deep-chested as Dasher; the seventh, a female, more dainty. And these reindeer were flying—not metaphorically, but really, truly flying. Swift as eagles, fast as racehorses, they galloped through a bank of cloud, and their antlers flashed in the moonlight as they scattered it in all directions. “I have seen many astonishing sights in my life,” Klaus reported years later, “but none to compare with that. Theywere so fierce and alive, coming on like quicksilver, flashing across the sky. I shall never forget it.” And nor does anyone else who has had the privilege of seeing that sight.
One of the reindeer gripped a harness in its teeth, and it was the bells from this that Klaus was hearing. All alighted and pressed up against Dasher, as though to reacquaint themselves with him. “It has been long, brother,” Klaus heard one say. Dasher looked at Klaus and saw his deep bewilderment.
“We are not demons, Klaus, nor angels. We are reindeer, just as you see us. But we were awakened long ago for this very purpose. For the moment when your burden would prove too taxing. Harness us.”
And so, in a kind of dream, Klaus unhitched Dasher’s tack from the front of the sleigh and replaced it with the new harness. With Dasher in the lead, all eight reindeer stepped into their traces as one, and Klaus buckled them in. “Now get in the sleigh, Klaus, and hang on. For we,” Dasher shouted as all the reindeer pawed the snow, “are the Eight Flyers!” And just as Klaus found his seat in the sleigh—and not a split second too soon—the reindeer leapt into the air like arrows shot from a bow.
Klaus’s first flight was more glorious than any of us who have not ridden in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer canever know. After a few moments of initial vertigo and not knowing up from down, he took to flying in his sleigh as if he had been born to it, which of course he had. He exulted in the wind blowing through his hair and at the sight of the sleeping villages below and the wheeling stars above. And when he thought of how quickly he would be able to get his toys to the children now, and then when he thought that he could be let down to a roof rather than having to climb up to it, and then finally when he thought how quickly he would be back by Anna’s side, sheer joy bubbled up in him. “Hee, hee, hee!” he began. And then, “Ha, ha, ha!” he noted as he warmed to his theme. And then, finally, in his deep, rich bass, “Ho, ho, ho!” he laughed as he sailed through the roaring winter night.
Klaus was through with his deliveries so early on this astonishing Christmas Eve that he thought for once he would be able to get half a good night’s sleep. The Flyers landed the sleigh with a hiss of runners between his house and Dasher’s stable. “Thank you, Comet. Thank you, Vixen, my girl,” he said. “Thank you, Cupid and Donner and Prancer and Blitzen and Dancer.” He put a hand on Dasher’s neck. “And thank you, my old friend. What a night!”
“Good night, Klaus,” said Dasher. He yawned like acavern. “We’ll sleep under the pines tonight. Sort accommodations out in the morning.” And he trotted away with his brothers and sister.
Through the window Klaus saw a candle lit in their bedroom. He smiled to think how surprised Anna would be to see him home so early.
But when he got to his bedroom, what he saw at first was not Anna, but Father Goswin. He was sitting in a chair drawn up to their big bed, dressed in his church vestments and murmuring Latin. When Klaus entered the room, the priest looked up, and Klaus saw the tears on his face. Then he saw his beloved wife, small and still under the coverlet on the bed, her eyes closed. He did not understand. Anna was never still.
“I’m so sorry,” Father Goswin said. “I have administered the Last Rites.”
Klaus collapsed in a swoon.
Rolf Eckhof, of course, had fled long ago.
CHAPTER FOUR
The Green Council Convenes
K laus was dreaming. In his dream he
One of the reindeer gripped a harness in its teeth, and it was the bells from this that Klaus was hearing. All alighted and pressed up against Dasher, as though to reacquaint themselves with him. “It has been long, brother,” Klaus heard one say. Dasher looked at Klaus and saw his deep bewilderment.
“We are not demons, Klaus, nor angels. We are reindeer, just as you see us. But we were awakened long ago for this very purpose. For the moment when your burden would prove too taxing. Harness us.”
And so, in a kind of dream, Klaus unhitched Dasher’s tack from the front of the sleigh and replaced it with the new harness. With Dasher in the lead, all eight reindeer stepped into their traces as one, and Klaus buckled them in. “Now get in the sleigh, Klaus, and hang on. For we,” Dasher shouted as all the reindeer pawed the snow, “are the Eight Flyers!” And just as Klaus found his seat in the sleigh—and not a split second too soon—the reindeer leapt into the air like arrows shot from a bow.
Klaus’s first flight was more glorious than any of us who have not ridden in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer canever know. After a few moments of initial vertigo and not knowing up from down, he took to flying in his sleigh as if he had been born to it, which of course he had. He exulted in the wind blowing through his hair and at the sight of the sleeping villages below and the wheeling stars above. And when he thought of how quickly he would be able to get his toys to the children now, and then when he thought that he could be let down to a roof rather than having to climb up to it, and then finally when he thought how quickly he would be back by Anna’s side, sheer joy bubbled up in him. “Hee, hee, hee!” he began. And then, “Ha, ha, ha!” he noted as he warmed to his theme. And then, finally, in his deep, rich bass, “Ho, ho, ho!” he laughed as he sailed through the roaring winter night.
Klaus was through with his deliveries so early on this astonishing Christmas Eve that he thought for once he would be able to get half a good night’s sleep. The Flyers landed the sleigh with a hiss of runners between his house and Dasher’s stable. “Thank you, Comet. Thank you, Vixen, my girl,” he said. “Thank you, Cupid and Donner and Prancer and Blitzen and Dancer.” He put a hand on Dasher’s neck. “And thank you, my old friend. What a night!”
“Good night, Klaus,” said Dasher. He yawned like acavern. “We’ll sleep under the pines tonight. Sort accommodations out in the morning.” And he trotted away with his brothers and sister.
Through the window Klaus saw a candle lit in their bedroom. He smiled to think how surprised Anna would be to see him home so early.
But when he got to his bedroom, what he saw at first was not Anna, but Father Goswin. He was sitting in a chair drawn up to their big bed, dressed in his church vestments and murmuring Latin. When Klaus entered the room, the priest looked up, and Klaus saw the tears on his face. Then he saw his beloved wife, small and still under the coverlet on the bed, her eyes closed. He did not understand. Anna was never still.
“I’m so sorry,” Father Goswin said. “I have administered the Last Rites.”
Klaus collapsed in a swoon.
Rolf Eckhof, of course, had fled long ago.
CHAPTER FOUR
The Green Council Convenes
K laus was dreaming. In his dream he
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