PART 18, December 18
It took several days to deliver all the stolen things to their rightful owners. All the time Christmas was drawing closer on. All the time there was no snow in the air or on the' ground. Could it be that the Christmas Rascal would really prevent it from snowing? Would the children be deprived of a white Christmas?
It was with a great sense of defeat that Hickory Hog finally drug himself through the door of his shack. He was carrying the Baby Jesus for the manger scene and Whizzer Worm's potatoes. He couldn't bring back his own corn, for that had already been eaten, and he couldn't do much for the frightened little bird or the little old man, for the things that had been taken from them had not been physical anyway.
All his friends were glad to see him. Somehow, though, just bringing back all the things gave no one any more joy than any other people had had :at receiving back their possessions.
Hickory was so tired that he crept over to his bed and went to sleep. He slept for two whole days and nights he was so exhausted. While he slept his friends took his manger scene and set it up in the yard. Nothing was disturbed from its place. This, at least, brought some measure of joy back into their lives, but it could never be complete as long as there was the threat of the Christmas Rascal coming in and spoiling everything. Maybe now that threat alone was enough to spoil their joy so that no further thefts were necessary.
After the second night the friends began to worry about Hickory, so they sent Whizzer Worm in to wake him up, Whizzer at first tried yelling at him, but having just a small wormly voice he didn't get very far that way. He tried to tickle him, but almost got smashed by one of Hickory's hooves, so he stopped that. Finally, he whispered in Hickory's ear, "Your corn is all gone."
Like a flash of lightening in reverse Hickory came up off his bed and shouted, "Where! Where?"
"Nowhere at all. I just said that to get you up. We were worried about you."
"Oh, I was just tired, but I feel a lot better now."
"Well, what are you going to do about the Christmas Rascal now?"
"That's a good question, I wish I knew.”
© 1989 Kevin Don Levellie
Green Lizard
10 years ago
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