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always command their friendly aid, and they came to his rescue and
transported him to the Laughing Valley in the twinkling of an eye.
Thus the Awgwas discovered they might not destroy one who had earned the
friendship of the immortals; so the evil band sought other means of keeping
Claus from bringing happiness to children and so making them obedient.
Whenever Claus set out to carry his toys to the little ones an Awgwa, who had
been set to watch his movements, sprang upon him and snatched the toys
from his grasp. And the children were no more disappointed than was Claus
when he was obliged to return home disconsolate. Still he persevered, and
made many toys for his little friends and started with them for the villages.
And always the Awgwas robbed him as soon as he had left the Valley.
They threw the stolen playthings into one of their lonely caverns, and quite a
heap of toys accumulated before Claus became discouraged and gave up all
attempts to leave the Valley. Then children began coming to him, since they
found he did not go to them; but the wicked Awgwas flew around them and
caused their steps to stray and the paths to become crooked, so never a little
one could find a way into the Laughing Valley.
Lonely days now fell upon Claus, for he was denied the pleasure of bringing
happiness to the children whom he had learned to love. Yet he bore up
bravely, for he thought surely the time would come when the Awgwas would
abandon their evil designs to injure him.
He devoted all his hours to toy-making, and when one plaything had been
completed he stood it on a shelf he had built for that purpose. When the shelf
became filled with rows of toys he made another one, and filled that also. So
that in time he had many shelves filled with gay and beautiful toys
representing horses, dogs, cats, elephants, lambs, rabbits and deer, as well as
pretty dolls of all sizes and balls and marbles of baked clay painted in gay
colors.
Often, as he glanced at this array of childish treasures, the heart of good old
Claus became sad, so greatly did he long to carry the toys to his children.
And at last, because he could bear it no longer, he ventured to go to the great
Ak, to whom he told the story of his persecution by the Awgwas, and begged
the Master Woodsman to assist him.
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