High excursionists. It's me gnari. I hope you enjoy this very special Christmas
prediction. I thought it would be fun to have something we can all share
leading up to the Christmas holiday. L. Frank Baum is a literary icon
who introduced every one of us to the land of Oz. Please gather around
the family and friends for this very special presentation of another of his wonderful stories,
The Life and Adventures of Same Claus seven, The Great Battle between Good
and Evil. Ac listened gravely to the recital of claws stroking his beard,
the while with the slow, graceful motion that betokened deep thought. He nodded
approvingly when Claus told how the nooks and fairies had saved him from death,
and frowned when he heard how the oguas had stolen the children's toys. At
last, he said, from the beginning, and I have approved the work
that you are doing among the children of men, and it annoys me that
your good deed should be thwarted by the aguas. We immortals have no connection
whatever with the evil creatures who have attacked you. Always. We have avoided
them, and they in turn have hitherto taken not to cross our pathway.
But in this manner I find they have interfered with one of our friends,
and I will ask them to abandon their persecutions, as you are under our
protection. Claus thanked the Master Woodsmen most gratefully and returned to his valley,
while Ak, who never delayed carrying out his promises, at once traveled to
the mountains of the Aguas. There, standing on the bare rocks, he
called on the king and his people to appear. Instantly. The place was
filled with throngs of scowling Aguas, and their king, perching himself on a
point of rock, demanded, fiercely, who dares call on us? It
is I the master Woodsmen of the world, responded ac here, there are
no forces for you to claim, cried the king angrily. We owe no
allegiance to you nor any immortal, That is true, replied ac calmly.
Yet you have ventured to interfere with the actions of Claus, who dwells in
the Laughing Valley and is under our protection. Many of the Aguas began muttering
at the speech, and their king turned threateningly on the Master Woodsman. You
are set to rule the forests, but the plains and valleys are ours,
he shouted. Keep to your own dark woods. We will do as we
please with claws. You shall not harm our friend in any way, replied
ac, shall we not, asked the king impudently. You will see our
powers are vastly superior to those of mortals, and fully as great as those
of immortals. It is your conceit that misleads you, said, ax sternly,
you are a transient race, passing from life into nothingness. We who
live forever pity but despise you. On earth, you are scorned by all,
and in heaven you have no place. Even the mortals, after their
earth life enter another existence for all time, and so are your superiors.
How then, dare you, who are neither mortal nor immortal, refuse to
obey my wish. The Agua sprang to their feet with menacing gestures, but
their king motioned them back. Never before, he cried to ak, while
his voice trembled with rage. Has an immortal declared himself the master of the
Aguas. Never shall an immortal venture to interfere with our actions again, For
we will avenge your scornful words by killing your friend Clause within three days.
Nor you nor all the immortals can save him from our wrath. We defy
your powers. Begone, master woodsmen of the world. In the country of
the Aguas, you have no place. It is war, declared Ac with
flashing eyes. It is war, returned the king savagely. In three days,
your friend will be dead. The Master turned away and came to his
forest of Burzi, where he called a meeting of the immortals, and told
them of the defiance of the Aguas and their purpose to kill claws within three
days. The little folk listened to him quietly. What shall we do,
asked oc. These creatures are of no benefit to the world, said the
Prince of the Knooks. We must destroy them. Their lives are devoted only
to evil deeds, said the Prince of the Ryles. We must destroy them.
They have no conscience and endeavor to make all mortals as bad as themselves.
Said the Queen of the Fairies. We must destroy them. They have
defied the Great Ak and threatened the life of our adopted son, said the
beautiful Queen Serlie. We must destroy them. The Master Woodsman smiled, You
speak well, said he. These Oguas we know to be a powerful race,
and they will fight desperately, Yet the outcome is certain, for we
who live can never die, even though conquered by our enemies. While every
aqua who was struck down as one foe, the less to oppose us.
Prepare then for battle, and let us resolve to show no mercy to the
wicked. Thus arose that terrible war between the immortals and the spirits of evil,
which is sung of in fairyland to this very day. The King Agua
and his band determined to carry out the threat to destroy Claws. They now
hated him for two reasons. He made children happy, and he was a
friend of the Master Woodsman. But since Act's visit, they had reason to
fear the opposition of the immortals, and they dreaded defeat. So the king
sent swift messengers to all parts of the world to summon every evil creature to
his aid. And on the third day after the declaration of war, a
mighty army was at the command of the King Agua. There were three hundred
asiatic dragons, breathing fire that consumed everything it touched. These hated mankind and
all good spirits, And there were the three eyed giants of Tottery, a
host in themselves who liked nothing better than to fight. And next came the
black demons of Patalonia, with great spreading wings like those of a bat,
which swept terror and misery through the world as they beat upon the air.
And joined to these were the gooselgoblins, with long talons as sharp as swords,
with which they clawed the flesh from their foes. Finally, every mountain
Agua in the world had come to participate in the great battle with the immortals.
The King Agua looked around upon this vast army, and his heart beat
high with wicked pride, for he believed he would surely triumph over his gentle
enemies, who had never before been known to fight. But the master Woodsmen
had not been idle. None of his people were used to warfare, Yet
now that they were called upon to face the hosts of evil, they willingly
prepared for The fray Ak had commanded them to assemble in the Laughing Valley,
where Claws, ignorant of the terrible battle that was to be waged on his
account, was quietly making toys. Soon the entire valley from hill to hill
was filled with the little immortals, the master Woodsmen stood first, bearing a
gleaming axe that shone like burnished silver. Next came the ryles, armed with
sharp thorns from bramble bushes, Then the knooks, bearing the spears they used
when they were forced to prod their savage beasts into submission. The fairies,
dressed in white gauze with rainbow hued wings, bore gold wands, and the
wood nymphs, in their uniforms of oak leaf green, carried switches from ash
trees as weapons. Loud laughed the Agua king when he beheld the sighs and
arms of his foes. To be sure, the mighty axe of the woodsmen
was to be dreaded. But the sweet faced nymphs and pretty fairies, the
gentle ryles and crooked knooks, were such harmless folk that he almost felt shame
at having called such a terrible host to oppose them. Since these fools dare
to fight, he said to the leader of the Tatary giants, I will
overwhelm them with our evil powers. To begin the battle, he poised a
great stone in his left hand and cast it full against the sturdy form of
the master Woodsmen, who turned it aside with his axe then rushed the three
eyed giants of Tatary upon the knooks, and the goozlgoblins upon the ryles,
and the fire breathing dragons upon the sweet fairies. Because the nymphs were axe
on people, the band of Aguas sought them out, thinking to overcome them
with ease. But it is the law that while evil unopposed may accomplish terrible
deeds, the powers of good can never be overthrown when opposed to evil.
While had it been for the King Agua, had he known the law,
his ignorance cost him his existence. For one flash of the axe, borne
by the master woodsmen of the world, cleft the wicked king in twain and
rid the earth of the vilest creature it contained. Greatly marveled the Tautary giants
when the spears of the little nooks pierced their thick walls of flesh and sent
them reeling to the ground with howls of agony. Woe came upon the sharp
taloned goblins when the thorns of the ryals reached their savage hearts and let their
life blood sprinkle all of the plain, and afterward from every drop a thistle
group the dragons paused, astonished before the fairy wands from whence rushed a power
that caused their fiery breath to flow back on themselves, so that they shriveled
away and died. As for the aguas, they had scant time to realize
how they were destroyed, for the ash switches of the nymphs bore a charm
unknown to any Agua, and turned their foes into clods of earth at the
slightest touch. When Ac leaned upon his gleaming axe and turned to look over
the field of battle, he saw the few giants who were able to run
disappearing over the distant hills on their return to Tottery. The goblins had perished
every one has had the terrible dragons, while all that remained of the wicked
Aguas was a great number of earthen hillocks dotting the plane. And now the
immortals melted from the valley like dew at sunrise to resume their duties at the
forest. While Ac walked slowly and thoughtfully to the house of Claws and entered.
You have many toys ready for the children, said the woodsman, And
now you may carry them across the plain to the dwellings and villages without fear.
Will not the ogwas harm me, asked Claws. Eagerly the ogwalls,
Ax said, have perished. Now I will gladly have done with wicked spirits
and with fighting and bloodshed. It was not from choice that I told of
the Aguas and their allies, and of their great battle with the immortals.
They were part of this history and could not be avoided. Eight the first
journey with the reindeer. Those were happy days for Claws when he carried his
accumulation of toys to the children who had awaited them so long during his imprisonment
in the valley. He had been so industrious that all his shelves were filled
with playthings, And after quickly supplying the little ones living nearby, he saw
he must now extend his travels to wider fields. Remembering the time when he
had journeyed with act through all the world, he knew children were everywhere,
and he longed to make as many as possible happy with his gifts. So
he loaded a great sack with all kinds of toys, slung it upon his
back that he might carry it more easily, and started off on a longer
trip than he had yet undertaken. Wherever he showed his merry face in hamlet
or in farmhouse, he received a cordial welcome, for his fame had spread
into far lands. At each village, the children swarmed about him, following
his footsteps wherever he went, and the women thanked him gratefully for the joy
he brought their little ones. And the men looked upon him curiously that he
should devote his time to such a queer occupation as toy making, But everyone
smiled on him and gave him kindly words and claws. Felt amply repaid for
his long journey. When the sack was empty, he went back again to
the Laughing Valley and once more filled it to the brim. This time he
followed another road into a different part of the country, and carried happiness to
many children who had never before owned a toy, or guessed that such a
delightful plaything existed. After a third journey so far away, the clause was
many days walking the distance. The store of toys became exhausted, and without
delay he set about making a fresh supply. From seeing so many children and
studying their tastes, he had acquired several new ideas about toys. The dollies
were he had found the most delightful of all playthings for babies and little girls,
and often those who could not say Dolly would call for a doll in
their sweet baby talk. So Claws resolved to make many dolls of all sizes,
and to dress them in bright colored clothing. The older boys and even
some of the girls loved the images of animals, so he still made cats
and elephants and horses. And many of the little fellows had musical natures and
longed for drums and cymbals and whistles and horns, so he made a number
of toy drums with tiny sticks to beat them with, and he made whistles
from the willow trees, and horns from the bog reeds, and cymbals from
bits of beaten metal. All this kept him busily at work, and before
he realized it, the winter season came with deeper snows than usual, and
he knew he could not leave the valley with his heavy pack. Moreover,
the next trip would take him farther from home than ever before, and Jack
Frost was mischievous enough to nip his nose and ears if he undertook the long
journey while the frost King ran. The frost King was Jack's father and never
reproved him for his pranks. So Claws remained at his work bench, but
he whistled and sang as merrily as ever, for he would allow no disappointments
to sour his temper or make him unhappy. One bright morning, he looked
from his window and saw two of the deer he had known in the forest
walking toward his house. Claws was surprised, not that the friendly deer should
visit him, but that they walked on the surface of the snow as easily
as if it were solid ground, notwithstanding the fact that throughout the valley the
snow lay many feet deep. He had walked out of his house a day
or two before and had sunk to his armpits in adrift. So when the
deer came near, he opened the door and called them good morning. FLOSSI
tell me, how are you able to walk on the snow so easily?
It's frozen hard, answered FLOSSI. The frost King has breathed on it,
said Glossy, coming up, and the surface is now as solid as ice.
Perhap, perhaps remarked Claus thoughtfully, I might now carry my pack of
toys to the children. Is it a long journey, asked Flossi. Yes,
it will take me many days, for the pack is heavy, answered
Claus. Then the snow would melt before you get back, said the deer.
You must wait until spring, claws. Claus sighed. Had I your
fleet feet, he said, I could make the journey in a day,
but you have not, returned Glossie, looking at his own slender legs with
pride. Perhaps I could ride upon your back, Claus ventured to remark.
After a pause, Oh no, our backs are not strong enough to bear
you weight, said Flosi decidedly. But if you had a sledge and could
harness us to it, we might draw you easily, and your pack as
well. I will make a sledge, exclaimed Claus. Will you agree to
draw me if I do well, replied Flossi. We must first go and
ask the knooks who are our guardians, for permission. But if they consent
and you can make a sledge and harness, we will gladly assist you.
Then go at once, cried Claws eagerly. I'm sure the friendly knooks will
give their consent, and by the time you are back, I shall be
ready to harness you to my sledge. Flossy and Glossy, being deer of
much intelligence, had long wished to see the great world, so they gladly
ran over the frozen snow to ask the Nooks if they might carry Claws on
his journey. Meantime, the toy maker hurriedly began the construction of a sledge.
Using materials from his woodpile. He made two long runners that turned upward
in the front ends, and across these nailed short boards to make a platform.
It was soon completed, but it was as rude an appearance as it
is possible for a sledge to be. The harness was more difficult to prepare,
but Claws twisted strong cords together and knotted them so they would fit around
the necks of the deer in the shape of a collar. From these ran
other cords to fasten the deer to the front of the sledge. Before the
work was completed, Glossy and Flossy were back from the forest, having been
granted permission by will Nook to make the journey with claws, provided they would
to Bersey by daybreak the next morning. That is not a very long time,
said Flossi. But we are swift and strong, and if we get
started by this evening, we can travel many miles during the night. Claws
decided to make the attempt, so he hurried on his preparations as fast as
possible. After a time, he fastened the collars around the necks of his
steeds and harnessed them to his rude sledge. Then he placed a stool on
the little platform to serve as a seat, and filled the sack with his
prettiest toys. How do you intend to guide us, asked Glossie. We've
never been out of the forest before, except to visit your house, so
we shall not know the way. Claws thought about this for a moment.
Then he brought more cords and fastened two of them to the spreading antlers of
each deer, one on the right and the other on the left. These
will be my rains, said Claws. And when I pull them to the
right or to the left, you must go in that direction. If I
do not pull the reins at all, you may go straight ahead. Very
well, answered Glossy and Flossy, And they asked, are you ready all
ready? He shouted away, We go. The deer leaned forward, lifted
their slender limbs, and the next moment flew the sledge over the frozen snow.
The swiftness of the motion surprised Claus, for in a few strides they
were across the valley and gliding over the broad plain beyond. The day had
melted into evening by the time they started for swiftly as Claws had worked.
Many hours had been consumed in making his preparations. But the moon shone brightly
to light their way, and Claws soon decided it was just as pleasant to
travel by night as by day. The deer liked it better, for although
they wished to see something of the world, they were timid about meeting men.
And now all of the dwellers in the towns and farm houses were sound
asleep and could not see them. Away and away they sped on and on
over the hills, and through the valleys and across the plains, until they
reached a village where Claws had never been before. Here he called on them
to stop, and they immediately obeyed. But a new difficulty now presented itself,
for the people had locked their doors when they went to bed, and
Claws found he could not enter the houses to leave his toys. I'm afraid,
my friends, we have made our journey for nothing, he said,
for I shall be obliged to carry my playthings back home again without giving them
to the children of this village. What's the matter, asked Flossi. The
doors are locked, answered Claus, and I cannot get in. Glossy looked
around at the houses. The snow was quite deep in the village, and
just before them was a roof only a few feet above the sledge. A
broad chimney which seemed to Glossy big enough to admit Claws, was at the
peak of the roof. Why don't you climb down that chimney, asked Glossy.
Claws looked at it. That would be easy enough if I were on
top of the roof, he answered. Then hold fast and we will take
you there, said and they gave one bound to the roof and landed beside
the big chimney. Good, cried Claws. Well pleased, and he slung
the pack of toys over his shoulder and got into the chimney. There was
plenty of soot on the bricks, but he did not mind that, and
by placing his hands and knees against the sides. He crept downward until he
reached the fireplace, leaping lightly over the smoldering coals, he found himself in
a large sitting room, where a dim light was burning. From this room,
two doorways led into smaller chambers. In one, a woman lay asleep
with a baby beside her in a crib. Claws laughed, but he did
not laugh aloud, for fear of waking the baby. Then he slipped a
big doll from his pack and laid it in the crib. The little one
smiled as if it dreamed of the pretty plaything it was to find on the
morrow, and Claws crept softly from the room and entered at the other doorway.
Here were two boys fast asleep, with their arms around each other's necks.
Claws gazed at them lovingly a moment, and then placed upon the bed
a drum, two horns, and a wooden elephant. He did not linger
now that his work in this house was done, but climbed the chimney again
and seated himself on the sledge. Can you find another chimney, he asked?
The reindeer easily enough, replied glossy and Flossy down to the edge of
the roof. They raced, and then, without pausing, leaped through the
air to the top of the next building, where a huge, old fashioned
chimney stood. Don't be so long this time, called Flossi, or we
shall never get back to the forest. By daybreak, Claws made a trip
down this chimney also and found five children sleeping in the house, all of
whom were quickly supplied with toys. When he returned, the deer sprang to
the next roof, But on descending the chimney, Claws found no children there
at all. That was not often the case in this village, however,
so he lost less time than you might suppose in visiting these dreary homes where
there were no little ones. When he had climbed down the chimneys of all
the houses in that village and had left a toy for every sleeping child,
Claw found that his great sack was not yet half emptied. Onward, friends,
he called to the deer, we must seek another village. So away
they dashed, although it was long past midnight, and in a surprisingly short
time they came to a large city, the largest Claws had ever visited since
he began to make toys, but nothing daunted by the throng of houses,
he set to work at once, and his beautiful steeds carried him rapidly from
one roof to another, only the highest being beyond the leaps of the agile
deer. At last, the supply of toys was exhausted, and Claws seated
himself in the sledge with the empty sack at his feet, and turned the
heads of Glossy and Flossy toward home. Presently, Flossi asked, what is
the gray streak in the sky. It is the coming dawn of day,
answered Claus, surprised to find that it was so late. Goodness gracious,
exclaimed Glossi, that we shall not be home by daybreak, and the knooks
will punish us and never let us come again. We must race for the
Laughing Valley and make our best speed, returned Flossie. So hold fast,
friend, Claws. Claws held fast, and in the next moment was flying
so swiftly over the snow that he could not see the trees as they whirled
passed up hill and down dale, swift as an arrow shot from a bow.
They dashed, and Claws shut his eyes to keep the wind out of
them, and left the deer to find their own way. It seemed to
him they were plunging through space, but he was not at all afraid.
The knooks were severe masters and must be obeyed at all hazards, and the
gray streak in the sky was growing brighter every moment. Finally, the sledge
came to a sudden stop, and Claws, who was taken unawares, tumbled
from his seat into a snow drift. As he picked himself up, he
heard the deer crying, quick friend, quick cut it away, harness.
He drew his knife and rapidly severed the cords, And then he wiped the
moisture from his eyes and looked around him. The sledge had come to a
stop in the Laughing Valley, only a few feet he found from his own
door. In the east, the day was breaking, and turning to the
edge of Bursey, he saw Glossy and Flossy just disappearing in the forest.
Nine Santa Claus. Claws thought that none of the children would ever know where
the toys came from, which they found by their bedsides when they wakened the
following morning, But kindly deeds are sure to bring fame, and fame has
many wings to carry its tidings into far lands. So miles and miles in
every direction people were talking of Claws and his wonderful gifts to children. The
sweet generousness of his work caused a few selfish folk to sneer, but even
those were forced to admit their respect for a man so gentle natured that he
loved to devote his life to pleasing the helpless little ones of his race.
Therefore, the inhabitants of every city and village had been eagerly watching the coming
of Claws, and remarkable stories of his beautiful playthings were told the children to
keep them patient and contented. When on the first morning following the first t
of Claws with his deer, the little ones came running to their parents with
the pretty toys they had found, and asked from whence they came. There
was but one reply to the question. The good Clause must have been here,
my darlings, for his are the only toys in all the world.
But how did he get in? Asked the children. At this the fathers
shook their heads, being themselves unable to understand how Claws had gained admittance to
their home. But the mothers, watching the glad faces of their dear ones,
whispered that the Good Claus was no mortal man, but assuredly a saint,
and they piously blessed his name for the happiness he had bestowed upon their
children. A saint, said, one with bowed head has no need to
unlock doors if it pleases him to enter our homes. And afterward, when
a child was naughty or disobedient, its mother would say, you must pray
to the good Santa Claus for forgiveness. He does not like naughty children,
and unless you repent, he will bring you no more pretty toys. But
Santa Claus himself would not have approved this speech. He brought toys to the
children because they were little and helpless, and because he loved them. He
knew that the best of children were sometimes naughty, and that the naughty ones
were often good. It is the way with children the world over, and
he would not have changed their natures had he possessed the power to do so.
And that is how our clause became Santa Claus. It is possible for
any man, by good deeds, to enshrine himself as a Saint in the
hearts of the people. Thank you for joining me for the Into the Night
Anthology podcast production of the Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank
Baum. All original music, editing, and sound design provided by Omenhawk Studios.
Thank you so much to Project Gutenberg for making public domain books such as
this one accessible to everyone.