1. The Mantle of Immortality

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

by L. Frank Baum

And now we come to a turning-point in the career of Santa Claus,
and it is my duty to relate the most remarkable that has happened
since the world began or mankind was created.

We have followed the life of Claus from the time he was found a
helpless infant by the Wood-Nymph Necile and reared to manhood in the
great Forest of Burzee. And we know how he began to make toys for
children and how, with the assistance and goodwill of the immortals,
he was able to distribute them to the little ones throughout the
world.

For many years he carried on this noble work; for the simple,
hard-working life he led gave him perfect health and strength. And
doubtless a man can live longer in the beautiful Laughing Valley,
where there are no cares and everything is peaceful and merry, than
in any other part of the world.

But when many years had rolled away Santa Claus grew old. The
long beard of golden brown that once covered his cheeks and chin
gradually became gray, and finally turned to pure white. His hair
was white, too, and there were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes,
which showed plainly when he laughed. He had never been a very tall
man, and now he became fat, and waddled very much like a duck when he
walked. But in spite of these things he remained as lively as ever,
and was just as jolly and gay, and his kind eyes sparkled as brightly
as they did that first day when he came to the Laughing Valley.

Yet a time is sure to come when every mortal who has grown old
and lived his life is required to leave this world for another; so it
is no wonder that, after Santa Claus had driven his reindeer on many
and many a Christmas Eve, those stanch friends finally whispered
among themselves that they had probably drawn his sledge for the last
time.

Then all the Forest of Burzee became sad and all the Laughing
Valley was hushed; for every living thing that had known Claus had
used to love him and to brighten at the sound of his footsteps or the
notes of his merry whistle.

No doubt the old man's strength was at last exhausted, for he
made no more toys, but lay on his bed as in a dream.

The Nymph Necile, she who had reared him and been his
foster-mother, was still youthful and strong and beautiful, and it
seemed to her but a short time since this aged, gray-bearded man had
lain in her arms and smiled on her with his innocent, baby lips.

In this is shown the difference between mortals and
immortals.

It was fortunate that the great Ak came to the Forest at this
time. Necile sought him with troubled eyes and told him of the fate
that threatened their friend Claus.

At once the Master became grave, and he leaned upon his ax and
stroked his grizzled beard thoughtfully for many minutes. Then
suddenly he stood up straight, and poised his powerful head with firm
resolve, and stretched out his great right arm as if determined on
doing some mighty deed. For a thought had come to him so grand in
its conception that all the world might well bow before the Master
Woodsman and honor his name forever!

It is well known that when the great Ak once undertakes to do a
thing he never hesitates an instant. Now he summoned his fleetest
messengers, and sent them in a flash to many parts of the earth. And
when they were gone he turned to the anxious Necile and comforted
her, saying:

"Be of good heart, my child; our friend still lives. And now
run to your Queen and tell her that I have summoned a council of all
the immortals of the world to meet with me here in Burzee this night.
If they obey, and harken unto my words, Claus will drive his
reindeer for countless ages yet to come."

At midnight there was a wondrous scene in the ancient Forest of
Burzee, where for the first time in many centuries the rulers of the
immortals who inhabit the earth were gathered together.

There was the Queen of the Water Sprites, whose beautiful form
was as clear as crystal but continually dripped water on the bank of
moss where she sat. And beside her was the King of the Sleep Fays,
who carried a wand from the end of which a fine dust fell all around,
so that no mortal could keep awake long enough to see him, as mortal
eyes were sure to close in sleep as soon as the dust filled them.
And next to him sat the Gnome King, whose people inhabit all that
region under the earth's surface, where they guard the precious
metals and the jewel stones that lie buried in rock and ore. At his
right hand stood the King of the Sound Imps, who had wings on his
feet, for his people are swift to carry all sounds that are made.
When they are busy they carry the sounds but short distances, for
there are many of them; but sometimes they speed with the sounds to
places miles and miles away from where they are made. The King of
the Sound Imps had an anxious and careworn face, for most people have
no consideration for his Imps and, especially the boys and girls,
make a great many unnecessary sounds which the Imps are obliged to
carry when they might be better employed.

The next in the circle of immortals was the King of the Wind
Demons, slender of frame, restless and uneasy at being confined to
one place for even an hour. Once in a while he would leave his place
and circle around the glade, and each time he did this the Fairy
Queen was obliged to untangle the flowing locks of her golden hair
and tuck them back of her pink ears. But she did not complain, for
it was not often that the King of the Wind Demons came into the heart
of the Forest. After the Fairy Queen, whose home you know was in old
Burzee, came the King of the Light Elves, with his two Princes, Flash
and Twilight, at his back. He never went anywhere without his
Princes, for they were so mischievous that he dared not let them
wander alone.

Prince Flash bore a lightning-bolt in his right hand and a horn
of gunpowder in his left, and his bright eyes roved constantly
around, as if he longed to use his blinding flashes. Prince Twilight
held a great snuffer in one hand and a big black cloak in the other,
and it is well known that unless Twilight is carefully watched the
snuffers or the cloak will throw everything into darkness, and
Darkness is the greatest enemy the King of the Light Elves has.

In addition to the immortals I have named were the King of the
Knooks, who had come from his home in the jungles of India; and the
King of the Ryls, who lived among the gay flowers and luscious fruits
of Valencia. Sweet Queen Zurline of the Wood-Nymphs completed the
circle of immortals.

But in the center of the circle sat three others who possessed
powers so great that all the Kings and Queens showed them
reverence.

These were Ak, the Master Woodsman of the World, who rules the
forests and the orchards and the groves; and Kern, the Master
Husbandman of the World, who rules the grain fields and the meadows
and the gardens; and Bo, the Master Mariner of the World, who rules
the seas and all the craft that float thereon. And all other
immortals are more or less subject to these three.

When all had assembled the Master Woodsman of the World stood up
to address them, since he himself had summoned them to the
council.

Very clearly he told them the story of Claus, beginning at the
time when as a babe he had been adopted a child of the Forest, and
telling of his noble and generous nature and his life-long labors to
make children happy.

"And now," said Ak, "when he had won the love of all the world,
the Spirit of Death is hovering over him. Of all men who have
inhabited the earth none other so well deserves immortality, for such
a life can not be spared so long as there are children of mankind to
miss him and to grieve over his loss. We immortals are the servants
of the world, and to serve the world we were permitted in the
Beginning to exist. But what one of us is more worthy of immortality
than this man Claus, who so sweetly ministers to the little
children?"

He paused and glanced around the circle, to find every immortal
listening to him eagerly and nodding approval. Finally the King of
the Wind Demons, who had been whistling softly to himself, cried
out:

"What is your desire, O Ak?"

"To bestow upon Claus the Mantle of Immortality!" said Ak,
boldly.

That this demand was wholly unexpected was proved by the
immortals springing to their feet and looking into each other's face
with dismay and then upon Ak with wonder. For it was a grave matter,
this parting with the Mantle of Immortality.

The Queen of the Water Sprites spoke in her low, clear voice,
and the words sounded like raindrops splashing upon a window-pane.

"In all the world there is but one Mantle of Immortality," she
said.

The King of the Sound Fays added:

"It has existed since the Beginning, and no mortal has ever
dared to claim it."

And the Master Mariner of the World arose and stretched his
limbs, saying:

"Only by the vote of every immortal can it be bestowed upon a
mortal."

"I know all this," answered Ak, quietly. "But the Mantle
exists, and if it was created, as you say, in the Beginning, it was
because the Supreme Master knew that some day it would be required.
Until now no mortal has deserved it, but who among you dares deny
that the good Claus deserves it? Will you not all vote to bestow it
upon him?"

They were silent, still looking upon one another
questioningly.

"Of what use is the Mantle of Immortality unless it is worn?"
demanded Ak. "What will it profit any one of us to allow it to
remain in its lonely shrine for all time to come?"

"Enough!" cried the Gnome King, abruptly. "We will vote on the
matter, yes or no. For my part, I say yes!"

"And I!" said the Fairy Queen, promptly, and Ak rewarded her
with a smile.

"My people in Burzee tell me they have learned to love him;
therefore I vote to give Claus the Mantle," said the King of the
Ryls.

"He is already a comrade of the Knooks," announced the ancient
King of that band. "Let him have immortality!"

"Let him have it--let him have it!" sighed the King of the Wind
Demons.

"Why not?" asked the King of the Sleep Fays. "He never disturbs
the slumbers my people allow humanity. Let the good Claus be
immortal!"

"I do not object," said the King of the Sound Imps.

"Nor I," murmured the Queen of the Water Sprites.

"If Claus does not receive the Mantle it is clear none other can
ever claim it," remarked the King of the Light Elves, "so let us have
done with the thing for all time."

"The Wood-Nymphs were first to adopt him," said Queen Zurline.
"Of course I shall vote to make him immortal."

Ak now turned to the Master Husbandman of the World, who held up
his right arm and said "Yes!"

And the Master Mariner of the World did likewise, after which
Ak, with sparkling eyes and smiling face, cried out:

"I thank you, fellow immortals! For all have voted 'yes,' and
so to our dear Claus shall fall the one Mantle of Immortality that it
is in our power to bestow!"

"Let us fetch it at once," said the Fay King; "I'm in a
hurry."

They bowed assent, and instantly the Forest glade was deserted.
But in a place midway between the earth and the sky was suspended a
gleaming crypt of gold and platinum, aglow with soft lights shed from
the facets of countless gems. Within a high dome hung the precious
Mantle of Immortality, and each immortal placed a hand on the hem of
the splendid Robe and said, as with one voice:

"We bestow this Mantle upon Claus, who is called the Patron
Saint of Children!"

At this the Mantle came away from its lofty crypt, and they
carried it to the house in the Laughing Valley.

The Spirit of Death was crouching very near to the bedside of
Claus, and as the immortals approached she sprang up and motioned
them back with an angry gesture. But when her eyes fell upon the
Mantle they bore she shrank away with a low moan of disappointment
and quitted that house forever.

Softly and silently the immortal Band dropped upon Claus the
precious Mantle, and it closed about him and sank into the outlines
of his body and disappeared from view. It became a part of his
being, and neither mortal nor immortal might ever take it from
him.

Then the Kings and Queens who had wrought this great deed
dispersed to their various homes, and all were well contented that
they had added another immortal to their Band.

And Claus slept on, the red blood of everlasting life coursing
swiftly through his veins; and on his brow was a tiny drop of water
that had fallen from the ever-melting gown of the Queen of the Water
Sprites, and over his lips hovered a tender kiss that had been left
by the sweet Nymph Necile. For she had stolen in when the others
were gone to gaze with rapture upon the immortal form of her foster
son.