“Oh, yes, you do. You all know fine stories, and if you’ll tell them, something grand is going to happen!”
“What?” cried the audience.
“This is the one night of all the year when wonderful things happen.”
With wide open eyes and mouths they crept closer to the speaker, and listened breathlessly.
“This is Christmas Eve. Didn’t you hear the mouse go up the clock? It’s hiding and watching. Pretend you aren’t looking, but see the two bright eyes peering at us, just at the end by the big hand. It wants the pie. As long as we are here it will not come down. That is a Christmas pie for the Christmas dinner to-morrow.
“They’ve been peeking in that big book”
“If we go back the mouse will run down and gobble us all up. So there is nothing for us to do but stay here. It’s a long time till morning, and we better do something while we wait. How can we better while away the time than with stories? We dare not go to sleep, you know. If you’ll each tell a story you can have a gift, too.”
“A gift!” cried the chorus. “Well, that would be worth while. Pray tell us what will the gift be?”
“That’s a secret I am not allowed to tell. The reason is, because I do not know.”