Geetha

A mother waiting for her son before the Christmas and going down the memory lane, thinking of his childhood days.

Geetha

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=121571
In her house one lonely mother sitting with a book in hand, which she has presented to him on his 6th birthday, the book, has lot of Santa 's picture.
Every Sunday she reads the story to the local children, they all love her, never miss to come to her house, that evening, while waiting for the children with the book of Santa, as it was a Christmas time, she thought of reading this special book to the children.She went down her memory lane,.

My dear love, let us go to the city center, you will love there. and they left. Her son did enjoy the colourful lights and a big Christmas tree right in the middle of the city center, loads and loads of gift under the tree. The small boy was jumping with the joy and kept on asking hundreds of questions to his mother, and they spent the whole evening in the city center. Before they returned to their home, they visited a book shop. As soon as he entered the shop he spotted that big book of Santa. He looked at his mother and she knew what was in his mind. Off to home with the book.

Dark and chill night,with a twinkling stars in the sky, there was no sleep in his eyes. He was tucked in the bed by his mother, he was holding the book. Mother smiled at him and said good night. she knew, next morning is going to be very busy, but no excuse from reading the book, she had to.

Geetha

The cover of the book
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=127869
The young boy is looking at the book and waiting for his mother to come and read it.
All work finished, she hugs him, he fires many questions at the same time, he wants to know who is Santa? why he wears the red hat, and red dress, why he brings gifts to all on the Christmas eve? and so on.

My dear love, I will tell you all about Santa and his life. This book has everything written on it. I will read it for you. He nods his head.

Long long ago, in a tiny village on the shores of baltic sea, a fisherman and his wife lived in;a simple stone cottage with their two children, Nicholas a boy and his baby sister Kathy.
One afternoon, as Nicholas sat by the window carving a small piece of driftwood, he watched the fury of the storm clouds building .In the distance he could hear the roar of the waves breaking on the shore and his thoughts were for his father who must be being tossed about in his frail fishing boat,It was growing dark as Nicholas asked in a concerned voice, "Mother, do you think father will be safe out there?" He received no answer. His mother was too busy looking after baby Kathy who was lying in her cot tossing feverishly. Eventually she rose from beside the cot and with a worried look on her face confide in Nicholas.
"Your sister's fever is becoming worse and I can't wait for your father any longer.Nicholas, I want you t stay by Kathy and wipe her forehead with this damp cloth.Oh and make sure she stays covered. I will be as quick as I can " she said patting his head., putting on her overcoat she hurried out into the cold , wild, black night, a flurry of snowflakes rushing through the door as she left.

Patiently, Nicholas watched Kathy for many hours until she stopped pushing the covers aside and her face became white and her little forehead grew cooler to his touch. As the ashes in the fire turned from black to gray his head nodded and he fell asleep on the floor beside the cot.
That was the way the villagers found him next morning when they brought the sad news that his father had been drowned in the storm,to make things even worse they also had to tell him that his poor mother had been killed by a tree falling on her on the way to fetch the doctor. Now of the once happy family of four, there was only
little Nicholas. He became as orphan.

Geetha

Any body there? find interesting?

Geetha

Chapter Two
Now the big question was, who would take care of little Nicholas, who was all alone in the world? Villagers had a meeting and one said "We would take care of him of course," but it's not going to be easy, he is a growing boy.
"It's now the middle of winter and good fishing days are few and far between, " said another."
Then kind, plump Mrs. Bavran spoke. " We have a reserve of food for this winter and there's an old bed in our store room, so we could take in the poor little boy. But I think we all should share Nicholas. There are ten of us here now, so if we each agree to have him for one year, that will take care of him until he's fifteen, and without a doubt he'll run away to sea long before that ."

Every one agreed, and so Nicholas went to live with the Bavran family, moving in on Christmas Eve, the day before the Christmas feast. The children 's excitement only made him feel more miserable and he curled himself up in a corner of the storeroom, and with heartbroken sobs for him lost mother , father and little sister, Nicholas tried to drown the sounds of merrymaking in the cottage. But the door opened slowly , and a little form was seen in the ray of light.


What do you want - asked Nicholas . Go away I want to be alone.
Oh come in here where there's more light, said the young Bavran.
So Nicholas went in where there was more light , more children and more laughter and for a while he forgot his sorrow.


"My boat is broken" cried the little boy, "the new one given to me for the Christmas feast, father has gone out for fishing and mother cant fix it. What shall I do? Nicholas dried his eye on his sleeves and took the broken toy in his hands. I'll fix it for you, and went to his lonely corner.

Qsilv

Geetha -- this is rich and wonderful..... please continue.............

hanging

I had to draw Nicolas's house, that night...
Hope you like it, Geetha.

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128511

lynnspotter

Yes, yes! More PLEASE!

Geetha

I am very happy with your response, and thanks, hanging, for adding the house of Nicholas , I will continue.

Geetha

"Oh, come in here where there's more light." said the young Barvan.
So Nicholas went in where there was more light, more children, and more laughter and for a while he forgot his sorrows.
As the months passed, Nicholas grew very fond of the Bavran children, Otto, Margaret and Gretchen. He loved playing with them, but he knew it couldn't last forever. When Christmas day was nearing again, he had to move to another family, he was confused and frightened, yet his thought were of how to repay them for their kindness. Nicholas wished that he could give them all a gift, but the only things he owned in the world were the clothes that he wore , and extra coat and trousers, an old sea chest and the pocketknife that had belonged to his father. He just could not part with any of these. Suddenly a wonderful idea came into his mind. He would carve some toys for the children, just as he had done for his sister Kathy.

So for the last two weeks of his stay , he worked in the dark storeroom, struggled during the last few days so all the gifts could be finished by Christmas morning, Bavran family had taken him in last winter and now he had to be passed onto another family.

The children wept as Nicholas packed his belongings. Now he will be going to Hans the rope maker, family. The little orphan drew from out of his bag the rough little toys he had made and on seeing the children 's delight in their gifts he was so happy that he didn't feel like crying himself. a lovely glow spread over his heart when he saw their happy faces and heard their cries of thanks.
Next Christmas I shall be able to make you even better toys." said Nicholas , an air of determination in his voice. " just you wait and see!" With the promise, Nicholas now six years old, bravely left them, his small figure turned away from the happy scene to face the uncertainty of the year ahead with the new family. He was sad, yet his bright blue eyes were warm with the thought of the happiness he had left behind. At the same time he was thinking of the Hans children, they can be nice to me as the Bavran children and I can make toys for them too.Christmas can be a happy time for me even if it's my moving day.

Geetha

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=121374
The local children are coming to Mrs Bucket's,right that was the lady's name, house,there is story lady's house, "said one of them. we are already late, she must be waiting for us. walk fast, "said another.

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=126012

and there goes the calling bell, Mrs Bucket just jumped from her chair and opened the door. She was so happy to see the children and settled in her chair again and started to read the story. The children were listening to her very attentively, they had tears in their eyes, when they heard about young Nicholas is moving from Bavran family to Hans family, It was quite disturbing for them. Lady took a long breath, but no children are very eager to know about Nicholas, and she continues.

Geetha

Chapter Three
At the rope maker's cottage most of the winter evenings were spent by the children learning how to wind and untangle masses of twine, and to most of the simple net mending. Nicholas discovered that by loosening strands of flaxen coloured hemp he could make the most realistic hair for the little wooden dolls he still found time to carve. When he left at the end of one year, the rope maker's five little children found five small toys waiting for them on the mantle of their fireplace. Nicholas did not forget his promise to the three Bavran children, but make a special trip to their house on that Christmas morning with their gifts.

Nicholas became more and more skillful in making toys with his father's pocketknife, as the years went by, and all children came to expect one of Nicholas' toys on Christmas day. Nicholas never disappointed the children, he always knew exactly what each of them would like.

Nicholas was fourteen years old, Christmas was only a week away when he arrived at the school play ground to find all his friends in a group chattering excitedly.

What's happening? he enquired.

"There's going to be a sled race on Christmas morning" said Otto. "It will start from the Squire's gate at the top of the hill and finish at the big pine on the far side of his house.
"And the prize, " interrupted Hans, i"s a grand new sled with metal runners."
Nicholas asked " what time does the race begin?"
reply " nine o'clock sharp on Christmas morning."
He was thinking of the chest full of toys which he had planned to deliver to all the children on Christmas morning, especially the one for Elsa the wood cutter's daughter, as she lived outside the village. He was doubtful, if he can make it.

Perhaps if i get up very early and really hurried, he said to himself, then suddenly he realized that the race would pass right by Elsa's cottage. The doll could be dropped off in few seconds. allowing him to continue without loosing any time.
He shouted gleefully, " I will be there! I will be there! At nine o'clock sharp and you better watch out for that prize." He was imagining of the brand new sled.

Geetha

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128397
I hope you don't mind artdillon, I am adding your pic in this story line.

Christmas morning was bright and sunny, with fresh crisp snow. Nicholas had been up long before the sun rose, and as usual had left toys in every doorway. As the children set off with their sleds for the race, the villagers followed behind to watch the excitement. But there was no sign of Nicholas. Unfortunately one of his old sled's wooden runners had broken under the strain of carrying the heavy load of toys. As he was trying hard to lash it together with rope, he could hear the faint echo of the Squire's horn coming from the top of the hill. The has started. He was disappointed because he knew he had missed the chance to win the new sled, but as he had to go to the woodcutter's cottage to delver Elsa's present, he turned the battered sled upright and made a dash for the hilltop, as he reached the starting line, he saw his friends speeding off.

"Come on Nicholas ," called the villagers, " Let's give you a good push to get you started. One, two, three. Off you go."

Nicholas flew down the hill, his face stinging in the wind, faster and faster he went, the wooden runners hardly touching the hard packed snow. He was catching up with the other children. His friends had stopped and were waiting for him just in front of the woodcutter's cottage.

"Hurry up Nicholas." encouraged little Josef, "We would have waited for you at the top, but the Squire became impatient and made us start when the horn blew. You know we'd have waited for you if we could."
Yes - shouted Otto, now go and leave that doll in Elsa's doorway , and let's go!
From now on just see how long we'll wait for you! First come , first served for the new sled with metal runners."

With a noisy whoosh, twenty children were off and the race continued over the frozen creek, through patches where they had to carry their sleds. zigzagging between trees and then the long hard pull up the hill behind the Squire's house. Nicholas could only see one boy in front of him just as the big pine tree came into view. His mind was on how much he needed that sled for his Christmas deliveries. He flew along so fast that for a moment he thought he would sail right through the tree splitting it in two. but just in time he steered his sled to one side and jumped off. When the whole villagers shouted and cheered for him, he had won the race, It was like a dream come trueeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

All the childred pulled him home on his new sled and each mother and father that they passed , waved and smiled proudly, as happy as if it was their own child that had won the race.

clorophilla

what a beautiful tale! I can't wait the following chapters!

zum117

its a very interesting story Geetha I like it so mush

Geetha

After the crowd of villagers had dispersed on that merry Christmas day of the sled race
Nicholas was stopped at the door of the cottage where he had.spent the last year by a lean, dark looking man who looked as though he had never smiled in his life. It was Bertram Marsden the wood carver of the village , who all the children called "Mad Marsden "because he lived alone rarely spoke t anybody and chased the children away from his door with black looks and harsh words.

"You haven't forgotten have you Nicholas that you move to my house today?" Marsden asked gruffly.
Nicholas looked up. Oh no , he hadn't forgotten, and he well knew why Marsden had offered t take him in for the last year of his life as a wandering orphan. The only reason he was willing . even eager, to feed and clothe Nicholas was because for almost five years now he had watched the work he had been doing with his old pocketknife, and realised that Nicholas would make a very good and cheap apprentice for him.

Once again Nicholas packed his few belongings onto his new sled, said a grateful farewell to the family he was leaving. and followed Mad Marsden home to his mean looking cottage on the outskirts of the village.

On entering the cottage, Nicholas stepped immediately into the main workroom of the wood carver. Here was found his bench, work table tools and an assortment of wood.
Marsden pointed to a door in the corner and said,"You can store your belonging in there.
Nicholas stood in the middle of the untidy room, looking around in dismay.
"There's a bed you can sleep on and you might as well put that pretty sled away for good, we have no time here to go romping in the snow. Come now Nicholas, don't stand there gawking. Put away your belongings; you have much to learn here. "I'm going to make a good wood carver of you. There'll be no time for silly little dolls and wooden toys. You will have to earn your keep here. Oh, by the way you can keep that tribe of children that always follow you about away from here , do you understand me boy?"

Nicholas bowed his head and went silently to work putting away his small bundle of belongings.

So Nicholas started to work for the mad old wood carver and learned that his father's old pocket knife was clumsy tool compared with the beautifully sharp knives and chisels that Marsden used. He learned to work for hours on end,bent over the bench beside his master, Patiently going over a piece of wood until it was smooth as a piece of glass. Sadly Nicholas could not learn to get used to the dreadful loneliness of the cottage, and longed for the days when he had been in friendlier ones surrounded by laughing children. Over the months, Nicholas gradually cleaned the cottage to make his enforced home bearable, without making it obvious to Marsden.

Geetha

One night as Marsden sat in front of the fire, silently smoking his long curved pipe, he noticed that Nicholas was still bent over the workbench engrossed in some task. " Here lad" he said almost kindly, in his gruff voice, I am not such a hard master that I would have you work night as well as day. What is that you are doing? Why don't you go to bed and sleep.
It's only a small piece of wood you threw away, "said Nicholas quickly. I am trying to make a copy of that chair you finished today. but this is a little one - a toy., " he ended fearfully, for he well knew that the word, " toy" would mean children to old Marsden and for some strange reason just to mention a child i his presence sent him into a terrible rage. But , surprisingly the old man did not angry and wanted to see the toy Nicholas made,and said, "Hmm not bad, but you have the scroll on the back larger on one side than the other. Here, pass me that knife, " Nicholas hastened to give him the small tool and watched admiringly as the old craftsman deftly corrected the mistake.
"There , that's the way it should be done."Then instead of handing the little chair to Nicholas, who was waiting expectantly, he continued holding it in his hands whilst a sad expression came into the fierce old eyes as he remembered the toys he had made for his own two sons many many years ago. Slowly a smile grew on his tired old face and Nicholas blinked and looked again, Yes a real smile was tugging at the corners of that stem mouth which had been turned down for so many years. The old man lifted his head, and looked at the strong young face with the kind eyes.
" You are good lad Nicholas, and he added almost shyly, for it wasn't easy for a harsh man to change so quickly, "I think I'd like to help you with some of those little things you make. We will make them together these long winter evenings,eh, shall we Nicholas. You can deliver them on Christmas day in that fine sled of yours, Perhaps by then you might even like to stay and live with me next year." the old man added in such a soft voice it sounded like a plea.

He grasped Nicholas' arm almost roughly, then a peaceful expression crept into the lonely old face as the boy answered simply, yes , of course master. I will stay here with you just as long as you want me to.

So like this every winter both head worked, one grey head with thick shaggy hair and the smooth yellow head of a boy. they worked feverishly during the weeks before Christmas and with the old man helping with carving. Nicholas was able to add delicate little touches to the toys. which made them far more handsome than any he had made before. He painted the dolls' faces so that their eyes were as blue and their cheeks and lips ;;were as rosy as the little girls who would soon clasp them in their arms. The little chairs and tables were stained with the same soft colours that Marsden used on his own work, the little boys' sleds and boats were shiny with bright new paints, red, yellow , blue and green.

Only two nights before Christmas, everything was finished. Although a toy for every child in the village was packed onto the sled with metal runners. Nicholas and the old man were still working at the bench. This time they were desperately trying to finish a chest, which had been ordered by a wealthy woman in the next village twenty miles away. It was late on Christmas Eve when it was eventually finished. "I am sorry," said old Marsden reading Nicholas' thoughts. "you will have to take it over tomorrow." I'd go myself, but I'm not as strong as I used to be . It's an all day trip, twenty miles up and down.
"If only she didn't want the chest tomorrow, " said Nicholas.
"Well," answered his master, We did promise it , and it has to be delivered on time. Now the toys were not promised, "No, but I have given them," interrupted Nicholas.
" I was going to say lad, that they weren't promised for Christmas day. Now you know that little children go to bed early. why can't you..."

"Why of course!" Nicholas jumped to his feet shouting, Where's my list? Where is my sled? I'll have to hurry.

Outside, the village was asleep. No one saw the lone figure. wrapped up against the crisp icy air, dragging a sled from house to house, leaving a small pile of toys in each doorway until it was empty. It was three in the morning when Nicholas truned away from the last doorway. His sled was much lighter to pull, but his feet were tired from trudging through the heavy snow, but he was happy it was Christmas and once again he had kept his unspoken promise to the children of the village. Fourth Chapter finishes here.

Qsilv

Geetha, what a wonderful gift you are making to us here.... stories like this are rare and precious. Thank you for it!

clorophilla

How much I like this idea - to contribute all of us to illustrate Geeths beautiful story!

This is the work desk of Nicholas at the wood carving old man's home!
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=128653

Geetha

Thank you Qsilv for liking the story and thanks a load to you clorophilla for contributing the work desk of Nicholas.