Christmas. VUnders. the Motts. in the World of

Transcription

1 Christmas VUnders in the World of the Motts (OR WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG WHEN A GRUMPY SANTA, A BUNCH OF CARELESS DEER, AND TWO MISCHIEVOUS MOTTS GET TOGETHER)

2 Q uickly, before they ve sensed what we re up to, Pagu! Hush, Mux! Mom and Dad will get very mad if they find out I ve sneaked out. They won t notice at all! We ll be back well before they wake up! Besides, everybody knows that your father sleeps so tight that he can be heard snoring till dawn all over Mottland. You know, sometimes you can be really mean, Mux! - Pagu pretended to sulk while stuffing her royal crown of colored pencils in a backpack folded from a handkerchief. What s with the crown? - He looked at her mockingly, and she rolled her eyes in his direction. What do you mean what! Imagine a deer found out about us, and decided to turn us in to Santa, I can always get us out of the situation by kindly explaining to them that we are on a royal visit to check on the timely delivery of the gifts. Ehm, that is, you mean, that we are spying on them? Mux scratched himself. You know, it will not be taken well... 2

3 Do not argue with me! I am a princess after all! Do not ever forget whom you re talking to! Sure, sure, sure! Are you ready? Of course I m ready! Pagu put on airs and hurried to climb up inside Bobo s backpack before Mux could do so. Bobo and his family had decided to spend Christmas Eve with his uncle Theo, who lived in a small house in the woods close to the city with his dog and a couple of hens. However, nobody knew that for some time now one particular deer had settled in his place. The deer had only one antler, and was famous in the woods for his pretentious manner of speaking. The motts plan was a simple one. They were going to reach the cabin in the backpack. While the family was having dinner, they were to go out of the backpack unnoticed, and quietly take cover in the yard while waiting for Santa s appearance. After he had showed up, they were going to climb inside the sack full of gifts, lie still until the deer take off, enjoy a quick tour above the city with Santa s sleigh, and eventually figure out how to go home before dawn, and more importantly, before their parents had even noticed that they had gone missing. Indeed, the going home part seemed a bit obscure at that very time of the evening, but isn t that what adventures are for. There was yet another tiny detail. The motts were invisible to people, but all the animals could see, hear and sense their presence, so they had to figure out how to pass by Santa s deer unnoticed. They are not that smart, are they? Pagu asked uncertainly. 3

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5 Who? The deer? I don t think they are. After all, they are widely used to pull sleighs, right? Mux replied. It was then that most unexpectedly they felt a poke in the backpack. It was something that felt like an antler but was nothing like two antlers. Oh, my! What was that? Pagu cried out to Mux in her fright. I don t know, but I bet that it felt like a horn. Could it possibly be a rhino? And no-one warned us? Now, now, that s too much! I hate it when they call me a rhino! They heard an offended voice outside. Pagu started rummaging around for her crown, and when she put it on, she showed her head out of the backpack majestically. Oh, but that s a deer, Mux! She cried out happily. Then she continued a bit sadly. But he has only one antler, poor thing Are you Santa s herd s youngest, dearie? Mux put his head out too. Not knowing whether to be insulted or pleased with the term of endearment, he kept looking at them, one at a time. I ve got nothing to do with Santa, you strange creatures. What are you? You are making fun of me because of my antler while you have a claw instead of a paw. We re not making fun of you! Mux interrupted. Pagu simply stated a fact. He poked her in the ribs a bit impolitely. We are motts. That s right. She said. I am Pagu, the motts princess. We are actually here to meet Santa Claus and his deer. Have you got any idea when they re coming? D-d-d-deer? Other deer? Are you sure? Their one-antlered interlocutor asked a bit alarmed. 5

6 Of course! The chubby old man travels about every Christmas Eve, brings presents, and his sleigh is pulled by nine deer. NINE deer? Wow! The deer said to himself in wonder. Look, you re a deer yourself. Would you be able to talk to them and distract them so that we can sneak into his sack unnoticed? If they see us, they will make a big deal out of it. It was difficult enough to sneak out from home. We don t want to be punished for Christmas. Yes, and we need an adventure so badly! Please, please, would you? Pagu looked at the deer questioningly, waiting to hear his name. Vu, short for Vundabah. It means wonderful. Yes, as in the German Wunderbar. Mux added and Pagu looked at him in surprise; he was so clever at times. At that moment they heard such clamour outside that they, all three of them, were startled. God,Oh-my-God-oh my God OH MY GOD! Vu shouted and turned to the motts. Is it them? How do I look? You are wonderful, Vundabah! Now will you please peep out and see what s going on outside? Pagu winked coquettishly and climbed out of the backpack together with Mux. They started walking with tiny steps in Vu s feet. 6

7 Vu put his muzzle out and oh, he exclaimed in surprise! There really were a bunch of deer and a stout man with a white beard who was obviously trying to enter the house through the chimney. Vu turned to the motts and made a gesture with his hoof pointing to his head which apparently meant He must have gone mad! Why doesn t he use the door, why is he taking the risk of getting hurt by going through the chimney? The motts didn t feel like wasting time in detailed explanation of Santa Claus s habits and why he always preferred the chimney to the door, so they just pushed him on persistently until Vu found himself among the deer. They, all of them, stared at him. Perfect! Pagu and Mux ran to the sleigh at the speed of light and hid themselves in one of the sacks full of presents. Ummmm, what s up, boys? Vundabah tried to start a conversation. The deer looked at one another and one of them eventually found the courage to answer. Not much. We ve already been around for a few hours and we have a long night ahead of us. The old man doesn t let us rest for more than two minutes at a time. That was Rudolph the leader of the herd. That s too bad Vu was disconcerted. Well, I ll get going then. As he was about to leave, a hand slapped his bottom and a voice thundered: Come on, boys, come on, off we go again! Vu s eyes popped out of his head and he instantly turned to where the voice was coming from. But, sir, please, what do you think you are doing, hitting me like that? You do not think that I am one of your deer, do you? 7

8 Santa Claus looked at Vundabah with his eyes screwed, winked a few times, and then said: How am I supposed to know if you re mine or not? Do you think I know all of you? You re all the same! But I am different! Vu shouted in an offended manner. I have only one antler. Here, see? He turned his head towards Santa s nose. You can t fool me! You d do anything to get out of doing work, you lazybones! Do I ever complain about having to go through so many chimneys? Do you even care to know how my muscles will ache tomorrow? No, you don t, do you? Scoundrels they will try to make a fool out of me! And while he was muttering like that, he quickly harnessed poor Vu along with the other eight deer. Yes, that s right, eight deer (not nine) because Comet, the most careless of them all, had gone somewhere. The other deer tried to explain to Santa that Vundabah was NOT the missing Comet, but he had definitely put it into his head that the deer were lying to him and he didn t want to hear what they were saying. Before they knew it, Santa Claus was in his seat and the deer were about to fly off. Poor Vu was extremely confused and didn t feel alright in the whole mess. Pagu, did you hear that? It seems that poor Vundabah had joined our adventure! 8

9 I did, I did, I diiiiiiiiiid! My, oh, my! Are we flying? Pagu shouted and held Mux s claw tightly when they took off. I d rather say we re jo-o-o-olting. Mux cried out because the ride wasn t smooth at all. What s going on here! They heard an angry voice coming from somewhere in front of the sack. It feels like my first ride on a sleigh! All Christmas cookies will jump out of my belly! Get a grip at once, you rogues! But, Santa, we tried to tell you, Rudolph shouted. That one-antlered deer cannot pull a sleeeeeeeeeeeeeigh While he was in the midst of saying that, the sleigh unexpectedly flew at a mighty speed towards something that looked like a hole in the ground. Wow, I ve never got into a chimney with the sleigh! The old man hit his forehead and all the deer shrieked. Vundabah felt as if his heart was going to burst, there and then, while he was harnessed. There they were in the sack behind, Mux and Pagu. She was holding him close to her; as close as no princess would find appropriate, especially when the embraced one was a subject. Just as they thought they would crash, the sleigh fell into something big and soft. Bright light glowed around them and everyone winked in surprise; everyone but Pagu and Mux because they still were in the dark sack. Where are we? Where are we? Dear Mother of God, where are we? Different voices were heard outside: It s your fault! No, no, it s your fault! No, no, no, it s your fault, I told him! Nonsense! You didn t tell him anything! Who told what to whom? It s your fault! The deer was talking over each other, and there was no sign of Santa s voice. Rudolph suddenly shouted: How is Santa Claus? 9

10 He looks unconscious. Someone answered in a worried tone. What do you mean, unconscious? Mux and Pagu suddenly jumped out of the sack. Wow, what are you?! The deer shouted in a startled manner. Those are motts. Vu announced quietly. I met them tonight. Hush, hush, hush! What are we to do now? He is alive isn t he? The princess asked in great anxiety. Gosh, no-one will ever celebrate Christmas again, will they Vu cried out loud. All of a sudden they heard a strange noise and the soft thing the sleigh had landed on, moved. Then it stood up and sat down; the deer, the sleigh, the motts, and the presents were scattered in all directions. The thing, however, managed to catch it all in his four giant fluffy hands, and when it saw that in one hand he held an old man who answered Santa s description, it was truly upset. YOU KILL SANTO! it shouted. No, no, no, no, there s no such thing! the deer started making excuses when all at once they pointed at Vundabah s direction: HE did it! What! Rubbish! It wasn t me! Vu jumped anxiously. It s true, it s not his fault! The motts interrupted simultaneously. 10

11 Besides, it s obvious that Santa is asleep. Look at his belly heaving! Mux added and pointed to the soft creature s second left hand. The Hugging monster, as the friends later decided to call it, looked at one, then at the other group and then quirked its eyebrows. FIX SANTO!!! HUG WANTS A PRESIE! Listen, boys Rudolph cleared his throat. Let s go back and get Comet while the old man is still asleep because once he wakes up, we, poor devils will be in for it! Once we have the right deer, he ll be more benevolent. They left Santa Claus blissfully napping in the hugging monster s hands. They took off in the same way they had landed. Vu had definitely not become any better after his first try. When they landed in Theo s yard again, they found Comet there, crying out loud. Fellooooooows! He beamed with joy when he saw them. I thought that you had deserted me! Then you d better not get lost next time! Rudolph scolded him and then continued: Come on, quickly, the two of you, change places! Hurry up! If Santa wakes up and doesn t see us there, he ll be furious. Who s asleep? What s happened? Comet asked worriedly. We ll tell you all about it on our way back, come on! Cupid shouted impatiently and Vundabah who was barely standing on his feet with excitement, kept asking if this all had really happened. A Christmas miracle, Vu! Do you know how many deer dream about pulling Santa Claus s sleigh? Pagu and Mux tapped him on the antler. They had climbed on top of his head and Mux added: 11

12 Well, I think we ve had enough for tonight. We d better go home with Bobo, the backpack, and his parents. Yes, besides, we ll see what Santa has left for us under our Christmas tree! Pagu said with excitement. It was a magical night, princess, wasn t it? Mux tried to hold her claw but she quickly moved it with embarrassment. What was he thinking he was doing! Well, alright, friends! Vu gave them a wide smile. I am happy that we met! Come and see me again! Merry Christmas! Do not even think that that was the last adventure of the motts. Back in Mottland many more awaited them; so many that they could hardly fit in three whole books. Once Vu s eyes followed them along the meadow to the house, he gazed up into the sky. Santa Claus s sleigh, but without Santa Clause on board was still visible. It was flying much more steadily towards the Hugging monster s cave. When 9 deer are harnessed and they know what they are doing, that s a different story. When they landed on the grass in front of the hole, the deer bent over it nervously. What they saw amazed them. Santa Claus had woken up, but there was no trace of his grumpy mood. He was drinking tea and eating Christmas cookies while having a sweet talk with the Hugging monster. The deer only cleared their throats to announce that they were back, and the old man hugged the Monster warmly, and he whispered to him that he would bring him a bigger present next year. Then he came out of the hole to reunite with his deer who were still looking at him in dismay. He must have got a concussion. Cupid said in a quiet voice. 12

13 I heard that, you rogue! Santa answered jokingly. Not in the least! When I woke up, I was so angry that I wanted to tear all of you to pieces. Then, however, that kind creature told me how caring and worried you were, and you didn t want to worry me, so you went to pick up Comet on your own. Finally, he made some tea for me and gave me a massage with his 4 hands. You cannot imagine what a bliss that is. I feel reborn and I am in a lovely Christmas mood! That reminds me, we don t have much time, so brace up so as to finish more quickly and then come back to enjoy Christmas the way it s generally done! The deer smiled, they seemed pleased. They loved their favourite Santa Claus! Sometimes, just like any other family, they had certain rows. But then again, just like any other family, they made it up and looked forward to the loveliest time they were going to spend together no matter a special celebration or just quality time at home. We wish you a wonderful, merry Christmas! Copyright 2016 Authored By RADY NIKOLOVA Copyright 2016 Illustrated By МELINA-ELINA BONDOKOVA All rights reserved. In collaboration with AzCheta.com