Where did the Reindeer go ... ?

by Joshua Levesque (edited by Michael Levesque)

Authors Note: My son Joshua is 9. He is a great kid with a fantastic imagination. We sat down and discussed his ideas and then made point form notes to diagram the story. This is his elementary school project for which he provided all of the ideas. During the writing of the story, I kind of took over to try to help him produce a more polished story. I hope that you enjoy this short Christmas Tale...

The winter snow... Chapter 1

One day, Santa woke with a mighty, "Yawn". He had been working night and day making toys with the elves and had gotten so tired that he had to lay down for a long winter nap. Now, with Christmas almost here he got up from his long sleep. He looked out over the winter wonderland of the North Pole and the snow that covered the hills, trees and the village around him. There were elves running here and there with packages, each one more hurried than the next. It definitely was a busy time of year. Santa sighed,"?It’s time to get up and get moving". First he decided, he would get some hot cocoa and then maybe a cookie or two..., oh and he had to check on those reindeer! He definitely had to check on those reindeer...

Pulling on his red suspenders, Santa finished getting dressed as the cocoa came to a nice hot frothy boil. The elves had fresh cookies from the oven and he enjoyed the piping hot goodness of the smooth cocoa as he washed down his fourth cookie. He started thinking about the list of things that had to be done and called down to Sparkles the elf to see how his prized reindeer had progressed while he had gotten the toys ready and had a nap, after all Christmas was almost here!

There was Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen; Comet, Cupid, Doner and Blitzen. “Oh, and we must not forget about Rudolph!”, said Santa, “How are they Sparkles ?” Sparkles didn’t answer. There was a long pause on the other end of the candy-cane phone, and then, as he cleared his throat the elf stumbled over the words, “I don’t know where they are Santa! When I got down here this morning all the pens were empty.” Santa wasn’t worried. The reindeer were naturally happiest in the snow and they loved to play, he was sure that they had just gone outside to frolic in the snow. He told Sparkles to gather a few more of the elven caretakers and go and find the reindeer. He was sure that they would be near the forest.

Sparkles gathered several elves, each one with carrots, sugar cubes, candy canes, and cookies and they dressed for the long trek across the snow. Some of the elves went to search around the town. Others went to search in the fields nearby. While Sparkles and the main group of elves set out across the snow to the forest on the other side of the North Pole. The snow was deep and fresh but tracking reindeer was difficult because they could fly, so finding an area where they had landed and run around was the first clue as to which direction they had gone. The elves searched far and wide, keeping in touch by candy cane and snacking on cookies as they went. Finding the reindeer was important. Without them how would the presents get delivered?

“Those playful reindeer where sure to get themselves in trouble”, said Sparkles. The elves were hip deep in snow as they waded through the field. “Here is a landing!”, cried one elf. They were definitely going in the right direction thought Sparkles. None of the other elf teams had found any sign of the reindeer, but Sparkles radioed back to the Pole that they definitely had a landing site and they were continuing on to the forest. The weather had gotten colder and snow started to blow and swirl around them. It was a good thing they had dressed warm. As they got to the trees, there was no sign of Santa’s precious reindeer, just deep snow past the bottoms of the trees almost up to the elves chests.

The day was getting colder, darker and the elves had not seen any further sign of any of the reindeer. Not a foot print, a landing, or even a playful roll in the snow. The only thing that could be seen for miles was white fluffy snow and tall northern pines standing firm against the mountains. They were on the farthest reaches of the North Pole and the village was a good half days walk. It would be very dark by the time they got back. “Where are those reindeer?”, thought Sparkles. The elves all agreed that they should start heading back soon. It would get cold and dark fast and if they weren’t inside before midnight they might freeze. Darkness descended quickly and the elves turned to leave towards the lights of the village. It was then that he had seen it. First, he thought he had imagined it, but there in the trees, Sparkles saw it again – a dim red light.

The forest... Chapter 2

The red light coming through the trees was unnatural. It shone first dim, hidden in the trees, and then brighter until it was suddenly extinguished. The elves knew that there was only one thing that could cause that red glow. Through fog, snow, rain; it was that famous red light that always guided Santa’s sleigh and that meant the reindeer had to be in that direction. The way that the light was suddenly extinguished worried them and so they hurriedly changed their decision to return to the village. Sparkles reasoned that the trees provided shelter and wood for a fire and they had much better chances of surviving the arctic night than if they returned across the tundra to the village. They might freeze before they reached the village as the wind now whipped the snow about them and howled with a low growl as it circled the group.

The moon and the stars guided them through the trees and the snow gave way to pine needles. The wind died down in the trees and a few well cut boughs made for a good shelter from the elements. Sparkles sent the wood cutter elves gathering firewood and the rest concentrated on searching for any further signs of the reindeer. It was a long day. Sparkles in his quietest but most commanding voice, said “Tonight we bed here. Prepare the fires and let us make a quiet supper. We’ll post a watch and tend the fires for the night. Tomorrow we shall start anew.” Every elf agreed and the plans were set in motion for the fires, the feast, the watch and the sprites that would magically tend the fires through the night. Once they had all had tea made from snow, toasted bread and a little bit of snowshoe hare that they had caught fresh in the trees they all tucked in close to stay warm. Each one had a different thought about the missing reindeer and they all spoke in a whisper as if the slightest noise would give them away. The last word and most somber thought came from Sparkles, the leader of the expedition, “Millions of children, our friends the reindeer, Santa, and all of our families are depending on us! We can not; we dare not, we shall not.. fail! Now, all of you, put out your pipes and get some sleep.”

The elves turned in for a fitful night. The sprites kept the fires. The watchmen diligently kept guard with an eye for any danger, because it was cold and quiet, almost too quiet. The sparse meal they had shared before was enough to keep them going and they thanked the Northern Star for the light of the day before, Mother Nature for their bountiful meal and the Lord of the Heavens for watching over them; then, closing their bloodshot eyes they lay down to rest their weary heads.

A new dawn... Chapter 3

As they woke a new sound cut through the quiet of the morning and the elves listened intently to reindeer hooves scraping on stone. It was a noise that had all of them up in a start and the entire troop moving quietly through the trees. Elven bread passed between them as they efficiently made their way through the trees towards the sound of the hooves. As they got closer, other noises could be heard and voices clearly sounded above the call of the nut hatches in the trees.

Alexander Mountain lay before them and the area known as the devils reach was a stark blade of stone that jutted out from the mountain as a knife to the edge of the trees as if it was threatening them not to come any closer. There was a rough hewn cave at the far back of the reach and newly constructed pens where, bound by enchanted rope, were, “one, two, three, four... eight .. no nine reindeer”, that Sparkles had counted and recounted twice.

The elves organized themselves quickly. Staying close to the rocks they snuck across the reach to where the reindeer were penned. Dark little orcs ran here and there. The reindeer were securely tied to posts inside the pens. Grass and wilted greens had been provided for the reindeer to eat. Some of the dark little men were taunting the reindeer as they combed their coats. “Santa’s not coming” said one orc, “No candy canes here!” said another.

The elves quietly listened. Sparkles sent one of the elves back to the forest to try to call the village on the candy cane phone to let Santa know what they had found. While that elf snuck back to call the village, he reasoned, the rest of the elves would try to sneak in and free some of the reindeer.

Sparkles and the rest of his crew crept quietly down from the rocks to the rotting grasses behind the pens. No one noticed them at all. There was a great deal of commotion from much further in the cave and it seemed that the orcs were concentrating on getting everything done quickly. The elves could hear a big booming commanding voice from deep in the cave.

A horse drawn sleigh... Chapter 4

Santa was startled by the sweet ring of his candy cane phone. He had worried about the elves not coming back and was already dressed and ready to go and look for them and was quite agitated all night. “I hope they have found shelter”, Santa worried. “The wind and the snow whipped down the lanes of the village and the temperature dropped dangerously low. Oh, I hope they are alright!” He had organized a rescue party of the other elves starting from the early morning.

Now with the ring of the phone, there was a new urgency. Elves sleeping in the forest, reindeer penned and captured, dark orcs holding them, and elves attempting a rescue. He had no idea of what it meant or who could be behind all of this but one thing was certain; his precious deer and his beloved elves were in trouble and he had better get there fast. As he threw on his red coat, Santa ordered the drawing horses hitched to the sleigh. Elves normally in the workshop, donned heavy coats, hats and boots; grabbed medical kits, food, stretchers and got ready for the rescue. For the first time in a hundred years Santa would ride a horse drawn sleigh out across the white plains of the North Pole.

The horses nervously pranced as if they knew that something was wrong. The tension in the air was thick, toys had all been forgotten. Elves packed carrots; lots of carrots, oats and grasses for both the reindeer and the horses. The tall Clydesdales stood proud with their dark leather strapping, massive silver buckles and glistening bells that the elves polished and tethered the reins to the sleigh. It was an imposing sight to behold - the huge drawing horses pulling the famous red sleigh.

Mrs. Claus kissed his cheek as he climbed up onto the sleigh, big flowing red coat around him, dark circles under his eyes and a serious look on his face. “I’ll be right home dear”, he said, “if I’m any longer than the day call Mother Nature and get some real help.” And then with a nod of his head he was off, Elven rescue team in tow, snow billowing around them as the horses pulled the red sleigh out into the whiteness of the field.

The Rescue... Chapter 5

Sparkles had snuck out to the Dancer, the first of the reindeer closest to the entrance. The reindeer was tied tightly to the post. Head down, sad, it startled and jumped as Sparkles touched it. That familiar caress of a well practiced hand brushing along the side of the reindeer brought joy to the deer and it tried to leap into the air. The sudden movement of the deer pushed the elf down to the ground and the flurry of activity of the orcs came to a sudden, abrupt, stop.

There was no hiding now. The elves rushed out to the reindeer and cut the rope binding him and then raced on to the others. One after the other they untied the reindeer... and the deer raced out into the open but by the fourth reindeer the elves were overwhelmed and found themselves tied up against the posts with the remaining reindeer.

A big voice sounded behind them. “WHO DARES!” thundered the voice. “WHO COMES TO MY HOME AND TAKES MY FANCY FLYING DEER!”

“They aren’t yours,” cried Sparkles. The rest of the elves chimed in, “Those are Santa’s reindeer!” The big voice laughed.”Santa doesn’t deliver presents here. They are MY reindeer now!” “Well”, Sparkles, negotiated, “If you let us and the reindeer go then Santa will see that you are good and he will deliver here, but, you have to show him that you have a good heart.”

“I have a heart”, the voice said, a gigantic figure stepping up from the shadows, “I put it in a jar somewhere!” A giant green monster now stood before them. His face was misshapen and teeth half rotten, in his hand was a bar-b-qued leg of goat that was half eaten, his leathery skin covered from head to toe in furs and skins with big black boots that looked similar to Santa’s own. His hair, what little there was of it, was scraggly and damp, and he had a huge open cut on his left cheek.

He really was a mountain of a man, this giant green thing that stood over them. Sparkles wondered what he would do now and how he would get his elves out of this mess. No sooner did the thought pass his brow then there was a noise and a huge commotion at the edge of the clearing.

The Jolly Old Elf... Chapter 6

The enormous hooves of the Clydesdales broke through the snow at the edge of the trees first as the red sleigh rocketed across the reach. Stone against the runners on the sleigh created an impressive array of sparks that seemed to ignite the air. The sight of the big man with the red coat scattered the orcs and they ran in all directions. The reindeer that had been freed were being tended by elves and the army of rescuers now spilled out of the forest behind Santa and his beautiful red sleigh.

A mass confusion started as the team of rescuers flooded into the reach and the giant green mountain that stood in front of Sparkles now turned his full attention away from the elf to the glorious sight of Santa entering the cave. Santa looked somehow bigger and stronger and this gigantic thing looked as though it was ready to pounce upon him, his eyes full of malice and intent.

The green monster let out a roar that was cut short mid-scream. No one was sure what had happened when suddenly the monster dropped to his knees and started to sob. Santa stepped forward, “It’s ok Chester”, he said. “I didn’t forget you. I know that you play tough and that you like to put on a brave face but...”

In Santa’s outstretched palm lay a golden snowflake, threaded by a thread made of angels hair. Chester looked again, it... it was real. “I’m sorry, Chester”, said Santa. “I promised you the last snowflake of the winter solstice but it was much harder to find than I thought.”

“Winters’ last kiss”, sighed Chester. With a wave of his hand the reindeer were free, as were the elves and a tear hung in the corner of his eye. “I thought you had forgotten me.”, said Chester.

Santa kneeled down and put his hand on Chester’s shoulder. He shook his head. “Chester”, he began, “I never forget anyone, but some special presents take longer to get then making something simple in a toyshop.” With that he placed the snowflake around Chester’s neck and as the golden flake touched his chest he began to change. First he started to shrink, his skin turned dull and then changed to a white translucent color that began to glow, and still he continued to get smaller until he was tall and wiry and very decidedly Elven in nature. A white cloak covered him and his eyes shone of the deepest blue.

Now the elves looked on in wonder as the Prince of the Frost Kingdom stood in front of them. He was a sight to behold and one thought to have gone from the world many years past. They bowed their heads in reverence and he gently lifted Sparkles face to his own. “You have a good heart”, he said, “My father would be proud of all of you”, and saying this he lifted the snowflake from his chest and gently placed the angel hair necklace onto Sparkles neck. Standing, he took Santa’s hand, with a word blessed the reindeer and all the elves and then turned back to look Santa directly in the face. “You certainly took your time.” He said with a grin. Then turning again he said, “what is a Christmas without snow and icicles? Let this be my gift to you.”

The largest fluffiest snowflakes began to fall as Santa hitched up the reindeer, his elves on a makeshift sled behind the horses and with a hearty cheer they all returned to the village to finish the preparations for yet another special Christmas.

“Merry Christmas to All!”