toward the burrow where Marygrey was waiting for the babies.
When Margaret arrived at Marygrey’s burrow, she was met by Old Agnes, Mother of Thousands. “Have they gotten here yet? I do hope I am not too late! Wooffer just now told me that the babies are coming tonight. I do want so much to be here when they come!” squawked Margaret.
“Oh, you are in plenty of time,” answered Old Agnes, who knew more than most when it came to babies.
Margaret was glad and she sat down next to Old Agnes to wait.
Under the Old Oak Tree, the other animals were having a fine time. All the little Thousands were singing, “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus … right down Santa Claus lane …” Wooffer had climbed up to the second branch in the Old Oak Tree so he would be closer to the sky to watch for Santa’s light and was talking to Mr. A.A. Corn and Sir Doodah. Larry, Curly and Moe were having a contest to see who could make their eyes shine the brightest yellow. Silverthorn was telling rabbit jokes to Basil and the other rabbits. Everyone was having such a good time they had not noticed that the fog was creeping in all around them. In no time, the fog was so thick they could barely see who was standing in front of them. How disappointed they all were! No one could see Santa’s light through all that fog!
Then, the most amazing thing happened! The fog began to curl and furl around their feet. Then it began to swirl and whorl and twirl! … Round and round it went, faster and faster, until the animals began to be quite frightened. They all got close to the ground and put their paws over their eyes. No one had ever seen anything like it!
As the animals sat there with their eyes covered, afraid to move, they heard: “He He He … Ha Ha Ha … Ho Ho Ho.” It was the jolliest laugh they had ever heard. Well, they HAD to look. When they opened their eyes, there in the middle of the yard stood SANTA CLAUS, HIMSELF! The fog was gone.
When Cho Lee opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful white peacock with golden “eyes” in his tail feathers and his topnotch was red and gold. He knew it was Santa because he looked just like Cho Lee had imagined him to be.
Basil and Silverthorn and the other rabbits did not see a peacock at all.
They saw a big white rabbit with golden ears and they knew right away it was Santa because he looked just as they had imagined he would.
When Mr. A.A. Corn and Hoy T. Toity opened their eyes, they saw a fat, red squirrel with white ears and a bushy white tail. Santa was just what the squirrels had known he would be.
All the little Thousands saw a beautiful white mouse — and Wooffer? Wooffer saw a very jolly old man in a bright red suit with big white whiskers and rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes and a big belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
Oh, there was just one Santa Claus there — but each of the animals saw him a bit differently, which was the really amazing thing!
Santa talked to each one there and called them each by their own name, and wished them all a Merry Christmas. Then, he said, “I usually don’t do this kind of thing, but you all have been so very, very good this year, and I have a very special present to deliver to Margaret. Where is Margaret?” Basil explained about the babies about to come and that Old Agnes and Margaret were with Marygrey waiting for them to arrive.
Santa told Basil to go and fetch Margaret so she could get her special present.
So, Basil was off in a flash to the burrow and, breathlessly, told Margaret to come right away! “Santa wants to see you! He came specially to bring something!”
“What!? Santa is here?! For Me?!” clucked Margaret. Margaret did not run, she FLEW to the Old Oak Tree! Old Agnes went running as fast as she could — she was not going to miss seeing Santa for herself. Basil stayed with Marygrey.
“Ho Ho Ho … Ho Ho Ho!” laughed Santa, as Margaret flew in and landed right in front of him. “Margaret,” said Santa, “I have heard about how your eggs did not hatch again, so I have brought you something that will cheer you up on this wonderful Christmas Eve.” With that, Santa reached way down in his bag and lifted out the most beautiful Rooster that Margaret had ever seen. His name was Reginald. Reginald was very glad to get out of the bag, even if it was Santa’s bag, and he was even more glad when he saw Margaret. He cock-a-doodle-do-ed his most polite “good evening” to Margaret and she Clucked her best “how-do-you-do” to Reginald. It was love at first sight!
