The Depressed Reindeer

It was two days until Christmas and Santa's big workroom was bustling with activity. The elves were hurrying to finish all of the toys and get them wrapped and loaded on the sleigh. It was warm and cozy in there, and the elves were singing and chattering as they worked. There was a fire in the fireplace and a big kettle of soup was simmering over the flames. It smelled delicious and with the lamps all aglow it was a happy sight. Mrs Santa Claus was rocking in her rocking chair, knitting and keeping her eye on the elves.
Everyone was happy except Santa Claus and he was worried. He had a frown on his face and every now and then he gave a big sigh. He paced back and forth and even walked in a circle.
"Whatever is the matter?" demanded Mrs. Santa Claus. "You have been moaning and groaning all day. Try to be a little more cheerful. What are you worried about?"
Mrs. Santa Claus liked to concentrate when she was knitting but Santa Claus was getting on her nerves. She was waiting for an answer, but she didn't put down her work. Click, clack went her needles and she rocked back and forth slowly, waiting.
Finally Santa spoke. "It's Donder," he said. "He says he is depressed and he doesn't want to go out on Christmas Eve. He says he is too tired and he just can't make it."
Mrs. Santa Claus was so shocked she dropped several stitches and had to rip out the whole row. "That big baby," she said. "Who does he think he is? We all get tired but there are some things a person just has to do."
Mrs. Santa Claus put down her knitting, put on her shawl and walked down the path to the barn. The snow was piled high on each side of the path and it sparkled in the sun. The air was crisp and cold. She went into the barn.
It was warm and cozy in there too. Mrs. Santa Claus looked around and counted the reindeer. All nine were in the barn and some of them were eating and some were sleeping, but Donder stood all alone in a corner. He had his head down and his eyes closed. Mrs. Santa got the bottle of reindeer tonic and tried to give him a tablespoonfull to perk him up but he wouldn't swallow it and let it dribble out of the side of his mouth. She tried giving him some of his favorite food, dried moss, but he just closed his mouth and wouldn't take even a single bite.
Mrs. Santa Claus was so irritated with him that she felt like giving him a good clout or yanking his tail. "I give up," she said. "You just stand there and pout. See if anyone cares. You should be ashamed of yourself."
She told Santa she had tried but it was no use. He wasn't going to go.
"I know," said Santa. "I'll just have to think about it and see what I can do."
That night Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus went to bed in their big feather bed but they couldn't sleep. Mrs. Santa Claus tossed and turned and her hair came out of her bun and got tangled all over the pillow. Santa Claus got back up and paced back and forth. Finally he went back to bed and at last they both fell asleep. And as so often happens, while Santa was sleeping he had an idea. He knew just what to do.
In the morning after they had eaten their breakfast he went out to talk to Donder again. "You won't have to go this year," he said. "Rudolph can take your place. If it is not foggy he can pull the sleigh for you. You can stay home and rest."
Now Donder was depressed but he had a tmper too. And he had always been jealous of Rudolph because he had a red nose and would go down in history. He stamped his feet and tossed his antlers. He snorted and switched his tail. "I have always had the spot right in front of the sleigh," he said. "How will it look if Rudolph is back there with his big red nose glowing all over the place? I don't care how tired I am, I am going to go and no one can stop me!"
Santa Claus smiled under his bushy beard. He turned his head away so Donder couldn't see how relieved he was. "I knew I could count on you," he said. "Get some rest. It is going to be a busy day tomorrow and a long ride tomorrow night."
When Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus went to bed that night they slept soundly. Everything was going to be all right.