Song of the Elf Child

David L. Schartman

The old elf sat in his chair by the fire, watching his grandchildren decorate the Christmas tree. The firelight danced in his eyes while he watched them argue about where to put each ornament. He said nothing.

Ola started to joke and tease her younger brother, Pawli. She didn't notice her grandfather watching them. She didn't see the shadows dancing around his wrinkled face, each wrinkle a century of understanding.

Ola said, "Don't put that there, Pawli. You're putting too many ornaments in one place."

He said happily, "I like them where I put them." And he picked up one of the special ornaments."

Reaching to grab it, she said, "Be careful. Grandfather, he's not putting them on right."

"Ola, you put yours at the top. I'm supposed to do the bottom."

"You can't do anything right! Grandfather, he's not doing it right."

"Yes I am! Grandfather tell her to leave me alone."

The old elf just watched with an inward smile.

"Give me this one," trying to pull it out of her brother's hand.

"No, this one's mine!"

"No it's not! I'm going to put it..." The ornament spun out of their hands, hit the floor, and broke into smithereens.

They both said, "See what you made me do. You're good for nothing. You are! You are." And both ran crying to their grandfather, who still said nothing.

With a hint of a twinkle in his eyes he said, "Shh now. Sit up here."

As he pulled them onto his lap, the little chimes on the necklace he always wore rang merrily. " First of all, no one is good for nothing. So, you both must be good for something. Here, wipe the tears away and I'll tell you a story about a little elf who really thought he was good for nothing."

"Do we know him," asked Pawli, a bit worried.

"Hah, this was a long time ago when elves got their names from what they did at Christmas Village. Many years ago there was a family of elves that was getting ready to go to the Pole for the first time with their young elfchild. In fact, they called him,

Elfchild. For some reason he was not born in the same season as the other elves of his generation, but a year later. And, since all the other elves had gotten their name the previous year, he was teased at school, a lot! But he didn't mind too much because his mother and father loved him dearly.

They worried about him because he would try to do what the other elves were doing, even if he didn't really know how. But usually he could invent some way of doing it and would get by. Then, though, there were those times when his mother and father didn't know what to do about the problems that his approach would sometimes create."

With big shining eyes Pawli asked, "Did his parents still love him?"

"Well, they did. But, sometimes it was hard not to get aggravated."

"Is this only about boys?" Asked Ola, a little suspiciously.

"Oh my, no. No, indeed!" said the grandfather. "These things happen to girls too." Ola snuggled a little closer after hearing that.

"Well, the family had gathered all the things that they were going to take and put them in a pile in the clearing in front of their woodland home. That elfchild was surely excited. This was his first trip to Christmas Village. All the elfenkinder went last year and they talked about the elves from all over the world that they had met there. All year he heard about the toy making, the feast baking, the reindeer keeping, and the song making. He was especially looking forward to the song making; he had already been trying to create his song. You see, each elf must sing his own song when he takes his special name. He was so excited he was about to come out of his skin.

He packed and repacked his father's gear for training reindeer. He packed and repacked all the clothes his mother was packing until his mother's hair got frazzled and his father exasperated. But now they were all standing in the green glen, waiting for the Krysadon.

"Like our green glen?" his grandchildren exclaimed.

"Oh yes, very much the..."

"Will the Krysadon be taking us too?" they asked, a little fearfully.

"Oh, you can count on that! But don't worry. Anyway I said they were all standing. Actually, the mother and father were standing, wearily holding each other up. The elfchild was climbing all over the gear, the packages, and stacked boxes that held all that they would need for Christmas Village."

" Was it snowy?" Pawli asked.

"There was a dusting of snow on the ground but it was going to really snow soon. The elfchild's father could tell."

"I bet it looked just like our meadow just before the snow comes," Ola imagined.

"Shh!" said Pawli.

The mother turned to the pile and said, "Please get down here and calm down. How many times do I have to tell you."

"Yes mother, but how are we going to take all these things?"

"There'll be plenty of room in the basket,"said the father. Child, I have told... Hammers and Bells, be careful of my gear...I've told you. The Krysadon is coming." He said the last sentence with a hint of menace. The elfchild immediately jumped down and stood rock still next to his father.

"But how can it take us and all this stuff? How big is it? What does it look like and what kind of name is Krysadon?

His father shot him one of his "Don't be foolish!' looks and muttered "It's as big as it needs to be."

"And it looks like it wants to look . Its name is the ancient language for the 'power of change', 'transformation'," his mother added.

"Sometimes it's crimson, sometimes gold, sometimes like a rainbow, sometimes like the blue sky."

"But how will we be able to see it if it's like the sky?"

"It is seen when it wants to be seen," said the father.

"But how can it do that?"

"The Krysadon is magical. It knows all the magic of Christmas," said the father, ending the conversation.

"Oh," said the elfchild. After he stood still as long as he could, he climbed back up on top of the pile to see better. Then he slipped and tumbled down to his parents feet, spilling open a box of tools on the way.

"Pack it back up," muttered the father.

"Are you hurt?" his mother asked.

The crestfallen elfchild quietly said, "No."

His father warned, "There better be no nonsense when the Krysadon gets here!"

"Oh my, yes," his mother added.

The elfchild's eyes got big, "Would he...."

"Never mind about that! Just be a good elf- that means do a good job, and finish what you start- and you won't have anything to worry about," his father said.

His mother waited and then said, "Yes indeed, that Krysadon's an awesome creature, a bit..." and then she started singing

"We're going to the pole, ho, ho.

We're going to the pole, ho, ho.

We're going, going, going,

We're going to the cold North Pole."

The elfchild joined in with his mother but stopped after he sang 'cold' and asked, "Will it be cold?"

"It'll be cold," said father.

"Then how will we stay warm?" asked a concerned elfchild.

Father sang

"We'll have a magic sun to warm.

We'll have a magic sun to warm.

Bringing, bringing, bringing,

Magic warmth to everyone."

And they all sang

"We'll take along our household things.

We'll take along our tools and things.

The things we need for Christmasing

At the pole,

At the pole,

At the pole.

"Ok," said mother, "Let's straighten up the pile, so we know if we forgot anything." But the elfchild was so busy searching the skies for the magic bird, he didn't see that he put one box on another in such a way that one of them would fall and launch a hammer he had missed.

"Hammers and Bells, Elfchild," said his father, "You're looking in the wrong direction!"

"Where?" And the elfchild spun around so fast he missed where his father was pointing, and... missed upsetting that precarious box.

"There!"

"Where?

And the elfchild spun around again, with the same results.

"There! The Krysadon always comes out of the sunset."

And the elfchild looked at an orange sherbet sunset in a blue-green sky. And then he saw something shimmer in it. "I think I see it," just managing to say it out loud. As his mother and father watched the creature shimmer toward them, casting multicolored shadows, the elfchild climbed to the top of their belongings. Somehow he still did not upset the boxes. His parents didn't say anything this time because they remembered their first time seeing the Krysadon.

The shimmering entity landed before them and as the shimmer subsided a bird with wondrously semi-transparent feathers solidified. It held a gondola shaped basket in it's claws.

"Is that big enough to carry us?" the elfchild blurted.

After a bit of silence the eyes of the Krysadon centered on the Elfchild and it said, drily, "It's magic."

His parents laughed and the family started loading the gondola.

It was amazing that the one box didn't fall... that is until the elfchild finally upset it. The box flipped over and hit the handle of the hammer and that hammer spun up in a graceful curve. Now, the Krysadon turned to see what was the commotion and that hammer completed a graceful curve right to the beak of the Krysadon!

There was silence!

The Krysadon took its eyes off the frozen elfchild and looked at his parents. They smiled a non-smile and shrugged their shoulders. The Krysadon looked forward and said drily, "It's time to leave."

They literally flew around gathering their remaining things and regaining their composure."

"Grandfather, was their composure part of their belongings, asked Pawli.

"Oh no," he laughed, his necklace tinkling. 'Composure' means being able to stay calm in a crisis."

"I think his parents are going to need a lot of it," said Ola.

"Anyway, they loaded everything and themselves in the blink of an eye. With a whoosh the Krysadon's wings extended, and as they rose, the shimmering became transparent. Anybody watching would have only seen a heat wave rising over the field.

From the air the family watched theie home disappear and the gorgeous last of the sunset as the flew north into a starry night.

"Elfchild, look. We are flying in the aurora borealis," said his mother. He was awed by the wavy, shifting colors surrounding them.

In a calm voice his father said, "Elfchild, it's time to seriously focus on finding your role in Christmas Village. That will determine your special name."

"And your song," added his mother. "But don't worry; you'll find something to sing about by the time Santa returns from Christmas."

The elfchild was a little bit worried though, about singing in front of the whole village. But, he figured that since everyone else had done it, he surely would be able to do it too. "Oh, I'll try so hard to be the best new elf ever to come to Christmas Village."

"That's good, but remember, everyone is trying to make the best Christmas possible," said his mother.

"And they've been at it a while . You understand ?" added his father.

The Elfchild nodded. His parents looked at each other, but didn't say anything else until his father said, "We're here."

"I thought the north pole was over ice?"

"We use the magnetic north pole. That's where the magic is!" said his father. "You won't see anything until we pass through the magic shield."

The bird circled down, slowly passing through the shield and there below was Christmas Village. Although there was snow on the ground, the temperature was always mild. His parents pointed out the different buildings and the Christmas take off and landing field where his father trained the reindeer teams and tested the sleighs. And that is where they landed.

There was small group of elves waiting to greet them as they got out of the gondola. There was Norgo, the oldest elf and overseer of Christmas Village. At one time he had a more active role with humans as Father Christmas.

And there was a scruffy, scurrying elf named Helpo who was a whiz at getting their belongings unloaded onto a buckboard sleigh.

There were two girl elves also. One was a loudly dressed Scandinavian elf named Edja. She was a particularly enthusiastic elf!

And then he met Minda. She was most amazing elf he had ever seen.

He blushed. But, she made him feel comfortable when she started telling him about how she enjoyed taking care of the reindeer and working in the Tack Room.

"We have reindeer like these," she said, pointing to those pulling their sled. And we also have three complete teams for the Christmas sleighs."

"Sleighs? he asked.

"Yes," Said Norgo. "We take no chances on there not being a Christmas." Then he turned and looked at the Krysadon.

The Krysadon said, "This is the last elfen family - with a ha;fling."

"Oh yes, a halfling to find his name," said Norgo looking to the elfchild and then back to the bird. The Krysadon rolled its eyes and wobbled his head from side to side. "I see," Norgo concluded.

Edja jumped up as the sled started forward. "There! There are the three sleighs!" She pointed to the row of Christmas sleighs.

"Two and a half," said Minda.

The elfchild saw the third sleigh up on blocks, missing it's runners and supports. "What happened?"

Both the girl elves looked at each other and said, "Hungry George!"

His father added, "One great lead reindeer, but ... he tries to take short cuts - like someone else I know. I've put him in the last team until he settles down.

"If there's food anywhere around, he'll try to get it!" added Minda.

"He's a good one, though," bubbled Edja.

The elfchild saw elves from all over the world bobbing up and down and in and out of the sleighs while singing

"We work. We work. We work and make play.

It's fun. It's fun. It's fun to work this way.

We shine the things that go upon the sleigh.

We laugh and sing. We laugh and sing and have a happy day.

The Elfchild and his two young companions joined in.

Working on the sleigh that was being repaired was a strapping elf named Hammo. When he saw Minda going by, he grabbed a second hammer with his free hand and started tapping and juggling them, never missing a beat. Helpo jumped off the sled and in a flash was supplying him with nails and tacks, just missing getting whacked by the hammers. Minda and the Elfchild looked at one another and laughed. Hammo could see that she was smitten by this new elf and thought they were laughing at him. Finishing with a flurry of strokes, he turned to the breathless Helpo and said, "That hafling will screw up something and we're going to be right there to help him, right Helpo?"

"Wwwwe'll hhhhelp... him?" Helpo didn't exactly know what Hammo meant as he watched the sled disappear toward the bungalows that housed the families at Christmas Village.

The family was up early. The elfchild was up earliest. He didn't think he could fall asleep, but he did, almost before his head hit his pillow.

But when morning came, he sat bolt upright in his bed, wide awake and ready to find his work in Christmas Village. He ran out into the kitchen and began trying to make his lunch. His mother came out of her room, saw him, saw the beautiful day outside, and sang

"It's another wonderful morning.

It's another wonderful day.

It's another wonderful morning.

It's a start it right away day.

There are lives to be lived

And there's work to be done.

There are songs that need singing

And a world to be sung."

The elfchild joined in

There are friends to be made

And there's work to be done

On the magic that is living

And the joy there is for sharing with Everyone.

His father walked out sleepily and muttered, "Hammers and Bells."

But, he began to get into singing too.

"It's another wonderful morning.

It's another wonderful day.

It's another wonderful morning.

It's a start it right away day.

There are sights to be seen

And there's joy on the way

And our lives to go n living

So there's really only one thing we can say:

It's another wonderful,

Another wonderful,

Another extra special morning

Today

Today

Today."

"It's a reindeer training day for me, that's for sure," said his father.

"Sit down! Today, Elfchild, you are going to be with Bulmo in the Forge Room in the morning and with Altina in the Reindeer Tack Room in the afternoon.

"Eat your food. You'll like the Tack Room. You remember who works there, don't you?' asked his mother. This question made him blush.

"I wonder if today is the day I find my name."

"Don't worry about it. It'll happen when it's supposed to happen," said his parents.

"Let's get going," his father finally said. The elfchild flew out the door, but he had to turn around and fidget while his father kissed his mother 'goodbye.'

And down the path they went that turned toward the sleigh practice field. After they passed the north pole where the Christmas sleigh leaves and returns, his father said. Pointing to the porch of the Great Hall, he continued, "And that's where you'll welcome Santa back with your song." We're going this way though," and turned toward the woods that encircles Christmas Village at the magic barrier.

The path they were on went through the woods and ended at a little tree. "See this little tree in front of us. It blocks where this path crosses through the magic shield and continues into the artic tundra, where, if you go, you will freeze to death. Don't do that . It would make your mother very unhappy." The elfchild snickered at his father's humor.

When they got to the little tree a path turned to the right and they followed it around a low hill to a hollow. There was the Forge Room.

It was really pretty large,but they called it the Forge Room because that was where the important work was done in that building. The rhythmic plumes of sparks and the ringing of metal on metal took the Elfchild's breath away. He felt pretty sure this was going to be the place for him.

When his father pushed open the heavy, elfen carved door, he could see sparks shooting up like fireworks through the hole in the roof over the forge. Everywhere he looked there were devices for heating and bending metal. There were elves operating bellows that blew air into the coals, releasing geysers of sparks into the sky. And there were sparks of different colors flying from the many anvils where metals of every kind were being hammered. In the center of it all was a big elf hammering and singing

"The song of the forge room,

The sound of the forge room,

The sound of the anvil,

The sound of the hammer is the song of the forge room.

I make things of silver.

I make things of pure gold.

I hammer and the sparks fly.

I bend things to please the eye.

I make things of iron.

And the magic is in me

And dances all around me

From the fire of the furnace

To the stars up in the sky

Is the magic of the forge room.

The sound of the forge room is

The song of the forge room.

As the two walked up to Bulmo, he stopped singing and stuck out his big hand. "You must be the elfchild I've been expecting. Hi Rayno."

His father said 'Hi' back, told his son to be careful, and that he would probably see him later in the afternoon at the harness room. He nodded to Bulmo and left for the training field.

"Well," said Bulmo, "this is the forge room where..."

"What is that? And that? How hot is the fire? Does it melt all the metals? What are these tools for? And these? And what's this machine?" asked the Elfchild in a flurry of questions that made Bulmo rock backwards.

"Hold! Enough! One step at a time. This is a dangerous place. You can get badly hurt and badly

burned here! Pay attention and I'll show you how the dance of the Forge Room goes."

The elfchild didn't know what he meant until he looked around and saw that all the elves moved in a flowing, easy dance with all the machines, even the big machines, winches, and hammers. Everything danced to the song of the forge room - sparks, metal flying from one point to the next, elves moving around the machines, even the splashes of the liquid metal hitting the molds for the strange and wonderful shapes that were hanging and cooling everywhere. He was submerged in the magic and he was happy.

"Let me get a better look at you," said the big elf. "Hmm, born between generations. Hmm, A little smallish."

The elfchild stood as tall as he could, looked Bulmo in the eye, and said from his earnest heart, "I will try. I will try so very hard. I will..."

"Hold! I need some help today, and I'll need some help next year. I'll try you out."

After Bulmo had shown him how to load the furnace, to work the bellows, and pour a casting, he set him to hammer on his own anvil and mandrill. He marveled at the metal work being done. If I were a reindeer, he thought, I'd feel honored to pull a sleigh with metal work that looked like delicate, glittering snowflakes. As he worked, he played the strangely wonderful metal objects that had been crafted like chimes and the song of the Forge Room increased in beauty.

It was late in the morning when Bulmo told him to go around the back and get the scrap metal stacked there and add it to the furnace. He needed more metal to cast the Christmas bell that was going to be rung at the take off and return celebrations. So he went out back and saw there were several piles of metal to choose from. He didn't ask anyone but thinking to himself that a bell needs the best scrap, he went to the shiniest pile of curved pieces, straight pieces, and triangular pieces. He carried them to the furnace one or two at a time and slid them into the molten metal.

Toward the end of the morning, Helpo drove up in a sled, walked up to Bulmo and stammered, "Thththey sssent me over for the ssssleigh rrrunners."

"They're almost finished. I just need to bolt them together," Bulmo told him. Then he turned and saw the elfchild letting a curved piece of metal slide into the crucible. The whole place went silent when Bulmo yelled, "Elfchild!" In the silence the elfchild looked at him from across the room, smiled, and answered,"Yes?"

"How much of the pile you got that from have you used?"

Through the open door the elfchild thought he saw the shimmering of the Krysadon.

When he said 'All of it,' Bulmo grabbed his head with both hands for a minute. Then he shook himself and said, "Well maybe it's for the better. I was thinking about making new rails for that sleigh anyway. Besides, we have two left and have never needed even one spare sleigh. We'll be alright." Helpo left thinking that last sentence sounded more like a prayer.

When the Elfchild watched Helpo leave, he saw the shimmering again. It didn't look happy.

Soon, it was lunch time, and the elfchild said 'goodbye' to Bulmo and the Forge Room. The 'Song of the Forge Room' he heard as he walked away sounded a little melancholy to him now.

He had just finished his lunch when he came upon the reindeer barn. Walking in, he found he Tack Room and introduced himself to Altina. She was a tall, slender, and strikingly attractive elf. Just looking at her, one could tell that good order was a virtue to her.

In fact, order was everywhere. Each different piece of harnesses, tack, reins, and gear was In its own special place, and neatly so.

"This is very much different from where you've been this morning, isn't it?" Altina asked.

"It's neat and quiet," he replied. "I don't fell the magic though."

She gave him a long look and then said, "Some of the best magic is in silence, and in the details, like the fineness of butterfly wings. A place for everything and everything in its place has its own magic. It reflects the order of the stars in the night sky. It takes patience to hear the magic in silence. Come with me."

She lead him into the next room where Minda and Edja were polishing, mending and trimming all the gear and trappings of the reindeer.

"First, you must learn the names of things. Over there, of course are the collars, and Minda and Edja, these are?" she said , pointing to the different items hanging on wall pegs.

"Back pads and back straps."

"Hip straps and breachings."

"Bridles and check reins."

"Lines."

"Lazy straps and traces."

"Very good, very good. Now you two show this elfchild what to do here... and let's see if he can find our type of magic. See what we're trying to do and then we do it, elfchild. She winked at the girls when she told them, "It'll take a while. He just came from the Forge Room."

"Ok," they said knowingly. "Sit over here and watch." He did, and soon he was polishing the leather with them. Then he noticed something: he was hearing the sound of the leather being polished and the jingle of the harnesses. It was making a melody. Edja started humming it and then softly started singing

"Look for the magic

Listen for the magic

Look for the magic in the air

You will find yourself singing in the sunshine"

Minda, looking into his eyes, sang

"Or find your heart dancing in the night time.

Edja joined her

Look for the magic

Look for the magic everywhere

And you'll find all the happiness your seeking

When you look for the magic everywhere.

Then the elfchild and Altina joined them, and they sang and made music with the sounds of the gear and stitching machines. When they finished singing, they sat down laughing.

"It took a while," he said, "but I do feel some of the magic."

"Well, there's one piece of magic you can't miss. That Krysadon is really something," said Edja.

"That is some serious magic there for sure," added Minda

The Elfchild stopped smiling. "I've heard it disappears bad elves," he blurted.

"Oh, the Krysadon's never been known to harm anyone who did good things," said Edja enthusiastically.

"But being able to change what it is in a heartbeat is not reassuring."

"Elfchild," said Minda, "It only changes its appearance. What it really is, is unchanging. You better learn that what's on the outside is not necessarily what's on the inside."

"Well I bopped him on the beak."

"You what?!" they said and began to laugh. "You bopped the Krysadon on the beak?"

"It was an accident. I was loading our stuff and a hammer flipped up and... 'bop'."

"Bopped him on the old beak, huh," said Edja as she doubled over in laughter. "I wish I could have seen that. Now, the good in that is that the Krysadon's been around so long that isn't going to bother it ...much."

"She really sees the good in everything," said Minda, still chuckling over the thought of it. Seeing that he was not smiling, she said,

"I'm trying to be more like Edja. She really does focus on the good."

"It's easy," said Edja, "Every time you look for the bad, you're not looking for the 'good'. Things are either good or sad."

"You'll get it," said Altina. "Hey, it's time to head home.

"Let's look in on the reindeer in the paddock," said Minda. They checked to see if everything was in its proper place and went out the door by the paddock. The reindeer team his father had been training was already there.

The elfchild immediately noticed a smallish reindeer off to the side of the team who were all crowded around the feed trough. Its antlers were still fuzzy and just beginning to branch out."I wish I had some of my lunch left to feed that little one," he said.

"Not a good idea when Hungry George could see that. He's one eating machine," said Minda, pointing to a much more mature reindeer than the one in front of them.

"That's him?"

"You betcha," added Edja.

"You can tell them all apart after a while," said Minda. "I'll point them out. There's Hinder and Binder. There's Crasher and Basher. There's Blunder and Spritzen. That's Fritz; he's a little goofy. And you know who that is," pointing to a reindeer trying to eat the food dripping from its antlers.

"Hungry George!"

"You betcha," said Edja.

He saw his father wave him over to go home, so he said his goodbyes. He took a little longer with Minda, so Edja said she'd leave them alone and started off by herself. Pretty soon Helpo bounded up to keep her company on her walk home.

"Minda, I'm glad I got to work here, but I feel the Forge Room has more magic for me."

"Well, Ok," she said, a little disappointed. "But you must remember to look everywhere for you special place. Your pretty clever, you know."

"Yea, I guess. I see how to do things in new ways."

"Be careful about having too high an opinion of yourself. It's not just how you do something."

He didn't say any more. He didn't think she knew what she was saying and headed home.

The next morning his mother was up and about before the elfchild. She was singing 'It's Another Wonderful Morning." But he did not sing enthusiastically. His father didn't sing at all.

Looking at the elfchild over breakfast, his father said, "You melted the runners."

"Yes..."

His mother added, "Well, Bulmo said he wanted to make new runners anyway."

"The point is, Elfchild, how did it happen?" his father continued.

"I grabbed the wrong pile of metal."

"Did you ask?"

"No"

"Why?"

"I liked it so much there that I wanted to show Bulmo I could do my work without anybody's help."

"If you continue to leap to conclusions, you won't find a name you'll be very happy about."

"Rayno, he still has the Toy Shop, the Feast Kitchen, and the Elfen Choir," his mother interjected. "I'm sure you'll be successful, Elfchild."

"Well at least he won't have anything to do with the other sleigh," said his father. "Time to go! You will work with Kuhlo today in the paint area. Let's go."

He jumped up but didn't go out the door until his mother had kissed them both. His father didn't talk on their walk to the Toy Shop.

As he came around the corner of th Great Hall, he could see an incredibly fascinating building. On three sides there were ramps and shoots which were carrying all the parts for the toys that were being assembled inside. The building looked like it was merrily dancing in place. On the fourth side had large doors. They were open so he could see presents were being stacked, each one wrapped with brightly colored tapes and bows and decorations. For a moment he wondered how Santa could deliver all those presents, but he quickly remembered the Christmas magic.

When he walked in the front door, he could not believe his eyes. Everywhere he looked elves and machinery and parts and toys were in motion. Elves hitching rides on hooks which held toys that were being carried from one corner of the shop to another, conveyor belts carrying toys in the process of being assembled to other elves who finished putting them together. They were all in such a whirl of motion, he was awed there weren't collissions all over the place. All these machines and elves made a wonderfully complex rhythm.

As he walked up to Norgo who was ducking and bobbing without even looking where things were coming from, he saw Helpo bringing nails to Hammo whose hammer was blazing out exciting counter rhythms to the overall sound. He started ducking and bobbing with Norgo while he reported for work.

"Aha, Elfchild, you'll be assisting Kuhlo on the paint floor right up there," he said, pointing to a balcony that could be reached by a circular stairway. "Now stand up here. You can see that whole final assembly process that ends with wrapping the presents."

The elfchild climbed part way up the stairway and looked down on the end of the assembly line, which was almost below him now. He saw elves tearing wrapping paper, cutting ribbons, and tying bows at a furious pace. Over the commotion he heard them saying "Who's got ?" "No, the blue ribbon!"" Where's my red bow?" "I'll loan you one." "Get off my foot!" "That's my finger your tieing."" Who's got ?" "Here." "Oh no, that's !"

Just then one of the fastest and most skilled wrappers of all started singing along with the rhythm of the Toy Shop.

"Who is that?" he asked Norgo.

"Oh that's Wrappa. She's the head elf down there." Norgo replied.

"I've never seen an elf like that before," the Elfchild said.

"Well, she's an urban elf."

"An urban elf. I didn't know there elves in the cities."

"Indeed! When people began to cut down the forests, some elves found a way to live in the cities people built. These elves had to develop their own way of doing things."

It looked so exciting that he scooted down the stairs and over to where the conveyor belt was bringing the presents from Hammo to the wrapping elves.

When he got to the conveyor belt, Hammo turned away and pretended he didn't see him. When he spun around with his hammers flashing, the elfchild was so startled he fell on the conveyor.

So only he could hear him, Hammo said, "You ruined one of the sleighs. We don't like elves who screw up Christmas." He winked at Wrappa who was already rapping

"The toys all move to our wrappin groove

In the Christmas Toy Shop scene.

Some get red, some get white

And another's gonna get green"

They wrapped up the elfchild so fast he didn't know what happened.

After tieing up the ribbon they had wrapped around him several times, one of the elves put a big bow on his nose which completely covered his face.

Since Norgo was looking the other way at the time, he couldn't figure out what happened to the elfchild when he turned around to tell him Kuhlo needed him. He walked up to Hammo and asked if he had seen the Elfchild. Hammo shrugged like he didn't know. Wrappa rapped,

"Hey boss

man, look,

The elfchild shook

When a faulty step he took.

We were wrappin' strong

When he came along

So we wrapped him like a toy

So, he got wrapped

From his toes to his cap

But it's a pretty job you see

If it's up to me, I'd set him free

Cause his brain just took a nap."

"Unwrap him!" said Norgo, not amused.

"Okee dokee," she said with an elfin grin and pulled one end of the ribbon, which spun the Elfchild like a top. He was still woozy when Norgo pushed him up the spiral stairs.

"Kuhlo," Norgo called out when he and the elfchild reached the top, "This is your helper."

Kuhlo, wearing a dashiki as a smock and mixing paint in big buckets, looked the dizzy elfchild up and down.

"What's wrong with him? The fumes already get to him?"

"No, he...never mind. I've got things to do. Teach him some of the magic." With that Norgo went down the stairs and back to supervising.

Now, the elfchild forgot all about being dizzy because all the colors of the paints were breathtaking. "Wow, we're going to paint?"

"Hey, not just paint. Painting is easy. Art is hard; it's stronger than dirt. It takes a master to mix the paints to get these knock-your-eye-out colors," said Kuhlo. "You see, no mix: no paint; no paint: no finished toys; no finished toys: kids with ugly toys getting splinters! You want a Christmas like that?"

"No."

"Cool! Well then, come over here. You do a good job now or I'll show you some magic! I'll dip you in the red and make you a stop sign."

With that, Kuhlo showed him how to sand the toys, how to put on a base coat of paint, and how to refill the paint pots that Kuhlo used from the big mixing buckets. After getting into the flow of the paint master's style of working, Kuhlo, walking over to the mixing vats, said, "Come over here. I'm going to show you some mixing magic." Then he threw himself into the process of making new and exciting colors singing

"Let's mix a world of colors,

Red, Yellow, green, and blue.

Let's paint t

he world we live in

All a rainbow hue.

There'll be orange in the sunset,

Green in the sunrise,

Yellow in the moon rise,

We'll paint a sky.

There'll be amber and violet,

Chartreuse and deep maroon.

Let's mix a world of colors,

Red, Yellow, green, and blue.

Let's paint the world we live in

Let's mix a green one.

Let's mix a blue one.

Let's mix a brand new hue."

The elfchild quickly caught on, and they sang together as they worked. He was finding the magic swirling in the colors and wondering what his name would be if painting was to be his work.

However, as the day wore on, Kuhlo kept getting faster. He picked up a second brush with his free hand and painted toys with one and painted pictures with the other. Then he put a third brush between his teeth to paint toys going by on hooks. Then he stood on one leg, grabbed a fourth brush with the toes of his free foot and started painting toys going by on another assembly line. Each time he added a brush, he said, "Cool."

When he needed more paint, the elfchild would run with a bucket of paint from the mixing vats to Kuhlo's paint pots. With each added brush he had to do it faster and more often. Then he had an idea: he would bring buckets of the two colors most needed, red and green sometimes, sometimes yellow and blue, and place them behind Kuhlo, so he could fill the paint pots faster without running so much. But, he wasn't going to interrupt Kuhlo to tell him what he had done.

Just then, Norgo called up from the floor below. "Hey, Kuhlo, Santa wants to know how's the elfchild doing?" Kuhlo yelled, "Very cool," and spun around. Not knowing the paint buckets were behind him, the foot with the brush kicked over the bucket of yellow paint. The paint showered down on Santa and Norgo. Kuhlo looked down and saw the worker elves scurrying around and slipping in the paint. Norgo and Santa were just standing there, paint dripping down from their heads.

"Very uncool," Kuhlo observed.

The elfchild was running with a big bucket of blue paint and couldn't stop. He tried to stop, but he started sliding on the paint. He juggled the bucket. Somehow he didn't spill a drop. That is, until he slid into the railing. The blue paint shot out of the bucket and down on the elves. Santa and Norgo, still in shock, didn't move fast enough. Kuhlo started laughing and hooting, " Wahoo, that's the best green you've mixed Elfchild! Super, super cool."

The Elfchild was stunned. Santa and Norgo just looked at each other, dumbfounded.

As the horrified elfchild ran down the staircase to try to clean things up, the elves on the assembly line, looking very messy and unhappy, lead by Hammo, started chanting and singing

"He did it again.

He did it again.

He did it. He did it. He did it again.

Whenever a smash, whenever a crash

He did it. He did it. He did it again.

He'll do it again.

He'll do it again.

He'll hurt someone and Christmas fun.

He'll ruin Christmas for the world.

As the Elfchild was working his way to the door, Kuhlo leaned over the rail and said, "Uncool! He didn't do it. I kicked over the first bucket!"

But the Elfchild knew he hadn't warned Kuhlo about putting the bucket behind him.

"OK! Enough!" said Norgo dripping blue, yellow and green, "Let's clean this up and call it a day." Santa just shook his head and laughed, pointing at Norgo, "Yellow makes you look younger , but green and blue are definitely not your colors!"Soon, all the elves were laughing, except Hammo.

The Elfchild finally reached the door, opened it, and found himself facing the Krysadon. The Krysadon just looked at him. His heart sank. He stood there for a minute, then slid off to the side, and, instead of going home, walked down the path toward the little tree.

Norgo walked out, and he and the Krysadon started in another direction.

"This is a difficult one," said the Krysadon in his dry voice.

Norgo nodded, still wiping paint from his beard and clothes.

"This rumor about me disappearing the elves permanently has got him worried. And, that is worrying me."

"Well, that rumor is handy, though," said Norgo matter of factly.

The Krysadon ruffled his colors and said, "Maybe. By the way, Yellow doesn't do much for you either."

The elfchild approached the little tree and looked beyond the magic shield at the blizzard blowing beyond it. While he was standing there trying to think what he should have done, Minda came up behind him.

"I saw you walking by the Tack Room. I thought you were going to come in and say 'Hi.'

"I'm sorry. This growing up is harder than I thought. Minda, will I ever grow up?"

"Will I ever grow?

Will I ever grow?

Will I ever learn to do things right?

There's so many new things.

There are many true things

That I want to do with all my might.

Will I ever grow up

Oh, I want to know

Will I be just what I want to be

When I finally grow up

Then will all my dreams come true.

If I ever grow up?

Will I ever grow?"

She put a hand on his shoulder and looklooked into his eyes and sang back to him.

"Oh we all do grow up.

Oh we all do grow.

We learn to do what we can do.

There are many new things

And many true things

And we learn to do most things alright.

Oh I know you'll grow up.

Yes I know you'll grow.

You will be just what you want to be.

When we finally grow up

And all our dreams come true

We both will grow up

And I want to grow with you.

She took his hand and walked him back to his home.

The next morning he was laying in bed when his mother started singing, 'It' Another Wonderful Morning.' Sheepishly, he came out to the breakfast table. Neither he nor his father sang that morning. His mother was trying to be cheerful, "Well, it's wonderful you have two more whole days to find your name and your song."

"I don't know what I want to do yet, " he stated with some sadness in his voice.

Kuhlo said he kicked over the first bucket and caused the Toy Shop disaster. But, since he's been doing his job so many years, I don't see how he could have done that. What was your part in it?" his father asked looking up from his breakfast.

"I was trying to get the buckets closer to him and he kicked one."

"Did I say something about not jumping into changing things people have been doing quite well for a long, long time!"

"The Toy Shop's alright, isn't it, dear." his mother said to his father, making a statement instead of asking a question.

"It's just fine," he answered flatly, "What's a little green here and there."

"From mixing yellow and blue," the elfchild said, trying to show he had learned something.

"Norgo still hasn't got all the color out of his beard," his mother said, not able to keep from chortling. "Come on you two. It's almost Christmas.

"Icicles gleam.

Magic they seem.

Sparkling like rainbows in crystalline dreams.

Glimmering lights,

Shimmering lights,

All the world's magically glittering bright.

It's a magical world at Christmas

With beautiful snow on the ground.

Evergreen trees and holiday wreaths

Scenting the air all around.

Yes, It's A

Magical world at Christmas,

Everyone's heart's all aglow

With presents to give,

Music to live

With all of the magic you know.

His father just looked at her. Just before he was going to say something, she said, "Minda's at the door. I guess she's going to walk with you to the Feast Kitchen?"

"Yes, mother... I want you both to know I'll complete what I start and I'm trying hard to find my true work."

"Good luck with Big Jula, or maybe I should wish Big Jula good luck," his father mumbled as the Elfchild went out the door.

"Speaking of work, don't wait dinner for me. I'll be working with the backup team all day and then Santa and I'll be training them in working on moonless nights."

"Alright dear, be careful," she said as he picked up his gear and headed for the practice field.

The two little elves walked toward the practice field, turned right, and continued past the Toy Shop. They saw the Krysadon looking at them. His feathers turned colors and the elfchild cringed and walked faster. They turned right again, and, before they could see the Feast Kitchen, their noses smelled the delicious smells of the coming Christmas Feast.

They opened the door and the aromas of Christmas goodies overwhelmed them for a second. There were dazzling mountains of cakes, pies, cookies, candy, and deserts defying the imagination. The swirls of steam and smoke from the ovens intertwined and made clouds that looked like happy faces as they ascended to exit the hole in the peak of the ceiling over their heads.

"Wow," said the Elfchild, "I wish I'd have eaten a bigger breakfast. I don't know if I can keep myself from eating my way from one end to the other!"

"If you do," said Minda, "You'll get so sick you'll miss Christmas."

Everywhere they looked there were elves operating the kitchen machinery. Some were pushing carts with tanks and hoses while others were on top of the carts aiming the hose nozzles at cakes, pies, and cookies, covering them with whipped cream, frosting, and syrup. Others were rolling conveyor belts around to direct tarts and other goodies to various work stations where other elves worked their own magic of fillings and decorations. As they watched, Big Jula came around a corner where the big refrigerators stored the treats. She was balancing a huge tower of deserts in one hand. In the other she held a drum majors baton that had doughnuts stacked on it to right up to its tip. As she sang, she would slid a pie to one group of elves or whip a half a dozen doughnuts off her baton towards another group. All of which she did without missing one doughnut or splatting one pie.

"What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cookies.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cakes and pies.

Cinnamon and gingerbread

Don't peek in the oven or the cakes won't rise.

Tarts and torts, vanilla creams

Sugar plums for fancy dreams

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

Lemon meringue.

Pumpkin, pudding, custard pie

Yums to eat and please the eye

Elder berry, cherry, apple, mince

meat pie.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cookies.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cakes and pies Cinnamon and gingerbread

Don't peek in the oven or the cakes won't rise.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cookies.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cakes and pies.

Almond flavors, anise drops,

Nutmeg, rum, and spicy cloves,

Aromas in the kitchen air to please the nose.

Tarts and torts, vanilla creams

Sugar plums for fancy dreams

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

Lemon meringue.

Pumpkin, pudding, custard pie

Yums to eat and please the eye

Elder berry, cherry, apple, mincemeat pie.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cookies.

What a lovely, lovely, lovely batch of cakes and pies.

Cinnamon and gingerbread

Don't peek in the oven or the cakes won't rise.

Helpo kept trying to peek in the oven, trying to be helpful. Big Jula kept him at bay wi

th her doughnut loaded baton. She came over to where Minda and the elfchild were standing, got them moving in a small parade behind her, and wove her way through the organized riot of activity. It seemed they were moving through a fantastic elfen circus where all the acts were performing at the same time.

She signaled them to stop at the table where cakes were being mixed. She put Minda beside Edja and started her on putting eggs and flour in huge mixing vats. The elfchild was put on her other side and assigned to shoveling in butter and adding milk from a giant bag over their heads. He thought the bag looked like the milk bag of a cow, complete even with udders that had ropes around them which, when pulled, squirted the milk into the vats. Also above them were elves on bicycle-like contraptions that had paddles hanging down where the wheels would normally be. Other elves pulling on ropes would lower these devices down to the vats to mix the dough.

When the elfchild looked across the table, he saw Hammo working right in front of him. Hammo had watched Minda and the elfchild come in - and he was not pleased. Minda and the elfchild hadn't noticed him at first because they were having so much fun adding the ingredients and watching the elves do the mixing. Since they both were new to their jobs, they were a little sloppy.

"Hey, Elfchild," said Hammo, "watch what you're doing! You almost splashed me. If you get your mess on my clothes, I'm going to return the favor - double."

Well, the elfchild had been experimenting with adding the ingredients and the milk at the same time by aiming the milk at the sides of the vat. When he heard Hammo's threat, he looked up, forgetting what he was doing. Unfortunately, when he did, his hands accidentally aimed the milk udder right at Hammo and a big gush of milk hit him right in the face.

""Why you .... Take this, you maniac!" and Hammo used his big spoon as a catapult and launched a big gob of gooey dough. The elfchild ducked but got hit with some of it. The majority, however, hit the back of the head of an elf behind him. He turned around and threw a pie. When the elfchild ducked again, he pulled the milk udder in a new direction and hit the backs of a row of elves behind Hammo. The cold milk made them yell, and they turned around and launched the tarts they were making. One of the rope pullers had managed to dodge everything up to that point, but the huge number of tarts knocked him off balance, and he slipped on the now slippery floor. An elf that had been on the paddle contraption watched it all unfold from above the action. His laughter stopped when the elf on the ground let go of the rope. He started peddling his paddles furiously. But to no avail. He yelled, "O-o-o-oh n...," all the way down. His 'no' never got said because he blobbed into a gooey vat. Since his paddles were turning, he sent a huge arc of goo out of the vat and drenched the elves on the carts shooting frosting out of their hoses. They, in turn, aimed their hoses at the center of the melee. There were pies and cakes and tarts and frosting flying everywhere.

Helpo fell into a huge cake and disappeared. Minda and Edja were doing their best to use their big spoons as bats to knock down the desserts that came their way. But they couldn't hit all of them.

Hammo had commandeered one of the frosting hoses and buried the elfchild just as he was getting ready heave a blueberry pie. The food fight had spread like falling dominoes and the whole dessert side of the kitchen was in the battle.

Big Jula had been on the other side of the ovens with the Krysadon inspecting the area where the dinners of turkey, duck, and ham were being prepared. She didn't know what was happening to her desserts until she walked around the corner of the ovens singing, "What a lovely, lovely,lovely batch of...."

The elfchild just then unburied himself. But since he couldn't see well for all the frosting on his face, he didn't know he had been turned around. He said, "Take this, Hammo," and threw that pie as hard as he could. As the pie left his hand, he wiped the frosting from his eyes with the other. He saw his pie sail over the food fight and smack poor Big Jula right in the face. He also so a blob of it bounce off her in slow motion land right on the beak of the Krysadon who was standing beside her.

When that happened, the Krysadon's feathers exploded in colors. The food fight stopped instantly. All the elves were frozen in their tracks because they new that light only came from one thing - the Krysadon. The silence was awesome.

When the light came back to normal, Big Jula looked at the Krysadon with that same look his mother and father had used. The Krysadon looked right at the Elfchild with the same look he had used. The Elfchild cringed and tried to make himself small.

"Alright," said Big Jula, getting her voice back and licking a finger, "Good pie! Yes, very good pie!" Now, we shall start all over and no one goes home until all the deserts are finished... and... my kitchen is spotless!"

While they were cleaning things up, Hammo and some of the other elves were mumbling, "He did it again. He did it again. He did it. He did it. He did it again."

"Don't pay any attention to them," said Minda and Edja. "Yeah," added Wrappa who had walked over to them. "An accident's an accident.

I know what it's like to be on the outside of the group. And, I want you to know my rap was just to be funny not to be hurtful."

"Thanks," he said and he felt a little better, but he was still thinking about the Krysadon's look. Then they heard muffled sounds. They listened to a big mountain of ruined cake. "Hhhelp. Yyyum. Hhhelp me. Oh this is good. Hhhelp. Yyyum yummy." And they laughed as they dug out Helpo because he seemed to be taking a lot of time eating his way out.

It was late and very dark when they finally left the Feast Kitchen. In the process of cleaning up the elfchild had found a bunch of carrots on the floor that would have been used in a carrot cake.

"Let's go home by way of the reindeer corral," he said to Minda. So, they started back towards the practice field with Minda carrying a lantern and turned right towards the barns and corral.

As they passed the landing area, they could see a number of elves still working. They had cleared most of the snow into huge piles. One pile was between the corral and the main landing site. Off to one side of it, the Krysadon and Norgo were looking up at the black sky. When they followed their gaze, they saw lights of a sleigh being pulled by a team reindeer. The elfchild recognized the occasional 'Ho, Ho' of Santa as well as his father's voice talking to the reindeer.

"Let's watch the night training," said Minda. "It's pretty exciting. Your father is the best trainer ever."

"Ok Minda. But first I want to find that little reindeer. I brought him a present," he said as he started walking to the corral.

"What kind of present," said Minda catching up with him.

"They were going to throw these carrots away so I brought them for the little one." He reached over the rail to offer them one at a time to the little reindeer just as Minda came up with the lantern. The elfchild started singing

"Will we ever grow up?

Will we ever grow?

Will I ever start to do things right.

All the many new things,

All the many true things

That I want to do with all my might.

Will we ever grow up?

Oh I want to know

Will we be just what we want to be?

When I finally grow up,

Then will all my dreams come true?

If I ever grow up,

If I ever grow."

Minda grabbed his shoulder. Then the light of the lantern she was holding made the carrots shine, she said, "I don't think this is a good idea."

But it was too late. Overhead they could hear Santa laughing, "Ah, ha ha ha. Oh, ho ho ho. Take'em around again and this time practice some swoops."

His father was not quite so happy-go-lucky about doing swoops as Santa, but he couldn't say 'no' to Santa. Besides they had to get this team in shape anyway. With every swoop down and around the big snow piles, Santa's laugh got a little higher. The sleigh was bouncing and yawing left and right.

"Ah, Santa maybe these reindeer are still too young. Let's work the older ones."

"Ah whoa, aho, ahahaha. Ok, let me take the reins."

When he handed Santa the reins, the sleigh bucked and they had to grab hold of its railings. "Hammers and Bells! Santa, ah, maybe...

"Ahha, aho, ahohoho, these little rascals will never learn any younger. Hang on! I'm going to take'em around again and let's really stretch'em out. Let's see what they can really do."

His father mumbled, "Hammers and Bells," and hung on as tightly as he could. Santa yelled out, "Ready?... On Crasher, On Basher On Blunder and Spritzen... On Hinder, On Binder, On Fritz and Hungry George." Then to the grim faced trainer he said, "I don't know about the names of the last two. They don't have quite the same ring to them."

"Hammers and Bells, Santa, this isn't the time to change their names! You're the one who named them anyway!"

"Ah ha, Ah whoa whoa whoa," exclaimed Santa as he struggled to keep them flying true. ""Oh no, I got them from a reindeer agent on the West Coast. He named'em. Said they're really good on sand."

"Oh, that's helpful," said his father through his clenched teeth.

When the two little elves at the corral heard Santa say 'Hungry George,' they looked at each other and said, "Oh no!"

"Ahha, aho ho, and here we go," yelled a very happy Santa to his very unhappy friend. "All out!" With that Santa put the sleigh in an upward arch, way up, and then dove into a steep turn for a swooping pass by the barn and snow piles where allthe elves who had gathered to watch, cheered him on.

At exactly the most critical point of the diving turn, at the point of the greatest speed, Hungry George saw the carrots shining a bright orange in the lantern light. He tried to jump in that direction. This sent the whole team whipping from side to side. The Elfchild's father started yelling, "Fritz, stay straight." Santa stopped 'Hohoing' and yelled,'Hey? What? Get back Binder, you're behind Hinder."

Well, that got those two reindeer confused. Santa yelled, "Crasher, don't bash Basher!" And that got those two reindeer confused and now each pair was pulling in opposite directions and the sleigh started whipping around so hard it sounded like a whip snapping. Father yelled,"Steady on, Blunder and Spritzen." They tried to but that only added a new direction and the sleigh started to spiral back and forth like a corkscrew.

"Fritz," yelled Santa trying to get him to pull straight. But it was hopeless. "Hungry George is...he is....

He's Hungry George, and he must have spied food on some crazy elf down there," his father finished for him. "Hammers and Bells, he's jumped the traces and fouled Fritz! Give me the reins!"

Then Santa's voice got higher, "Here, take'em. No, don't turn around! Blunder, don't turn..."

"Santa, the snow bank."

"We're goin' in! I'm pulling the lock pin so they'll get down safely!"

"But what about the sleigh and ...us!?"

"Oh well."

"Hammers and Be..." were the last words the elves heard him say. Santa released the team and the sleigh flipped upside down, sending the two head first into the snow bank. The riderless sleigh smashed into the corner of the stone foundation of the barn and exploded into splinters and twisted steel runners.

The Krysadon just stood where it was, swiveled its head around, and stared at the elfchild. The elves that were watching in horror rushed over and pulled Santa and

Rayno out of the snow bank . They looked quite funny with their feet sticking up out of the snow. When they stood up and brushed the snow off, they saw each other had a black eye.

Santa said to Rayno, "As you were about to say?..." and they both said "Bells!" Santa started laughing and said to the crowd, "Everybody, we're all ok."

"Yeah, we're just fine," the Elfchild's father wasn't laughing. In his driest voice he asked the elves around him, " Anybody seen the reindeer?"

Herdo, one of the Swedish elves who tended the herds said, "Jah, jah, dere over dere," pointing toward the barn. "Alright by golly by jim! Ope, but da last vee see dem, dey eat da bark from dirteen, maybe fifteen birch and ver makin good time tru' ha'f da grain room. Jahr vor sure by golly by jim!"

"Yep, I guess we worked them too long past supper," Santa observed. "Say, where'd the sleigh land?"

Nobody said a word.

"Didn't anybody see the sleigh?" Rayno asked in disbelief.

Herdo, not one to be shy said "Jah, vell, it's over dere.. and it's over dere.. and it's over dere.. and...."

The elves shined their lanterns around the crash site, revealing the sleigh debris and the twisted steel that used to be the runners.

"Ho ho ho, " laughed Santa, "That was quite a ride. Well, we still have the good sleigh, and since were down to our last sleigh, we won't be doing any more practice runs."

The elfchild's father sighed, relieved he wouldn't be doing any more training that Christmas. Santa limped off still holding the locking pin in his hand.

Rayno looked around and asked if any one had forgotten and brought food to the practice field. When no one answered, he looked a little farther and saw his son and Minda by the corral. The little reindeer was just finishing the last carrot. The two elves saw him frown and limp to the barn. "I'll talk to you in the morning. Tell your mother I'm going to be late."

The elfchild started to walk down the path towards the little tree and the edge of the magic ... and the deadly tundra where an elf could get lost. Minda called out, "Don't go that way. We need to go home. Tomorrow will be the day before Christmas."

He wasn't going to stop but he saw the Krysadon looking at him, its feathers flickering dangerously. That look stopped him in his tracks, and he turned and went back with Minda, who didn't say another word all the way home..

"I don't know. I can't seem to do anything right or finish what I start."

"I don't know what I can do."

"Well, the only place I've really felt the magic in me is in the Forge Room. If Bulmo doesn't take me back, I won't have something I can do at Christmas Village. And that means I won't be coming back, and I won't be seeing my friends again... and you." Seeing she wasn't going to talk, he trudged back to their homes in silence.

The next morning he stayed under his covers after he heard his mother get up. She was trying to sing "It's Another Wonderful Morning" but she couldn't finish even one verse. He knew she was worried for him. Finally, he got out of bed, pulled his clothes on, and went out to the breakfast table. His father was up now, too. He looked tired, and a little comical with his black eye. The elfchild kept his eyes down , looking at his breakfast.

"Do you have something to tell me?" his father asked him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that giving the little reindeer something to eat would cause any problem. There were no other reindeer around."

"It seems you have a habit of seeing the immediate and not the goal."

His mother decided to change the discussion to something that was more important. "Elfchild, you know if you don't find your name by the time Santa comes back that you will not be able to work in Christmas village?"

"Yes, mother. I've tried so hard to find what my special magic is. I hope I'll find it today."

"You tried hard alright - too hard," said his father. " You certainly didn't find in Big Jula's Kitchen."

"I didn't start it."

"Norgo says you squirted Hammo."

"That was an accident."

His mother, trying to soften things, asked, " What do you think causes these accidents - like the one in the Toy Shop."

"Or the melting of the runners." His father added. "This is the first time any elf can recall being down to one sleigh."

"Well, it's the day before Christmas and we don't have to worry about that anymore. All we have left to do is have the send off party," His mother said, getting cheerier.

"Good thing!" added his father. "Look, its going to be alright. Not all elves work at Christmas VIllage. You were born at a different time, so there is probably some other elfen work for you."

The elfchild did not feel very good about that possibility. He resolved to find a way to be part of Christmas Village. "I really liked the Forge Room best."

"Well, we'll talk with Bulmo. He may need some help tonight after Santa leaves the Pole," said his mother, "Remember

The day before Christmas is full of expectation,

All the preparations that make the season right.

We wish before Christmas that all our dreams will come true

And be our holiday delights."

His father joined in

"There'll be presents beneath the trees,

Candles in holly wreaths,

Church bells ringing everywhere.

There'll be singing from many choirs,

Cider beside the fire,

Families sharing in a special way.

The day before Christmas holds all our lovely dreaming,

All our lovely dreaming, for that day

Is the day before Christmas

Becomes the night before the day

When good Christmas dreams come true."

And they proceeded down the path to the big porch of the Elfen Music Hall. Here all the elves would gather and give a singing send off to Santa and his sleigh full of Christmas joys.

"Go on in, Elfchild. Rienzi is expecting you. Music is a big part of the magic of Christmas," his mother said.

"Yes, it's a special magic that I...," his father started to say.

"Wasn't blessed with much of," his mother finished for him. "We think it's a good thing you'll be helping Santa with the takeoff."

"Hmmph!" his father snorted. "What do you think."

"Well... I guess all the elves don't learn all the magic," said the Elfchild.

While his mother was trying not to laugh out loud, his father said, "Actually, that's true. Only the Krysadon, I think, knows all the magic."

"The Krysadon scares me," the elfchild blurted out. "I can't tell what it's thinking. Should I talk to it about finding my magic."

His mother and father looked at each other a moment. "We don't think that's such a good idea," his mother said.

"You see, it speaks when it wants to," his father added. "I know of some elves who have spoken to it and been... taken away."

"Disappeared?" asked a worried elfchild.

"There have been foolish elves who were never seen again at Christmas Village," his mother continued. "All you have to worry about is doing your best..."

"And doing something until you know what's really supposed to be done."

"I don't know if I'll find my name here. It might be that I don't belong here," said the elfchild. The words sounded melancholy.

"Don't worry about it, dear. All the other elves here had similar problems finding their names. Now go on in and enjoy the music. I've got to go to help Big Jula," said his mother.

"And I've got to get the sleigh ready. We'll see you at the takeoff," his father added.

"Remember," said his mother to him as he walked in the door with its wonderfully enchanted elfen carvings on it, "Christmas is when good Christmas dreams come true."

His mother and father turned and started down the path. When it turned the corner of the building, they saw Norgo having an intense conversation with the Krysadon. They looked into the silent eyes of the Krysadon as they passed and felt sad.

As soon as the elfchild stepped into the music hall, all the beautiful Christmas decorations cheered him, and he walked over to the very active choir master, Rienzi. He was so thin and long limbed that the elfchild half expected him to leave the ground. He was pretty sure he would have if the sleeves of his robes had been stiff. They almost acted like his wings already.

"Ah, there you are," Rienzi said, stopping the rehearsal with a wild flourish of his baton. But a voice or two in the choir started

"He'll do it,

He'll do it

He'll do it again."

Rienzi whipped back around, almost fluttering up from the podium he was standing on. "Enough of that! Pay attention to your own harmony.

Teasing does not help others!"

The Elfchild, a little sheepish, was thankful for that. He looked around and found where Minda was standing. He wondered why she didn't look at him.

"Let's see. Let's see. Where will I put you? You probably don't sing bass or soprano," Rienzi said with a chuckle. "Everyone knows 'Sing Singing Songs.' Here is your note. You start it off. Choir, come in as I point to your section."

The elfchild heard the note, and although he started weakly, his voice got stronger ...

"Sing singing songs,

Sing singing songs

At Christmas

At Christmas

Christmas time we wish good cheer

This special cheer all of the year

Singing, singing, singing, singing,

Singing, singing, singing, singing,

Christmas singing bells,

Merry singing bells

All the world is new at Christmas time.

We wish you good cheer all of the year.

Singing, singing, singing, singing,

Merry, merry, merry, merry.

Singing, singing, singing, singing,

Bells are ringing Christmas songs.

Hearts all aglow, eyes brightly shine.

We're glad you hear our Christmas cheer.

Singing, singing, singing, singing,

Merry, merry, merry, merry.

Bells are ringing. Bells are ringing

It's Christmas time.

It's Christmas time.

It's Christmas time.

Rienzi was obviously happy with the choir. All the while he conducted the song, he danced from one end of the choir to the other and back again.

"Very good choir! Very, very good! Basses, please remember the rest marks in the music mean don't sing on that beat... and ... they don't mean to take a nap either! Now, Elfchild, I'm sure you'll do well with your own song - Everybody can sing their own song! However, you don't know all the music so I want you to join the percussion section of the orchestra. Bulmo is bringing a new bell, and I've seen it, it's a doosey. I want it rung at the sleigh take off at the end of 'Carol Of The Elfenkinder. Will you do that?"

"Yes," he responded.

"You sound a little worried."

"Well... I don't have my own song yet."

The choir had ben chatting with one another and suddenly went silent.

"Hmm, in that case you just worry about the bell. I'll continue rehearsing the choir while you go and write your song. You're running out of time. Choir, take a ten minute break ."

The elfchild walked out onto the porch that was now set up like a stage. Right in front of the stage was the takeoff area. Soon the sleigh would come out of the doors of the Toy Shop, the building on the right. At that end of the stage was the orchestra. Bulmo, with the assistance of Hammo and Helpo, was placing his new, huge golden bell on a special platform between the orchestra percussion section risers and the risers where the choir would stand. The elfchild walked over to him. He looked at the big, heavy clapper of the bell and wondered how he was going to swing that clapper when he was supposed to. Then he thought he wold find a way. When he turned to speak to Bulmo, he didn't hear what Hammo was whispering to Helpo.

"Bulmo, I think I'm supposed to find my name in the Forge Room."

"Think?" the burly elf replied, not stopping his work. "It's not about thinking. It's about feeling the harmony that you're supposed to be a part of. Now if you feel it and find it, I'll be happy to have you as my assistant next year. You'll be plenty big enough by then. You won't be a hafling anymore."

"Oh, thank you! I guess I better go find my song. Thank you. Thank you."

"Good Luck!"

After a few steps Helpo ran up to him and said, "You know if you're worried about swinging that big old clapper, we could prop it up on board so that all you'd have to do is pull the board out and the clapper would sound the bell at just the right time."

"Gee, thanks, Helpo I was a little worried about that."

"Oh don't thank me. I didn't think of it by myself."

"Oh, thanks Bulmo," he called to the big elf. Bulmo wasn't sure why but smiled and nodded anyway. Helpo went back to work on the big bell's platform. The Elfchild walked to the other end of the stage and down the stairs. He stopped by Minda who was sitting on one of the steps.

"Minda are you mad at me?"

"You knew you shouldn't have meddled with feeding the reindeer!"

"Minda, I'm sorry. I just saw the carrots and ... I didn't mean to do something bad."

"You never mean too! Don't you know that your always doing things your way and for what you think is right. You never think about what you do to others. What harmony is: is doing your part! The word is 'part' not 'whole!' You better go somewhere and find your song!" She got up and went back into choir rehearsal.

The elfchild thought about that as he walked all over Christmas Village. All the elves were at the Great Hall so he had Christmas Village all to himself. He was humming 'Look For The Magic' softly as he walked through all the places he'd been. He went into the Toy Shop first. All the machines, gears, pulleys, levers, and conveyor belts were silent and motionless. He couldn't find any words or melody to sing there. It was the same in the Feast Kitchen where all the ovens were cool and all the goodies were gone. And it was the same in the reindeer barns. He finally found he had walked out to the little tree and was staring at the wind blowing the snow on the other side of the magic.

When he turned to walk toward the Forge Room, he saw sparks occasionally belching from its chimnies. and started to sing

"When I see the sparks fly

Then I know that I

Make some magic for my

Gifts to the world..."

Hmm, he thought, it's not a very good song but at least it's a song. No one said you had to have a great song. But as he looked at the sparks going up in the sky, he realized they were getting brighter. Then he realized that was because the sky was getting darker. It's almost time for Santa to leave. I can't go to the Forge Room. I've got to get back to the Great Hall. So, he turned and ran, hoping he wasn't going to be late.

The whole takeoff area was lit by candles and lanterns. He could see the Krysadon standing on a snow bank on the other side of the takeoff area. The stage was a shimmer as he bolted up the stairs and across it, almost knocking Rienzi off the podium. Rienzi frowned at him and said, "Get to your bell. You almost missed Christmas!"

The breathless elfchild climbed up behind the big bell just as the doors were opening and the reindeer, now in their magic harnesses were being lead out by his father and Herdo. He felt proud of his father. Then he saw that Hammo had walked up in front of the bell and leaned against the platform that held the stand that held the big golden bell.

"Don't screw this up elfling! I'm still betting you're gonna ruin Christmas for the whole world," Hammo said to him in threatening tones.

From where he was standing, he couldn't see Hammo pulling out bolts that held the front legs to the platform. Hammo had sabotaged the platform while he was putting it up.

"Yeah, we're gonna see you for the last time," Hammo said as he put the bolts in his pocket and went back to his place in the choir.

The elfchild made his reply to Hammo's back, " We'll see about that! I've got my song - at least most of it - and in twenty four hours I'll have all of it and my name, too." He didn't think he sounded as convinced of that as he should have been.

The sudden cheering of all the elves made him look up and see the marvelous sleigh coming into view. Its paint reflected the Christmas lanterns and candles. All the metal fasteners and decorations that the elves had shined so perfectly shot rays of dancing light all over the area.

And there was Santa!

There were so many toys in the sleigh that they dwarfed Santa when he stood up on the seat and bowed to the elfen community in honor of their incredible work.

Then Rienzi tapped his baton on his music stand and said, "Elves, the Carol." And they sang

"The carol of the elfenkinder

Caroling merrily the Christmas song

The lighting of the logs with tinder

Leaping flames and Yule tide cheer.

With holly and the ivy hanging

Cider, lights, and loved ones dear.

They fill our hearts with joy overflowing

Seasons greetings everyone.

Houses with all windows glowing

Waiting for what is to come.

So carol with the elfenkinder

All this wondrous night and day,

All this wondrous night and day.

Rienzi aimed his baton at the elfchild and said "Ready!"

Santa proclaimed, "It's Christmas."

Rienzi gave the elfchild the cue and the elfchild yanked out the prop for the clapper.

The clapper hit the bell so hard a great golden sound showered the night. But, since the front legs of the platform weren't bolted down, they collapsed and the great bell swung forward and down.

Crash! It hit the stage with such force that all the risers flew into the air, throwing elves everywhere. But it didn't stop there. The heavy stand that held the bell followed it in a great arc and went over the edge of the stage. This made the bell leap frog over it, aiming it right at the sleigh.

At the same time the whole percussion section flew forward with the deafening racket of a landslide of metal gongs, cymbals and drums. The bell and that landslide threw such a huge cloud of snow into the air that no one could see what happened to the sleigh.

The elfchild was flipped off the back of the risers and could only hear what was happening.

Elves were screaming, "Oh no, the sleigh!" "I can't see it!" "Santa, where's Santa?" "The presents?" "Are the smashed?" "The sleigh's got to be smashed!" "And it's buried under the snow!"

"I told you! I told you! He's ruined Christmas for the world! For the whole world!" Hammo yelled over the top of the confusion.

Hearing that, the elfchild jumped up and ran off the stage. He didn't know what he was going to do and headed out the path to the little tree. If he'd have looked back, he would have seen that the bell and percussion equipment had stopped just short of the sleigh and only threw snow over it and Santa. The Krysadon flapped its wings and the snow blew away. And with a "Ho Ho Ho, It's Christmas! We can handle snow!" Santa yelled, and with a snap of the reins the reindeer lifted the sleigh off the ground and circled away into the night.

The Elfchild's mother and father were looking for their Elfchild all around the take off area until they came to where the Krysadon was standing.

"We can't find him anywhere," they told the magic bird.

In his emotionless tone the Krysadon said, "I know where he is. I'll take care of him." This made his mother and father sad as they held hands and walked into the Feast Hall where the elves had begun the celebration that would last until Santa's return.

The elfchild's eyes were so full of tears he didn't know where he was until he ran into the little tree. He stood there and looked out where the magic ended. A few of the tree's lower branches extended out of the magic far enough to pick up the cold of the icy tundra on the other side.

His tears began to fall in big drops.

"Oh little tree, I am good for nothing. I've ruined Christmas for the whole world. I can never come back ." He turned to his right a little and saw faint sparks over the hill. "And I can never go to the Forge Room. I can never find my special name." With each sentence a huge tear would form and fall.

"I will leave the magic forever and ... then I won't hurt anyone anymore." He turned a little more and saw the lights of Christmas Village. "Oh, there's Christmas Village," he sobbed, "I've ruined it. I am so worthless, so good for nothing." And he turned back and stared out in to the vast wasteland. As he was just about to take a step, a shadow fell over him. The shadow became one of pastel colors. He knew what was there when he turned around.

"Krysadon, I'm ready; take me away. I know I'm worthless. I don't belong with the other elves. I've ruined Christmas."

The magic bird's colors began to pulse in flamelike ripples. "Silence! Nothing was damaged and Santa's on his way."

"I..."

"Look!"

The elfchild looked up and the artic night was bright with stars, diamonds on midnight blue velvet with the northern lights flashing and rolling across it.

"Behold the magnificence of creation! You wished to know the magic of Christmas. Look around you; it's always here. Do you think something as small as you can stop Christmas?"

"No, but...."the little elf sobbed and more huge tears fell.

"Christmas and the beauty of creation are within you. All of this beauty is nothing without you and you are nothing with out it. Look into yourself. Look until you see that is where the magic lies"

The elfchild's eyes got clearer and he said, "But I don't understand."

And then the Krysadon sang in voice that was deep and resonant with centuries of understanding

"Look down into your heart.

And look into your sorrow.

And see that you are one,

And that one as loving.

Know all the world is yours

And all is made for loving.

Creation's one and all

Was made for all to share.

Within you is your quest

And there'll you'll find the magic,

For fear is just a shadow

That fades with every dawn.

So lift your heart in song

And give it freely to others.

See things with your heart;

From your heart will come the answer."

The Krysadon spread its wings and the colors intensified.

"But I don't know how. I'm so small." But all he felt was a breeze as the Krysadon lifted into flight. But in the breeze he heard a silvery tinkling sound and looked down. There on a twig of the tree his tears had fallen, tear drops freezing on top of other tear drops. He gently shook a branch and the frozen tears chimed against each other.

"My tears! I have my tears." He carefully broke off the twig and ran like a reindeer to the Forge Room yelling, "Bulmo, Bulmo," all the way.

He worked through the night. After a while, the sparks shooting towards the sky were accompanied by silvery sounds no one had ever heard before. Just before Santa returned, he and Bulmo arrived at the Great Hall with a velvet covered package almost as tall as the elfchild. Everyone was glad to see him and asked him if he found his special name. He and Bulmo just looked at each other, keeping their secret to themselves.

Then, 'Ho Ho Hoing' all the way , Santa came swooping into the landing area, doing that famous diving turn, which made Rayno cringe a bit.

Santa jumped out of the sleigh and bounded up on the restored stage, looked first at Bulmo, then the elfchild and said, "Are you two going to give me my Christmas present?"

Bulmo picked up their package and set it where the percussion section had been. Then he picked up the elfchild, placed him beside it, and said with a sweeping bow, "Elves of Christmas Village, I give you my new apprentice of the Forge Room."

"I tought he was too small, dat one, by gum," said Herdo.

"I guess not!" snapped Edja. Minda just stood to the side , holding her breath.

Kuhlo, Altina, and Big Jula were relieved that he had chosen the Forge Room and not their areas.

"And now everyone, his first gift from the Forge... and his name," Bulmo said.

With that, the elfchild whipped off the velvet covering and said, "Santa, Mother, Father, all the elves of Christmas Village, and all that celebrate Christmas, I give to you 'The Chimes Of Christmas'."

And there, made from the shape of his tears, were silver chimes reflecting the electric colors of the aurora borealis.

"My special name is 'Chimo.' And here is my song." Chimo began to play the chimes and sing

"When there is love,

The world is new.

When there is love,

A heart is true.

We're not alone.

We won't despair.

If we have love,

Then there is love to share.

When there is love,

A heart will sing.

When there is love,

It's always Spring.

So, Through the storm,

Through the pain,

We'll see the sun come shining through.

And love the world

When there is love."

All the elves linked arms and started to sing it again with him - except Hammo. He just stood there with his mouth open. That is until there was a flash of irridescent light. The Krysadon, looking at him, stretched out a wing tip at him. "It's time for you to go home." Hammo followed the Krysadon and was never seen again. All the rest of the elves of Christmas Village carried their elfen celebration of Christmas into the next day. The feasting, dancing and singing continued until Santa said, "Aha, aho, aho, ho, ho! I told you all it would be a merry Christmas. See you again next year."

The grandfather elf looked down at Ola and Pawli, who could hardly keep their eyes open. "That is how the littlest elf found the magic of Christmas. When he thought he was good for nothing, he looked into the mirror of his own heart and saw something beside himself."

"Thanks, Grandpa, we won't call each other good-for-nothing anymore," said Ola.

Pawli looked up and added, "Yeah, Grandpa, and I won't forget what I'm trying to do while I'm doing it."

He gave them each a hug. And with each hug, the tear drop chimes around his neck sang their song.

A voice from the kitchen called, "Are they ready for bed, Chimo?"

He answered, "They sure are. Will you help me, Minda?"

THE END