I will be interchanging this story with other Old Bear Stories by Jane Hissey. As both are collections of stories from the same characters in each book that make up each chapter. Please do not copy these chapters to any other website, this is a private book for reference to those who write and read and are unfamiliar with the stories since they may not have had access to them. I have no intentions of publishing this publicly at all if you see someone doing that they violate copyright law, you must report them immediately. This is a second edition book in which the stories were reprinted and not the exact original copy from 1902 "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus published in 1902 two years after his famous "The Wizard of Oz" book in 1900. This is for only educational purposes and social awareness only for those who do not have the capability of reading any story because they simply cannot purchase it or have no access to computers or wifi as it is very much a fairytale fantasy index book for me to keep track of all actual factual story mentions to help me work and prepare my own stories. And this story speaks a lot to me as a Christian and I will point out all references as I have been doing throughout the other books in my special () followed by my name as well friends.-Lumna10.
Story 2 Chapter Two: The Child of The Forest within Section "Youth"
Chapter 2: The Child of the Forest
Once, so long ago our great-grandfathers could scarcely have heard it mentioned, there lived within the great Forest of Burzee a wood-nymph named Necile. She was closely related to the mighty Queen Zurline, and her home was beneath the shade of a wide spreading oak. Once every year, on Budding Day, when the trees put forth their new buds, Necile held the Golden Chalice of Ak to the lips of the Queen, who drank therefrom to the prosperity of the Forest. So you see she was a nymph of some importance, and moreover, it said she was highly regarded because of her beauty and grace.
When she was created she could not have told; Queen Zurline could not have told; the great Ak himself could not have told. It was long ago when the world was new and nymphs were needed to guard the forests and to minister to the wants of young trees. Then, on some day not remembered, Necile sprang into being; radiant, lovely, straight and slim as the sapling she was created to guard.
Her hair was the color that lines a chestnut but; her eyes blue in the sunlight and purple in the shade; her cheeks bloomed with the faint pink that edges the clouds at sunset; her lips were full red, pouting and sweet. For costume she adopted oak-leaf green; all the woods nymphs dress in that color and know no other so desirable. Her dainty feet were sandal clad, while her head remained bare of covering other than her silken tresses,
Necile's duties were few and simple. She kept hurtful weeds from growing beneath her trees and sapping the earth of food required by her charges. She frightened away the Gadgols, who took evil delight in flying against the tree-trunks and wounding them so that they drooped and died from poisonous contact. In dry seasons she carried water from the brooks and pools and moistened the roots of her thirsty dependents.
That was in the beginning. The weeds had now learned to avoid the forests where Wood-nymphs dwelt; the loathsome Gadgols no longer dared come nigh; the trees had become old and sturdy and could bear the drought better than when fresh-sprouted. So Necile's duties were lessened, and time grew laggard, while succeeding years became more tiresome and uneventful than the nymph's joyous spirit loved.
Truly the forest-dwellers did not lack amusement. Each full moon they danced in the Royal Circle of the Queen. There were also the Feast of Nuts, the Jubilee of Autumn Tintings, the solemn ceremony of Leaf Shedding and the revelry of Budding Day. But these periods of enjoyment were far apart, and left many weary hours between.
That a Wood-nymph should grow discontented was not thought of by Necile's sisters. It came upon her only after many years of brooding. But when once she had settled in her mind that life was irksome she had no patience with her condition, and longed to do something of real interest and to pass her days in ways hitherto undreamed of by forest nymphs. The Law of the Forest alone restrained her from going forth in search of adventure.
While this mood lay heavy upon pretty Necile it chanced that the great Ak visited the Forest of Burzee and allowed the Wood-nymphs –––– as was their wont–––to lie at his feet and listen to the words of wisdom that fell from his lips. Ak is the Master Woodsman of the world; he sees everything, and knows more than the sons of men. (The first reference to an angel Angels simply follow their duties. This guy is the highest amongst the other creatures of this forest but it is mentioned he checks in on multiple forests across the world. Or he could be referencing the Voice of Wisdom also mention in Proverbs, though she ia depicted more often as a female voice. So for me I'd say Guardian of the Woods Angel of the Woods, or Angel of Sight, Skylights-Lumna10)
That night he held the Queen's hand, for he loved the nymphs as a father loves his children; and Necile lay at his feet with many of her sisters and earnestly harkened as he spoke.
"We live so happily, my fair ones, in our forest glades," said Ak, stroking his grizzled beard thoughtfully, "that we know nothing of the sorrow and misery that fall to the lot of those poor mortals who inhabit the open spaces of the earth. They are not of our race, it is true, yet compassion well befits beings so fairly favored as ourselves. Often as I pass by the dwelling of some suffering mortal I am tempted to stop and banish the poor thing's misery. Yet suffering, in moderation, is the natural lot of mortals, and it is not our place to interfere with the laws of Nature."
"Nevertheless," said the fair Queen, nodding her golden head at the Master Woodsman, "it would not be a vain guess that Ak has often assisted these hapless mortals."
Ak smiled.
"Sometimes," he replied, "when they are very young-'children,' the mortals call them–––I have stopped to rescue them from misery.
The men and women I dare not interfere with; they must bear the burdens Nature has imposed upon them. But the helpless infants, the innocent children of men, have a right to be happy until they become full-grown and able to bear the trials of humanity. So I feel I am justified in assisting them. Not long ago ––– a year, maybe ––– I found four poor children huddled in a wooden hut, slowly freezing to death. Their parents had gone to a neighboring village for food, and had left a fire to warm their little ones while they were absent. But a storm arose and drifted the snow in their path, so they were long on the road. Meantime the fire went out and the frost crept into the bones of the waiting children."
"Poor things!" murmured the Queen softly. "What did you do?"
"I called Nelko, bidding him fetch wood from my forests and breathe upon it until the fire blazed again and warmed the little room where the children lay. Then they ceased shivering and fell asleep until their parents came."
"I am glad you did thus," said the good Queen, beaming upon the Master; and Necile, who had eagerly listened to every word, echoed in a whisper: "I, too, am glad!"
"And this very night," continued Ak, "as I came to the edge of Burzee I heard a feeble cry, which I judged came from a human infant.
I looked about me and found, close to the forest, a helpless babe, lying quite naked upon the grasses and wailing piteously.
Not far away, screened by the forest, crouched Shiegra, the lioness, intent upon devouring the infant for her evening meal."
"And what did you do, Ak?"
asked the
Queen, breathlessly.
"Not much, being in a hurry to greet my nymphs. But I commanded Shiegra to lie close to the babe, and to give it her milk to quiet its hunger. And I told her to send word throughout the forest, to all beast and reptiles, that the child should not be harmed."
"I am glad you did thus," said the good Queen again, in a tone of relief; but this time Necile did not echo her words, for the nymph, filled with a strange resolve, had suddenly stolen away from the group.
Swiftly her lithe form darted through the forest paths until she reached the edge of mighty Burzee, when she paused to gaze curiously about her.
Never until now had she ventured
so far for the Law of the Forest had placed the nymphs in its inmost depths.
Necile knew she was breaking the Law, but the thought did not give pause to her dainty feet. She had decided to see with her own eyes this infant Ak had told of, for she had never yet beheld a child of man. All the immortals are full-grown; there are no children among them. Peering through the trees Necile saw the child lying on the grass. But now it was sweetly sleeping, having been comforted by the milk drawn from Shiegra. It was not old enough to know what peril means; if it did not feel hunger it was content.
Softly the nymph stole to the side of the babe and knelt upon the sward, her long robe of rose leaf color spreading about her like a gossamer cloud. Her lovely countenance expressed curiosity and surprise, but most of all, a tender, womanly pity. The babe was new-born, chubby and pink. It was entirely helpless. While the nymph fazed the infant opened its eyes, smiled upon her, and stretched out two dimpled arms. In another instant Necile had caught it to her breast and was hurrying with it through the forest paths.
The end of Story 2 Chapter 2 in the Yourh Section of The Life anc Adventures of Santa Claus.
(This tells us we will run into people who remind us as times are changing so will the ideas of people-Necile is that perfect example. And change met her half way there when she kept wishing for it to come to liven up her life-Skylights).
Pyrix_Fairy I know you'll enjoy this one. The Earth element never mentioned in Season 4 and this would be a great way to explain why the Wizards of the Black Circle never actually fought them period-Lumna10. Also I believe North and Bunny both have memory problems like Jack did in Rise of the Guardians. But I do not believe Tooth or Sandy have that in the movie.
Story 57: Old Bear Book-Little Bear Lost by Jane Hissey
Story 58: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum Chapter 3: The Adoption and Chapter 4: Claus in the section labeled "Youth"
Story 59: Old Bear Book-Jolly Tall by Jane Hissey.
Story 60: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum Chapter 5: The Master Woodsman and Chapter 6: Claus Discovers Humanity.
Story 61: Old Bear Book-Jolly Snow by Jane Hissey.
Story 62: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum Chapter 7: Claus Leaves The Forest. All coming up in the next few days, Skylights-Lumna10 out.)
YOU ARE READING
Fairytales of Famous Authors Compared to Disney Cartoons with proper respect etc
Non-FictionThis is book is about to contain the best topic you've ever read. I will be taking up the task of putting out Charles Perrault's Stories published in 1697 such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty In The Woods and comparing them to the Disney Movie Car...
