teeth and
glaring eyes of the beast, and then, uttering a terrified scream, she
rushed from the house. The boy followed her, also screaming lustily,
and even dropping his precious cat in his fear.

For a moment Claus stood motionless, being puzzled and astonished.
Then he threw Shiegra's image into the cupboard and ran after the
children, calling to them not to be frightened.

Little Mayrie stopped in her flight and her brother clung to her skirt;
but they both cast fearful glances at the house until Claus had assured
them many times that the beast had been locked in the cupboard.

"Yet why were you frightened at seeing it?" he asked. "It is only a
toy to play with!"

"It's bad!" said Mayrie, decidedly, "an'--an'--just horrid, an' not a
bit nice, like tats!"

"Perhaps you are right," returned Claus, thoughtfully. "But if you
will return with me to the house I will soon make you a pretty cat."

So they timidly entered the house again, having faith in their friend's
words; and afterward they had the joy of watching Claus carve out a cat
from a bit of wood and paint it in natural colors. It did not take him
long to do this, for he had become skillful with his knife by this
time, and Mayrie loved her toy the more dearly because she had seen it
made.

After his little visitors had trotted away on their journey homeward
Claus sat long in deep thought. And he then decided that such fierce
creatures as his friend the lioness would never do as models from which
to fashion his toys.

"There must be nothing to frighten the dear babies," he reflected; "and
while I know Shiegra well, and am not afraid of her, it is but natural
that children should look upon her image with terror. Hereafter I will
choose such mild-mannered animals as squirrels and rabbits and deer and
lambkins from which to carve my toys, for then the little ones will
love rather than fear them."

He began his work that very day, and before bedtime had made a wooden
rabbit and a lamb. They were not quite so lifelike as the cats had
been, because they were formed from memory, while Blinkie had sat very
still for Claus to look at while he worked.

But the new toys pleased the children nevertheless, and the fame of
Claus' playthings quickly spread to every cottage on plain and in
village. He always carried his gifts to the sick or crippled children,
but those who were strong enough walked to the house in the Valley to
ask for them, so a little path