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.



7. The Great Battle Between Good and Evil


Ak listened gravely to the recital of Claus, stroking his beard the
while with the slow, graceful motion that betokened deep thought. He
nodded approvingly when Claus told how the Knooks and Fairies had
saved him from death, and frowned when he heard how the Awgwas had
stolen the children's toys. At last he said:

"From the beginning I have approved the work you are doing among the