Dutch Fairy Tales by William Elliot Griffis.pdf

From that day forth the conscience of Van Boompjes returned, and he actually became an honest man. He
sawed off, from time to time, portions of his big farm, and returned them home, with money paid as interest,
to the owners. He found out all the mynheers, whose bits of land had drifted off. He sent a tidy sum of gold to
the village in North Holland, where his farm had been moored, for a few hours. With a good conscience, he
went to church and worshipped. His action, at each of the two collections, which Dutch folks always take up
on Sundays, was noticed and praised as a sure and public sign of the old sinner's true repentance. When the
deacons, with their white gloves on, poked under his nose their black velvet bags, hung at the end of fishing
poles, ten feet long, this man, who had been for years a skinflint, dropped in a silver coin each time.
On the farm, all the animals, from duck to stork, and from dog to ox, now led happier lives. In the family, all
declared that the behavior of the farm and the wind of the Zuyder Zee had combined to make a new man and a
delightful father of old Van Boompjes. He lived long and happily and died greatly lamented.
SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE
Who is Santa Klaas? How did he get his name? Where does he live? Did you ever see him?
These are questions, often asked of the storyteller, by little folks.
Before Santa Klaas came into the Netherlands, that is, to Belgium and Holland, he was called by many names,
in the different countries in which he lived, and where he visited. Some people say he was born in Myra,
many hundred years ago before the Dutch had a dyke or a windmill, or waffles, or wooden shoes. Others tell
us how, in time of famine, the good saint found the bodies of three little boys, pickled in a tub, at a market for
sale, and to be eaten up. They had been salted down to keep till sold. The kind gentleman and saint, whose
name was Nicholas, restored these three children to life. It is said that once he lost his temper, and struck with
his fist a gentleman named Arius; but the story−teller does not believe this, for he thinks it is a fib, made up
long afterward. How could a saint lose his temper so?
Another story they tell of this same Nicholas was this. There were three lovely maidens, whose father had lost
all his money. They wanted husbands very badly, but had no money to buy fine clothes to get married in. He
took pity on both their future husbands and themselves. So he came to the window, and left three bags of gold,
one after the other. Thus these three real girls all got real husbands, just as the novels tell us of the imaginary
ones. They lived happily ever afterward, and never scolded their husbands.
By and by, men who were goldsmiths, bankers or pawnbrokers, made a sign of these three bags of gold, in the
shape of balls. Now they hang them over their shop doors, two above one. This means “two to one, you will
never get it again”—when you put your ring, furs, or clothes, or watch, or spoons, in pawn.
It is ridiculous how many stories they do tell of this good man, Nicholas, who was said to be what they call a
bishop, or inspector, who goes around seeing that things are done properly in the churches. It was because the
Reverend Mr. Nicholas had to travel about a good deal, that the sailors and travellers built temples and
churches in his honor. To travel, one must have a ship on the sea and a horse on the land, or a reindeer up in
the cold north; though now, it is said, he comes to Holland in a steamship, and uses an automobile.
On Santa Klaas eve, each of the Dutch children sets out in the chimney his wooden shoe. Into it, he puts a
whisp of hay, to feed the traveller's horse. When St. Nicholas first came to Holland, he arrived in a sailing
ship from Spain and rode on a horse. Now he arrives in a big steamer, made of steel. Perhaps he will come in
the future by aeroplane. To fill all the shoes and stockings, the good saint must have an animal to ride. Now
the fast white horse, named Sleipnir, was ready for him, and on Sleipnir's back he made his journeys.
How was Santa Klaas dressed?
Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks
SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE 50