Santa's Little Helper

Santa's Little Helper
by Marie Toner-Godbout

Risky was a little dog, a tiny little pup with bright dark eyes that never seemed to miss a thing. But Risky was a mischievous little guy that kept the house in an uproar. The family never knew what Risky was going to try next, because his mind seemed to work overtime at finding new things to explore.

Risky was white with touches of black and brown mixed into the long hair that fell from his body. Hair covered his eyes like bangs that you almost wanted to brush from his face so he could see. His hair lightly touched the floor when he walked. But all that hair didn't stop Risky. He was always ready to try anything.

One day, Risky heard the family talking about Christmas and someone called Santa Claus. His ears perked up as he heard them tell about all the cool things this Santa did. He decided he wanted to be one of Santa's reindeer. Santa didn't have a reindeer named Risky. He would practice and show this Santa he needed a Risky.

First he had to learn to fly through the air like the other reindeer. But how could he do that?

Something strange was going on. Risky was lying quietly on the floor. The family wondered if something was wrong with him. But he was only thinking about his problem.

Well, maybe if he pretended he was a bird. They could soar through the air, couldn't they?

So, he got up off the floor, jumped onto the couch, way up onto the back of it, and looked down at the floor. Gosh, that was high!

The family watched as he looked, backed away from the edge, moved forward again, and stood quietly looking at the floor. What was Risky doing, they wondered.

Risky was thinking about birds, that's what Risky was doing. He was thinking that birds have wings. Maybe if he flapped his paws that would help him fly like a bird.

He took one more look at the floor, stood bravely on the edge, shut his eyes, and jumped!

Whump!

The family ran to pick him up, but Risky shook himself off, stood for a minute to clear his head, and jumped back onto the couch, up onto the back, and bravely walked once more to the edge.

He looked down at the floor again, and thought about how his paws didn't flap like wings the last time. This time, he would get it right! He took one more look at the floor, shut his eyes, and jumped!

Whump!

The family ran to pick him up again, all the while wondering what Risky was trying to do. But Risky wouldn't let them stop him. He shook himself off, stood for a minute to clear his head, and decided something wasn't working right. His paws just wouldn't flap like wings!

Risky decided he needed to think about it for a while. He plunked down on the rug near the fire in the fireplace. He was so tired from all the activity he soon fell fast asleep.

Risky gave a big sigh, and began to dream.

Santa was hitching the reindeer to the sleigh. Rudolph, with his bright red nose, was in the lead. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen were all decked out with big red bows on their tails and bells around their necks.

Santa was chuckling in his deep husky voice and talking to the reindeer as if they were people. Risky was following him around, keeping the frisky reindeer in place so Santa could do his work.

The sleigh was loaded with brightly wrapped gifts. The reindeer were prancing and anxious to take off. Risky was about to turn around and sadly trot back into the toyshop, when Santa reached down, picked up the dog, and hopped into the sleigh.

Risky couldn't believe it! Santa not only wanted Risky with him, but he had a job for him to do! Risky was such a small dog he could watch over the toys and make sure none of them fell off the sleigh!

A flick of the reins, a big "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and they were soaring through the sky! Bells jingled, Santa chuckled with joy and the stars winked as the sleigh flew like lightning in the soft quiet of the moon.

They landed on snowy rooftops where Santa popped in and out of chimneys. Each time he filled his red bag with a special toy for each child. Every time they took off and landed, Risky leapt from one end of the sleigh to the other, pushing and shoving parcels into place, making sure none of the toys were lost.

"Hey, this is fun!" he shouted to Santa, as they lifted gracefully off another rooftop. Santa's eyes twinkled as he held the reins and shouted another happy "Ho! Ho! Ho! " into the quiet of the night.

It was a tired little Risky who fell asleep curled up beside Santa in the empty sleigh on the ride back to the toyshop. He sighed and even snored as the sleigh flew through the air. Santa covered him with a tiny red blanket, and let him sleep; he had worked hard and he needed to rest.

Risky kept the excited reindeer in line while Santa unhitched the sleigh. He followed them into the barn, watched as Santa fed them their hay and water and bedded them down. He was right by Santa's feet as he went out and closed the barn door.

Santa picked little Risky up, carried him into the house, and set him beside the fire blazing in the fireplace. There wasn't a sound in the house as Santa took off his red suit coat and sat in his rocking chair.

He leaned over, picked Risky up, cradled him in his arm and slowly patted his long hair. Risky felt so warm cuddled up beneath that long, thick beard. Santa must have been tired too, because he fell asleep while whispering to his helper, telling him what a good job he had done that Christmas night.

Risky stirred in his sleep in front of the cosy fireplace. He slowly opened his eyes, looked at the family watching television, and realised he had only been dreaming. He yawned, put his head in his paws, and fell back into a deeper sleep, happy to be a dog instead of a reindeer out in the barn.

Originally from Grand Falls, where she and her husband raised four daughters, Marie Toner-Godbout is a former teacher and one-time correspondent for the Telegraph Journal. She has lived in other areas of New Brunswick and spent a few years in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Marie retired with Victor to Moncton where she enjoys being a mother and grandmother.

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Giv'er Atlantic Canada!