Geetha

Chapter Ten
HOLLY

Holly (Holveg) was a timid little girl, who was frightened by the dark, she was remarkably skilled in growing flower even in the harsh climate, and nothing gave her more pleasure than to repay Nicholas' generosity by sharing flowers with him. One day she was arranging the flowers for him, she queried.

"Are you afraid of goblins? Nicholas put down the toy he was working on and turned to her with a surprised face,|goblins! he exclaimed.
"Now here am I , well past sixty years old and I've never heard of goblins.What are they Holly? he asked in an interested tone.Holly looked confused, then a doubtful tone crept into her voice. "Why I don't exactly know,"she confessed, but I've heard of them and when I"m lying in my bed at night I'm sure that's what I see creeping about my room.

"They must be shadows," said Nicholas. "I've never come across goblins, or for that matter ghosts either, " he added.

Holly was very impressed by his answer and said, "If I think I see a goblin in my room, I"ll just say to him, Nicholas says you just aren't, you old goblin!"

They both laughed and Nicholas hugged the little girl and told her it was time for her to run home for her supper, The winter months passed by and when spring arrived and it was time again for planting the flowers. Holly fell sick. All through the summer weeks shy lay on her bed, weakened by a fever,recognizing no one not even her Nicholas. He brought flowers to her, hoping that they might bring back the wandering little mind, but she only pushed them away and went on with her delirious ravings of big black giants and horrible goblins. For with her illness, her almost forgotten fears had returned and with a heavy heart Nicholas realised that their friendly little talks had been completely wiped from her mind. She gradually recovered but the fever left her the same pale, timid girl she had been when she had first brought a bouquet to Nicholas.
Holly was sadder than she had ever been during her entire life. Everything deemed black to her and her nights were filled with terror in spite of all that Nicholas had told her.But more than anything else, he worried because she had no flowers to take to him, Holly pressed her thin little face against the window pane and looked with tear filled eyes out into her bleak front garden.

As some boys passed gate they paused to wave kindly to her. Holly waved back and wiped her eyes. She pushed open the window a little and called out. "What's that green bush you have in your sled Karl?"

The boys came over to the window and Karl held up an armful of branches with lovely little warm red berried scattered among shiny pointed green leaves.
"Why it's so beautiful!" exclaimed Holly, clasping her hands. Her dull eyes began to sparkle a ;little as she asked, "What is it? Where did you get it Karl?"

"We found it in the woods. way back in the part they call the dark forest, It grows like this even in the middle of winter but I don't know what it is called,"

"Oh, it is so pretty," said Holly again, "but,but, did you say the dark forest?"
"Yes, " answered Karl. and it's dark alright.The sun hardly ever get through those trees and if you get lost in there I guess you'd stay lost for ever.

clorophilla

Here it is the holly the boys brought from the dark forest...
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128662

...and here it is a goblin!
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=74664

Geetha

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128796

but this berries are so beautiful she said again, lost in her thought.

"Yes added another boy.."I wouldn't go in there alone I can tell you."and off they went waving some of their prize and leaving Holly picture the bright red berries and shiny green leaves in her mind. How Nicholas would love some of that cheery little bush. But the dark forest! she shuddered.

"There must be all kinds of terrible things in there." she thought "wild animals and strange noises and may be, behind the trees -goblin!"

Holly shook a little and then suddenly she had a mental picture of herself when she was in Nicholas' cottage saying , " I will just look at him and say, Goblin, Nicholas says you just aren't ."

Holly burried her little face in her hands. "Oh, if only I dared to do it," she al,most sobbed. Nicholas says to do anything when you are really afraid is braver then if you felt no fear at all. But that's a horrible place. Even the boys are afraid to go there alone. But I haven't any flowers for him and he's always so kind to us and spring is so far away."

So she sat there for a long time, her mind turning from one decision to another, "May be there would be some sun in the forest and if I hurried and found the berries quickly, perhaps I could be back again before dark, I's going to do it!"

she ran for her cloak before she had a chance to change her mind and before her mother returned from the village. Nicholas looked up from his work and saw a little figure flying along the road, right past his cottage and into the forest. "That looked like Holly," he thought startled, "No it can't be, she's not well yet. Besides," he shook his head sadly, The poor little thing would be too terrified to go into the forest as it was dark enough for goblins," he said with a chuckle.

An hour later he was interrupted from his work by Holly's frantic mother, "Oh, I thought she was here with you, she cried.


When I came home and found her gone, I was sure I would find her with you. She's still so weak and look, it's beginning to snow as well. Nicholas soon pulled his bright red coat and fur trimmed cap, and said to her mother,I"ll find her, don;t you worry, "He looked out at the grey afternoon sky filled with black clouds,Already the air was filled with millions of snow flakes .scurrying and tumbling in every direction.

"I know where to look, said to himself . I"ll take the small sled with Vixen and we'll have Holly back her before the snow covers my path."

Holly meanwhile had found the red berries and her joy on seeing the cheerful little bush almost chased away the thoughts of what awful things might be lurking behind the huge tree trunks or hiding on the bought, waiting to spring down at her. She gathered a large armful of the berries and started back again. her heart beginning to pound as the light inside the forest grew dimmer and dimmer.

As she started to run, the snow whirled in white mists around her, the wind whistled through the branches and moaned high up in the tree tops. It caught Holly's cloak and wrapped it around her head, making her think that some ghostly hand was plucking at her and trying to keep her in this terrible place.

She ran faster and faster, her arms clutching the bundle of berries, her head bent against the wind, and her feet tripping over rocks and stumps hidden in the snow. She breathed heavily and in spite of the biting wind she felt her head grow hotter and hotter. He heart was pounding so hard she thoughts it would burst through her ribs.
"I can't see anything, " she sobbed, "It's getting darker and darker, I can't lift my feet and the trees are falling on me, "OH! she shrieked aloud as her terrified eyes saw a huge form looming at her through the clouds of snow. She closed her eyes and fell in a faint, face down in front of Nicholas and Vixen.

When she next opened her eyes she was in the wood carver's cottage with her mother holding her in her arms and Nicholas ' kind face looking anxiously down on her. "Where are my flowers? was her first question. "I went into the dark forest alone to get them for you, Where are they?
Nicholas put the berries and branches in her arms "Here they are my dear. Did you bring them for me?"
"Yes Nicholas, and I was afraid, but I"ll never be again, I know that now2"

Nicholas wiped a tear from his eye, "You shouldn't have gone so soon after being sick, but I do love the berries. What are they called?
"I don't know, but I liked them because they remind me of you, so round, red and shiny, "said the little girl with a mischievous laugh.

"That funny, " answered Nicholas, "they remind me of you somewhat , so brave growing out there in the darkness and cold, Those little berries have the deep red of courage in them, so I think I"ll christen them and from now on we'll call them Holly, "Holly Berry"

Geetha

Thanks Clorophilla for the Holly berry and Goblin pic.

Geetha

Chapter Eleven

The Last Stocking

The years passed and Nicholas was now a very rich man even though he shared all he had with friends in the village. Every Christmas morning the children would find their stocking filled with toys and sweets. The poorer families would also find wood.... such things as chickens, vegetables and harm and often bundles of clothing would be left on their doorsteps.

But as you would expect each year he would be a little feebler and the villagers who loved him respected him began to worry. Each Christmas morning as the children, excitedly took the gifts from their stocking, the fearful thought in every parent's heart was "May be next Christmas he won't be with us."

A few days before one Christmas. a number of villagers called on Nicholas with a suggestion. "We thought Nicholas . " said on man a little hesitantly, "we thought that you must get so cold filling the stockings outside the door, especially when there are five or six in the family, that it would be better if the children left their stockings inside by the fire."

Then you could come in and sit by the fire and take your time about it." added on woman kindly.

Old Nicholas looked up from the work he was doing and smiled. He placed his hand on the man's shoulder. "Ho, ho, ho. Fancy you coming here to tell me how to do my work." he joked. "Why I remember filling an embroidered bag for you.

When you were smaller than your own children are now. Then things changed when they started putting out stockings instead of bags and now you want me to change again and leave then inside. Well I suppose I must keep up with the times and if you think it's better to have them inside, then inside I will go.

So from then on Nicholas would quietly creep into the houses on Christmas Eve and sit in front of the fire, slowly filling the stockings, Often the children would leave him a drink and a piece of cake, as they knew that he had a long night of exhausting work.

One Christmas Eve, old Nicholas found it harder than usual to leave each home. The warm fire made him feel drowsy and his old bones ached as he wearily pulled himself up to go. He made slow progress from one house to another until thankfully he arrived at his last stop. his back hurting from carrying his bulky sack. his head drooping with tiredness and his heart heave as he realised how old he must be.

by stevedover1965
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128784

The work he had done with such enthusiasm for so many years was now almost too much for him. He dropped into a chair by the fire with a deep sigh of relief and it was long time before he recovered enough to start filling the stockings, Even then he did it very slowly and it hurt as he reached down into the bottom of the sack. each time straightening himself with growing difficulty. He finished filling four of the five stockings but with the fifth one still empty in his hand he fell sound asleep.

About an hour later he woke with start when he felt a hand shaking him.
"Are you alright Nicholas?" asked a worried voice. "I got up to see if the fire had gone out and found you still here. Why it's nearly dawn."

Nicholas shook himself and then stood up wearily. "Yes, It's Christmas morning and I haven't finished my work."

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128657
by biffs99

"Never mind, I'll finish the last stocking for you," said the man , "Just leave the presents and go home to bed, but hurry before the children wake up and see you.

Nicholas thinking of his warm comfortable bed, handed over the stocking and presents and wearily headed outside.

A few minutes later a little boy in his pyjamas stood in the doorway, What are you doing daddy? he asked in a disappointed tone. "I thought it was Nicholas who gave us the toys."

The child looked ready to cry but his father reassured him. "Your Nicholas is getting old." he said, "and sometimes we fathers have to help him. but remember, it's Nicholas who leaves the toys for you.

"That's alright then, said the little fellow. "It isn't half as much fun if you think it's your mother or father who leave the gifts."

"I should say not , " said the father very sternly, and you must never doubt Nicholas. Why he would be so hurt at a little boy thinking he didn't fill stockings that he might never come to his house again. Wouldn't that be terrible?

"Yes," whispered the boy in a frightened voice."What would Christmas be without Nicholas?" His father did not have any answer for that, so he pretended, as if he did not hear anything the little boy said.

Meet you in the next Chapter

Geetha

Chapter Twelve
Nicholas Sleeps

Holly was no longer little Holly, but a lovely slender young girl who led a happy life. her childish terrors long forgotten. She thinks of the goblin and laughs--how funny.

by me
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128802

She still continued the practice of bringing flowers to her old friends and every Christmas Eve she would go into the dark forest to gather holly to decorate his cottage on Christmas morning.

It was almost noon, and as she approached the cottage she noticed how silent and empty it looked without Nicholas bending over his work and no smoke coming from the chimney.

She stole silently into the cold little cottage and quietly opened the door to his bedroom.

"Why the darling was so tired he fell asleep with his clothes on." she murmured tenderly.

For the fat round figure lay there, still dressed in the bright red suit with the white fur. the shiny black boots and the close fitting cap.
by mrozowski
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128726


"Here's your holly," whispered the girl, bending over Nicholas.
Then with a startled exclamation she dropped the red berries over the still figure and sprang back frightened. It was few moments before Holly realised what must have happened and as she edged back close to him she sobbed. "Poor Nicholas. Why did you have to die? We all loved you so much."

She gently arranged the holly around his bed then ran out into the snow and with tears running down her face called loudly for the villagers.

They gathered in little groups to listen to her story. The women murmured in broken to comfort them for the loss of their dearest friend. The men looked everywhere except into each other's eyes for no man wanted to see the tears that were there . "Yes he's dead." they all sighed deeply.

"who's dead mother? Is it Nicholas ? asked the children.

"Won't he come to visit us any more on Christmas Eve?"

And the parents had to turn away from the wide childish eyes because they didn't want to say that awful sentence, ." Yes, Nicholas is dead."

The bells tolled and the village was in darkness that Christmas night, Vixen and his family whimpered in their stalls and holly glowed red over the still, loving heart in a red suit.

clorophilla

here it goes this beautiful pic of a sleeping Nicholas, from Yufie, drawn the last Christmas:

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=73484

Geetha

Chapter Thirteen

Santa Claus Is Born

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128805
The year that followed Nicholas' death on that Christmas morning was very sad one for all the villagers, They had tenderly put Nicholas to rest in the pine tree grove near the spot where children had played with him in the past. The eight reindeer were no longer in the stall behind the empty cottage, but had been taken by Kathy to the stables at the big house up on the hill. In the months that passed, many a mother would pick up a little doll from the floor and gently wipe the dust from its face with a suddenly tear dimmed eye for the generous heart who had made the little toy with so much love. It gradually entered even the youngest mind that Nicholas was dead and would no longer fill their stockings at Christmas. They cried a little, but gradually the image of the fat, cheerful old man faded from their memories and so the year passed until it was again Christmas Eve.

"Mother, are we going to hang up our stockings?"
"No child, Have you forgotten that Nicholas is no longer here and can't come to fill your stockings?"

This questions was asked and similarly answered in almost every house in the villages on that Christmas Eve. All over the village , children went sadly to bed without hanging up their stockings, except for one little boy, stephen.Who refused t believe that Nicholas wouldn't come, He astonished his parents when he calmly went about hanging up his stocking just the way he had done every Christmas Eve since he could remember.

"But Stephen, he's dead," said his mother, "He can't come,"

"Of course he'll come. said a determined Stephen,"We must keep the fire burning for him."

So that night all the doors were shut and the fires put out, apart from stephen's house, where a lonely stocking hung beside a cheerful blaze, Just after midnight, Holly woke up, "I thought I heard sleigh bells and reindeer hooves, " she said sleepily. "It must have been dream and she turned over and drifted back to sleep. Christmas morning dawned bright and clear the village silent under a blanket of snow. suddenly the tranquility was shattered by a wild shout as the door of one cottage burst open. "He's been shrieked stephen.

"He's been. Look at my stocking!It's filled just the same as last Christmas and there's a big new sled by our fireplace. I knew it, Look everybody, wake up! Nicholas has been,"

Men, women and children jumped from their beds to see what all the noise was about, and the children leaped right into the largest piles of toys they had ever seen. They were all around the fireplaces. on the tables and chairs, and even beside their beds. the entire village opened its doors and poured out into the streets, the children dragging handsome new sleds laden with the most beautiful toys the village had ever seen.

"Did you see this? Look at my boar."
"He must have come down the chimney when he found the door locked. There was some soot on the floor,"

"Isn't it wonderful? It's the happiest Christmas we've ever had!"

"Little Stephen found a fir tree in a tub, decorated with more gifts, fruit and candles, the same way the gypsy children found their gifts many years ago."

"Yes, and Stephen says there's a big, shiny star at the very top."

"That's because Stephen believes in him," they said ashamed of themselves. But now we believe too."

An old woman watching all the happy faces, said in her cracked voice, "He's a saint, that's what he is!"

"Yes he's Saint Nicholas now! "They all took up the cry and the whole village joined in shouting. Saint Nicholas! Saint Nicholas!

A little boy's voice tried to add his stumbling speech to the general shouting, "Sant Clos! Sant Clos! he lisped.

"We believe now." the children and their parents all said to each other.

"How could Saint Nicholas be forgotten by us. We believe he will always visit us on Christmas Eve as long as there is one child left in the village."

"In the village," echoed little Stephen, "You mean in the whole wide world," he shouted triumphantly.

The local children, who were sitting with Mrs. Bucket, were so much engrossed in the story they forgot to go home, and just looking at the old lady's face.
They all jumped by the sound of the calling bell. children shouted Santa Claus, Santa Claus!

Mrs. Bucket got up from her chair to open the door, what she sees at the door ,
Santa Claus standing with a sweet smile, carrying a big bag on his shoulder, full of toys. She stood there looking at the face, it was difficult for her to see the face, as it was covered with snow and white hair.
He enters the room and HO HO HO Merry Christmas to you all .
Mother! It is me, your son,
She was speechless.
He gave the children all the toys he brought and lifted his mother, following him his wife and three children enter the house, Now the house was a real house. family members and happiness all around.
"Mother there is gift for you as well " said her son.
" For me? " she asked, "You all are my gift, my darling. what else I could wish for."
We are celebrating the Christmas here and then you are coming with us. Tears fell down from Mrs. Bucket's eyes. Her grandchildren took the book, she kept on the table and asked her to read the story.
And it continues for ever.....................

Geetha

Thank you all of my TD friends for all the support and encouragement given to me.
I hope, I'll be forgiven if any typing mistake has been found by you.
A VERY VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

clorophilla

the end of this story filled my eyes by tears... thank you Geetha for your beautiful gift!

And now, let me add some pic for complete the story, brought from the showcases of the last 3 Crhistmas... please forgive me if I don't name avery artist - there are too many!

The sad silent night before Christmas - solitary tree
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=74269

Stephen still believes...
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he puts the sock out of the door...
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a strange sound of jingle... Santa's coming!
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He's close now...
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http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128326


He checks again his list...
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Down through the chemin
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the gifts near the fireplace
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the reindeers waiting outdoor
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http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=75302
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stephen's tree
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=13108
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128742

Santa's happiness
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"Mom, I'm back!" (at Mrs Buckett door)
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Every Christmas, forever, and everywhere...
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128804

Normal

Geetha, I can't believe I just today found your story. You have given the gift of Christmas to my heart! Thank you, and Happy Christmas to all my TD friends.
My tree could be the gypsies' tree, since it's one that has candles. I hope it is okay to add it for your story.

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=127129

hanging

Ahhh Geetha, what a story you have created!
Often got tears in my eyes, smiling, chuckling, my heart pounding...

And all the pics added by you and everyone else made this story richer and profound...
This story is inspiring, which made people wanting to draw and find pics for it.

Thank you Geetha for your gift for us!

Geetha

Thank you very much Normal and hanging for your compliments, Is was my pleasure. Thanking you again, and Happy Christmas to you and all my TD friends.

zum117

its a small gift for you geetha and for all my TD Friends..
He has glasses to help him read the long list.....LOL.

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=127924

lynnspotter

Thank you for this Christmas gift to us! Have a blessed Christmas Geetha!

Geetha

Thank you zum117 for the cute Santa with glass, and wish you and lynnspotter a Happy Christmas.

Brunnhilde

Thank you again Geetha for a beautiful story, beautifully told with all your charm - and thank you all TDs wonderful artists for your delightful illustrations.