In the days long past as
Yule approached, each village would gather in the grove, to decorate
the tree to Odin, to recall the sacrifice he made for us. At the time
of the turning of the sun, they would make sacrifice that Odin's hand
be over us still, and the winter have an end. Each family would give
offering, each member of the family attend, that the gods could see
the praise done them, and give luck to all. In one village in the north,
was a child bright and fair, who was born with twisted foot. Though
her hands were swift and sure, her voice pure and sweet, never had she
attended Yule in the village, as she could neither ski nor snowshoe
from the steading. Her brothers would tell of the great tree, of the
gifts and song and jests, of the roaring fire, the mirth and company
and she would smile. In time, she grew to fear; the gods never saw her
at Yule, they received the gifts of her craft, but not from her hand,
and she grew fearful the gods would think she scorned them, and bring
her ill luck. While her mother was quick to dismiss this, her father
had other ideas. Taking his boys, his axe, and a sledge, he stalked
off into the snow. That night he hewed a tree as tall as himself, and
dragged it cross the fells to the hall. Inside he announced that this
year there would be two trees; the village tree in the holy grove, and
the family tree by their hearth. If his daughter could not go to Yule,
Yule would come to his daughter. All the family thought it grand, and
set to with a will.
Mother and sister set about
baking and crafting, the brothers to carving and smithing, soon the
little tree had everything the great tree in the village would have.
When Yule came, the family tromped through the snow to the village grove,
leaving only the smiling daughter, with a tree of her own to decorate,
and a horn of mead to toast the Yule. That night the offerings were
given, in grove and hall, and the gods watched from on high. Odin watched
from his high throne, to see his vigil was kept. His ravens Thought
and Memory flew above the festivities to see what lay in the worshipers
secret hearts, Odin's wolves Word and Deed coursed the secret places,
looking for that we would hide from their master. Odin was pleased,
Frey and Freya, Tyr and Thor, and even dour Hemidall was pleased at
the splendid offerings, and fine good will of the Yule tide, and they
each set their luck upon the land. But the night was not done yet, Word
and Deed still coursed the land, and had found what was hidden. In a
little hall upon the fells, Odin's wolves did lurk. Words ears heard
the Yule toast given, Deeds eyes saw the offerings bright, by a lamed
child with shining heart. Fast as the wind to their master they coursed;
for a gift for a gift was his way.
When Odin heard the tale
of his wolves, he roared out his laughter at the thought. "A gift",
he shouted to his waiting host, "a gift from my hand to hers!",
a swanmay cloak he enchanted with a whisper and spun to the admiring
hall, bright byrnies that shone like moonlight on silver, swords that
flashed like the lightning. Now Frigga laughed, at her dear lords folly,
"What gifts are these for a child?" "They were good enough
for my own dearest daughters", Odin shouted as he waved at his
Valkyries bright steel. "For a mortal girl, a mortal gift, a smile
in return for a smile" demanded Frigga.
"Peace" muttered Odin, seeing her swift rising ire, "
I will find a true gift for this generous girl, before the end of this
dark Yule night!"
His boast being given, he
strode from the throne, and stalked to Valhalla's dark door. Throwing
it wide he stalked through the hall, keen eye seeking just one. A hero
who knows how to please little girls, and right quick for the night
was nigh gone. A ravens quick caw, drew the Allfather's stare, to a
fat old Jarl near the fire. With a muttered charm the old Jarl scryed
the fire, to watch his great grandchildren play. The Battleglad shouted
his name with a roar "Klause, attend me at once!", the old
Jarl nigh tripped in his haste, caught his shield and his spear at the
run. "You'll not need your weapons or armour this night" spoke
the Allfather in a rumbling chuckle, "I've a girl I need gifted,
and this very night: its my oath to sweet Frigga upon it". With
a rune in the hearth the fire did show, the lame girl in the steading
that night, Klause nodded slowly, and started to chuckle "Yes my
lord, I've just the thing"
Now the morning was nigh,
and the distance was far, so the Allfather gave him some help. He whispered
to Klause the smoke charm he knew, to enter and leave through the hearth.
He took out his wand, and summoned a mount, a reindeer from Frey's own
fair herd, and grave bright runes on each hoof. "Off you go down
bright bifrost, and back before dawn, its my word you redeem this Yule
night."
On the long ride down Bifrost,
Klause worked on the gift. Seaman's fingers wove quickly, and he hummed
as he worked, for he dearly loved children in truth. The reindeer landed
gently upon the roof beams, and Klause slipped gently to the smoke hole.
Whispering the Allfather's charm, he turned to smoke, and drifted down
into the hearth. Whispering the counterspell, he swore as he materialised
in the fire, and had to put himself out, stomping his fine furs upon
the ground. Alarmed he looked to see the little girl stirring. He looked
around for where to place the gift, and then he saw the tree. Klause
nodded gently, it was well done indeed, and worthy from such a little
girl. He would place his gift beneath hers then; under the tree. Back
to the hearth he sneaked, oh so quietly. So much fun was he having that
he started to laugh, first chuckling, then laughing out loud "HO
HO HO".
The little girl woke up,
alarmed, at the laughing stranger in the hearthfire. He was dressed
all in furs, and seemed somewhat singed, a great full white beard and
a mischievous grin. Touching a finger alongside his nose, his fat turned
to fog, and through the smoke hole he rose.
The girl limped to the hearth
to touch his boot print, and follow them round to the her tree. Beneath
the little tree, was a bright wrapped shape, and on it was graven her
name. The wrap was a sash made of dark green and gold and inside was
a wonder indeed. Like a ragdoll it was, but trimmed in fox fur. Its
hair was braided like hers, but spun from dwarf gold, the dress was
bright red and cinched with a belt of gold links. The girl held it close,
and started to cry, it was the finest doll she'd ever seen. When her
family came home she could not wait to tell, of the tree, and the gift
giving man.
When next Yule approached,
each hall held a tree, the children all offering as sweet as could be.
Odin just laughed, but Frigga was not amused, she swore that her lord
best keep his word here too. "Klause!" roared the lord with
his eye burning bright, "get your self all ready, you'll have a
big night" but Klause blanched snow white, there were too many
kids, "But my lord, I've not presents for so many kids!" But
Frey heard his cry and send him some help, he had dwarves unemployed
and excesses of elf. With a little assistance he got them all done,
now the problem was lifting them, the gifts weighed a ton! "One
reindeer won't do it!" he cried to his lord, "He's half loaded
now, and collapsed on the floor!" When Odin attended, it looked
pretty grim, the reindeer was buried, with not all the gifts in. Odin
took out his wand, and began to incant, he summoned more reindeer, and
each did enchant. He summoned not one, not two three or four, but just
kept enchanting till he had matching fours. Eight magic reindeer, and
a runecarved wood sleigh, "Enough now, " Odin said "to
carry the day".
Klause now was loaded, and
took to the sky, the sleigh handled nicely, these reindeer could fly!
The night passed so swiftly, his work went so smooth, he couldn't help
laughing, the whole Yule night through. Smooth as it went, there remained
now a problem, word of this night had crossed over mountain! From Stockholm
to Stuttgart, from the Ode to the Rhine, the word quickly spread of
this magic Yule time. There was nothing for it, as Odin directed, now
Klause's career took a turn unexpected. He packed up his shield, his
spear and his helm, said good-bye to Valhalla, and headed to ground.
His work had expanded, and would soon take all year, but the noise was
too loud for all Asgard to hear. The noise of his workshop was hard
on his neighbours, so they moved to the north pole, to continue their
labours. Klause and his crew have been working hard since, still working
to honour the boast of their prince. His sleigh spans the globe in his
mad Yule tide whirl, such a large thing to come from the prayer of a
girl.
