Several days past. Malo did not see the, king of the reindeer again, but the snow kept coming and Malo knew that it would not be long before he saw the king again. Next time the king may bring his people and Malo simply did not have enough food to feed them all. On the third night Malo had an idea. It would not be easy for his people but he knew that he must do it. On the forth morning the snow fell harder than ever.

Yadir the king of the reindeer was at his wits end, he had not found food and his people were going to die soon. He had no choice, he lead his people to the hut people and hope that they had food to offer. As Yadir lead his people into the glade where the hut people lived he was met by a strange site. The huts were no longer and the hut people sat among their belongings looking cold in their clothes made of summer breezes and spring leafs. Yadir approached the king of the hut people.

Malo was cold, his people were cold. But they all knew that they must do this. As the king of the reindeer approached Malo picked up his son and placed him on the kings back. He then signalled to his people, turned and started to walk through the thick snow.

Yadir the king of the reindeer did not understand what was happening. But he did understand that the king of the hut people trusted him as he had placed his son upon his back. Yadir told his people too walk amongst the hut people to keep them warm. They walked for hours. Eventually they came to a vast open space. It was completely covered in snow. Malo knew this place, it was the summer place where he farmed crops and under the snow was still the lush summer grass. He walked over to the king of the reindeer and took his son who was now sleeping from his back. Yadir was confused; the king of the hut people had brought them to this empty place covered in snow. But then the king of the hut people knelt before him and moved the snow. There under the snow was fresh green grass. He signalled to his people and they ate.

Time passed. The hut people set up their huts again and life settled back down. The days grew shorter and Yadir noticed that the hut people began to look unhappy, for they loved the summer and the life that it gave. So one morning whilst it was still dark Yadir set out and headed into the woods. In the deepest darkest part of the woods Yadir found a fir tree that had leaves of pure summer green. Yadir picked the tree and dragged it back to the hut people. He needed to remind these kind people that had lead them to food that the world was still alive and that summer would come again.

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That night it was colder and darker than ever before. Malo and his family huddled together. They were not used to this cold and to them it was unbearable. When the night got to his coldest and the dark was trying to spread from the shadows, the air began to sparkle! Neither Malo nor his people had ever seen this before. Malo got to his feet; now the air was sparkling so much that he could not see. From nowhere and everywhere a voice boomed.

“You. Hut dwellers we have watched you and we are pleased with your kindness”

Malo was terrified but managed to stammer “wh..who are you?”

“We are the winter spirits and we have come on this coldest darkest night to bestow upon you gifts in return for the kindness you have shown the reindeer although they had nothing to offer you.”

Malo spoke once more “we did not do this for gifts from you. We did this because if we had not the reindeer would have died”.

“And that my dear hut ma” the voice boomed “Is why we come tonight. Because you did these things with no thought for yourselves. For you we grant warm furs to wear in this cold time and for your children we grant toys to amuse them.”

Suddenly at the base of the tree that Yadir had brought them earlier that day sprung fine furs and toys.

The voice boomed once more “now dear hut dwellers on the darkest coldest day of next year and of every year to come we shall return once you are asleep and bestow upon you the presents that you deserve. But bear in mind that if you are not kind during the year your presents will be small if not none at all.”

With these final words the winter spirits left. Malo and his people rejoiced and vowed that next year they would be good and kind like they had this year.

Now Dear reader it is time for bed as if you are not asleep on this coldest darkest night the winter spirits will not come and bestow presents upon you for your kind deeds this year.