The Goblins’ Christmas

Listen to the preface to Elizabeth Anderson’s poem “The Goblins’ Christmas”.

Title: The Goblins’ Christmas
Writer: Elizabeth Anderson
Genre: Poetry

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Preface to The Goblins’ Christmas poem

Once upon a time I visited Fairy-land and spent a day in Goblin-town.
The people there are much like ourselves, only they are very, very small
and roguish. They play pranks on one another and have great fun. They
are good natured and jolly, and rarely get angry. But if one does get
angry, he quickly recovers his good nature and joins again in the sport.

If a Goblin should continue angry he would take on some visible form.
Perhaps he would become a toad or a squirrel, or some other little
animal, and would have to live here on the Earth-plane forevermore. But,
if he keeps good natured, he can come here and have his fun, and not be
seen by any one except a Seer, or very wise person.

The Goblins are gracious to the wise people now, but they were not
always so. A long, long time ago, on a Christmas-eve, the Fairy-folk
were having great sport. All the little people of the Unseen-world had
gathered together in the Earth-realm. There were Brownies, and Gnomes,
and Elves; even some little Cherubs had joined them. They were having a
wild dance and a gay time when who should appear but Kris Kringle! Now
the Fairies did not know that he was a Magician, or Seer, and so they
tried to make sport of him. But Kris by his wonderful magic, changed
them into the most beautiful toys. They became straight little
jumping-jacks, and dolls in bright dresses, and the dearest little
rabbit with white, soft fur. And somewhere in the bottom of the sleigh
one was turned into a cute little Teddy-bear. Then old Kris tucked all
these toys into his roomy sleigh, and shook the reins of his waiting
steed. “Go on!” he said, “For I’ve many, many a chimney to reach
tonight.”

Now this is the tale of “The Goblins’ Christmas” that the moonbeams
told, as they heard it from the Fairy-Queen, who declares that every
word of it is perfectly true.

WordChecker
roguish (adjective): naughty; mischievous
good natured (adjective): in a happy mood
prank (noun): a joke or trick you play on someone for fun
jumping jack (noun): toy dancing man with strings
roomy (adjective): spacious; has lots of space
reins (noun): the straps attached to a horse and held by a driver
steed (noun): horse
declare (verb): to state firmly