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It is Christmas Eve. There seem to be some footprints in the snow, made by little felt boots. The Magpie had shouted out an alarm and the cattleman elves are on their way to drive the reindeer away from the sapling garden. You can hear soft sniffing and see little clouds of vapour rising from under the red caps of the elves, but the elves are not cold. They have their warm jackets and felt boots and they are well accustomed to the northern circumstances that sometimes may be hard. Only seldom can you enjoy mild weather at Christmas time, but sometimes that may happen. In that case, however, the Frost has left a notice on his door: “If I am not at home on Christmas Eve, I’ll be back in the New Year”. A snow flurry on Christmas Eve means that there will be a continuous snow fall through January. But this Christmas has Old Man Moon blown the skies starlit clear and all are waiting for the dance show of the Polar Lights. But the elves don’t have time for that. They are very busy when collecting the reindeer that have gone astray. Alas! There they are, in a sapling garden! The reindeer are handsome creatures and good friends of the elves. But sometimes the reindeer are a little simple and unpractical. They don’t understand now that they are in a wrong dining room, but are scooping vigorously snow and soil trying to find lichen, frozen grass and twigs.
At the same time they are trampling fragile saplings under their cloven hooves. Once more the elves have to make clear what is allowed and what is not. The reindeer think that it is stupid that they are not allowed to be in the middle of the trees and eat what they want; don’t we have Christmas Eve! The elves don’t want to make reindeer angry and they say that there is a much better restaurant somewhere else. Then the elves start to lead the reindeer to the |
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feeding place. The tiniest of the elves jumps up on the back of a big antler-head, but is shaken down immediately. The elf doesn’t care. This is an old play.
The fodder granary is opened and soon every reindeer has a great portion of lichen and hay in front of his muzzle. You can hear pleased snorting and crunching when the reindeer have their feast.
Now it is time for the elves to begin their Christmas party. They help the reindeer all the time, of course, no matter if it is a workday or Christmas. But they have time also to feast, play games, and even to take a little nap now and then.
The Polar Lights are dancing overhead. They bring greetings from Lady Sun who stays behind the horizon. |
