NICOLO IN VIENNA.
Reading edition
Viennese children have a very happy time at Christmas. Not only do they get the ordinary beautiful presents, but there is another festival for them, held at the beginning of December—the 'Nicolo.' This is, properly speaking, only a festival for good children.
Nicolo, who brings the presents, is very strict in inquiring into the behaviour of children, and, should he hear that they have not been good, he does not leave any of his gifts. Every child in Vienna is careful to hang up his stocking on the eve of the 'Nicolo,' and, on the morning of the great day, he wakes up very early to see what is in it. Good children find apples and nuts, but the naughty ones get charcoal instead of something good to eat.
In the afternoon of 'Nicolo' Day, the children get ready to receive the visit of Nicolo himself. A tap is heard at the door, and an old man, with a long white beard and a white gown, appears. He has a large sack on his back, bulging with good things—in fact, the bag is often so full that dolls and whips and whistles can be seen poking out at the top. Behind the kind Nicolo stands another gentleman, dressed in scarlet and black. He does not look either good or kind, and carries a number of birch-rods under his arm. On his back a large basket is strapped; it is made of wood instead of wicker, and is deep and large. This gentleman is the most terrible person in Austria—the much-dreaded 'Krampus.' Fearful stories are told of his dark deeds, and naughty children try to hide themselves when they see the Krampus. But the Krampus keeps behind the good Nicolo, and each child is called forward to give an account of itself.
Nicolo asks the most awkward questions, such as: 'Who stole his sister's sweets last week?' 'Who broke her brother's boat?' When all the questions are answered, the good children receive presents, but naughty boys and girls do not get anything from Nicolo; instead of a puzzle-box, a ball, a new knife, or a doll, they get a gift from the Krampus, and the Krampus only gives one kind of present—a birch-rod. The Vienna confectioners make sugar dolls like the Krampus, and fill his basket with sweets. The Krampus is sometimes made of French plums or almonds and raisins, and his photograph is seen on picture cards.
E. R.
Nicolo and the Krampus.
Transcriber's Notes.
The following errors in the original have been corrected for this version.
Page 14: overhead corrected to overheard
Page 55: 'I shall drive the youngster back to Castlemore.' Final quote misprinted in original.
Page 91: "Inez hung the changed to '"Inez hung the
Page 102: that Patch changed to than Patch
Page 103: at abont half-past five changed to at about half-past five
Page 131: solitude and silence. Period was missing in original
Page 146: Hats! hats! for those who want them,; extra comma removed
Page 178: blistered them very much, One changed to blistered them very much. One
Page 179: rubbed over the suface changed to rubbed over the surface
Page 183: anything but Mr Turton.' missing period after Mr added
Page 211: refining, the raw changed to refining the raw
Page 214: send in to the authorities changed to send it to the authorities
Page 219: 'You looked about you, then? changed to 'You looked about you, then?'
Page 222: somewhat like a flower. Missing period added
clever way in which the trap is made. Missing period added
keeps it always open. Missing period added
Page 231: wants me to to have my leg cut off, changed to wants me to have my leg cut off,
slopes of the mounttains changed to slopes of the mountains
Page 238: miles away an the changed to miles away on the
Page 246: fond of pacing np changed to fond of pacing up
Page 247: maze and rice fields changed to maize and rice fields
Page 250: beleagured city changed to beleaguered city
Page 275: 'Don't shoot. changed to 'Don't shoot.'
Page 277: Charlie exclaimed to Ping Wing changed to Charlie exclaimed to Ping Wang
Page 278: being seen by them changed to being seen by him
Page 286: "first class," Fred changed to "first class,"' Fred
Page 306: pigs every day, changed to pigs every day.
nest full of fledgings changed to nest full of fledglings
Page 310: do your changed to do you
Page 314: no loiterers here! changed to no loiterers here!'
Page 319: 'isn't it a changed to 'Isn't it a
Page 342: by a moss-grown wall. changed to by a moss-grown wall.'
Page 343: run in the direction changed to ran in the direction
Page 347: hostile to foreigners. changed to hostile to foreigners.'
Page 364: 'violin-beetle changed to 'violin-beetle'
Page 395: aid of a balloon changed to aid of a balloon.