Unlikely gift givers

Unlikely gift givers came out of hiding then, Trolls, elves and goblins could be dangerous since they were creatures of the other world. But many Christmas stories showed that, in their capricious way they could be kind as well. In Saxony for instance, in a wood near the village of Kirscha, there stood until recent times a pillar commemorating an act of elfin generosity that deed occurred on a bitterly cold Christmas Eve Keen east winds had blown for days, and heavy snows had drifted over roads and paths making it difficult for horses, let alone people, to walk. The fir trees of the great wood stood dour and forbidding .Against the gray sky, the branches dropping under their white burden Through this dismal scene trudged a middle aged man, a day laborer seeking to collect the wages he was owed by a woman in the village, He was a poor man; the father of six children, and his name was Reini, The wages he sought meant food in the mouths of his children, the walk was ten miles and disappointment greeted him at the end. The woman heard him without sympathy her husband was away, she said bluntly, and Reim would be paid when he came back. Stolidly, Reins nodded the door slammed behind him, He turned into the wind and began to retrace his footsteps. After he had traveled a few miles into the lonely wood, he spied a light He approached and found that it marked the mouth of a cave he had not seen before. A tiny figure stood at the entrances a dwarf, or an elf, Reini backed away He knew about elvish mischief, and his luck was bad enough already. But the little creature beckoned and called out in its high, piping voice. Then Reim saw a marvel the pine branches that decorated the entrance of the cave were hung with all kinds of delicacies and fruits, honey cakes and sugar candy, hazelnuts and almonds, sugar plums and tiny tarts, all glittering in the darkness. The elf was watching him, his wrinkled face creased by a broad smile "I know when a man needs a helping hand,' he said 'here is a sack fill it with good things to please your young ones and when Reini had filled the sack, the elf waved his thanks saying the treasure had cost him nothing. At first the load seemed light to the tired man, but as he plunged into the darkness with owls hooting and shadows flitting among the tree trunk, the sack grew heavier Still, he stumbled on, the sack cutting into his shoulder and the wind hurling needles into his face, He reached his cottage at last, when he released the sack from his cold stiff hands, the children gathered round exclaiming. Out of the sack dark mouth tumbled cakes and candies, fruits and nuts and coins of dazzling gold. Old magic had brought the family the wherewithal to survive the winter.