WHY HOLLY BERRIES ARE RED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23203, 14 December 1940, Page 4

WHY HOLLY BERRIES ARE RED

(By F. P. Jaques)

“Ho hum,” said the holly berries. It was the day before Christmas: all the air was soft with big white flakes. The afternoon looked so gay and fresh that the holly berries were hopping on their branches like sparrows instead of sitting still like proper berries. At that time holly berries were white instead of red, and of course, when they hopped up and down ea their twigs they looked like very small popcorn popping. The dark green holly leaves were smooth and flat instead of prickly—holly looks very different now from the way it did then. “Ho hum!” said the holly berries again. - At ■ last Hop-the-Most-High, the floppiest berry, of all, said, "Ho hum! We can’t be expected to stay still when it’s snowing like this. I’m going to Santa Claus!”

“Hoppy! You wouldn’t dare! Why?” said the other berries. "I would dare. About a holiday. A holiday for us,” said Hoppy. “You can’t do that,” cried the others. “Santa Claus is too busy to be bothered on the day before Christmas. Besides, everybody needs us for Christmas!” “For Christmas, yes,” said Hoppy. "For the day before ■ Christmas, no. We never have had a holiday and it’s high time we did.” And off he went to Santa Claus. But when he got there, he felt quite embarrassed, which made his voice sound queer and gruff. “Santa Claus!” he began severely. “Sir. We deed a holiday.”

Santa looked down at the very small berry standing by his foot and chuckled. "Don’t be so stern,” he said. “Don’t holly berries always have holly days? Hoppy scowled, and that made Santa Claus laugh again. "To-morrow is Christmas,” he said, "and that’s the

very best holiday of all." “Sir,” said Hoppy, "we have to sit still then. But to-day we could run in the snow. Please, Santa Claus.” Santa Claus hesitated. “What will people do without holly?” he said. "They’re too busy to notice we’re

gone, on the day before Christmas. Shopping and wrapping things and doing things like that. Please, let us go, Santa,” said Hoppy, nopping about and quite astonished because Santa Claus was actually listening to him. “All right,” said Santa Claus suddenly. “You’ve always been good little hollies, and you may have your holly day.”

“6h, Santa!” cried Hoppy, trying to hug him, which was hard to do, and almost impossible for a holly berry. “Just for the afternoon, mind,” said Santa. “Be back in time for. Christmas Eve.” “Of course!" shouted Hoppy. “They couldn’t have Christmas Eve without us. Please, may we take our holly leaves with us?” “Yes,” said Santa. “And I’ll give you all a Christmas present, too.” He turned to a sparkling Christmas fairy he had just put on the top of a Christmas tree. “A Christmas wish for the

holly berries, Gloriana.” "For each of us?” cried Hoppy. "Jumping reindeer, no!” said Santa, shaking with chuckles again. "That would be far too many wishes, even for Christmas. One wish for the lot

of you. Catch!” “Thank you,” said (Hoppy joyfully. He put the wish in his pocket and rushed away. “Don’t forget to be back for Christmas Eve.” Santa shouted. When Hoppy told the other holly berries what had happened, they cheered loudly, once for Santa, once for the Christmas Fairy, and once for

A Christmas Story of a Northern Land

Hoppy. Then they started off, dragging their leaves behind them. For what they had always longed to do, more than anything else in the world, was to slide downhill; and now they could. Without any trouble, they found a long, smooth hill, and soon they were coasting down it on their flat green leaves. Only, as they had never coasted before, they kept running into things that stuck up through the snow. Soon the leaves weren’t nearly as smooth as they had been. Hoppy felt a little worried, because he had not

told Santa why they wanted the leaves, but he was not worried enough to stop sliding. “Whee!” cried Hoppy blissfully. “Whee—whee,” cried all the other berries. Their voices sounded like tiny sleigh bells. Down on the road below, they could hear real sleigh bells, and children were singing carols somewhere.

They slid and slid and were as happy and noisy as small berries could be. Then suddenly Hoppy said, “Listen.” They stood still and listened. They heard a small sniffle and then a large choke. Someone somewhere was crying. “It’s behind the hill,” said Hoppy. Leaving their sleds they ran to the top of the hill and peeped over the other side.

There was a large oak tree, and close to its trunk a tiny boy with a big red muffler was huddled up, crying. “Boy, why are you crying?” asked Hoppy. But the little boy didn’t hear him. “All together now," said Hoppy. And the berries shouted together, “Little boy! Why are you crying?” The little boy looked out from his muffler. “Who are you?” he said. “Holly berries.” said the berries. “The first holly berries that ever went sliding downhill. Why are you crying?”

“No Christmas presents,” said the little boy. "Mother said Santa couldn't bring us any this year. I came out to. see if I could find something for Mark and Tom and Christabel (I’m Timothy) and for mother and Aunt Maud and Great-Aunt Miranda, and greatgrandfather, and Cousin Bartholomew. But the snow is too deep. I can’t find a thing,” and he began to cry again. Hoppy looked sad, too. He stood still thinking. Then he brightened. “Follow me,” he said to the other berries, and they all marched behind

the oak tree. In two minutes they all came marching out again. “Little boy,” said Hoppy, “or rather, Timothy. Santa Claus gave us a wish this morning. But all we ever wanted was to slide downhill. So we want you to have the wish for a Christmas present/' He slipped the wish into the little boy’s hand. “Splendid!” cried Timothy, all aglow. Then he shook his head. “This would only be for me, not for Mark and Tom and Christabel.”

"Wish for something you can all play with,” said Hoppy. “But there’s Aunt Maud and GreatAunt Miranda and great-grandfather and Cousin Bartholomew,” said the little boy gulping. “You’re a nice little boy,” said Hoppy, “but you aren’t very good at thinking.” He shook his head and beckoned the other berries to march behind the tree again. In two minutes,

out they came beaming. “We have had a good idea,” said Hoppy proudly. “Cheer up, Timothy, and wish for a shop. A shop full of Christmas presents.” “Oh, bright. brilliant. beautiful berries!” cried Timothy. "I do! I wish for a shop full of Christmas presents!” Immediately there before them in the snow stood a lovely little shop, scalloped in red and green and white, with wreaths in its tiny windows, and

over the door a sign, “The Christmas Shop of Timothy.” Inside they caught glimpses of tiny trains, dolls, red balls, sleds and games, shawls and teapots for aunts, large books for grandfathers, candy canes and Christmas tree ornaments, scarlet candles and every Christmas thing you can think of. “Hurray!" cried the little boy. He jumped on the step of the shop and it

coasted away (for it was oh runners), down the hill until it landed JusLitt front of a small grey house. The berries saw Mark and Tom Christabel, and Timothy's mother-ana Aunt Maud and Great-aunt Miranda, and Great-grandfather and Cousin Bartholomew all rush out. They heard

the little boy shout. “Not to be, opened till Christmas!” and then he turneo w wave to the berries. “Merry Christ; mas!” he called. tl '} The berries shook hands all round. But then Hoppy cried out, almost dark! We must run!” ■■.><. r It was quite dark before they.w«< halfway home, though they hurne<L*l fast as they could. It had stopped snowing and the Christmas star WM shining brightly above black' ttee!. They couldn’t help fooling "happy on Christmas Eve. They scurried alwg, singing “God rest you, merry gentlemen,” which they had,, heard tn»t afternoon, and coming out very loyo on “Let nothing you dismay” when

they thought how late they were,_ , i But they felt ashamed when they saw Santa Claus waiting for them; “You’re late," he said sternly. You promised to be back in time lof Christmas Eve.” i “Sorry,” the berries murmured

meekly. iit .j “And look at your leaves! .saw Santa Claus. “All twisted and pnckiy from running into things! And looK ai YOU! All red and rosy instead M white!” „ ... “We ARE red, aren't we? Now., that must be from, running and sliding downhill. We gave our wish W Timothy.” They told Santa Claud about Timothy. , ' ’ “Oh,” said Santa 1 Claus when they had finished, and they could see he wasn’t angry any more. Wen,

you were late, and you did break you* promise, and because of that you* leaves shall always stay twisted ana prickly. But you wen&kmd to TinioW, and for that you shall always stay rosy and red as you are now. Your® really very much prettier this way. * “Yes, we are, aren’t we? Thank yoUi Santa Claus,” said the berries )OJf fully. _ ,

“Now hurry along.” said Santa. , “But. Santa 1 ," said Hoopy, “won t you ever let us slide downhill again. “Well, after all. you gave y«|“J Christmas wish away,” said Santa, . a

whenever it snows big flakes on>tn day before Christmas, you shallyha , a chance to slide downhill. Only “ sure to go when no one is looking. . So that is why holly berries are r .- in the winter, and that is why houy leaves are twisted. ~ If it snows big flakes on the ow before- Christmas, that is if y°. u ,®£, living in a country where Chnsun ’ comes in the winter, you might 10 out and see if you can see any no ? berries sliding downhill. But they difficult to catch.

Why is an old saucepan like a greengrocer’s shop? Because they

both contain leaks (leeks). Why is a sailor like a camel? Because they both live on water for months.

When. is a -b a ® not a ball? 1 When i■» $ snowball o* s

ball). - . Ihe What is ££ difference tween the N •; and South pdg; All. the d ence in the w |