The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

said the Prince to Ak. "There is truth in what Will says."
    "Call Glossie and Flossie," returned the Master.
    The deer were brought to the conference and Ak asked them if they objected to drawing the sledge for Claus.
    "No, indeed!" replied Glossie; "we enjoyed the trip very much."
    "And we tried to get home by daybreak," added Flossie, "but were unfortunately a minute too late."
    "A minute lost at daybreak doesn't matter," said Ak. "You are forgiven for that delay."
    "Provided it does not happen again," said the Prince of the Knooks, sternly.
    "And will you permit them to make another journey with me?" asked Claus, eagerly.
    The Prince reflected while he gazed at Will, who was scowling, and at the Master Woodsman, who was smiling.
    Then he stood up and addressed the company as follows:
    "Since you all urge me to grant the favor I will permit the deer to go with Claus once every year, on Christmas Eve, provided they always return to the Forest by daybreak. He may select any number he pleases, up to ten, to draw his sledge, and those shall be known among us as Reindeer, to distinguish them from the others. And they shall bathe in the Pool of Nares, and eat the casa and grawle and marbon plants and shall be under the especial protection of the Fairy Queen. And now cease scowling, Will Knook, for my words shall be obeyed!"
    He hobbled quickly away through the trees, to avoid the thanks of Claus and the approval of the other immortals, and Will, looking as cross as ever, followed him.
    But Ak was satisfied, knowing that he could rely on the promise of the Prince, however grudgingly given; and Glossie and Flossie ran home, kicking up their heels delightedly at every step.
    "When is Christmas Eve?" Claus asked the Master.
    "In about ten days," he replied.
    "Then I can not use the deer this year," said Claus, thoughtfully, "for I shall not have time enough to make my sackful of toys."
    "The shrewd Prince foresaw that," responded Ak, "and therefore named Christmas Eve as the day you might use the deer, knowing it would cause you to lose an entire year."
    "If I only had the toys the Awgwas stole from me," said Claus, sadly, "I could easily fill my sack for the children."
    "Where are they?" asked the Master.
    "I do not know," replied Claus, "but the wicked Awgwas probably hid them in the mountains."
    Ak turned to the Fairy Queen.
    "Can you find them?" he asked.
    "I will try," she replied, brightly.
    Then Claus went back to the Laughing Valley, to work as hard as he could, and a band of Fairies immediately flew to the mountain that had been haunted by the Awgwas and began a search for the stolen toys.
    The Fairies, as we well know, possess wonderful powers; but the cunning Awgwas had hidden the toys in a deep cave and covered the opening with rocks, so no one could look in. Therefore all search for the missing playthings proved in vain for several days, and Claus, who sat at home waiting for news from the Fairies, almost despaired of getting the toys before Christmas Eve.
    He worked hard every moment, but it took considerable time to carve out and to shape each toy and to paint it properly, so that on the morning before Christmas Eve only half of one small shelf above the window was filled with playthings ready for the children.
    But on this morning the Fairies who were searching in the mountains had a new thought. They joined hands and moved in a straight line through the rocks that formed the mountain, beginning at the topmost peak and working downward, so that no spot could be missed by their bright eyes. And at last they discovered the cave where the toys had been heaped up by the wicked Awgwas.
    It did not take them long to burst open the mouth of the cave, and then each one seized as many toys as he could carry and they all flew to Claus and laid the treasure before him.
    The good man was rejoiced to receive, just in the nick of time, such a store of playthings with which to load his sledge, and he sent word to Glossie and Flossie