The Story of a Nodding Donkey | Page 5

the Plush Bear. "Santa Claus takes the toys to
Earth in his sleigh, drawn by reindeer."

"Oh, how wonderful!" brayed the Donkey. "I wonder if I shall soon
take that wonderful voyage. I hope I may!"
"Hush!" suddenly called the Rolling Elephant. "Santa Claus and the
workmen are coming in and they must not see us at our make-believe
play. Quick! To your shelves, all of you!"
Such a scramble as there was on the part of the toys! Some helped the
others to climb up, and just as the last of them, including the Nodding
Donkey, were safely in place, the door of the shop opened and in came
Santa Claus and his men.
Then such a bustling about as there was! And from outside the shop
could be heard the jingle of bells.
"Those must be the reindeer," thought the Nodding Donkey. "Oh, what
a jolly time I shall have if I ride in the sleigh with Santa Claus!"
Never was there such a busy time in the shop of Santa Claus! Jolly St.
Nicholas himself hurried here and there, helping his men pick up
different toys which were put in a big bag. One of the men stopped in
front of the Nodding Donkey.
"Shall I put this chap in, Santa Claus?" the man inquired.
"Is the varnish dry?" asked St. Nicholas.
"Yes," answered the little man, testing it lightly with his finger.
"Then put him in," said Santa Claus. "I'll take the Nodding Donkey to
Earth with me."
"Oh, joy! Now I shall have some adventures! Now I shall see what the
Earth is like!" thought the Nodding Donkey.
A moment later he was picked up, wrapped in soft paper, and thrust
into a bag.
"Oh, how very dark it is here," said the Donkey in a whisper.

"Hush!" whispered a Jumping Jack near him. "Don't talk! Santa Claus
might hear you. He has very sharp ears. You'll be all right. It is no
darker than night."
More toys, all carefully wrapped, came tumbling into the bag, and the
merry jingle of bells grew louder. Then the voice of Santa Claus could
be heard shouting:
"Hi there, Dasher! Stand still, Prancer! Whoa, Blitzen! What's the
matter, Comet? Are you anxious to get to Earth again? Well, we'll soon
start. Steady there, Cupid! Whoa!"
"He's talking to his reindeer," whispered the Jumping Jack.
Suddenly the toys in the big sack felt themselves being picked up.
Santa Claus had slung them over his back to carry out to the sleigh. A
moment later the Nodding Donkey felt a breath of cold air strike him,
but he did not mind, as he had on a warm coat of varnish.
Up and down, and from side to side the toys in the bag felt themselves
being jostled, until they were set down in the big sleigh.
"All aboard!" called Santa Claus, as he took his seat and gathered up
the reins. "Come, Dasher! On, Prancer! Hi, Donner and Blitzen! Down
to Earth you go with the Christmas toys!"
There was another jolly jingle of bells, and the toys felt themselves
being whisked away over the snow. There was a little hole in the bag
near the Nodding Donkey, and also a hole in the paper in which he was
wrapped. He could look out, and on every side he saw big piles of snow.
Snow was also falling from the clouds.
On and on rushed the sleigh of Santa Claus, drawn by the eight reindeer.
Over the clouds and drifts of snow, and through the white flakes they
rushed, the sleigh-bells playing a merry tune.
"Oh, this is a wonderful voyage!" thought the Nodding Donkey. "I
wonder when I shall reach the Earth?"

Suddenly there was a hard shock. The sleigh stopped as Santa Claus
shouted, and then, all at once, the Nodding Donkey felt himself
shooting out of the hole in the bag. Into a deep snowdrift he fell, and
there he stuck, head down and feet up in the air!
CHAPTER III
THE JOLLY STORE
"Dear me," thought the Nodding Donkey to himself, as he felt the cold,
chilly snow all about him, "this is most dreadful! I hope Santa Claus
has not become angry with me and sent me back to the North Pole. I
did so much want to go down to Earth and be in a big store for
Christmas. I hope I'm not back at the North Pole."
The Nodding Donkey said this aloud, and, as he spoke, he wobbled his
head from side to side and tried to turn over so he could stand on his
feet.
"Here! Don't do that!" suddenly whispered a voice in one of the
Donkey's large ears. "Don't you know it isn't allowed for you to move
when any one is