set about making a fresh supply.

From seeing so many children and studying their tastes he had acquired
several new ideas about toys.

The dollies were, he had found, the most delightful of all playthings
for babies and little girls, and often those who could not say "dolly"
would call for a "doll" in their sweet baby talk. So Claus resolved
to make many dolls, of all sizes, and to dress them in bright-colored
clothing. The older boys--and even some of the girls--loved the
images of animals, so he still made cats and elephants and horses.
And many of the little fellows had musical natures, and longed for
drums and cymbals and whistles and horns. So he made a number of toy
drums, with tiny sticks to beat them with; and he made whistles from
the willow trees, and horns from the bog-reeds, and cymbals from bits
of beaten metal.

All this kept him busily at work, and before he realized it the winter
season came, with deeper snows than usual, and he knew he could not
leave the Valley with his heavy pack. Moreover, the next trip would
take him farther from home than every before, and Jack Frost was
mischievous enough to nip his nose and ears if he undertook the long
journey while the Frost King reigned. The Frost King was Jack's
father and never reproved him for his pranks.

So Claus remained at his work-bench; but he whistled and sang as
merrily as ever, for he would allow no disappointment to sour his
temper or make him unhappy.

One bright morning he looked from his window and saw two of the deer