Once upon a time, Etwas the Elf and her butterfly, Rascal, were leaving blá lonið for the warm South when a hard gale caught the butterfly's wings and tossed the pair high into the air.
Northward, instead of southward they were carried and higher and higher into the sky. Etwas tried to look down and see where they were but the bitter cold made just the act of opening her eyes painful.
"Hey! Get out of the road!" came a deep voice. Etwas covered her eyes with her hands to open them and saw a brightly lit red nose on a tiny, flying reindeer.
"Reindeer can't talk!" yelled the elf.
"Road hog!" boomed the voice again and Etwas saw that the sound came from behind the red-nosed reindeer and eight black-nosed comrades in a big sleigh in which sat a jolly old elf in a red coat, with a red hat- the plaintiff.
The stream of wind didn't grab so hard up there and soon Rascal could direct his flight once more.
"I'm not turning for you, butterfly!" St. Nicholas roared. "There were three good children this year and I have to get from Emma Lynn's house clear out to Payton's before the sunrise! Now git!"
Suddenly the sleigh lurched and dove as Etwas yanked on the tails of the reindeer in turn. "You've been very bad, Santa!" the tinier elf accused. "Staying up all night and whatnot. Watch out Grylla's cat doesn't get you!"
The jolly old Elf continued on his way, chastened. He looked both ways before crossing over roads, kept his sleigh at a reasonable speed and went to bed each night on the early side. Etwas and Rascal settled down to earth in the Elf country along the coast by Reykjanesbaer.
And ever since then, Etwas is careful not to stand in front of the well-intentioned and bearded.
Northward, instead of southward they were carried and higher and higher into the sky. Etwas tried to look down and see where they were but the bitter cold made just the act of opening her eyes painful.
"Hey! Get out of the road!" came a deep voice. Etwas covered her eyes with her hands to open them and saw a brightly lit red nose on a tiny, flying reindeer.
"Reindeer can't talk!" yelled the elf.
"Road hog!" boomed the voice again and Etwas saw that the sound came from behind the red-nosed reindeer and eight black-nosed comrades in a big sleigh in which sat a jolly old elf in a red coat, with a red hat- the plaintiff.
The stream of wind didn't grab so hard up there and soon Rascal could direct his flight once more.
"I'm not turning for you, butterfly!" St. Nicholas roared. "There were three good children this year and I have to get from Emma Lynn's house clear out to Payton's before the sunrise! Now git!"
Suddenly the sleigh lurched and dove as Etwas yanked on the tails of the reindeer in turn. "You've been very bad, Santa!" the tinier elf accused. "Staying up all night and whatnot. Watch out Grylla's cat doesn't get you!"
The jolly old Elf continued on his way, chastened. He looked both ways before crossing over roads, kept his sleigh at a reasonable speed and went to bed each night on the early side. Etwas and Rascal settled down to earth in the Elf country along the coast by Reykjanesbaer.
And ever since then, Etwas is careful not to stand in front of the well-intentioned and bearded.
When I lived in the Northeast, it could sometimes get so cold during winter that it stung to breathe (especially through your nose.)
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