Father Christmas (Santa Claus?) Bearing Gifts by Goat (picture from article about Santa Claus in Wikipedia ) |
Shall I read to you, dear? Television has no more allure. We've both exhausted our gender-determined word allowances for the day. Let's open a book--novel idea!--and see if we can kill a little time, dispel the darkness, find some meaning in life, ignore that bottle of French brandy sitting on the counter...
So we climb into bed, and I open a new favorite Christmas story. It's Bret Harte's short story "How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar." I found it in one of the red-bound, Black's Reader Service Company books that Mom gave me from Dad's extensive book collection. Now you might think it's a strange one to choose from a veritable treasure trove of stories concocted about the old fellow over hundreds of years. I guess I like it because it's not your traditional sappy story. It's written by a man whose genius captures his fellow Americans, male and female, simultaneously as the fools they are and the heroes that they become. I have to wonder. Are we really as complicated and conflicted as that? Not so easily pigeon-holed or neatly wrapped and ribboned as social and political scientists would have us be?
Better not think too much. "Do not all charms fly/ At the mere touch of cold philosophy?" (Keats, "Lamia")
Interesting story choice for reading on a wintry night. I popped over to the website, read it, and liked it too. Enjoyed my visit at your blog also.
ReplyDeleteDear Walk2Write,
ReplyDeletethank you for reminding me to read Bret Harte again - and your choice of a Christmas story is good! We have traditional reading too: Timmermann's "St. Nikolaus in Not", Tove Jansson's "Christmas in Moomin Valley" ('The Dangerous is standing in front of the house!') and I like a special crime novel with Professor Shandy, who gives his house a glaring Christmas Light Show (because his neighcours nagged all the years) and then leaves...
I wish you a beautiful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Britta
What an interesting story!!! Hope you and SAM have a wonderful Christmas weekend!
ReplyDeletexoxo- Julie
"Kidnap the Sandy Claws;
ReplyDeletebeat him with a stick!"
I don't know why I like that lyric so... but I do. Thanks for reminding me of it! It's so festive and Christmas-y, don'tcha think?
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Isn't he a western writer?
ReplyDeleteI can see from the photo why eventually Santa became associated with a sleigh pulled by reindeer rather than riding a goat! He looks more like Bacchus here--I don't think any little ones would want to sit on HIS lap:)
ReplyDeleteHope you and Sam had a very Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Rae, and welcome to the blog.
ReplyDeleteBritta, you're my go-to lady for unusual reading selections. I'll try to find the ones you suggested.
Thanks, Julie. We did have a great weekend--in Destin of all places.
STM, I don't remember ever hearing that lyric before. In which song is it found?
Yes, Mr. S. The California Gold Rush was his favorite subject.
Rose, thanks. I was thinking the same thing about the old goat-man. Do you s'pose that bottle in his sack is full of milk for the cookies?
Oh, you had a recent makeover? thats nice..Wish u a belated happy Christmas, and new year wishes in advance..Thanks for sharing such unheard beautiful christmas tales..
ReplyDelete