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Read Ebook: The Catholic World Vol. 26 October 1877 to March 1878 by Various
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Ebook has 1120 lines and 35638 words, and 23 pages
What happened and how our little hero and heroine went off into the world one night in search of happiness: that is the subject of my story.
Daddy Tyl's cottage was the poorest of the countryside; and it seemed even more wretched because it stood opposite a splendid hall in which rich children lived. From the windows of the cottage you could see what went on inside the Hall when the dining-room and drawing-rooms were lit up in the evening. And, in the daytime, you saw the little children playing on the terraces, in the gardens and in the hot-houses which people came all the way from town to visit because they were always filled with the rarest flowers.
Now, one evening which was not like other evenings, for it was Christmas Eve, Mummy Tyl put her little ones to bed and kissed them even more lovingly than usual. She felt a little sad because, owing to the stormy weather, Daddy Tyl was not able to go to work in the forest; and so she had no money to buy presents with which to fill Tyltyl and Mytyl's stockings. The Children soon fell asleep, everything was still and silent and not a sound was heard but the purring of the cat, the snoring of the dog and the ticking of the great grandfather's clock. But suddenly a light as bright as day crept through the shutters, the lamp upon the table lit again of itself and the two Children awoke, yawned, rubbed their eyes, stretched out their arms in bed and Tyltyl, in a cautious voice called:
"Mytyl?"
"Yes, Tyltyl?" was the answer.
"Are you asleep?"
"Are you?"
"No," said Tyltyl. "How can I be asleep, when I'm talking to you?"
"I say, is this Christmas Day?" asked his sister.
"Not yet; not till to-morrow. But Father Christmas won't bring us anything this year."
"Why not?"
"I heard Mummy say that she couldn't go to town to tell him. But he will come next year."
"Is next year far off?"
"A good long while," said the boy. "But he will come to the rich children to-night."
"Really?"
"Hullo!" cried Tyltyl of a sudden. "Mummy's forgotten to put out the lamp!... I've an idea!"
"What?"
"Let's get up."
"But we mustn't," said Mytyl, who always remembered.
"Why, there's no one about!... Do you see the shutters?"
"Oh, how bright they are!..."
"It's the lights of the party," said Tyltyl.
"What party?"
"The rich children opposite. It's the Christmas-tree. Let's open the shutters...."
"Can we?" asked Mytyl, timidly.
"Of course we can; there's no one to stop us.... Do you hear the music?... Let us get up."
The two Children jumped out of bed, ran to the window, climbed on the stool in front of it and threw back the shutters. A bright light filled the room; and the Children looked out eagerly:
"We can see everything!" said Tyltyl.
"I can't," said poor little Mytyl, who could hardly find room on the stool.
"It's snowing!" said Tyltyl. "There are two carriages, with six horses each!"
"There are twelve little boys getting out!" said Mytyl, who was doing her best to peep out of the window.
"Don't be silly!... They're little girls...."
"They've got knickerbockers on...."
"Do be quiet!... And look!..."
"What are those gold things there, hanging from the branches?"
"Why, toys, to be sure!" said Tyltyl. "Swords, guns, soldiers, cannons...."
"And what's that, all round the table?"
"Cakes and fruit and cream-tarts."
"Oh, how pretty the children are!" cried Mytyl, clapping her hands.
"And how they're laughing and laughing!" answered Tyltyl.
"And the little ones dancing!..."
"Yes, yes; let's dance too!" shouted Tyltyl.
And the two Children began to stamp their feet for joy on the stool:
"Oh, what fun!" said Mytyl.
"They're getting the cakes!" cried Tyltyl. "They can touch them!... They're eating, they're eating, they're eating!... Oh, how lovely, how lovely!..."
Mytyl began to count imaginary cakes:
"I have twelve!..."
"And I four times twelve!" said Tyltyl. "But I'll give you some...."
And our little friends, dancing, laughing and shrieking with delight, rejoiced so prettily in the other children's happiness that they forgot their own poverty and want. They were soon to have their reward. Suddenly, there came a loud knocking at the door. The startled Children ceased their romp and dared not move a limb. Then the big wooden latch lifted of itself, with a loud creak; the door opened slowly; and in crept a little old woman, dressed all in green, with a red hood over her head. She was hump-backed and lame and had only one eye; her nose and chin almost touched; and she walked leaning on a stick. She was surely a fairy.
She hobbled up to the Children and asked, in a snuffling voice:
"Have you the grass here that sings or the bird that is blue?"
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