The Town before Christmas

After many vicissitudes, the Tree Son and the Starwife are united, and they all frolic with the Godchild on Christmas day.

They then have the adventure of the pheasant and the fruit  and then adventures in cloud land with the donkey, the monkey, and the turkey cock, aided by their children.  The travelers then descend from the clouds to an autumn island and then to the autumn mainland.  After much sailing, they walk the moon path to the winter land.

When they got to the shore, they went to the city. It was early enough in the evening that there were still lights in the windows, gaslamps lit on the streets, and passersby in top hats or bustly dresses moving on the cobblestone streets greeting each other with “Merry Christmas.”

“Is this the land of Christmas at last?” the Tree Son asked.

“This is the land of Before Christmas,” a jolly fellow in a green top hat and a yellow scarf. “Christmas is that way.” He pointed down to the street to the end of town, where an evergreen hedge had a giant gate set in it. “The gate is closed, for fear of a monster called Ogredak who lurks on the other side. No matter! We’ll figure it out sooner or later and in the meantime, more time to prepare!” All through the town they saw and heard delicacies being made, the saw and hammer going for toys, decorations being hung and strung, voices practicing carols, and so on.

Over all there was a bustle of merriment.

When they came to the town hall to ask for the key to the gate, they saw the town council sitting soberly in session. The lords and ladies of that place, 12 men and 12 women, were very grave as they worked.

Down popped the ninth and tenth children, a boy and a girl. Fwoosh!

Father, Mother, joy is come

brighter than the noonday sun

Ladies soon will blithely dance

Lords can’t help but leap and prance.

The newest young man hopped up on to the council bar and started hopping from one foot to the other. The monkey joined him. With that and the Tree Son’s merry laugh, the lords starting leaping too, all except two who were too old but clapped merrily.

“Your name is Joy to the World,” the Tree Son said.

Meanwhile, the daughter began to dance beautifully. She shone like her mother. The ladies were touched and joined also in the dance, all except one who was too old but nodded along to the stately measures.

“Your name is Gloria,” the Starwife cried.

The Tree Son took the key and then, lords leaping and ladies dancing, they all leaped and danced their way to the gate. The townsfolk joined them.

But when they arrived, they realized that in all the excitement, the last two babies had hopped off and were not to be found.

Just then, above the noises of the crowd they heard a rat-tat-tat and a troo loo loo. Around the corner and across the square came their last two children leading drummers and musicians.

The girl sang

Mother, Father, hear them play

a tune as new as buds in may

a tune as old as stars above

and always fresh, like mortal love

The boy hollered

Father, Mother, our ships creaked

and we often had the tramp of fee

With those old familiar rhythmic sounds

These drummers make the world resound.

They  named those children Old-in-New and New-in-Old.

The Tree Son and Starwife unlocked the gate and opened it.

In they all marched, leaping, dancing, singing, drumming, playing.

The ogre ran away.

Thanks for reading.  My goal is to update these every day through Christmas until Twelfth Night and Kings’ Day.  The concluding episode is tomorrow on January 6, Kings’ Day.  I will try to include  links so you can follow, but if not please  use the Christmas Fairytale tag at the end of this post.  You can also use the Merry Christmas page on the header bar above to find other writing that celebrates the Christmas Season.