To Santa Claus

Duane is a polar bear living in the very, very, far north.  He is kind and often very silly, like when he rode down a very steep hill on a toboggan.  He lives cheerfully with his friends, C.C., the introverted snowy owl, and Handsome, the vain musk ox who hates exploring.  

Part One:  A Common Visitor

One winter day, Duane had put up his Christmas tree, which Handsome had so generously purchased for him, but he needed ornaments and a star for it.  He wandered to the shipwreck, where C.C. lived, to ask for some ornaments.  When he arrived, C.C. was carefully sorting ornaments she wanted to throw away or keep.  Smiling happily Duane asked, "Can I have some ornaments for my tree?"   

Duane's Cave

C.C.'s shipwreck

C.C. replied, "You can have the ornaments in this pile over here, but the ornaments and the star are made of glass so be careful not to break them while crossing the frozen ocean.  If you need a boat to carry the ornaments, here is a lifeboat."  C.C. had a secret storage compartment under the floor, which could be accessed by unlocking a door in the floor and opening it.  She opened it, pulled out the lifeboat, and gave it to Duane.  

Duane put the ornament and star in the boat and carefully pulled it across the ice to his cave, emptying it out and returning it to C.C.   He gratefully thanked her and gave her a Christmas wreath he had made. 

Part Two:  Duane Meets Toy

Duane was on a pleasant walk with Handsome when he heard a scratching sound coming from the Mainly Frozen Ocean.  Then, he heard an abrupt cracking sound followed by a loud BOOM!  It was a giant walrus cutting the ice with his tusks!  

WOW!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

Duane asked the huge walrus, "Who are you?"  The walrus responded cheerfully, "I do not have a name. I am playing with the ocean, which is my favorite activity."  Duane happily said, "Your name is Toy because you like to play."  Jumping for joy, Toy exclaimed jovially, "I have a name now!"  Excited to have a new friend, Duane gave Toy an invitation to come to his cave for Christmas, but we will see if he did. 

Dear Toy, 

You can come to my cave for Christmas.  Do you like your new name?  Come at 11:00 A.M.  C.C, Handsome, and I will be there.  Love, Duane 

Part 3:  C.C. makes a mistake

C.C. was busily decorating her Christmas tree. She was hanging her Christmas wish list ornaments while listening to Christmas music on her radio.  Her star from her dear friend Duane was her favorite Christmas decoration that she kept wrapped carefully in her closet with all the ornaments.  It was her treasured keepsake.  

C.C. was trying to put in on the tree, but she dropped it, and it broke!  All the pink paint chipped off, and the shattered glass was everywhere.  Heartbroken, C.C. trudged glumly to see if Duane had a second star to give her. She asked politely, "I broke my beautiful pink star!  Do you have a second one?" Duane responded sadly, "I am really sorry.  I only have the one you gave me.  Toy has a collection of stars, and he can give you one!"

Duane's Cave

C.C. found Toy, who was eating an icicle pop in his cave, and she asked if she could select a star from his collection.  C.C. left the cave gratefully with a green glass star, and the story of that star will wait for later.  

Part 4:  Rudolph gets sick

One day, only a week before Christmas, Rudolph came down with a cold.  Santa tried everything he could to cure him, but nothing worked!  He tried many things including his magical powers, but even that did not work.