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I will bring some of the green that I color my grasses and leaves with," said

the Green Ryl; "and then you can color the cat's eyes green."

They will need a bit of yellow, also," remarked the Yellow Ryl; "I must fetch

some of the yellow that I use to color my buttercups and goldenrods with."

The real cat is black," said the Black Ryl; "I will bring some of the black that I

use to color the eyes of my pansies with, and then you can paint your wooden

cat black."

I see you have a blue ribbon around Blinkie's neck," added the Blue Ryl. "I

will get some of the color that I use to paint the bluebells and forget-me-nots

with, and then you can carve a wooden ribbon on the toy cat's neck and paint

it blue."

So the Ryls disappeared, and by the time Claus had finished carving out the

form of the cat they were all back with the paints and brushes.

They made Blinkie sit upon the table, that Claus might paint the toy cat just

the right color, and when the work was done the Ryls declared it was exactly

as good as a live cat.

That is, to all appearances," added the Red Ryl.

Blinkie seemed a little offended by the attention bestowed upon the toy, and

that she might not seem to approve the imitation cat she walked to the corner

of the hearth and sat down with a dignified air.

But Claus was delighted, and as soon as morning came he started out and

tramped through the snow, across the Valley and the plain, until he came to a

village. There, in a poor hut near the walls of the beautiful palace of the Lord

of Lerd, a little girl lay upon a wretched cot, moaning with pain.

Claus approached the child and kissed her and comforted her, and then he

drew the toy cat from beneath his coat, where he had hidden it, and placed it

in her arms.

Ah, how well he felt himself repaid for his labor and his long walk when he

saw the little one's eyes grow bright with pleasure! She hugged the kitty tight

to her breast, as if it had been a precious gem, and would not let it go for a

single moment. The fever was quieted, the pain grew less, and she fell into a

sweet and refreshing sleep.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus