OLD AGE



  1.  The Mantle of Immortality

  And now we come to a turning-point in the career of Santa
Claus, and it is my duty to relate the most remarkable that
has happened since the world began or mankind was created.

  We have followed the life of Claus from the time he was found
a helpless infant by the Wood-Nymph Necile and reared to
manhood in the great Forest of Burzee.  And we know how he
began to make toys for children and how, with the assistance
and goodwill of the immortals, he was able to distribute them
to the little ones throughout the world.

  For many years he carried on this noble work; for the simple,
hard-working life he led gave him perfect health and strength.
And doubtless a man can live longer in the beautiful Laughing
Valley, where there are no cares and everything is peaceful
and merry, than in any other part of the world.

  But when many years had rolled away Santa Claus grew old.  The
long beard of golden brown that once covered his cheeks and
chin gradually became gray, and finally turned to pure white. 
His hair was white, too, and there were wrinkles at the
corners of his eyes, which showed plainly when he laughed.  He
had never been a very tall man, and now he became fat, and
waddled very much like a duck when he walked.  But in spite of
these things he remained as lively as ever, and was just as
jolly and gay, and his kind eyes sparkled as brightly as they
did that first day when he came to the Laughing Valley.

  Yet a time is sure to come when every mortal who has grown old
and lived his life is required to leave this world for
another; so it is no wonder that, after Santa Claus had driven
his reindeer on many and many a Christmas Eve, those stanch
friends finally whispered among themselves that they had
probably drawn his sledge for the last time.

  Then all the Forest of Burzee became sad and all the Laughing
Valley was hushed; for every living thing that had known Claus
had used to love him and to brighten at the sound of his
footsteps or the notes of his merry whistle.

  No doubt the old man's strength was at last exhausted, for he
made no more toys, but lay on his bed as in a dream.

  The Nymph Necile, she who had reared him and been his
foster-mother, was still youthful and strong and beautiful,
and it seemed to her but a short time since this aged,
gray-bearded 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.

  It was fortunate that the great Ak came to the Forest at this
time. Necile sought him 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 ax and
stroked his grizzled beard thoughtfully 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 if determined on doing some mighty deed.  For a thought had
come to him so grand in its conception that all the world
might well bow before the Master Woodsman and honor his name
forever!

  It is well known that when the great Ak once undertakes to do
a thing he never hesitates an instant.  Now he summoned his
fleetest messengers, and sent them in a flash to many parts of
the earth. And when they were gone he turned to the anxious
Necile and comforted her, saying:

  "Be of good heart, my child; our friend still lives.  And now
run to your Queen and tell her that I 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 a wondrous scene in the ancient Forest
of Burzee, where for the first time in many centuries the
rulers of the immortals who inhabit the earth were gathered
together.

  There was the Queen of the Water Sprites, whose beautiful form
was as clear as crystal but continually dripped water on the
bank of moss where she sat.  And beside her was the King of
the Sleep Fays, who carried a wand from the end of which a
fine dust fell all around, so that no mortal could keep awake
long enough to see him, as mortal eyes were sure to close in
sleep as soon as the dust filled them.  And next to him sat
the Gnome King, whose people inhabit all that region under the
earth's surface, where they guard the precious 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 to 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 to 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
confined to one place for even an hour.  Once in a 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 Wind Demons came into the heart 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 a
horn of gunpowder in his left, and his bright eyes roved
constantly around, as if he longed to use his blinding
flashes.  Prince Twilight held a great snuffer in one hand and
a big black cloak in the other, and it is well known that
unless Twilight is carefully watched the snuffers or the cloak
will throw everything into darkness, and Darkness is the
greatest enemy the King of the Light Elves has.

  In addition to the immortals I have named were the King of the
Knooks, who had come from his home in the jungles of India;
and the King of the Ryls, who lived among the gay flowers and
luscious fruits of Valencia. Sweet Queen Zurline of the
Wood-Nymphs completed the circle of immortals.

  But in the center of the circle sat three others who possessed
powers so great that all the Kings and Queens showed them
reverence.

  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 Bo, the Master Mariner of the
World, who rules the seas and all the craft that float
thereon.  And all other immortals are more or less subject to
these three.

  When all had assembled the Master Woodsman of the World stood
up to address them, since he himself had summoned them to the
council.

  Very clearly he told them the story of Claus, beginning at the
time when as a babe he had been adopted a child of the Forest,
and telling of his noble and generous nature and his life-long
labors to make children happy.

  "And now," said Ak, "when he had won the love of all the
world, the Spirit of Death is hovering over him.  Of all men
who have inhabited the earth none other so well deserves
immortality, for such a life can not be spared so long as
there are children of mankind to miss him and to grieve over
his loss.  We immortals are the servants of the world, and to
serve the world we were permitted in the Beginning to exist.
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 eagerly and nodding approval. 
Finally the King of the Wind Demons, who had been whistling
softly to himself, cried out:

  "What is your desire, O Ak?"

  "To bestow upon Claus the Mantle of Immortality!" said Ak,
boldly.

  That this demand was wholly unexpected was proved by the
immortals springing to their feet and looking into each
other's face with dismay and then upon Ak with wonder.  For it
was a grave matter, this parting with the Mantle of
Immortality.

  The Queen of the Water Sprites spoke in her low, clear voice,
and the words sounded like raindrops splashing upon a
window-pane.

  "In all the world there is but one Mantle of Immortality," she
said.

  The King of the Sound Fays added:

  "It has existed since the Beginning, and no mortal has ever
dared to claim it."

  And the Master Mariner of the World arose and stretched his
limbs, saying:

  "Only by the vote of every immortal can it be bestowed upon a
mortal."

  "I know all this," answered Ak, quietly.  "But the Mantle
exists, and if it was created, as you say, in the Beginning,
it was because the Supreme Master knew that some day it would
be required.  Until now no mortal has deserved it, but who
among you dares deny that the good Claus deserves it?  Will
you not all vote to bestow it upon him?"

  They were silent, still looking upon one another
questioningly.

  "Of what use is the Mantle of Immortality unless it is worn?"
demanded Ak.  "What will it profit any one of us to allow it
to remain in its lonely shrine for all time to come?"

  "Enough!" cried the Gnome King, abruptly.  "We will vote on
the matter, yes or no.  For my part, I say yes!"

  "And I!" said the Fairy Queen, promptly, and Ak rewarded her
with a smile.

  "My people in Burzee tell me they have learned to love him;
therefore I vote to give Claus the Mantle," said the King of
the Ryls.

  "He is already a comrade of the Knooks," announced the ancient
King of that band.  "Let him have immortality!"

  "Let him have it--let him have it!" sighed the King of the
Wind Demons.

  "Why not?" asked the King of the Sleep Fays.  "He never
disturbs the slumbers my people allow humanity.  Let the good
Claus be immortal!"

  "I do not object," said the King of the Sound Imps.

  "Nor I," murmured the Queen of the Water Sprites.

  "If Claus does not receive the Mantle it is clear none other
can ever claim it," remarked the King of the Light Elves, "so
let us have done with the thing for all time."

  "The Wood-Nymphs were first to adopt him," said Queen Zurline.
"Of course I shall vote to make him immortal."

  Ak now turned to the Master Husbandman of the World, who held
up his right arm and said "Yes!"

  And the Master Mariner of the World did likewise, after which
Ak, with sparkling eyes and smiling face, cried out:

  "I thank you, fellow immortals!  For all have voted 'yes,' and
so to our dear Claus shall fall the one Mantle of Immortality
that it is in our power to bestow!"

  "Let us fetch it at once," said the Fay King; "I'm in a
hurry."

  They bowed assent, and instantly the Forest glade was
deserted.  But in a place midway between the earth and the sky
was suspended a gleaming crypt of gold and platinum, aglow
with soft lights shed from the facets of countless gems. 
Within a high dome hung the precious Mantle of Immortality,
and each immortal placed a hand on the hem of the splendid
Robe and said, as with one voice:

  "We bestow this Mantle upon Claus, who is called the Patron
Saint of Children!"

  At this the Mantle came away from its lofty crypt, and they
carried it to the house in the Laughing Valley.

  The Spirit of Death was crouching very near to the bedside of
Claus, and as the immortals approached she sprang up and
motioned them back with an angry gesture.  But when her eyes
fell upon the Mantle they bore she shrank away with a low moan
of disappointment and quitted that house forever.

  Softly and silently the immortal Band dropped upon Claus the
precious Mantle, and it closed about him and sank into the
outlines of his body and disappeared from view.  It became a
part of his being, and neither mortal nor immortal might ever
take it from him.

  Then the Kings and Queens who had wrought this great deed
dispersed to their various homes, and all were well contented
that they had added another immortal to their Band.

  And Claus slept on, the red blood of everlasting life coursing
swiftly through his veins; and on his brow was a tiny drop of
water that had fallen from the ever-melting gown of the Queen
of the Water Sprites, and over his lips hovered a tender kiss
that had been left by the sweet Nymph Necile.  For she had
stolen in when the others were gone to gaze with rapture upon
the immortal form of her foster son.