KLINKER. Sure. We've been awfully good boys.

HULDA. Maybe even if Saint Nicholas don't come tonight, you can see
the great, big whale tomorrow. If he's a good whale he'll surely let
the leedle Dutch twins see him on Christmas Day.

MEENY. Oh, I vant to see der whale. I've looked und I've looked und
I've looked, but I ain't even so much as seen his leedle tail yet
already. Und it makes me seasick to look so much, too.

BIDDY MARY. Are ye sure it was a whale ye saw that day, Sergius boy?

SERGIUS. Of course I'm sure. It was awful big. The biggest fish I ever
saw. Even in Russia we do not have such big fish as whales. Paddy Mike
saw it, too.

PADDY MIKE. Sure and I did. And me two eyes nearly fell out of me head
with lookin' at it, it was that wonderful. He shot a big stream of
water right up out of his head, he did, and then he dived down in the
ocean again, and we didn't see him any more at all, at all. (MIEZE
_and_ SANO SAN _turn backs to audience and look over the railing into
the water._)

HULDA (_to the twins_). There! Now if you get to see the great big
whale, that's almost as good as having old Saint Nicholas come, ain't
it?

SCHWILLIE. Whales can't bring you no Christmas presents, can they,
Klinker?

KLINKER. Und whales you can see any time. I'd rather have Saint
Nicholas, wouldn't I, Schwillie Willie Winkum?

SERGIUS. Who is this Saint Nicholas they are looking for, Hulda?

HULDA (_astonished_). Why, don't you know who he is yet? He's the best
old man that ever was. Und he comes the night before Christmas und
visits all the little children in Holland.

MEENY (_proudly_). Und in Germany, too. (SERGIUS _goes to_ HULDA.)

KLINKER. Und if they're good they get candy und oranges und toys und
things, don't they, Schwillie Willie Winkum?

SCHWILLIE. Und if they're bad, they get a good big birch stick. But I
ain't been bad. I've been awfully good, isn't I, Klinker?

KLINKER. Sure. Und me also.

HULDA (_to_ SERGIUS). On Christmas Eve in Holland all the children
march around the streets, following one who carries a big silver star.
And the people who meet us give us money and gifts to help the poor.
Oh, Christmas time is just grand in Holland!

KLINKER. Und we set out our leedle wooden shoes und old Saint Nicholas
fills 'em with candy.

SCHWILLIE. Und we put a leedle bit of hay in our shoes for his good
old horsie, Sleipner. Dot makes him happy.

MEENY. In Germany we call him Santa Claus, und he com