,,MANHOOD

#A4 ,! ,LAU<+ ,VALLEY

  ,:5 ,CLAUS CAME ! ,VALLEY 0 EMPTY SAVE
=! GRASS1 ! BROOK1 ! WILDFL[]S1 ! BEES
&! BUTT]FLIES4 ,IF HE WD MAKE 8 HOME "H
& LIVE AF ! FA%ION ( M5 HE M/ H A H\SE4
,? PUZZL$ HM AT F/1 B :ILE HE /OOD SMIL+
9 ! SUN%9E HE SU45LY F.D 2S HM OLD
,NELKO1 ! S]VANT (! ,MA/] ,WOODSMAN4
,NELKO BORE AN AX1 /R;G & BROAD1 ) BLADE
T GL1M$ L BURNI%$ SILV]4 ,? HE PLAC$ 9 !
"Y MAN'S H&1 !N 4APPE>$ )\T A ^W4
  ,CLAUS "U/OOD1 & TURN+ 6! ,=E/'S $GE
HE SELECT$ A NUMB] ( FALL5 TREE-TRUNKS1
: HE 2GAN 6CLE> ( _! D1D BRAN*ES4 ,HE WD
N CUT 96A LIV+ TREE4 ,8 LIFE AM;G !
NYMPHS :O GU>D$ ! ,=E/ _H TAU<T HM T A
LIVE TREE IS SACR$1 2+ A CR1T$ ?+ 5D[$ )
FEEL+4 ,B )! D1D & FALL5 TREES X 0
DI6]5T4 ,!Y _H FULFILL$ _! DE/9Y1 Z
ACTIVE MEMB]S (! ,=E/ -MUN;Y1 & N[ X 0
FITT+ T _! REMA9S %D M9I/] 6! NE$S (
MAN4
  ,! AX BIT DEEP 96! LOGS AT E /ROKE4 ,X
SEEM$ 6H A =CE ( XS [N1 & ,CLAUS _H B
6SW+ & GUIDE X4
  ,:5 %AD[S 2GAN CREEP+ OV] ! GRE5 HILLS
6LIE 9 ! ,VALLEY OV]NI<T1 ! "Y MAN _H
*OPP$ _M LOGS 96EQUAL L5G?S & PROP]
%APES = BUILD+ A H\SE S* Z HE _H SE5 !
POOR] CLASSES ( M5 9HABIT4 ,!N1 RESOLV+
6AWAIT ANO!R "D 2F HE TRI$ 6FIT ! LOGS
TGR1 ,CLAUS ATE "S (! SWEET ROOTS HE
WELL KNEW H[ 6F9D1 DRANK DEEPLY F !
LAU<+ BROOK1 & LAY D[N 6SLEEP ON !
GRASS1 F/ SEEK+ A SPOT ": NO FL[]S GREW1
LE/ ! WEI<T ( 8 BODY %D CRU% !M4
  ,& :ILE HE SLUMB]$ & BR1!D 9 ! P]FUME
(! WONDR\S ,VALLEY ! ,_S ( ,HAPPI;S
CREPT 96HIS HE>T & DROVE \ ALL T]ROR &
C>E & MISGIV+S4 ,N"E M WD ! FACE (
,CLAUS 2 CL\D$ ) ANXIETIES2 N"E M WD !
TRIALS ( LIFE WEI< HM D[N Z )A BURD54 ,!
,LAU<+ ,VALLEY _H CLAIM$ HM = XS [N4
  ,WD T WE ALL MI<T LIVE 9 T DELI<T;L
PLACE6--B !N1 MAYBE1 X WD 2COME
OV]CR[D$4 ,= AGES X _H AWAIT$ A T5ANT4
,0 X *.E T L$ "Y ,CLAUS 6MAKE 8 HOME 9 ?
HAPPY VALE8 ,OR MAY WE GUESS T 8 ?"\;L
FRS1 ! IMMORTALS1 _H DIRECT$ 8 /EPS :5
HE W&]$ AWAY F ,BURZEE 6SEEK A HOME 9 !
GRT _W8
  ,C]TA9 X IS T :ILE ! MOON PE]$ OV] !
HILLTOP & FLOOD$ ) XS S(T B1MS ! BODY (!
SLEEP+ /RANG]1 ! ,LAU<+ ,VALLEY 0 FILL$
)! QUE]1 CROOK$ %APES (! FRLY ,KNOOKS4
,^! P SPOKE NO ^WS1 B "W$ ) SKILL &
SWIFT;S4 ,! LOGS ,CLAUS _H TRIMM$ ) 8
B"R AX 7 C>RI$ 6A SPOT 2S ! BROOK &
FITT$ "O ^U ANO!R1 & DUR+ ! NI<T A /R;G
& ROOMY DWELL+ 0 BUILT4
  ,! BIRDS CAME SWEEP+ 96! ,VALLEY AT
"DBR1K1 & _! S;GS1 S SELDOM HE>D 9 !
DEEP WOOD1 >\S$ ! /RANG]4 ,HE RU2$ ! WEB
( SLEEP F 8 EYELIDS & LOOK$ >.D4 ,! H\SE
MET 8 GAZE4
  8,I M/ ?ANK ! ,KNOOKS = ?10 SD HE1
GRATE;LLY4 ,!N HE WALK$ 6HIS DWELL+ &
5T]$ AT ! DOORWAY4 ,A L>GE ROOM FAC$ HM1
HAV+ A FIREPLACE AT ! 5D &A TA# & B5* 9
! MI4LE4 ,2S ! FIREPLACE 0 A CUPBO>D4
,ANO!R DOORWAY 0 2Y4 ,CLAUS 5T]$ "H1 AL1
& SAW A SMALL] ROOM )A B$ AG/ ! WALL &A
/OOL SET NE> A SMALL /&4 ,ON ! B$ 7 _M
LAY]S ( DRI$ MOSS BR"\ F ! ,=E/4
  8,9DE$1 X IS A PALACE60 EXCLAIM$ !
SMIL+ ,CLAUS4 8,I M/ ?ANK ! GD ,KNOOKS
AG1 = _! K ( MAN'S NE$S Z WELL Z = _!
LABORS 9 MY 2HALF40
  ,HE LEFT 8 NEW HOME )A GLAD FEEL+ T HE
0 N Q AL"O 9 ! _W1 AL? HE _H *OS5 6AB&ON
8 ,=E/ LIFE4 ,FR%IPS >E N EASILY BROK51
&! IMMORTALS >E "EY":4
  ,^U R1*+ ! BROOK HE DRANK (! PURE
WAT]1 & !N SAT D[N ON ! BANK 6LAU< AT !
MIS*IEV\S GAMBOLS (! RIPPLES Z !Y PU%$
"O ANO!R AG/ ROCKS OR CR[D$ DESP]ATELY
6SEE : %D F/ R1* ! TURN 2Y4 ,& Z !Y RAC$
AWAY HE LI/5$ 6! S;G !Y SANG3

8,RU%+1 PU%+1 ON WE G6
,N A WAVE MAY G5TLY FL[--
  ,ALL >E TOO EXCIT$4
  ,EV'RY DROP1 DELI<T$1
,TURNS 6SPRAY 9 M]RY PLAY
,Z WE TUM# ON \R WAY60

  ,NEXT ,CLAUS SE>*$ = ROOTS 6EAT1 :ILE
! DA6ODILS TURN$ _! LL EYES UP 6HM
LAU<+LY & LISP$ _! DA9TY S;G3

8,BLOOM+ FAIRLY1 GR[+ R>ELY1
  ,N"E FL[]ETS 7 S GAY6
,P]FUME BR1?+1 JOY 2QU1?+1

  ,Z \R COLORS WE 4PLAY40
  ,X MADE ,CLAUS LAU< 6HE> ! LL ?+S
VOICE _! HAPPI;S Z !Y NO4$ GRACE;LLY ON
_! /EMS4 ,B ANO!R /RA9 CAU<T 8 E> Z !
SUNB1MS FELL G5TLY ACR 8 FACE & :ISP]$3

8,"H IS GLAD;S1 T \R RAYS
  ,W>M ! VALLEY "? ! "DS2
,"H IS HAPPI;S1 6GIVE
  ,-=T UNTO ALL :O LIVE60
  
  8,YES60 CRI$ ,CLAUS 9 ANSW]1 8"! IS
HAPPI;S & JOY 9 ALL ?+S "H4 ,! ,LAU<+
,VALLEY IS A VALLEY ( P1CE & GD-W40
  ,HE PASS$ ! "D TALK+ )! ANTS & BEETLES
& EX*ANG+ JOKES )! LI<T-HE>T$
BUTT]FLIES4 ,& AT NI<T HE LAY ON 8 B$ (
S(T MOSS & SLEPT S.DLY4
  ,!N CAME ! ,FAIRIES1 M]RY B NOISE.S1
BR++ SKILLETS & POTS & DI%ES & PANS &
ALL ! TOOLS NEC 6PREP>E FOOD & 6-=T A
MORTAL4 ,) ^! !Y FILL$ CUPBO>D &
FIREPLACE1 F9,Y PLAC+ A /\T SUIT ( WOOL
CLO?+ ON ! /OOL 0! B$SIDE4
  ,:5 ,CLAUS AWOKE HE RU2$ 8 EYES AG1 &
LAU<$1 & SPOKE AL\D 8 ?ANKS 6! ,FAIRIES
&! ,MA/] ,WOODSMAN :O _H S5T !M4 ,) EAG]
JOY HE EXAM9$ ALL 8 NEW POSSES.NS1
WOND]+ :AT "S MI<T 2 US$ =4 ,B1 9 ! "DS
:5 HE _H CLUNG 6! GIRDLE (! GRT ,AK &
VISIT$ ! CITIES ( M51 8 EYES _H BE5 QK
6NOTE ALL ! MANN]S & CU/OMS (! RACE 6:
HE 2L;G$2 S HE GUESS$ F ! GIFTS BR"\ 0!
,FAIRIES T ! ,MA/] EXPECT$ HM "HAF 6LIVE
9 ! FA%ION ( 8 FELL[-CR1TURES4
  8,: M1NS T ,I M/ PL[ ! E>? & PLANT
CORN10 HE REFLECT$2 8S T :5 W9T] -ES ,I
% H G>N]$ FOOD 9 PL5TY40
  ,B1 Z HE /OOD 9 ! GRASSY ,VALLEY1 HE
SAW T 6TURN UP ! E>? 9 FURR[S WD 2
6DE/ROY HUNDR$S ( PRETTY1 HELP.S FL[]S1
Z WELL Z ?\S&S (! T5D] BLADES ( GRASS4
,& ? HE CD N BE> 6D4
  ,"!=E HE /RET*$ \ 8 >MS & UTT]$ A
PECULI> :I/LE HE _H LE>N$ 9 ! ,=E/1 AFW
CRY+3
  8,RYLS (! ,FIELD ,FL[]S--COME 6ME60
  ,9/ANTLY A DOZ5 (! QUE] LL ,RYLS 7
SQUATT+ ^U ! GR.D 2F HM1 & !Y NO4$ 6HM 9
*E];L GREET+4
  ,CLAUS GAZ$ ^U !M E>NE/LY4
  8,YR BRO!RS (! ,=E/10 HE SD1 8,I H "KN
& LOV$ _M YE>S4 ,I % LOVE Y1 AL1 :5 WE H
2COME FRS4 ,6ME ! LAWS (! ,RYLS1 :E!R ^?
(! ,=E/ OR (! FIELD1 >E SACR$4 ,I H N"E
WIL;LLY DE/ROY$ "O (! FL[]S Y T5D S
C>E;LLY2 B ,I M/ PLANT GRA9 6USE = FOOD
DUR+ ! COLD W9T]1 & H[ AM ,I 6D ? )\T
KILL+ ! LL CR1TURES T S+ 6ME S PRETTILY
( _! FRAGRANT BLOSSOMS80
  ,! ,YELL[ ,RYL1 HE :O T5DS !
BUTT]CUPS1 MADE ANSW]3
  8,FRET N1 FR ,CLAUS4 ,! GRT ,AK HAS
SPOK5 6U ( Y4 ,"! IS BETT] "W = Y 9 LIFE
?AN 6LABOR = FOOD1 & ?\<1 N 2+ (! ,=E/1
,AK HAS NO -M& OV] U1 N"E!.S >E WE GLAD
6FAVOR "O HE LOVES4 ,LIVE1 "!=E1 6D ! GD
"W Y >E RESOLV$ 6"UTAKE4 ,WE1 ! ,FIELD
,RYLS1 W ATT5D 6YR FOOD SUPPLIES40
  ,AF ? SPEE* ! ,RYLS 7 NO L;G] 6BE SE51
& ,CLAUS DROVE F 8 M9D ! ?"\ ( TILL+ !
E>?4
  ,:5 NEXT HE W&]$ BACK 6HIS DWELL+ A
B[L ( FRE% MILK /OOD ^U ! TA#2 BR1D 0 9
! CUPBO>D & SWEET H"OY FILL$ A DI% 2S X4
,A PRETTY BASKET ( ROSY APPLES & NEW-
PLUCK$ GRAPES 0 AL AWAIT+ HM4 ,HE CALL$
\ 8,?ANKS1 MY FRS60 6! 9VISI# ,RYLS1 &
/RAI<TWAY 2GAN 6EAT (! FOOD4
  ,"!AF1 :5 HUNGRY1 HE _H B 6LOOK 96!
CUPBO>D 6F9D GDLY SUPPLIES BR"\ 0! K9DLY
,RYLS4 ,&! ,KNOOKS CUT & /ACK$ M* WOOD =
8 FIREPLACE4 ,&! ,FAIRIES BR"\ HM W>M
BLANKETS & CLO?+4

,S 2GAN 8 LIFE 9 ! ,LAU<+ ,VALLEY1 )!
  FAVOR &
FR%IP (! IMMORTALS 6M9I/] 6HIS E WANT4