Produced by Dennis Amundson
A Kidnapped Santa Claus
by
L. Frank Baum
Santa Claus lives in the Laughing Valley, where stands the big,rambling castle in which his toys are manufactured. His workmen,selected from the ryls, knooks, pixies and fairies, live with him, andevery one is as busy as can be from one year's end to another.
It is called the Laughing Valley because everything there is happyand gay. The brook chuckles to itself as it leaps rollicking betweenits green banks; the wind whistles merrily in the trees; the sunbeamsdance lightly over the soft grass, and the violets and wild flowerslook smilingly up from their green nests. To laugh one needs to behappy; to be happy one needs to be content. And throughout theLaughing Valley of Santa Claus contentment reigns supreme.
On one side is the mighty Forest of Burzee. At the other side standsthe huge mountain that contains the Caves of the Daemons. And betweenthem the Valley lies smiling and peaceful.
One would thing that our good old Santa Claus, who devotes his days tomaking children happy, would have no enemies on all the earth; and, asa matter of fact, for a long period of time he encountered nothing butlove wherever he might go.
But the Daemons who live in the mountain caves grew to hate Santa Clausvery much, and all for the simple reason that he made children happy.
The Caves of the Daemons are five in number. A broad pathway leadsup to the first cave, which is a finely arched cavern at the foot ofthe mountain, the entrance being beautifully carved and decorated. Init resides the Daemon of Selfishness. Back of this is another caverninhabited by the Daemon of Envy. The cave of the Daemon of Hatred isnext in order, and through this one passes to the home of the Daemonof Malice—situated in a dark and fearful cave in the very heart ofthe mountain. I do not know what lies beyond this. Some say thereare terrible pitfalls leading to death and destruction, and this mayvery well be true. However, from each one of the four caves mentionedthere is a small, narrow tunnel leading to the fifth cave—a cozylittle room occupied by the Daemon of Repentance. And as the rockyfloors of these passages are well worn by the track of passing feet, Ijudge that many wanderers in the Caves of the Daemons have escapedthrough the tunnels to the abode of the Daemon of Repentance, who issaid to be a pleasant sort of fellow who gladly opens for one a littledoor admitting you into fresh air and sunshine again.
Well, these Daemons of the Caves, thinking they had great cause todislike old Santa Claus, held a meeting one day to discuss the matter.
"I'm really getting lonesome," said the Daemon of Selfishness. "ForSanta Claus distributes so many pretty Christmas gifts to all thechildren that they become happy and generous, through his example, andkeep away from my cave."
"I'm having the same trouble," rejoined the Daemon of Envy. "Thelittle ones seem quite content with Santa Claus, and there are few,indeed, that I can coax to become envious."
"And that makes it bad for me!" declared the Daemon of Hatred. "Forif no children pass through the Caves of Selfishness and Envy, nonecan get to MY cavern."
"Or to mine," added the Daemon of Malice.
"For my part," said the Daemon of Repentance, "it is easily seen thatif children do not visit your caves they 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