folks bore a strong family resemblance to Santa
Claus,--but perhaps it was only the way they wore their beards. When she
saw them all, she was sorry that she had not invited Santa Claus
himself. She hadn't asked him, because, as she told Mr. Spider, it was
Christmas Eve, and it might seem suggestive. But the truth of the matter
was, as I suspect, that she thought he would probably drop in of his own
accord, some time in the course of the evening.

[Illustration: _Elves_]

[Illustration: _The woods were full of merry little people_]

[Illustration: _An old witch who was not nearly so bad as she looked_]

As the brisk little people from the North came up the palace steps, Miss
Muffet was sure that Hans Christian Andersen must have had a party once,
or how could he have described them so well? "Indeed," she said, "if I
didn't know what day of the month and what year it is, I should almost
think that this is 'Once upon a Time.'"

[Illustration: Chapter IV]

When the guests began to come in, Miss Muffet was all in a flurry for
fear she should not do her duty as a hostess; but she needn't have
worried a bit, for they were so much interested in themselves that they
paid very little attention to her. Then she had the assistance of two
widely traveled storks, who, having their summer residences in Norway
and spending their winters in Bagdad, had a great number of
acquaintances, and introduced the Orientals to the North Country people.
It was delightful to see how quickly they all became acquainted. Little
Dutch Gretchen in her wooden shoes was not at all like the Persian
Princess whom she now met for the first time, but they were soon warm
friends though they had moved in such different society. At first Miss
Muffet was afraid that the wooden shoes might spoil the spider's-web
floor; but there was no real danger of this, for the spider, knowing
that there would be a very great crowd, had made everything very strong.

[Illustration: _Introduced the Orientals to the North Country people_]

There was a little man in a huge bearskin coat who came from Back of the
North Wind. At first he was shy and awkward, but it was beautiful to see
how soon he was put at ease when Aladdin came up and explained to him
the virtues of his wonderful lamp. The little man said that such a lamp
must be very useful, but when it came to illuminating power it was
nothing to what he had at home, for he had an Aurora Borealis in every
room. T