The True Story of Santa Claws

"There was really only one person around who didnʹt have a child of his own. He didnʹt even have neighbours. And it was only once a year, at the winter solstice, that he got to visit the village. On those trips he was bringing the warm furs of animals he had trapped away up in the mountains.  

      When he had finished making the furs, he would sometimes carve toys of things he had read about in books. But whenever he had gone to trade with the villagers in the mid­winter, he had noticed that most of the boys and girls could not have what they wanted. He had sometimes given the little toy to them anyway.

      He came up with an idea that would let him share something with the children who were not in his little-bit-magical life,­ up high in the mountains."

"Once he had arrived at his brotherʹs house, where he always stayed and traded his furs, then the people gathered and they started asking questions. ʺYou had a good summer!ʺ Ha ha ha, they all laughed. ʺHa-­oh! Oh! Oooh,ʺ he cried in pain instead of laughter! He had stuffed all the toys and gifts under his suit - he had nowhere else to hide them - making it look as if he had gained fifty pounds over the last year!   

     And now that bear claw bracelet had got turned around, and the pointy end connected with his ribs every time he laughed.

ʺHuh? Is something wrong?ʺ they asked. 

ʺUh, HO! Ho ho ho! Very funny!ʺ The man shouted back. ʺWell, I guess Iʹve taken a liking for a little more fat now that Iʹm older,ʺ he tried. 

ʺSure you havenʹt got married? Got someone else helping with the cooking?ʺ Ha ha ha, they all laughed, and the very idea -­ as well as his nerves -­ made the man laugh again. 

ʺHa-­oh! Oh, ho, ho, oh… dear me, no.ʺ