Hoppy the Elf

Hi, my name is Hoppy. I’m the elf who saved Christmas. It all started one
Christmas night when good old Father Christmas, along with other elves,
gathered round to watch me being born. He placed me in a cradle, smiling at me.
I smiled back. When he picked me up, he whispered in my ear, “Your name shall
be Hoppy,” and stroked my hair. When I grew into a toddler, I would help Santa
with the daily chores he handed out. One day when he asked me to take pieces
out of wood to his cottage for making fire. I responded, “Yes, Santa,” and
immediately went to collect pieces of wood from his tiny hut.

Life continued like this till I grew up. Then I began
to ride the sleigh, joining the other elves who had grown also. Once Santa took
off with his reindeers and up into the sky, I liked looking down all the way
from above. The best part was when we reached the city and we went to deliver
presents to people who merrily listened to Santa saying, “Ho ho ho, merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year,” and accepted Santa’s gifts.

It went on like this every day till one night when
Santa landed on the big city, he noticed that it was empty. He knocked on the
doors, but no matter how hard he tried, nobody responded which he found very
strange. So he flew back home where he read in the newspaper that some elf had said
that Santa had given false promises to people and the presents were fake too.
The elf said that everyone needed a wake up call.

Santa gathered all us elves in line and sternly asked,
“Come on, own up, who’s responsible for this mess and may I know the reason
why?”

We elves stood there shaking.  Was Santa going to give us a horrible
punishment that we’d never forget for the rest of our lives?

I looked around at all the elves and saw one elf
sweating the most. It had to be him, so I said, “Santa, I found your culprit
and he’s standing at the end sweating the most. Is it ok if I could talk to him
first to try and solve his problem?”

Santa nodded, so I went towards the elf and said,
“Wolbert, what’s your problem with Santa that you made him look bad?”

“Ok, I admit that I did it,” he said. “But I wanted to,
because ever since childhood, Santa gave all the other elves attention apart
from me. I was left standing at the North Pole when he rode his sleigh and when
he handed out chores. I thought revenge was the answer.”

I replied, “There’s no need for all this nonsense.
Just talk to him.”

Santa said, “Hoppy’s right, Wolbert. Had you spoken to
me once then I wouldn’t have ignored you. Thank you, Hoppy, for opening my eyes
and making me see that I must give every individual respect and love like my
other children. I’m sorry, Wolbert. From now on, you’ll join me in riding the
sleigh. Am I forgiven?” He asked holding his ears.

Wolbert happily replied, “Yes Santa,” and we happily
rode on the sleigh again to the city.

However, since Wolbert started this mess, he decided
that it would be best if he convinced the others that Santa was a nice man.

He knocked on everyone’s doors and told them that he
was sorry for spreading these false rumours about Santa. He asked for
forgiveness and the people were kind enough to forgive, so once again and
business started like usual.

For my good deed convincing everyone of the true
spirit of Christmas, I was named in every newspaper, “Hoppy, the elf who saved
Christmas.”