Summary:\u00a0 This story was written for the 2016 Advent Calendar Collection.<\/p>\n
Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a01,390 words<\/p>\n
Remembering the Barn Elf by DJK<\/strong><\/p>\n \n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat ya doing out of bed?\u201d\u00a0 Hoss\u2019s voice held only the mildest irritation which was totally dismissed by the six-year-old he addressed.<\/p>\n \u201cAsking you something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss used his elbows to raise himself into a higher lean against his pillows.\u00a0 \u201cWell?\u201d\u00a0 He used his left hand to rub the sleep from his eyes.\u00a0 If his little brother was awake without assistance, there was a serious need for attention.<\/p>\n \u201cWhose gonna make the rice porridge for the barn elf?\u00a0 Adam ain\u2019t here, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, he ain\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss obtained an upright position and leaned forward to look Little Joe in the eye. \u201cStill, there ain\u2019t no need to worry your head about that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPa will burn it, Hoss, \u2018sides if Pa could do it then Adam wouldn\u2019t have done it all them years.\u00a0 Same for Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that ain\u2019t exactly the way of it, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe snorted and leaned his nose within a millimeter of his brother\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cWhat \u2018zactly is the way of it?\u00a0 That porridge is got to be made and left for the barn elf.\u00a0 You\u2019ve heard Adam say that about a hundred times, and Adam knows.\u00a0 Adam knows most everything.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I don\u2019t see as how he had to go east to learn nothing more.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe leaned back against the footboard and finished with a glare and another more indignant snort.<\/p>\n Hoss shook his head.\u00a0 He was not going to have that discussion again.\u00a0 \u201cNow, Adam does know a heck of a lot, and he knows how to think ahead.\u00a0 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\u00a0 ain\u2019t got to worry about it none.\u00a0 It will get set out just like it always has.\u201d<\/p>\n With a grin and a cheer, the boy threw himself into his brother\u2019s lap. \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss settled the little boy against his chest and managed to pull the quilt over them both.\u00a0 \u201cYou settled about it now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe snuggled against Hoss and at least half a minute passed in silence.\u00a0 \u201cHoss, why is we the onliest ones to put the rice porridge out for the barn elf?<\/p>\n \u201cWe ain\u2019t; well, around these parts we are, but that\u2019s cause most folks around here ain\u2019t\u00a0 got a barn elf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBarn elves are Swedish.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSwedish? That\u2019s from Sweden; ain\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen how did we get one?\u00a0 Pa ain\u2019t Swedish, Adam ain\u2019t Swedish\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re forgetting my Mama Inger.\u00a0 She was Swedish.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, yeah, I remember now.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe\u2019s lips pursed in thought.\u00a0 \u201cPa ain\u2019t Swedish, but you, me, and Adam are \u2018cause of Mama Inger.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe nodded with understanding.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing\u2019s Chinese, so he ain\u2019t Swedish.\u00a0 That\u2019s why Adam always made the rice porridge and now you\u2019re gonna, and I\u2019ll help \u2018til you teach me if I need to do it.\u201d\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n \u201cRight, now we can go back to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAin\u2019t sleepy.\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe put a slight whine into his voice. \u201cTell me how we got a barn elf.\u00a0 Did Mama Inger bring him in her carpetbag?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss sighed.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe took all of thirty seconds to consider the situation before he commented.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe he just loved them and felt he needed to come take care of them and their barn since he knowed America didn\u2019t have no barn elves and Sweden had more than plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYa know, Shortshanks, that\u2019s probably exactly the way of it, exactly.\u201d\u00a0 The two boys nodded in unison sure that Mama Inger would have easily captured the love of anyone including an elf. \u201cThen when she married Pa, he just naturally came along with them.\u201d\u00a0 Hoss paused.\u00a0 \u201cAfter\u2026 well, then he went along with Adam and me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut 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\u00a0\u00a0 his feelings and say thanks by putting out the rice porridge because rice porridge is a barn elf\u2019s favorite eating, and it\u2019s best with a big pat of butter on top, so we\u2019s got to make sure it\u2019s got a big pat of butter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u00a0 We put the porridge out to say thanks and because\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause if we don\u2019t the barn elf will be insulted and play pranks or bring bad luck.\u00a0 Do you think he would when he came all the way from Sweden to help?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, well now ya got to remember that barn elves can be pernickety and fractious if they feel insulted.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike Old Man Owens?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYea, like Mr. Owens.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think he\u2019d do nothing too bad, but still we don\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss closed his eyes in anticipation of a little more sleep.\u00a0 He obtained thirty seconds of rest.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss, do you think Santa\u2019s elves are fractious as barn elves?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNaw.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut ain\u2019t elves elves?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYea, but I suspect it\u2019s like Indians.\u00a0 There are different tribes, and some is more fractious than others.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss closed his eyes again.\u00a0\u00a0 A silent minute passed.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss?\u201d\u00a0 Little Joe\u2019s voice had softened to a mere whisper.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think Adam will make rice porridge this year even though there probably ain\u2019t no barn elves in Boston?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss pulled his little brother into a hug.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t know, Joe, maybe he\u2019s met some Swedish folk there who have a barn.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n **************<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 He cleared his throat. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam answered without looking up.\u00a0 \u201cMaking rice porridge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u00a0 Didn\u2019t Mrs. Evers make enough of her fine chowder to last you until morning?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not for me; it\u2019s for the barn elf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe barn elf?\u00a0 Adam, I have no barn let alone one with an elf.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyes had still not left the pot he was stirring.<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why would you be making porridge for an elf?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Sweden everyone makes rice porridge and leaves it out for the barn elves each Christmas Eve.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone in Sweden.\u201d\u00a0 Abel swallowed. \u201cBarn elves are Swedish then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Abel cleared his throat once more.\u00a0 \u201cYou loved her a great deal, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, 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.\u201d\u00a0 Adam turned his head toward his grandfather for the first time.\u00a0 Abel could see a slight challenge in his grandson\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure she did love you.\u201d\u00a0 Abel\u2019s right hand rubbed his chin.\u00a0 \u201cThe more people who love us the luckier we are.\u00a0 We should remember that and them.\u201d\u00a0 Abel sighed.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll sing some carols when you\u2019re through if you\u2019d like.\u00a0 That was always your mother\u2019s favorite way to spend a Christmas Eve.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d\u00a0 Adam smiled and returned to stirring his porridge.<\/p>\n A Blessed Advent To Each of You!<\/p>\n May your family find joy in all your special traditions,<\/p>\n \u00a0and may each of us pause during this holy season remember all who have loved us.<\/p>\n
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