The Stars of St. Nikolaus Eve ~ Part 2

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~ The Stars of St. Nikolaus Eve ~ a children’s Christmas Book manuscript that I wrote 22 years ago…

I recently re-discovered a children’s Christmas Book manuscript that I wrote 22 years ago. My own 4 children were not nearly young enough for Santa Claus anymore and I quite missed those days of wide-eyed belief in the magic of “the man in red” — who could see you when you were sleeping, awake, bad or good and all that jazz.

Would Christmas ever be the same?

I was inspired to write my story when I read that in Northern Germany, there’s a legend about Sankt Nikolaus, a Santa-type fellow who visits the homes of children on the night of December 5th ~ the Eve of December 6th ~ The Feast of Saint Nicholas, who is also known as Saint Nicholas of Winter. This feast focuses on the beginning of Advent, neighborly meals and celebration. St. Nicholas himself rides a fine horse and visits the homes of children with candies and goodies on the evening of December 5th, leaving such sweet treats in children’s shoes or stockings.  Accompanying St. Nikolaus is Black Piet, a man or spirit, who leaves birch branch switches to children who are misbehaved.

Ah, ha!

Maybe my family could commence Christmas and Advent with a little fun involving a spunky little girl named Eve, a girl who lit up the sky on the Eve of December the 6th.

Well, my manuscript sat for 22 years. I think it’s high-time I resurrect it for my 11, going on 12, grandkids. I’ve divided it into 6 parts, each one leading up to the Feast of St. Nikolaus on December 6th.

I posted Part 1 on December 1st.

If you have the time, I’d love you to read it. I hope you like it.

Now, to find an illustrator!

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The Stars of St. Nikolaus Eve ~ Part 2 of 6

To which Peter scolded,
“Oh, beeswax, tallow
molds and wicks,
Then get about it –
Double-quick…
For I’ll be watching,
No mischief will there be,
Or this night will be a SWITCH night –
I guarantee.”

So with some din and discord,
jangles and jerks,
Eve set about her work –
Melting, cutting, tints combining,
molding stars and stars and stars
A’shining –
The yellowest yellows,
The bluest blues
Reds, greens and purples
Of a million hues…
And scents to send
Nik’s nostrils aflare –
Pines and berries and fruits
she prepared.

But Eve’s greatest mixture,
her masterpiece –
Was the one that made Peter sneeze –
So that each time he blew his nose,
Eve tucked a star candle
In the pockets of her night-clothes —

So that a hundred years
could come and go,
And still Eve’s candles
would sparkle and glow –
And on each and every
St. Nikolaus Eve,
Never again only a switch
She’d receive.

11 bells soon rang clear –
The hour of departure was very near.
Hustle and bustle was everywhere
As excitement hung thickly
in the air!

Red Robe,
Gold Smith,
Saddler, too –
Mrs. High Hat,
White Horse,
An anxious crew!
Peter Pink Peter
with switch upon switch –
And Eve
with her candles
all gloriously mixed.

St. Nik smiled
as he looked about,
And brushed his white mustache
away from his mouth,
Calling, “Peter Pink Peter!
Unite with us in celebration,
to show our young Eve
our heartfelt appreciation!
Bring out the gingerbread,
and sugary marzipan,
and let us revise
this night’s plan –
For Eve, my Candle-Maker,
must ride with me
o’er the continents,
mountains,
deserts
and seas!”

“Red Robe, my cloak!
Gold Smith, my staff!
Mrs. High Hat, my headdress!
Saddler, the star candles,
you must bundle and pack!
White Horse, come hither,
make ready for our trip –
And Peter Pink Peter,
do not forget your Lists!”

Now —
Peter Pink Peter
scrambled about,
Searching, seeking,
pursuing throughout –
Turning, rolling,
upending, plowing –
All the while murmuring,
Vowing —

Eyeing Eve
with squinted pink eyes,
Whispering,
“My Lists had better soon
materialize –
For there are favorable children,
there are vexing children –
there is nothing between…
And any interference
must be seen –
as the evil of evils,
the worst of the worst,
the wickedly wicked,
the dastardly accursed.”

The room stood still –
a frozen frame,
As this little girl Eve
with tremendous blame –
Tugged on her pajamas,
took the Lists from her sleeves,
and announced,
“I made star candles
because I believe
that no child deserves switches
on St. Nikolaus Eve.”

Peter Pink Peter
uttered not one word.
He just flitted and foraged
like a ravenous bird –
Gathering switches
upon switches,
upon switches,
to deliver —
One hundred more switches
he stashed in his quiver…

“Switches for Eve,
the false cavalier,” he whispered –
“Switches to last
the next one hundred years.”

Seconds and moments and minutes then passed,
As Time sifted softly through the hour glass.
St. Nikolaus stroked his white mustache
and listened to the steeple bells of brass
Ringing in the midnight hour,
While drifts of snow heaped higher
And higher.

Then St. Nick’s words were quietly heard —
“Midnight, snow white, silent night –
The moment has arrived for our ride tonight.
Peter and Eve – cast aside disagreement –
Shake hands and invite
your two hearts to unleash
such anthracite.”

Then ever so slowly
Eve extended
her right hand to Peter
as St. Nik had recommended –

And slowly,
Slowly,
Peter, too,
offered his right hand to Eve
with solicitude.

But in Eve’s left hand,
a candle she gripped –

And likewise,
in Peter’s left hand,
lay a long straw switch.

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I invite you back for The Stars of St. Nikolaus Eve –
Part 3 – December 3rd
Part 4 – December 4th
Part 5 – December 5th – The Feast of St. Nikolaus Eve
Part 6 – December 6th – The Feast of St. Nikolaus