Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - A Christmas Story - A Kidnapped Santa Claus

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Starting point is 00:00:46 please go to sleepcove.com slash support. That's sleepcove.com slash support. If you can't support the show right now, please subscribe with a bell to get alerts on all new free content thank you have you ever gazed in wonder at the great pyramid have you marvelled at the golden face of Tudankhamun

Starting point is 00:01:16 or admired the delicate features of Queen Nefertiti if you have you'll probably like the History of Egypt podcast every week we explore tales of this ancient culture The history of Egypt is available wherever you get your podcasting fix. Come, let me introduce you to the world of ancient Egypt. Welcome to Sleep Cove, the place to come for a great night's sleep. Please listen to this recording in a place where you can safely go to sleep. I'm reading another Christmas short story tonight.

Starting point is 00:02:04 It's called A Kidnapped Santa Claus. by L. Frank Baum. In this fantasy Christmas tale by the author of The Wizard of Oz, Santa lives in a castle in the Laughing Valley. Santa has help us, but he also has enemies, and on Christmas Eve he's lissued out of his sleigh by five demons. This standalone short story is a follow-up to Barms' longer novel, the life and adventures of Santa Claus.

Starting point is 00:02:40 I really hope you'll enjoy it. Begin to Santa Claus by L. Frank Barm. Santa Claus lives in the Laughing Valley, where stands the big rambling castle, in which his toys are manufactured. His workmen selected from the rails, nooks, pixies, and fairies live with him, and everyone is as busy as can be from one year's end to another.

Starting point is 00:03:23 It is called the Laughing Valley, because everything there is happy, chuckles to itself as it leaps rollicking between its grass banks. The wind whistles merrily in the trees. The sunbeams dance lightly over the soft grass, and the violets and wildflowers look smilingly up from their green nests. To laugh one needs to be happy. To be happy, one needs to be content. The loving valley of Santa Claus, contentment reigns supreme. One side is the mighty forest of Berzi. At the other side stands the huge mountain that contains the caves of the demons and between them the valley lies smiling and peaceful.

Starting point is 00:04:31 One would think that our good old Santa Claus, who devotes his days to making children happy, would have no enemies on all the earth. A matter of fact, for a long period of time, he encountered nothing but love wherever he might go. But the demons who live in the mountain caves grew to hate Santa Claus very much for the simple reason that he made children happy. The caves of the demons are five in Dunworthway leads up to the first cave. which is a finely arched cavern at the foot of the mountain, the entrance being beautifully carved and decorated. In it resides the demon of selfishness.

Starting point is 00:05:33 Back of this is another cabin inhabited by the demon of envy. The cave of the demon of hatred is next in order and through this one passes to the the home of the demon of malice. Situated in a dark and fearful cave is beyond this. Some say they are terrible pitfalls leading to death and destruction. I very well be true. However, from each one of the four caves mentioned, there is a small narrow tunnel leading to the fifth cave.

Starting point is 00:06:25 A cozy little room, oxygen. occupied by the demon of repentance. The keyfuls of these passages are well worn by the track of passing feet. I judge that many wanderers in the caves of the demons have escaped through the tunnels to the abode of the demon of repentance, who is said to be a pleasant sort of fellow, who gladly opens one a little door, admitting you into the fresh, air and sunshine again. Well, these demons of the caves, thinking that they had great cause

Starting point is 00:07:09 to dislike old Santa Claus, held a meeting one day to discuss the matter. I'm really getting lonesome, so the demon of selfishness. The Santa Claus distributes so many pretty Christmas gifts to all the children that they become happy and generous. Through his example, and keep away from my cave, having the same trouble, we joined the demon of envy. Their little ones seem quite content with Santa Claus, and there are a few, indeed that I can coax to become envious, that makes it bad for me, declared the demon of hatred. For if no children pass through the caves of selfishness and envy, none get to my cavern. Or to mine, said the demon of maness. For my part, said the demon of repentance, it is easily seen that if

Starting point is 00:08:22 children do not visit your cave. You have no need to visit mine, so that I am quite as neglected as you are. And all because of this person, they call Santa Claus, exclaimed the demon of envy. He is simply ruining our business, and something must be done at once. To this, they readily agreed. for what to do was another and more difficult matter to settle. They knew that Santa Claus worked all through the year at his castle in the Laughing Valley, preparing the gifts he was to distribute on Christmas Eve. And at first, they resolved to try to tempt him into their caves. They might lead him onto the terrible pitfalls that ended,

Starting point is 00:09:20 in destruction. So the very next day, while Santa Claus was busily at work, surrounded by his little band of assistance, the demon of selfishness came to him and said, those toys are wonderfully bright and pretty. Why do you not keep them for yourself? It's a pity to give them to those noisy boys and fretful girls who break and destroy them so quickly. Nonsense, cried the old grey beard, his bright eyes twinkling merrily as he turned towards the tempting demon. The boys and girls are never so noisy and fretful after receiving my presence, and if I can make them happy for one day in the year, I am quite content. So the demon went back to the others. We awaited him in their caves and said,

Starting point is 00:10:28 I failed, but Santa Claus is not at all selfish. The following day, the demon of envy visited Santa Claus. He said the toy shops are full of plaything. things quite as pretty as those you are making. What a shame it is that they should interfere with your business. They make toys by machinery much quicker than you can make them by hand, and they sell them for money while you get nothing at all for your work. But Santa Claus refused to be envious of the toy shops supply the little ones but once a year on Christmas Eve, he answered, for the children are many, and I am but one, and as my work is one of love and kindness, I would be ashamed to receive money for my little gifts. But throughout all the year,

Starting point is 00:11:40 the children must be amused in some way, and see. So the toy shops are able to bring much happiness to my little friends. Unlike the toy shops, in spite of the second rebuff, the demon of hatred thought he would try to influence Santa Claus. So the next day he entered the busy workshop and said, Good morning, Santa, I have bad news for you. Don't run away like a good fellow, answered Santa Claus. Bad news is something that should be kept secret and never told.

Starting point is 00:12:30 You cannot escape this, however, declared the demon, or a good many who do not believe in Santa Claus, and these you are bound to hate bitterly, since they have so wronged you. Stuff and rubbish, cried Santa Claus. And there are others who resent your making children happy and who sneer at you and cool you a foolish old rattlepate. You are quite right to hate such base slanderers and you ought to be revenged upon them for their evil words. But I don't hate Santa Claus. such people do me no real harm, but merely render themselves and their children unhappy. Poor things. I'd much rather help them any day than injure them. The demons could not tempt Santa Claus in any way. On the contrary, he was shrewd enough to see that their object in visiting him was to make mischief and trouble.

Starting point is 00:13:53 and his cheery laughter disconcerted the evil ones and showed to them the folly of such an undertaking. So they abandoned honeyed words and determined to use false. It is well known that no harm can come to Santa Claus while he is in the laughing money. For the fairies and rills and nooks, all protect him. But on Christmas Eve, he drives his reindeer out into the

Starting point is 00:14:30 big world, carrying a sledload of toys and to the children. And this was the time and the occasion when his enemies had the best chance to injure him.

Starting point is 00:14:48 So the demons laid their plans and awaited the arrival of Christmas Eve, the moon shone big and white in the sky, and the snow lay crisp and sparkling on the ground, as Santa Claus cracked his whip and sped away out of the valley into the great world beyond. A roomy sleigh was packed of bags of toys. for very joy, his merry life. This was the one day in the year when he was happiest.

Starting point is 00:15:44 The day he lovingly bestowed the treasures of his workshop upon the little children. It would be a busy night for him. He well knew as he whistled and shouted and crouched and crowsed. cracked his whip again. He reviewed in mind all the towns and cities and farmhouses where he was expected and figured that he had just enough presence to go around and suddenly a strange thing happened. A rope shot through the moonlight and a big noose that was in the end of it settled over the arms and body he could resist or even cry out. He was jerked from the seat of the sleigh and tumbled head a snowbank.

Starting point is 00:17:12 But the reindeer rushed onward with a load of toys and carried it quickly out of sight and sound. A surprising experience confused old Santa for a moment. And when he had collected his senses, he found that the wicked demons had pulled him from the snowdrift, and bound him tightly with many coils of the stout rope carried the Santa Coles away to their mountain, that they thrust the prisoner into a secret cave and chained him to the rocky wall, so that he could not escape rubbing their hands together with cruel. What will the children do now?

Starting point is 00:18:15 How they will cry and scold and stall when they find there are no toys in their stockings and no gifts on their Christmas trees, and what a lot of punishment they will receive from their parents. and how they will flock to our caves of selfishness, and envy and hatred have done a mighty clever thing, we demons of the caves. So it now chanced that on this Christmas Eve, the good Santa Claus had taken with him in his sleigh,

Starting point is 00:19:04 neuter the Rill, Peter the Nook, Kilda the Pixie, and a small fairy named Whisk. His four favourite assistants, these little people, he had often found very useful in helping him to distribute his gifts to the children. And when their master was so suddenly dragged from the sleigh, they were all snugly tucked only. immortals knew nothing of the... Until some time after he had disappeared. Finally, the silence warned them that something was wrong. Little Whisk stuck out her head from beneath the seat

Starting point is 00:20:15 and found Santa Claus gone and no one to direct the flight of the reindeer. Whoa! He called in speed. and came to a halt The neuter and kilter Or jumped upon the seat And looked back over the track made by the sleigh

Starting point is 00:20:43 But Santa Claus Had been left miles And miles behind What shall we do? Asked Whisk anxiously All the mirth and mischief Banished from his weak face By this great calamity

Starting point is 00:21:02 We must go back at once and find our master, said Nutter the Rille. Who thought and spoke with much deliberation? No, no, exclaimed Peter the Nock, who crossed and craved, though he was, might always be depended upon in an emergency. If we do they or go back there There will not be a time To get the toys to the children before morning And that would grieve Santa Claus More than anything else

Starting point is 00:21:43 It is certain that some wicked creatures Have captured him Said Kilda thoughtfully And their object must be to make the children unhappy So our first duty is to get the toys distributed as carefully as if Santa Claus were himself present. Afterward, we can search for our master and easily secure his freedom. There seemed such good faith and sensible advice that the others at once absolved to adopt it.

Starting point is 00:22:24 So Peter the Nook called to the reindeer, and the faithful animals again sprang forward and dashed over hill and valley through forest and until they came to the houses where in children lay sleeping, and dreaming of the pretty gifts they would find on Christmas morning. The little unmortals had set themselves a difficult task, for although they had assisted Santa Claus on many of his journeys, their master had always directed and guided them and told them exactly what he wished them to do, but they had to distribute the toys according to their own judgment, and they did not understand children as well as did Old Centre. So it is no worry, they made some laughable errors.

Starting point is 00:23:33 Mamie Brown, who wanted a doll, got a drum instead, and a drum is no use to a girl who loves drums. And Charlie Smith delighted to rom and play out dolls and wanted some new rubber boots to keep his feet dry. He received a sewing box filled with coloured warsteads and threads and needles, which made him so provoked that he thoughtlessly called our old Santa friend. Had he been there by mistake, the demons would have accomplished their evil purpose

Starting point is 00:24:15 and made the children unhappy. But the little friends of the absent Santa Claus laboured faithfully and intelligently to carry out their master's ideas expected under such unusual circumstances. And although they worked as swiftly as possible, day had begun to break before the toys and other presents, were all distributed.

Starting point is 00:24:55 So for the first time in many years, the reindeer trotted into the Laughing Valley. On their return, in broad, brilliant sun peeping over the edge of the forest to prove they were far behind their accustomed hours. The deer in the stable, the little folk began to wonder how they might to rescue their master, and they realized they must discover, first of all, what had happened

Starting point is 00:25:35 to him was. So Whisk the Fairy transported himself to the power of the Fairy Queen, which was located D.Berzi, kidnapped to prevent his making children happy. The Fairy Queen also promised. her assistance and master from his enemies. It is possible that Santa Claus was not as merry as usual during the night that succeeded his capture, for although he had faith in the judgment of his little friends, he could not avoid a certain amount of worry, and an anxious look would creep at times into his kind old eyes

Starting point is 00:27:01 as he thought of the disappointment that might await his dear little children and the demons who carded him by turns one after another did not neglect to taunt him with contemptuous words in his helpless condition

Starting point is 00:27:23 when Christmas Day dawned the demon of malice was guarding the prisoner and his tongue were sharper than that of any of the others. Their children are waking up Santa, he cried. They are waking up to find their stockings empty. Ho-ho! How they will quarrel and wail and stamp their feet in anger. Our caves will be full today, or Santa.

Starting point is 00:27:56 Our caves are sure. to be full. But to this, as to the other taunts, Santa Claus answered nothing. He was much grieved by his capture, it is true, but his courage did not forsake him, and finding that the prisoner would not reply to his jeers, the demon of malice presently went away and sent the demon of repentance to take his place. This last personage was not so disagreeable as the others. He had gentle and refined features, and his voice was soft and pleasant in tone,

Starting point is 00:28:45 my brother demons. Do not trust me overmuch, said he as he entered the cabin. But it is morning now, and the mischief is done. You cannot visit the children again for another year. This is true, answered Santa Claus, almost cheerfully. Christmas Eve is passed, and for the first time in centuries, I have not visited my children.

Starting point is 00:29:18 The little ones will be greatly disappointed, murmured the demon of repentance, almost regretfully. But that can likely to make the children selfish and envious and hateful of the demons today? I shall get a chance to lead some of them to my cave of repentance. Do you never repent yourself? asked Santa Claus curiously. Oh yes indeed, answered the demon. I am even now repenting.

Starting point is 00:30:01 that I assisted in your capture. Of course it is too late to remedy the evil that has been done, but repentance you know can come over to stand, said Santa Claus. Those who avoid evil need never visit your cave. As a rule, that is true, replied the demon. Yet you who have done no evil are about. to visit my proof that I sincerely regret my share in your escape. This speech, the prisoner, until he reflected that it was just what might be expected of the demon of repentance.

Starting point is 00:31:07 The fellow at once busied himself and tying the knots that bound Santa Claus and unlocking the chains that fastened him. and unlocking the chains that fastened him to the wall. Then he led the way until they both, and I believe I accomplish a great deal of good and the Santa Claus sniffed the air gratefully. I bear no malice, said he to the demon in a gentle voice, and I am sure the world would be a dreary place without you. So good morning and a Merry Christmas to you. With these words, he stepped out to greet a bright morning, and a moment later, he was trudging along, whistling softly to himself on his way to his home in the Laughing Valley, Marching over the snow

Starting point is 00:32:32 towards the mountain was a vast army numerous creatures imaginable there were numberless nooks from the forest as rough and crooked in appearance as the nulled branches of the trees they ministered to

Starting point is 00:32:53 and there were dainty reels from the fields each one bearing the emblem of the flower-flows along in a gorgeous array. This wonderful army was led by Whisk, Peter, Neuter and Kilter, who had assembled it to rescue Santa Claus from captivity. His would be very terrible to those who had incurred their anger.

Starting point is 00:34:19 He had inspired in the hearts of the most beautiful and powerful creatures in existence. And while they clustered around him and danced with glee at his safe return, he gave them earnest thanks for their support, but whisked anewater and peter and kissed affectionately. It is useless to pursue the demons, said Santa Claus to the army. They have their place in the world and can never be destroyed. that is a great pity, nevertheless, he continued musingly. So the fairies and nooks and pixies and rales all escorted the good man to his castle, and there left him to talk over the events of the night with his little assistance.

Starting point is 00:35:16 Already rendered himself invisible and flown through the big world to see how the children were getting along on this bright Christmas morning. And by the time he returned, Peter had finished telling Santa Claus of how they had distributed the talk. He really did very well, cried the fairy in a pleased voice, for I found little unhappiness among the children this morning. Still, you must not get captured again, my dear master, for we might not be so fortunate another time in carrying out your ideas.

Starting point is 00:36:03 He then related the mistakes that had been made and which he had not discovered until his toll of inspection. And Santa Claus at once sent him with rubber boots for Charlie Smith and a doll for Mammy Brown, so that even those two disappointed ones, became happy. As for the wicked demons of the caves, they were filled with anger and chagrin when they found out that their clever capture of Santa Claus had come to naught. Indeed, no one on that Christmas day appeared to be at all selfish or envious or hateful, and realizing

Starting point is 00:36:48 that while the children's saint had so many powerful friends, it was folly to oppose him. The demons never again attempted to interfere with his journeys on Christmas Eve.

Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - A Christmas Story - A Kidnapped Santa Claus

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