A Very Fingley Christmas
Cold, white snow was gathering in a thick fluffy carpet in The Magical World of Fingley. It was Christmas Eve in the magical kingdom, and the Fingley Folk were busily preparing for Christmas Day!
Amber, Queen of the Fairies was busy cooking some wonderful smelling food ready for the Christmas Day Feast, Ursula the Witch was making some pretty Christmas lights, The Bears under the Stairs were hard at work decorating Rainbow’s End, the magical dwelling where the Fingley Folk would gather for the feast, The Fingley Fairies were busy gathering fresh vegetables from the garden, and Skye the Pixie was huddled up by the fire wrapping all her presents.
Dodl Bear had the most important job of all. He was walking through The Hazel and Oak Wood with an axe on his shoulder and had gone to get a Christmas Tree. Ozzy the Owl was flying alongside him, keeping the time-travelling bear company and flapping snow furiously from his wings.
“Oof!” said Dodl, frowning up at Ozzy. “Mind out Ozzy, will you. You’ve just flapped the snow on to me!”
“Oops sorry Dodl,” said Ozzy, laughing a little as they continued deeper into the wood.
Everyone was so excited about getting the Christmas Tree. They were all waiting to decorate it with tinsel and baubles and fairy lights and to put all of their presents underneath.
Soon enough, they found one that was perfect. It was the tallest tree in the wood, with thick branches and rich green leaves. Dodl lowered his axe. He would dig around the roots of the tree and plant it again in the soil outside Rainbow’s End. That way, the tree could keep on living!
Just as he began to dig, there was a loud crash above them. Dodl looked around, surprised.
What on earth could it be?
He and Ozzy raced to the commotion and were very surprised to see an upside-down sleigh, reindeer, and none other than Santa Claus!
“Santa!” cried Ozzy, flapping his wings excitedly. “Dodl it’s Santa!”
“Yes, I can see that Ozzy,” said Dodl. “Come on let’s check if he’s alright.”
“Santa?” said Dodl, running forward. He held out a purple paw and helped the fat and jolly old man out of his sleigh. “Are you alright?”
“Oh, thank you Dodl Bear, and you too Ozzy,” said Santa. “But no, I don’t think I am. My leg is very sore. I think I’ve hurt it badly.”
Ozzy and Dodl were very surprised that Santa knew their names, but of course, he was Santa Claus. He knew everybody’s names. They helped Santa sit against a small tree trunk.
“Whatever happened to you Santa?” asked Dodl.
Santa told them how the wicked Elbacs, who came from a land far from Fingley had sent one of their large birds called Scawingers up to frighten his reindeer. The sleigh had tumbled out of the air and crashed lightly on the ground.
“Oh dear,” said Dodl. “We’ll have to get you better again Santa, it’s Christmas Eve. All the presents have to be delivered.”
Indeed, time was running out. Soon it would be Christmas Morning, and none of the children would have any of their presents. But Dodl couldn’t see how Santa could get better in time.
“We’ll have to take him to Ursula the Witch,” said Ozzy. “She’s our only hope!”
Dodl agreed, and the two friends helped Santa back to Cobblestones. Ursula tutted when she saw them.
“Nope,” she said. “He won’t be ready I’m afraid for Christmas Eve. There is a special potion I can make to mend his leg, but it will take a long time.”
The Fingley Folk’s hearts sank. What would they do now?
Santa however, was looking carefully at Dodl Bear. “You must do it Dodl,” he said.
Dodl looked surprised and asked him what on earth he meant.
“You must take my sleigh, and deliver the presents. You are the only one who knows every child’s name like me. You must save Christmas Dodl. You are our only hope.”
The Fingley Folk looked shocked, but then began to cheer. They knew he could do it. Dodl felt very nervous. He time travelled with children all the time, but he had never used a sleigh before!
“You must use your magic crystal Dodl,” continued Santa. “The sleigh will carry all the presents, but you must use your crystal to make it travel all over the world. You can slow down time, so Christmas Eve lasts longer.”
“Alright,” said Dodl nervously. “I will do it for you Santa. And for the children.”
The Fingley folk cheered again and followed him out to the sleigh. Dodl climbed up into the large sleigh and was surprised to see Ozzy settle himself beside him on the seat.
“You don’t have to come Ozzy,” said Dodl, “It might be frightening.”
“I’m your friend Dodl,” he said. “And what else are they for? Besides, I’m not the only one.”
Dodl looked to where he pointed and saw Aura, the beautiful white Pegacorn leading the reindeer. He spread his great white wings and brayed softly. The Fingley Fairies were already running off to get the herbs for Ursula’s potion, Skye the Pixie was running for her magic spell book, and The Bears under the Stairs were getting a huge vat of fresh water from the Filter Critter.
Dodl’s heart warmed to see all of his friends joining together to save Christmas. He readied his reins and held his crystal tight in his paws.
“Crystalis, Inspiratus, Amulatus, Travelatum,” he said loudly as his special crystal glowed purple.
“Remember,” whispered Santa, with a wink. “It’s a dodl.”
The sleigh shot off at high speed through the night sky and Dodl and Ozzy laughed loudly as they flew through the air. Santa was right. It was a dodl! They could do this, they could make sure every child had a present for Christmas Morning.
They slid down chimneys and squeezed through windows, they filled stockings and piled presents under the trees, they drank a little milk and ate a little biscuit and took plenty of carrots back for Aura and the reindeers.
Soon enough, the present sack was nearly empty. Dodl noticed the only ones that were left were addressed to The Fingley Folk. He and Ozzy hurried back to The Magical World of Fingley where the sun was just coming up and Santa was waiting with a fully mended leg.
“Oh Santa,” cried Ozzy. “You’re healed!”
Santa said that he was, and it was all thanks to The Fingley Folk, who had worked tirelessly to make his leg better before Christmas Morning.
“You did it Dodl,” said Amber. “Well done!”
“Well yes, there’s still a few more though. For us,” he said, looking sad. “But we don’t have a Christmas Tree to put them under.”
“I think you’ll find you do Dodl Bear,” said Santa, winking again. “Come and see.”
Santa led them all to Rainbow’s End where the most beautiful, tallest, strongest, brightest tree was waiting for them. It was all decorated and lit up the night sky above with its twinkling lights.
“This is my Christmas gift to you,” said Santa, looking around at them all. “As well as your Christmas Feast. I know you haven’t had time to prepare for Christmas, because you’ve been busy saving it. So, let me give you Christmas back. Thank you all, for your help.”
The Fingley Folk cheered loudly, for there was indeed a huge feast ready in Rainbow’s End for them. They invited Santa to their Christmas Feast and ate and danced and laughed together all day long, for this year would be one to remember.
So, make sure you look out for a purple paw disappearing up a chimney. One year, it might just be Dodl Bear….
