you want to know why? They nod. It's because I've
heard all about them already, SANTA CLAUS continues. There's a
little bird that lives up in the eaves of the house and often he flies
down and listens at the window, and then he tells me all he hears.
Tonight he flew way up to the pine woods on the hill, to meet me, and
he told me some things about all the older people in this house which
made me feel quite upset. Shall I tell you what it was? They nod. He
says that they all of them seem to think that they are growing old,
not only the grandfather and grandmother, but the father and mother,
too. They are all the time talking about feeling tired, and saying how
different it all was when they were children, and how long ago that
seems. Now isn't that a shame? I don't blame them altogether, because
I know myself how that sort of thing sometimes happens. Two or three
years ago I was sick for awhile, and I declare that even I began to
feel old and tired. But all the same I don't believe in letting that
sort of thing go on too long; and do you want to know what I am going
to do about it? They nod eagerly. It's the best scheme you ever
heard of, and I want you to help me with it. Well, I'm going to use
some magic to make them all little boys and girls again for half an
hour. And the way I'm going to do it is this. I've got here a bag of
magic hazel nuts. He takes the bag out of his pocket. I always keep
them in my pocket, because you never know when a thing of that sort
will come in handy. Now, I want you to take these nuts and stick them
into the plum pudding, which they are all going to eat tomorrow for
their Christmas dinner. You must stick them in all around in different
places, so that each of the older people will be sure to get one; and
it won't do the children a bit of harm if they get some, too. In fact
they are so young that this kind of magic won't have any effect on
them at all. But with all the older folks, as soon as the nuts have
been eaten, the magic will begin to work; and what do you suppose will
be the first thing they will all want to do? Do you want to know?
They all nod. They will all want to get down on their hands and
knees, Grandfather and Grandmother and all, and crawl under the table.
Won't that be funny? They all clap their hands and dance up and
down. That's what the magic hazel nuts will make them do, says
SANTA CLAUS. And when they have crawled under the table--you see,
it's a table that has a Chri