1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:05,759 A kidnaps Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum. Santa Claus lives in the 2 00:00:05,839 --> 00:00:11,080 Laughing Valley, where stands the big rambling castle in which his toys are manufactured. 3 00:00:11,679 --> 00:00:16,239 His workmen, selected from the rills, nooks, pixies and fairies, 4 00:00:16,679 --> 00:00:20,480 live with him, and every one is as busy as can be from one 5 00:00:20,559 --> 00:00:25,640 year's end to another. It is called the Laughing Valley because everything there is 6 00:00:25,679 --> 00:00:30,399 happy and gay. The brook chuckles to itself as it leaps, rollicking between 7 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:35,520 its green banks. The wind whistles merrily in the trees, the sunbeams dance 8 00:00:35,679 --> 00:00:40,960 lightly over the soft grass, and the violets and wild flowers look smilingly up 9 00:00:41,039 --> 00:00:45,280 from their green nests. To laugh, one needs to be happy. To 10 00:00:45,359 --> 00:00:49,320 be happy, one needs to be content. And throughout the Laughing Valley of 11 00:00:49,359 --> 00:00:55,200 Santa Claus, contentment reigns supreme. On one side is the mighty forest of 12 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,880 Bursey. At the other side stands the huge mountain that contains the caves of 13 00:01:00,079 --> 00:01:06,079 the Demons, and between them the valley lies smiling and peaceful. One would 14 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,200 think that our good old Santa Claus, who devotes his days to making children 15 00:01:10,239 --> 00:01:14,560 happy, would have no enemies on all the earth, and as a matter 16 00:01:14,599 --> 00:01:19,319 of fact, for a long period of time he encountered nothing but love wherever 17 00:01:19,359 --> 00:01:23,560 he might go. But the demons who live in the mountain caves grew to 18 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:26,840 hate Santa Claus very much, and all for the simple reason that he made 19 00:01:26,879 --> 00:01:33,680 children happy. The caves of the demons are five in number. A broad 20 00:01:33,719 --> 00:01:37,879 pathway leads up to the first cave, which is a finely arched cavern at 21 00:01:37,879 --> 00:01:42,599 the foot of the mountain, the entrance being beautifully carved and decorated. In 22 00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:48,319 it resides the demon of Selfishness. Back of this is another cavern inhabited by 23 00:01:48,319 --> 00:01:52,560 the demon of Envy. The cave of the demon of Hatred is next in 24 00:01:52,719 --> 00:01:56,920 order, and through this one passes to the home of the demon of Malice, 25 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,519 situated in a dark and fearful cave in the very heart of the mountain. 26 00:02:01,359 --> 00:02:06,159 I do not know what lies beyond this. Some say there are terrible 27 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,280 pitfalls leading to death and destruction, and this may well be true. However, 28 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,280 from each one of the four caves mentioned there is a small, narrow 29 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,159 tunnel leading to the fifth cave, a cozy little room occupied by the demon 30 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,199 of repentance, and as the rocky floors of these passages are well worn by 31 00:02:24,199 --> 00:02:29,599 the track of passing feet. I judge that many wanderers in the caves of 32 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:34,360 the demons have escaped through the tunnels to the abode of the demon of Repentance, 33 00:02:34,879 --> 00:02:38,520 who is said to be a pleasant sort of fellow, who gladly opens 34 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,840 for one a little door, admitting you into fresh air and sunshine again. 35 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,120 Well, these demons of the caves, thinking they had great cause to dislike 36 00:02:47,159 --> 00:02:53,199 old Santa Claus, held a meeting one day to discuss the matter. I'm 37 00:02:53,199 --> 00:02:58,120 really getting lonesome, said the demon of selfishness, For Santa Claus distributes so 38 00:02:58,159 --> 00:03:02,199 many pretty Christmas gifts to all the children that they become happy and generous through 39 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:07,680 his example, and keep away from my cave. I'm having the same trouble, 40 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:12,919 rejoined the demon of envy. The little ones seem quite content with Santa 41 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,240 Claus. And there are few, indeed, that I can coax to become 42 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,719 envious. And that makes it bad for me, declared the demon of hatred, 43 00:03:21,159 --> 00:03:24,439 For if no children pass through the caves of selfishness and envy, none 44 00:03:24,439 --> 00:03:30,039 can get to my cavern or to mine, added the demon of malice, 45 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,879 for my part, said the demon of repentance. It is easily seen that 46 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,599 if children do not visit your caves, they have no need to visit mine, 47 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:43,360 So that I am quite as neglected as you are, and all because 48 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,400 of this person they call Santa Claus, exclaimed the demon of envy. He 49 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:52,280 is simply ruining our business, and something must be done at once. To 50 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,199 this, they readily agreed, but what to do was another and more difficult 51 00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:00,159 matter to settle. They knew that Santa Claus worked all through the year his 52 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,879 castle in the Laughing Valley, preparing the gifts he was to distribute on Christmas 53 00:04:03,879 --> 00:04:08,960 Eve, and at first they resolved to try to tempt him into their caves, 54 00:04:09,479 --> 00:04:13,520 that they might lead him on to the terrible pitfalls that ended in destruction. 55 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,680 So the very next day, while Santa Claus was busily at work, 56 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:21,560 surrounded by his little band of assistants, the demon of selfishness came to him 57 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:27,560 and said, these toys are wonderfully bright and pretty. Why do you not 58 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,800 keep them for yourself. It's a pity to give them to those noisy boys 59 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:36,199 and fretful girls who break and destroy them so quickly. Nonsense, cried the 60 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:42,240 old Graybeard, his bright eyes twinkling merrily as he turned toward the tempting demon. 61 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,160 The boys and girls are never so noisy and fretful after receiving my presence, 62 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,199 And if I can make them happy for one day in the year, 63 00:04:49,639 --> 00:04:55,399 I am quite content. So the demon went back to the others who awaited 64 00:04:55,439 --> 00:04:59,319 him in their caves, and said, I have failed, for Santa Claus 65 00:04:59,399 --> 00:05:02,759 is not at all all selfish. The following day, the demon of envy 66 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:09,360 visited Santa Claus. Said he the toy shops are full of playthings quite as 67 00:05:09,399 --> 00:05:13,000 pretty as those you are making. What a shame it is that they should 68 00:05:13,079 --> 00:05:16,959 interfere with your business. They make toys by machinery much quicker than you can 69 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,680 make them by hand, and they sell them for money, while you get 70 00:05:20,759 --> 00:05:26,319 nothing at all for your work. But Santa Claus refused to be envious of 71 00:05:26,399 --> 00:05:30,399 the toy shops. I can supply the little ones, but once a year, 72 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:32,839 on Christmas Eve, he answered, for the children are many, and 73 00:05:32,959 --> 00:05:38,000 I am but one, And as my work is one of love and kindness, 74 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:42,319 I would be ashamed to receive money for my little gifts. But throughout 75 00:05:42,319 --> 00:05:45,639 all the year, the children must be amused in some way, and so 76 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,560 the toy shops are able to bring much happiness to my little friends. I 77 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:54,519 like the toy shops and am glad to see them prosper. In spite of 78 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,560 the second rebuff, the demon of hatred thought he would try to influence Santa 79 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,399 Claus, so the next day he entered the busy workshop and said, good 80 00:06:02,399 --> 00:06:06,680 morning, Santa. I have bad news for you. Then run away like 81 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,639 a good fellow, answered Santa Claus. Bad news is something that should be 82 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,279 kept secret and never told. You cannot escape this, however, declared the 83 00:06:15,319 --> 00:06:18,800 demon. For in the world are a good many who do not believe in 84 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:23,839 Santa Claus, and these you are bound to hate bitterly, since they have 85 00:06:23,959 --> 00:06:28,959 so wronged you. Stuff and rubbish, cried Santa. And there are others 86 00:06:28,959 --> 00:06:31,879 who resent your making children happy, and who sneer at you and call you 87 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:36,639 a foolish old rattle pate. You are quite right to hate such base slanderers, 88 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,160 and you ought to be revenged upon them for their evil words. But 89 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:46,399 I don't hate em, exclaimed Santa Claus. Positively. Such people do me 90 00:06:46,519 --> 00:06:50,800 no real harm, but merely render themselves and their children unhappy, poor things. 91 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:56,480 I'd much farther help them any day than injure them. Indeed, the 92 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,079 demons could not tempt Old Santa Claus in any way. On the contrary, 93 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,079 he was shrewd enough to see that their object in visiting him was to make 94 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:10,199 mischief and trouble. And his cheery laughter disconcerted the evil ones and showed to 95 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:15,199 them the folly of such an undertaking. So they abandoned honeyed words and determined 96 00:07:15,199 --> 00:07:18,720 to use force. It was well known that no harm can come to Santa 97 00:07:18,759 --> 00:07:23,560 Claus while he is in the Laughing Valley, for the fairies and rills and 98 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:28,120 nooks all protect him. But on Christmas Eve he drives his reindeer out into 99 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,240 the big world, carrying a sleigh load of toys and pretty gifts to the 100 00:07:31,319 --> 00:07:35,240 children. And this was the time in the occasion when his enemies had the 101 00:07:35,279 --> 00:07:40,720 best chance to injure him. So the demons laid their plans and awaited the 102 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:45,399 arrival of Christmas Eve. The moon shone big and white in the sky, 103 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,120 and the snow lay crisp and sparkling on the ground. As Santa Claus cracked 104 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:54,319 his whip and sped away out of the valley into the great world beyond. 105 00:07:54,879 --> 00:07:58,959 The roomy sleigh was packed full with huge sacks of toys, and as the 106 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,399 reindeer dashed onward our jolly old Santa laughed and whistled and sang for very joy. 107 00:08:05,199 --> 00:08:07,120 For in all his merry life, this was the one day in the 108 00:08:07,199 --> 00:08:11,759 year when he was happiest, the day he lovingly bestowed the treasures of his 109 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,480 workshop upon the little children. It would be a busy night for him, 110 00:08:16,519 --> 00:08:20,079 he well knew. As he whistled and shouted and cracked his whip again. 111 00:08:20,279 --> 00:08:24,920 He reviewed in mind all the towns and cities and farmhouses where he was expected, 112 00:08:26,279 --> 00:08:30,560 and figured that he had just enough presents to go around and make every 113 00:08:30,639 --> 00:08:35,519 child happy. The reindeer knew exactly what was expected of them, and dashed 114 00:08:35,519 --> 00:08:39,840 along so swiftly that their feet scarcely seemed to touch the snow covered ground. 115 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,960 Suddenly, a strange thing happened. A rope shot through the moonlight, and 116 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,320 a big noose that was in the end of it settled over the arms and 117 00:08:48,399 --> 00:08:52,240 bodies of Santa Claus and drew tight. Before he could resist or even cry 118 00:08:52,279 --> 00:08:56,399 out, he was jerked from the seat of the sleigh and tumbled head foremost 119 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:01,519 into a snow bank, while the reindeer rushed onward with the load of toys 120 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:07,639 and carried it quickly out of sight and sound. Such a surprising experience confused 121 00:09:07,639 --> 00:09:11,399 Old Santa for a moment, and when he had collected his senses, he 122 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,360 found that the wicked demons had pulled him from the snow drift and bound him 123 00:09:15,399 --> 00:09:18,480 tightly with many coils of the stout rope. And then they carried the kidnapped 124 00:09:18,519 --> 00:09:22,799 Santa Claus away to their mountain, where they thrust the prisoner into a secret 125 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,360 cave and chained him to the rocky wall so that he could not escape. 126 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,399 Ha ha, laughed the demons, rubbing their hands together with cruel glee. 127 00:09:33,039 --> 00:09:37,360 What will the children do now, How they will cry and scold and storm 128 00:09:37,399 --> 00:09:41,200 when they find there are no toys in their stockings and no gifts on their 129 00:09:41,279 --> 00:09:46,720 Christmas trees. And what a lot of punishment they will receive from their parents, 130 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,080 And how they will flock to our caves of selfishness and envy and hatred 131 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,960 and malice. We have done a mighty clever thing, we demons of the 132 00:09:54,039 --> 00:10:00,120 caves. Now it's so chanced that on this Christmas Eve, the good Santa 133 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,039 Claus had taken with him in his sleigh, Nutter the Rill, Peter the 134 00:10:03,159 --> 00:10:07,480 Nook, Kilter the Pixie, and a small fairy named Whisk, his four 135 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:13,759 favorite assistants. These little people he had often found very useful in helping him 136 00:10:13,799 --> 00:10:18,000 to distribute his gifts to the children. And when their master was so suddenly 137 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,600 dragged from the sleigh, they were all snugly tucked underneath the seat, where 138 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,679 the sharp wind could not reach them. The tiny immortals knew nothing of the 139 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:33,080 capture of Santa Claus until some time after he had disappeared, But finally they 140 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,960 missed his cheery voice, and as their master always sang or whistled on his 141 00:10:37,039 --> 00:10:41,120 journeys, the silence warned them that something was wrong. Little Whisk stuck out 142 00:10:41,159 --> 00:10:46,360 his head from underneath the seat and found Santa Claus gone and no one to 143 00:10:46,399 --> 00:10:50,919 direct the flight of the reindeer. Whoa, he called out, and the 144 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:56,360 deer obediently slackened speed and came to a halt. Peter and Nutter and Kilter 145 00:10:56,519 --> 00:11:00,679 all jumped upon the seat and looked back over the track by the sleigh, 146 00:11:01,159 --> 00:11:05,120 but Santa Claus had been left. Miles and miles behind. What shall we 147 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:11,039 do, asked whisk anxiously, all the mirth and mischief banished from his wee 148 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:15,519 face by this great calamity. We must go back at once and find our 149 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,720 master, said Nuttter, the rill, who thought and spoke with much deliberation. 150 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:24,240 No, no, exclaimed Peter the Knook, who cross and crabbed, 151 00:11:24,279 --> 00:11:28,799 though he was might always be depended upon in an emergency. If we delay 152 00:11:28,919 --> 00:11:31,759 or go back, there will not be time to get the toys to the 153 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:37,120 children before morning, and that would grieve Santa Claus more than anything else. 154 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,919 It is certain that some wicked creatures have captured him, added Kilter thoughtfully, 155 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:46,559 and their object must be to make the children unhappy. So our first duty 156 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:50,159 is to get the toys distributed as carefully as if Santa Claus were himself present. 157 00:11:50,879 --> 00:11:56,120 Afterward we can search for our master and easily secure his freedom. This 158 00:11:56,159 --> 00:12:01,519 seemed such good and sensible advice that the others at once resolved to adopt it. 159 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,960 So Peter the Knook called to the reindeer, and the faithful animals again 160 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,360 sprang forward and dashed over hill and valley, through forest and plain, until 161 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,159 they came to the houses where in children lay sleeping and dreaming of the pretty 162 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:18,480 gifts they would find on Christmas morning. The little immortals had set themselves a 163 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:24,399 difficult task, for although they had assisted Santa Claus on many of his journeys, 164 00:12:24,799 --> 00:12:28,000 their master had always directed and guided them and told them exactly what he 165 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:33,000 wished them to do. But now they had to distribute the toys according to 166 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:37,120 their own judgment. And they did not understand children as well as did old 167 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:41,679 Santa, so it is no wonder they made some laughable errors. Mamie Brown, 168 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:46,240 who wanted a doll, got a drum instead, and a druma is 169 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:50,240 of no use to a girl who loves dolls. And Charlie Smith, who 170 00:12:50,279 --> 00:12:52,879 delights to romp and play out of doors, and who wanted some new rubber 171 00:12:52,919 --> 00:12:58,080 boots to keep his feet dry, received a sewing box filled with colored worsteds 172 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:03,960 and threads and needles, which made him so provoked that he thoughtlessly called our 173 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:09,279 dear Santa Claus a fraud. Had there been many such mistakes, the demons 174 00:13:09,279 --> 00:13:13,240 would have accomplished their evil purpose and made the children unhappy. But the little 175 00:13:13,279 --> 00:13:18,480 friends of the absent Santa Claus labored faithfully and intelligently to carry out their master's 176 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:24,799 ideas, and they made fewer errors than might be expected under such unusual circumstances. 177 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,440 And although they worked as swiftly as possible, day had begun to break 178 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:35,120 before the toys and other presents were all distributed, so for the first time 179 00:13:35,159 --> 00:13:39,759 in many years, the reindeer trotted into the Laughing Valley on their return in 180 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,039 broad daylight, with the brilliant sun peeping over the edge of the forest, 181 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:48,240 to prove they were far behind their accustomed hours. Having put the deer in 182 00:13:48,279 --> 00:13:52,919 the stable, the little folk began to wonder how they might rescue their master, 183 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,159 and they realized they must discover, first of all what had happened to 184 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:01,840 him and where he was. So Whisk the Fairy transported himself to the bower 185 00:14:01,879 --> 00:14:05,919 of the Fairy Queen, which was located deep in the heart of the forest 186 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:11,320 of Bursey, and once there it did not take him long to find out 187 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:16,399 all about the naughty demons and how they had kidnapped the good Santa Claus to 188 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:22,000 prevent his making children happy. The Fairy Queen also promised her assistance, and 189 00:14:22,159 --> 00:14:26,799 then, fortified by this powerful support, Whisk flew back to where Nutter and 190 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:31,679 Peter and Kilter awaited him, and the four counseled together and laid plans to 191 00:14:31,679 --> 00:14:37,039 rescue their master from his enemies. It is possible that Santa Claus was not 192 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:41,039 as merry as usual during the night that succeeded his capture, for although he 193 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:45,919 had faith in the judgment of his little friends, he could not avoid a 194 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:50,120 certain amount of worry, and an anxious look would creep at times into his 195 00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:54,039 kind old eyes as he thought of the disappointment that might await his dear little 196 00:14:54,120 --> 00:15:00,360 children. And the demons who guarded him by turns, one after another did 197 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:05,279 not neglect to taunt him with contemptuous words in his helpless condition. When Christmas 198 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:09,360 Day dawned, the demon of malice was guarding the prisoner, and his tongue 199 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:13,759 was sharper than any of the others. The children are waking up, Santa, 200 00:15:13,799 --> 00:15:18,559 he cried. They are waking up to find their stockings empty. Ho 201 00:15:18,559 --> 00:15:22,440 ho, how they will quarrel and wail and stamp their feet in anger. 202 00:15:22,879 --> 00:15:26,720 Our caves will be full to day, old Santa, Our caves are sure 203 00:15:26,759 --> 00:15:31,639 to be full. But to this, as to other like taunts, Santa 204 00:15:31,679 --> 00:15:35,759 Claus answered nothing. He was much grieved by his capture, it is true, 205 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:39,919 but his courage did not forsake him, and, finding that the prisoner 206 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,320 would not reply to his jeers, the demon of Malice presently went away and 207 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:50,039 sent the Demon of Repentance to take his place. This last personage was not 208 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,240 so disagreeable as the others. He had gentle and refined features, and his 209 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,120 voice was soft and pleasant in tone. My brother demons do not trust me 210 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:03,039 over much, said he as he entered the cavern. But it is morning 211 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,200 now and the mischief is done. You cannot visit the children again for another 212 00:16:07,279 --> 00:16:11,399 year, that is true, answered Santa Claus, almost cheerfully. Christmas Eve 213 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,120 is past, and for the first time in centuries I have not visited my 214 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:21,559 children. The little ones will be greatly disappointed, murmured the Demon of Repentance, 215 00:16:21,679 --> 00:16:26,240 almost regretfully. But that cannot be helped now. Their grief is likely 216 00:16:26,279 --> 00:16:30,159 to make the children selfish and envious and hateful. And if they come to 217 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,840 the Cave of the Demons today, I shall get a chance to lead some 218 00:16:33,919 --> 00:16:38,240 of them to my cave of repentance. Do you never repent yourself? Asked 219 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,679 Santa Claus curiously. Oh, yes, indeed, answered the demon, I 220 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:47,720 am even now repenting that I assisted in your capture. Of course, it 221 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,600 is too late to remedy the evil that has been done. But repentance, 222 00:16:51,639 --> 00:16:55,759 you know, can only come after an evil thought or deed, For in 223 00:16:55,799 --> 00:17:00,519 the beginning there is nothing to repent of. So I understand, said Santa 224 00:17:00,559 --> 00:17:06,680 Claus, those who avoid evil need never visit your cave, as a rule. 225 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,359 That is true, replied the demon. Yet you who have done no 226 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,400 evil, are about to visit my cave at once, for to prove that 227 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:18,640 I sincerely regret my share in your capture, I am going to permit you 228 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:23,119 to escape. This speech greatly surprised the prisoner, until he reflected that it 229 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:27,640 was just what might be expected of the Demon of Repentance. The fellow at 230 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:33,000 once busied himself untying the knots that bound Santa Claus and unlocking the chains that 231 00:17:33,039 --> 00:17:37,039 fastened him to the wall. Then he led the way through a long tunnel 232 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:42,440 until they both emerged in the Cave of Repentance. I hope you will forgive 233 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:47,039 me, said the demon pleadingly. I am not really a bad person, 234 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:49,319 you know, and I believe I accomplish a great deal of good in the 235 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,319 world. With this, he opened a back door that led in a flood 236 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:59,000 of sunshine, and Santa Claus sniffed the fresh air gratefully. I bear no 237 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,680 malice, said he to the demon in a gentle voice, and I am 238 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:07,119 sure the world would be a dreary place without you. So good morning and 239 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,240 a merry Christmas to you. With these words, he stepped out to greet 240 00:18:11,279 --> 00:18:15,599 the bright morning, and a moment later he was trudging along, whistling softly 241 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:19,680 to himself, on his way to his home in the Laughing Valley. Marching 242 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:25,119 over the snow toward the mountain was a vast army made of the most curious 243 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:30,279 creatures imaginable. There were numberless nooks from the forest, as rough and crooked 244 00:18:30,279 --> 00:18:33,960 in appearance as the gnarled branches of the trees they ministered to, and there 245 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:38,400 were dainty rills from the fields, each one bearing the emblem of the flower 246 00:18:38,519 --> 00:18:44,160 or plant it guarded. Behind these were many ranks of pixies, gnomes, 247 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:48,440 and nymphs, and in the rear a thousand beautiful fairies floated along in gorgeous 248 00:18:48,519 --> 00:18:55,079 array. This wonderful army was led by whisk Peter Nutter, and Kilter, 249 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:00,440 who had assembled it to rescue Santa Claus from captivity and to punish the demons 250 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,960 who had dared to take him away from his beloved children. And although they 251 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:08,400 looked so bright and peaceful, the little immortals were armed with powers that would 252 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:12,799 be very terrible to those who had incurred their anger. Woe to the demons 253 00:19:12,839 --> 00:19:18,279 of the caves, if this mighty army of vengeance ever met them. But 254 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,000 lo coming to meet his loyal friends, appeared the imposing form of Santa Claus, 255 00:19:22,559 --> 00:19:26,279 his white beard floating in the breeze, and his bright eyes sparkling with 256 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:32,119 pleasure at this proof of the love and veneration he had inspired in the hearts 257 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:37,279 of the most powerful creatures in existence. And while they clustered around him and 258 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,400 danced with glee at his safe return, he gave them earnest thanks for their 259 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,440 support. But Whisk and Nutter, and Peter and Kilter he embraced affectionately. 260 00:19:47,599 --> 00:19:51,119 It is useless to pursue the demons, said Santa Claus to the army. 261 00:19:51,559 --> 00:19:55,400 They have their place in the world and can never be destroyed. But that 262 00:19:55,559 --> 00:20:00,400 is a great pity. Nevertheless, he continued musingly, so the fear and 263 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,480 knooks, and pixies and rills all escorted the good man to his castle, 264 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,960 and there left him to talk over the events of the night. With his 265 00:20:07,079 --> 00:20:12,880 little assistance, Whiske had already rendered himself invisible and flown through the big world 266 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:18,079 to see how the children were getting along on this bright Christmas morning, And 267 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,119 by the time he returned, Peter had finished telling Santa Claus of how they 268 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:26,559 had distributed the toys. We really did very well, cried the fairy in 269 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:32,039 a pleased voice, for I found little unhappiness among the children this morning. 270 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:36,400 Still you must not get captured again, my dear master, for we might 271 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:41,119 not be so fortunate another time in carrying out your ideas. He then related 272 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:45,000 the mistakes that had been made, and which he had not discovered until his 273 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:49,480 tour of inspection, and Santa Claus at once sent him with rubber boots for 274 00:20:49,559 --> 00:20:55,519 Charlie Smith and a doll for Amie Brown, so that even those two disappointed 275 00:20:55,519 --> 00:21:00,519 ones became happy. As for the wicked demons of the caves, they were 276 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:04,039 filled with anger and chagrin when they found that their clever capture of Santa Claus 277 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,720 had come to naught. Indeed, no one on that Christmas Day appeared to 278 00:21:08,759 --> 00:21:14,880 be at all selfish or envious or hateful, And realizing that while the Children's 279 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,160 Saint had so many powerful friends, it was folly to oppose him, the 280 00:21:18,279 --> 00:21:26,279 demons never again attempted to interfere with his journeys. On Christmas Eve, end 281 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:26,880 of a kidnapped Santa Claus