From the creator of the The Wonderful Wizard of Oz comes a hilarious and entertaining tale taking us back to the fantastical origins of so many of our Christmas traditions, as well as the humble origins of Santa Claus himself. Not many people know that, as a baby, Santa Claus was found by a woodsman in the Forest of Burzee, and placed into the care of the lioness, Shiegra, and the wood nymph, Necile. Although he is mortal, he is reared and educated by the many immortals of the forest: the gnomes, the sleep fays, the wind demons, and the sound imps. But when Santa grows up, they encourage him to leave the forest so that he can see for himself the sad things that come with being a mortal, such as war and poverty. Once Santa has come to understand these issues, he makes it his mission to cheer up mortals and do good deeds for them. This tale unfolds the surprising reasons why Santa Claus invented toys, why he must deliver them at night, and how he came to use reindeer to take him all over the world. Adults and children alike will be captivated by this magical, feel-good story as told by the master of children's fantasy, L. Frank Baum.
