“I invite you all to dinner,” said Santa Claus. “‘Three Wise Men’ I think you call yourselves?”
“Four, including our host,” said Sancho politely.
“Thanks!” said Santa Claus.
Sancho’s conscience was troubling him for he had hesitated to explain that they were not just ordinary men, lest Santa Claus might not want to see them.
“When I said we were men,” began Sancho, “I used the word ‘men’ in a broad sense, to include birds, animals and trees.”
Santa Claus yawned and stretched his arms. He liked a chat after his nap.
“I am glad to see you are democratic,” said he. “I think it is too bad that birds, animals and trees are so often left out. If they could talk they might say some unkind things of us.”
“No, indeed, we won’t, Santa Claus,” assured Sancho eagerly.
“We? Who are ‘we’?” asked Santa Claus.
“One of us is a boy-tree. He is a boy by birth, but a tree by profession.”