Karl Krinken, His Christmas Stocking

“Who says he’ll cut me down with an audacious hand;
“I’ll cut him and hew him as small as a fly,
“And see what he’ll do then to make his mince pye.
“Walk in, St. George.’

“Oh! in come I St. George, the man of courage bold.
“With my sword and buckler I have won three crowns of gold;
“I fought the fiery Dragon, and brought him to the slaughter,
“I saved a beauteous Queen and a King of England’s daughter.
“If thy mind is high, my mind is bold;
“If thy blood is hot, I will make it cold.’”

“What did he want to do that for?” said Carl.

“O in the days when St. George lived,” replied the stocking, “the more men a man had killed the more people thought of him; and this man was trying to make himself like St. George. He had a great pasteboard helmet on his head, with a long peacock’s feather streaming from the top of it, and a wooden sword, and a tin-covered shield on which were nailed clusters of holly berries in the figure of a cross. His shoes were of wood too, and his jacket and small-clothes of buckskin, with sprigs of yew fastened down all the seams, and great knots of red and green ribbons at the knees. As soon as he had sung his song he began the fight with Mince Pye, and a dreadful fight it was, if one might judge by the noise; also Mince Pye’s sword became quite red with the holly berries. But St. George let his shield take all the blows, and when Mince Pye had spent her strength upon it, he thrust at her with his sword and down she came.”

“Who? Mince Pye?” said Carl. “Oh that’s too bad!”

“Mince Pye thought so too,” said the stocking, “for she cried out,—

“Oh! St. George, spare my life”—

“Then said old Father Christmas,—

“Is no Doctor to be found
“To cure Mince Pye, who is bleeding on the ground?”

“Was there any?” said Carl.

“There was somebody who called himself one. He came running right into the hall the minute old Father Christmas called for him, and you never saw such a queer little figure. He had an old black robe, and a black cap on his head, and a black patch over one eye.”

“What was that for?” said Carl.

“He had been curing himself, I suppose,” said the stocking. “And it would seem that he wasn’t satisfied with any of his features, for he had put on a long pasteboard nose painted red, and a pointed pasteboard chin. In his hand he carried a great basket of bottles. If one might believe his own account, he was a doctor worth having:—

“Oh! yes, there is a doctor to be found
“To cure Mince Pye, who is bleeding on the ground.
“I cure the sick of every pain,
“And none of them are ever sick again.”

“Father Christmas thought it must cost a good deal to be cured after that fashion, so like a prudent man he said,—

“Doctor, what is thy fee?”

“And the Doctor probably didn’t like to be questioned, for he answered,—

“Ten pounds is my fee;
“But fifteen I must take of thee
“Before I set this gallant free.”

“But as it was necessary that Mince Pye should be cured, Father Christmas only said,—

“Work thy will, Doctor.”

“Then the Doctor took a bottle out of his basket, and began to dance and sing round Mince Pye,—

“I have a little bottle by my side,
“The fame of which spreads far and wide;
“Drop a drop on this poor man’s nose.”

“And with that Mince Pye jumped up as well as ever.”

“But that wasn’t all?” said Carl. “What else?”

“That was not quite all,” said the stocking, “for another man came in, with a great basket of dolls at his back and a tall red cap on his head. And he sang, too,—

“‘Oh! in come I, little saucy Jack,
“With all my family at my back;
“Christmas comes but once a-year,
“And when it does it brings good cheer,
“Roast beef, plum pudding, and Mince Pye—
“Who likes that any better than I?
“Christmas makes us dance and sing;
“Money in the purse is a very fine thing.
“Ladies and gentlemen, give us what you please.’

“Then Squire Darlington and my lady each took out some money, and Edric carried it to the masquers, and as he hadn’t any money himself he told them that he was very much obliged to them; then they went off.”

“What did they give them money for?” said Carl.

“O they expected it—that was what they came for. People used to go about in that way to the rich houses at Christmas time, to get a little money by amusing the gentlefolks.”

“I s’pose they were very much amused,” said Carl with a little sigh.

“Very much—especially Edric. And after they were gone he came and stood before the great fire and thought it all over, smiling to himself with pleasure.

“‘Edric,’ said my lady, ‘it is time for you to go to bed.’

“‘Yes grandmother—but I’m afraid I can’t go to sleep.’

“‘Why not?’ said Squire Darlington. ‘What are you smiling at?’

“‘O we’ve had such a splendid time, grandfather!—the people were dressed so finely—and didn’t Mince Pye fight well? and wasn’t the Doctor queer! And I’m sure my stocking will be as full as anything.’

“Squire Darlington drew the boy towards him, and seated him on his knee while he spoke thus; and passing his hand caressingly over the young joyous head, and smoothing down the brown hair that was parted—child fashion—over the middle of the forehead, and came curling down upon the lace frill, he looked into Edric’s face with a world of pleasure and sympathy.

“‘And so you’ve enjoyed the evening, dear boy?’ he said.

“‘O yes! grandfather—so much! I’m sure Christmas is the very happiest time of the whole year!’