The Christmas Present

Continued from Page 2

As the little man stopped speaking, the lights among the trees suddenly faded and went out. He wondered if the whole thing was a dream, but the heavy sack on his back was real. He found his way back to the road and set off towards home briskly and happily. Strangely enough, he felt the sack growing heavier with each step. He didn’t mind it at first, happy in his own thoughts. But, as he reached the outskirts of his village, the sack had really grown enormously heavy and he had to ask a passer-by to help him.

A little way ahead, they had to ask another passer-by to help him. A little further still, they were obliged to ask two other men to help them. At last, the four men, panting and struggling, reached the weaver’s house and dumped the sack by the door. Paul thanked his helpers and wished them a merry Christmas. The children and their mother rushed out to meet Paul. Together they carried the sack inside the house. The children opened up the sack and nuts, cakes, sweets and toys were there, but wonder of wonders-all the apples and pears had turned into gold and silver money!

They were all speechless with amazement as they saw the glittering pile of money. Paul told his family about his strange meeting with the little man. He did not forget the little man’s advice to him and said, “ If we want good luck to continue, then the first thing we must do is to find someone less fortunate than ourselves and bring them happiness too.” The children were delighted to think of helping other people, and they found twenty poor children who would have gone dinnerless and gave them a feast on Christmas day that they remembered all their lives.

Paul continued to use his fairy-given fortune so kindly and so wisely that he became first a famous stocking-weaver, then a rich merchant and finally the mayor of his town. In spite of high position he never ceased to help the needy people. He and his wife and their children and grandchildren were always kind and loving to each other, and eager to help any poor, honest people who had not been lucky enough to make the acquaintance of the friendly and magical little man.

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