t able to go to work in the
forest; and so she had no money to buy presents with which to fill
Tyltyl and Mytyl's stockings. The Children soon fell asleep,
everything was still and silent and not a sound was heard but the
purring of the cat, the snoring of the dog and the ticking of the
great grandfather's clock. But suddenly a light as bright as day crept
through the shutters, the lamp upon the table lit again of itself and
the two Children awoke, yawned, rubbed their eyes, stretched out their
arms in bed and Tyltyl, in a cautious voice called:

"Mytyl?"

"Yes, Tyltyl?" was the answer.

"Are you asleep?"

"Are you?"

"No," said Tyltyl. "How can I be asleep, when I'm talking to you?"

"I say, is this Christmas Day?" asked his sister.

"Not yet; not till to-morrow. But Father Christmas won't bring us
anything this year."

"Why not?"

"I heard Mummy say that she couldn't go to town to tell him. But he
will come next year."

"Is next year far off?"

"A good long while," said the boy. "But he will come to the rich
children to-night."

"Really?"

"Hullo!" cried Tyltyl of a sudden. "Mummy's forgotten to put out the
lamp!... I've an idea!"

"What?"

"Let's get up."

"But we mustn't," said Mytyl, who always remembered.

"Why, there's no one about!... Do you see the shutters?"

"Oh, how bright they are!..."

"It's the lights of the party," said Tyltyl.

"What party?"

"The rich children opposite. It's the Christmas-tree. Let's open the
shutters...."

"Can we?" asked Mytyl, timidly.

"Of course we can; there's no one to stop us.... Do you hear the
music?... Let us get up."

The two Children jumped out of bed, ran to the window, climbed on the
stool in front of it and threw back the shutters. A bright light
filled the room; and the Children looked out eagerly:

"We can see everything!" said Tyltyl.

"I can't," said poor little Mytyl, who could hardly find room on the
stool.

"It's snowing!" said Tyltyl. "There are two carriages, with six horses
each!"

"There are twelve little boys getting out!" said Mytyl, who was doing
her best to peep out of the window.

"Don't be silly!... They're little girls...."

"They've got knickerbockers on...."

"Do be quiet!... And look!..."

"What are those gold things there, hanging from the branches?"

"Why, toys, to be sure!" said Tyltyl. "Swords, guns, soldiers,
cannons...."

"And what's that, all round the table?"

"Cakes and fruit and cream-ta