Santy and the Magic Cats
Created | Updated Dec 19, 2003
Now, it is said that on Christmas Eve, Santy's Sleigh is pulled by his Reindeer Rudolph, whilst he delivers all his presents, but this isn't so... he has Magic Cats instead, and this is the story of how it came about.
It was a few days before Christmas, and Santy was doing his rounds, making sure the Elves had all they needed to make the toys for all good children. And as always, he took his beautiful white fluffy cat Flitter with him, because Flitter was an intensely curious cat and liked to see what was going on... as cats always do.
They visited the workshops and said hallo to the Elves; they had worked very hard and they were just finishing wrapping up the parcels ready for the big day. 'Well done lads' said Santy 'The children will be really happy this Christmas thanks to your hard work' and the Elves were pleased about that and grinned and capered around like anything, because they were the nice sort of Elves who like spreading happiness about, not the other sort that steal your socks and Lego Blocks, because Santy wouldn't have anyone nasty working with him, now would he?
Santy and Flitter crunched across the snow towards the stables where Rudolph lived, but they were met by his Stable Elf who was crying and wringing his hands and looking all worried.
'Why, Alf' said Santy (because that was the elf's name) 'Whatever is the matter?''It's Rudolph sir, I told him, I TOLD him to be careful when he was playing in the snow, but he wouldn't listen, he just kept on playing football with the other reindeers and he slipped' – here the elf burst into tears again – ' and he's broken his leg and he won't be able to pull the sleigh on Christmas Eve this year! Oh dear, oh dear oh dear, whatever shall we do sir?' said Alf, who was looking terribly sad by this time.
'Well bless my soul' said Santy, 'This IS a to-do and no mistake! No one to pull the sleigh on the most important night of the year'. And then he looked at Flitter, who
was purring like a mad thing and weaving her furry tail around his legs in an attempt to attract his attention. He stooped and picked her up. 'Now young lady, what idea have you had then, eh? If only you could talk!' Flittered mewed and purred and rubbed the top of her head against Santy's snowy white beard – and then he had an idea. He took a few grains of magic dust from his pocket and sprinkled it on Flitter – who said...
'If you gave me wings Santy, I could fly across the world of Children and find the hundred strongest cats there and bring them back so that WE could pull your sleigh – we mustn't let the children go without their presents, and I'm sure I can find enough willing cats to help us'
'What a marvellous idea!' exclaimed Santy. 'Go and pack your red spotted hankerchief ready ,whilst I make up a potion to give you wings, and enough to give wings to the cats you find'. So, whilst Flitter packed her hankerchief with a few dried mice for the journey, Santy nipped back to his workshop and, in less time than it takes to tell, had made a potion to give cats wings. And he made a medicine for Rudolph, too, so that his poor broken leg wouldn't hurt him much whilst it was healing.
Flitter climbed up onto a snowdrift, and Santy gave her the potion – and lo and behold, a beautiful pair of wings grew from her shoulders! She flapped them, gently at first, because it feels a bit odd to find you've suddenly got wings, and then, as she got used to them, she learned to swoop and fly wonderfully well. 'I'm ready Santy' she said 'I'll go now and find you the hundred best and strongest cats I can, and be back in the morning with them'
And off she flew...
It was a very very cloudy night and, because it was so cloudy, Flitter missed the first few countries in Europe, but there was a break in the clouds over the far West of Ireland, so she swooped down to a little back garden for a quick rest, and to get her bearings. So she sat down by the rosemary bush and who should she meet but Spike, who was a fine big tabby cat, with long whiskers and a long dark tail. They sniffed noses and then Spike said 'Who are you with those wings?''I'm Santy's cat, Flitter, and I'm looking for a hundred strong cats to help pull the sleigh on Christmas Eve, because Rudolph has broken his leg. And if I can't find them, then all the children in the world won't get their presents on Christmas day – will you help me?' the pretty white cat replied.
'You mean my young masters won't get their presents?' gasped Spike 'We can't be having that! Wait here a minute, I'll just tell Fang where I'm going' and he nipped into the house through the cat flap and woke up old Fang, who was curled up by the range and told him the story. Fang stretched and yawned and listened carefully, and it was decided that Fang would stay behind and let the young masters know where Spike was going, because Fang was a very elderly cat who, even with wings would not be strong enough to pull the sleigh. Sadly though, Fang and Spike were talking in Feline, which is cat language, and they hadn't thought to be sprinkled with Flitter's magic talking powder so Fang could speak in human to the young masters... But, if you listen hard enough to his purrs, you can understand him anyway. It was he who told me this story, and he's always been a very honest cat.
So Spike went back out to Flitter, and took the potion to turn him into a Magi Cat, and off they flew together, over the West of Eire looking for others to pull Santy's Sleigh. Over Wesport they flew, across to Kilmeena and Ballavarry, up to Achill, and on to Ballina, down to Galway and Spiddell, and wherever they went, there were lots and lots of cats, all willing to take the wings to help pull the sleigh. There were big strong tom cats – though none as fine and strong as Spike – and round furry mother cats. There were ginger cats, tabby cats, black cats, even a Manx cat. There were Totoiseshell cats and fluffy cats. There were even a few young kitteny cats who wanted to go with Flitter and Spike, and as the sun came up on Christmas Eve, they flew – a whole furry flock of winged Magic Cats back to Christmas Land, where Santy was waiting for them.
'My word!' he cried 'There are thousands of you! More than enough to pull my sleigh! Well done!' but Alf the elf said to him 'A hundred cats will pull your sleigh Santy, but it'll take many trips to and fro to deliver to everyone. Why don't us elves each take a cat with a set of presents, and deliver with you?' And everyone thought it was such a good idea that Alf went all red with pleasure and hopped from foot to little foot like a mad thing.
And so it was, that the hundred finest and strongest Magic Cats – and Spike, naturally was the leader, because there's no finer cat than our Spike – pulled the sledge on Christmas Eve to help deliver the presents, and all the elves jockied the other winged cats and all the presents were delivered in record time.
As a reward, Santy gave his Magic Cats a little country to live in, just a bit to the left of Christmas Land. It floats high above in the Realms of Fantasy and they call it Catatonia. And every year, the Magic Cats fly back to Christmas Land and help Santy deliver the presents.
As for Rudolph, he didn't mind a bit; he really rather preferred playing football, so once his broken leg had healed, he and Santy parted on good terms and Rudolph went into the world of Men and became a professional footballer.
So it isn't reindeer that pull the Sleigh at Christmas time, it's the Magic Cats, really, and that was the story of how it all began.
