal And
beside her was the King of the Sleep Fays,
who carried a wand from the end OF which
a fine dust fen all around. 50 that no NOR
tai could keep awake long enough to see
him. as mortal eyes were sure to close in
sleep as soon as the dust t!led them. And
next to him sat the Gnome King. whose
people inhabit all that region under the
earths surface. where they guard the pre-
cious metals and the jewel stones that lie
buried in rock and ore. At his right hand
stood the King of the Sound Imps, who had
wings on his feet, for his people are swift
10 carry all sounds that are made. When
they are busy they carry the sounds but
short distances for there are many of them;
but sometimes they speed with the sounds
10 places miles and miles away from where
they are made. The King Of the Sound
Imps had an anxious and careworn face,
for most people have no consideration for
his Imps and, especially the boys and girls,
make a great many unnecessary sounds
which the ImpS are obliged to carry when
they might be better employed
The next in the circle of immortals was
the King of the Wind Demons, slender OF
frame, restless and uneasy at being con-
Once in while he would leave his
place and circle around the glade, and
each time he did this the Fairy Queen
was obliged TO untangle the flowing locks
OF her golden hair and tuck them back
Of her pink ears. But she did not complain,
for it was not often that the King of the
Forest. After the Fairy Queen, whose
home, you know, was in old Burzee, came
the King of the Light Elves, with his two
Princes Flash and Twilight, at his back.
He never went anywhere without his
Princes, for they were so mischievous that
he dared not let them wander alone.
Prince Flash bore a lightning bolt in his
right hand and horn Of gunpowder in his
left, and his bright eyes roved constantly
around, as II he longed to use his binding
flashes. Prince Twilight held a great snuff
far In a nd and a hg hla tx cloak N he
other, and II is we'll known that unless Twi-
light IS carefully watched the snuffers or
the cloak will throw everything into dark
ness, and Darkness Is the greatest enemy
the King Of the Light Elves has.
In addition TO the immOrtals | have nam
come from his home in the jungles of In
dla. and the King of the Ryls, who lived
among the gay flowers and luscious fruits
of Valencia. Sweet Queen Zurline of the
Nood-Nymphs completed the circle OF i'm
mOrtals.
But in the center OF the circle sat three
others who possessed powers so great that
all the Kings and Queens showed them
These were Ak, the Master Woodsman of
the World, who rules the forests and the
orchards and the groves. and Kern, the
Master Husbandman OF the World, who
rules the grain fields and the meadows
and the gardens and b. the Master Mari
ner of the World, who rules the seas
and all the craft that float thereon.
And all other immortals are more or less
BGAJttl u lNtSt lHEte
When all had assembled the Master
No1dsman OF the World stood up to ad-
dress them, since he himself had sum
mOned them TO the council.
Very clearly he told them the story of
Claus, beginning at the time when a
babe he had been adopted child of the
forest, and telling of his noble and gener-
Gus nature and his lifelong labors to make
children happy.
And now" said Ak, when he has won
the love OF all the world, the Spirit of
Death is lowering over him. OF all men
who have Inhabited the earth none other so
well deserves Immortality, for such a life
cannot be spared so long there are chill
drcn OF mankind to miss him and to grieve
over his loss We immortals are the SER
wants OF the world. and to serve the world
we were permitted IN the beginning to ex-
list. But what one OF us is more worthy of
Immortality than this man Claus, who so
sweetly ministers to the little children?"
He paused and glanced around the circle
to find every immortal listening to him ca
gerly and nooding approval. Finally the
King of the Wind Demons. who had been
whistling softly to himself, cried out:
what is your desire, oh, Ak?"
'To bestow upon Claus the mantle of i'm
mortality" said Ak, boldly.
That this demand was wholly unexpected
was proved by the immortals springing TO
their feet and looking into each others face
with dismay and then upon Ak with won