Betty Fasig - A Christmas Under The Old Oak Tree

A Christmas Under The Old Oak Tree

Betty Fasig

Published by Betty Fasig at Smashwords

Copyright 2004 Betty Fasig

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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A CHRISTMAS EVE UNDER THE OLD OAK TREE

Marygrey had waited a very long time for the arrival of her babies. But babies cannot be rushed into the world and take their own time in coming. Say what you will, or wish as hard as you want, it will do no good at all, especially rabbit babies. They come when they have a good mind to. Marygrey’s babies had waited until Christmas Eve. Basil, the wild rabbit, was the father-to-be of Marygrey’s babies, and he had been constantly running in and asking were the babies here yet and how much longer was it going to be, until Marygrey said, “Basil, my dearest, Old Agnes is here with me, so you don’t have to worry. When they arrive she will run out right away and tell you they are here. Please go and wait for Santa with the others and when you see him, come and tell me.”

There are certain things that every animal, wild or tame, knows to be true. But the thing they know to be the truest of the true is that Santa Claus comes on Christmas Eve. Yes, Santa brings presents to every animal on earth, just as he brings toys to all the children of the earth. You may wonder how Santa has time in one night to bring all those presents. There are a lot of animals on earth, too. Well, the answer is quite simple. Time Stands Still on Christmas Eve! Not one minute on the clock ticks by, after Santa leaves the North Pole, until all the presents are delivered to every child and every animal everywhere.

So, while Marygrey waited for the arrival of the babies, Basil went to join the other animals who were waiting and watching under the Old Oak Tree for the first glimpse of Santa’s light as he passed overhead. Every animal on the farm was there, except Marygrey and Old Agnes, who was waiting with Marygrey for the babies to come, and Wooffer, who had not come out of the house yet. All of the Thousands, every squirrel for a mile around, the Armadillos, Cho Lee Yen, Camille and all the lizards, the Bully Frogs, The Banana Spiders from the Republic, Reba and Henry — and all the Hoppers and Bugs — and, of course, Larry, Curly, Moe and Margaret the chicken (her eggs had not hatched). They were all there waiting for Santa to go by in his sleigh to deliver presents to everyone and they would be the first to see him, they hoped.

None of the animals had ever seen Santa up close, except Wooffer had seen a picture his mom had shown him in a book called, “The Night Before Christmas.” But every animal had listened to stories their moms and grandmoms had told them when they were very young and each one knew in his heart how Santa looked. He was Beautiful!

Wooffer knew it was about time for Santa to go by, so he asked his mom if he could go wait with the animals to see his light as it went by. She was putting the last decorations on the Christmas tree. “Go on and watch and bark as soon as you see anything and I will come out, too.” she said smiling. So Wooffer went to join the animals under the Old Oak Tree to wait for Santa to go by.

Wooffer went out and said, “Merry Christmas,” to everyone. He had heard the news of Marygrey’s babies coming.

Basil was almost in a trance from the excitement of the babies and waiting for Santa. He kept looking at the sky, muttering, “Oh, My! Oh! … Oh My!”

Wooffer saw Margaret standing by herself, gazing up at the night sky.

Wooffer had not seen Margaret since she was hatching eggs, but he had heard that they had not hatched. He cautiously went up to her. Wooffer never knew if she was going to fly at him feet first or not.

“Hi, Margaret, sorry about the eggs not hatching.’’ he said.

“Me, too. I thought for sure the eggs would hatch this time. But they didn’t. Maybe next time,” Margaret said.

Wooffer said, “I hope so. Have you heard that Marygrey’s babies are coming tonight?”

Margaret stood there and gave Wooffer one eye, then the other, and said. “No, I had not! I must go to her at once! Poor thing!” And off she strutted as fast as she could run, toward the burrow where Marygrey was waiting for the babies.

When Margaret arrived at Marygrey’s burrow, she was met by Old Agnes, Mother of Thousands. “Have they gotten here yet? I do hope I am not too late! Wooffer just now told me that the babies are coming tonight. I do want so much to be here when they come!” squawked Margaret.

“Oh, you are in plenty of time,” answered Old Agnes, who knew more than most when it came to babies.

Margaret was glad and she sat down next to Old Agnes to wait.

Under the Old Oak Tree, the other animals were having a fine time. All the little Thousands were singing, “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus … right down Santa Claus lane …” Wooffer had climbed up to the second branch in the Old Oak Tree so he would be closer to the sky to watch for Santa’s light and was talking to Mr. A.A. Corn and Sir Doodah. Larry, Curly and Moe were having a contest to see who could make their eyes shine the brightest yellow. Silverthorn was telling rabbit jokes to Basil and the other rabbits. Everyone was having such a good time they had not noticed that the fog was creeping in all around them. In no time, the fog was so thick they could barely see who was standing in front of them. How disappointed they all were! No one could see Santa’s light through all that fog!

Then, the most amazing thing happened! The fog began to curl and furl around their feet. Then it began to swirl and whorl and twirl! … Round and round it went, faster and faster, until the animals began to be quite frightened. They all got close to the ground and put their paws over their eyes. No one had ever seen anything like it!

As the animals sat there with their eyes covered, afraid to move, they heard: “He He He … Ha Ha Ha … Ho Ho Ho.” It was the jolliest laugh they had ever heard. Well, they HAD to look. When they opened their eyes, there in the middle of the yard stood SANTA CLAUS, HIMSELF! The fog was gone.

When Cho Lee opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful white peacock with golden “eyes” in his tail feathers and his topnotch was red and gold. He knew it was Santa because he looked just like Cho Lee had imagined him to be.

Basil and Silverthorn and the other rabbits did not see a peacock at all.

They saw a big white rabbit with golden ears and they knew right away it was Santa because he looked just as they had imagined he would.

When Mr. A.A. Corn and Hoy T. Toity opened their eyes, they saw a fat, red squirrel with white ears and a bushy white tail. Santa was just what the squirrels had known he would be.

All the little Thousands saw a beautiful white mouse — and Wooffer? Wooffer saw a very jolly old man in a bright red suit with big white whiskers and rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes and a big belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

Oh, there was just one Santa Claus there — but each of the animals saw him a bit differently, which was the really amazing thing!

Santa talked to each one there and called them each by their own name, and wished them all a Merry Christmas. Then, he said, “I usually don’t do this kind of thing, but you all have been so very, very good this year, and I have a very special present to deliver to Margaret. Where is Margaret?” Basil explained about the babies about to come and that Old Agnes and Margaret were with Marygrey waiting for them to arrive.