Summary:  This story was written for the 2016 Advent Calendar Collection.

Rating:  G   1,390 words

Remembering the Barn Elf by DJK

Hoss listened to the sound of bare feet crossing the wooden floor, felt his mattress sink, raised his head, and opened his eyes to see his brother ensconced crossed legged on top of his quilt.

“What ya doing out of bed?”  Hoss’s voice held only the mildest irritation which was totally dismissed by the six-year-old he addressed.

“Asking you something.”

“Now?”

“I was thinking about it.”

Hoss used his elbows to raise himself into a higher lean against his pillows.  “Well?”  He used his left hand to rub the sleep from his eyes.  If his little brother was awake without assistance, there was a serious need for attention.

“Whose gonna make the rice porridge for the barn elf?  Adam ain’t here, Hoss.”

“No, no, he ain’t.”  Hoss obtained an upright position and leaned forward to look Little Joe in the eye. “Still, there ain’t no need to worry your head about that.”

“Pa will burn it, Hoss, ‘sides if Pa could do it then Adam wouldn’t have done it all them years.  Same for Hop Sing.”

“Well, that ain’t exactly the way of it, but…”

Little Joe snorted and leaned his nose within a millimeter of his brother’s.  “What ‘zactly is the way of it?  That porridge is got to be made and left for the barn elf.  You’ve heard Adam say that about a hundred times, and Adam knows.  Adam knows most everything.  That’s why I don’t see as how he had to go east to learn nothing more.”  Little Joe leaned back against the footboard and finished with a glare and another more indignant snort.

Hoss shook his head.  He was not going to have that discussion again.  “Now, Adam does know a heck of a lot, and he knows how to think ahead.  He knowed he was going east, so last year he made sure I paid attention and now I know how to make the porridge, so like I said before ya  ain’t got to worry about it none.  It will get set out just like it always has.”

With a grin and a cheer, the boy threw himself into his brother’s lap. “Good.”

Hoss settled the little boy against his chest and managed to pull the quilt over them both.  “You settled about it now?”

“Yep.”  Little Joe snuggled against Hoss and at least half a minute passed in silence.  “Hoss, why is we the onliest ones to put the rice porridge out for the barn elf?

“We ain’t; well, around these parts we are, but that’s cause most folks around here ain’t  got a barn elf.”

“Why?”

“Barn elves are Swedish.”

“Swedish? That’s from Sweden; ain’t it?”

“Yep.”

“Then how did we get one?  Pa ain’t Swedish, Adam ain’t Swedish…”

“You’re forgetting my Mama Inger.  She was Swedish.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember now.”  Little Joe’s lips pursed in thought.  “Pa ain’t Swedish, but you, me, and Adam are ‘cause of Mama Inger.”  Little Joe nodded with understanding.  “Hop Sing’s Chinese, so he ain’t Swedish.  That’s why Adam always made the rice porridge and now you’re gonna, and I’ll help ‘til you teach me if I need to do it.”  Hoss felt Little Joe relax in satisfaction since the problem of the rice porridge was settled for all time and having always shared everything willingly with his brothers Hoss decided not to enlighten the little boy as to actual but irrelevant facts.

“Right, now we can go back to sleep.”

“Ain’t sleepy.”  Little Joe put a slight whine into his voice. “Tell me how we got a barn elf.  Did Mama Inger bring him in her carpetbag?”

Hoss sighed.  “Don’t know about the carpet bag, but when Mama Inger and Uncle Gunther decided to come from Sweden to America forever, one of the barn elves from back on the farm there must have been feeling adventurous and decided to come to America with them.”

Little Joe took all of thirty seconds to consider the situation before he commented.  “Maybe he just loved them and felt he needed to come take care of them and their barn since he knowed America didn’t have no barn elves and Sweden had more than plenty.”

“Ya know, Shortshanks, that’s probably exactly the way of it, exactly.”  The two boys nodded in unison sure that Mama Inger would have easily captured the love of anyone including an elf. “Then when she married Pa, he just naturally came along with them.”  Hoss paused.  “After… well, then he went along with Adam and me.”

“But even though he came to help take care of things and help with the animals and such, we still gots to be careful and respect   his feelings and say thanks by putting out the rice porridge because rice porridge is a barn elf’s favorite eating, and it’s best with a big pat of butter on top, so we’s got to make sure it’s got a big pat of butter.”

“That’s right.  We put the porridge out to say thanks and because…”

“Because if we don’t the barn elf will be insulted and play pranks or bring bad luck.  Do you think he would when he came all the way from Sweden to help?”

“Well, well now ya got to remember that barn elves can be pernickety and fractious if they feel insulted.”

“Like Old Man Owens?”

“Yea, like Mr. Owens.  I don’t think he’d do nothing too bad, but still we don’t want no fractious elves playing pranks on the Ponderosa, so on Christmas Eve you and me is gonna make that porridge and set it out just like always.”

“Good.”

Hoss closed his eyes in anticipation of a little more sleep.  He obtained thirty seconds of rest.

“Hoss, do you think Santa’s elves are fractious as barn elves?”

“Naw.”

“But ain’t elves elves?”

“Yea, but I suspect it’s like Indians.  There are different tribes, and some is more fractious than others.”

“That’s right.”

Hoss closed his eyes again.   A silent minute passed.

“Hoss?”  Little Joe’s voice had softened to a mere whisper.

“What?”

“Do you think Adam will make rice porridge this year even though there probably ain’t no barn elves in Boston?”

Hoss pulled his little brother into a hug.  “Don’t know, Joe, maybe he’s met some Swedish folk there who have a barn.”

 

**************

 

Able Stoddard stood in the doorway of his kitchen and watched his grandson standing at the stove with a dish towel tucked around his waistband stirring the contents of a small pot.  He cleared his throat. “What are you doing?”

Adam answered without looking up.  “Making rice porridge.”

“Why?  Didn’t Mrs. Evers make enough of her fine chowder to last you until morning?”

“It’s not for me; it’s for the barn elf.”

“The barn elf?  Adam, I have no barn let alone one with an elf.”

Adam’s eyes had still not left the pot he was stirring.

“I know.”

“Then why would you be making porridge for an elf?”

“In Sweden everyone makes rice porridge and leaves it out for the barn elves each Christmas Eve.”

“Everyone in Sweden.”  Abel swallowed. “Barn elves are Swedish then?”

“Yes.”

Abel cleared his throat once more.  “You loved her a great deal, didn’t you?”

“Yes, and she loved me. So, on Christmas Eve I make rice porridge and set it out for the barn elves, Hoss and Little Joe do too.”  Adam turned his head toward his grandfather for the first time.  Abel could see a slight challenge in his grandson’s eyes.

“I’m sure she did love you.”  Abel’s right hand rubbed his chin.  “The more people who love us the luckier we are.  We should remember that and them.”  Abel sighed.  “We’ll sing some carols when you’re through if you’d like.  That was always your mother’s favorite way to spend a Christmas Eve.”

“Of course.”  Adam smiled and returned to stirring his porridge.

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A Blessed Advent To Each of You!

May your family find joy in all your special traditions,

 and may each of us pause during this holy season remember all who have loved us.

Link to 2016 Advent Calendar – Day 2 – I’ve Been Waiting for Christmas (by Tsti)