The Nutcracker ❄️🩰 Abbe's Christmas Bookshelf

[00:00:10] Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, your podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. Tonight we're enjoying a sleepy version of a classic story, this one taken from a ballet. Have you ever heard of the Nutcracker? It's very Christmassy and full of magic.

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[00:02:40] Koalashine!

[00:02:41] Koalashine!

[00:02:46] So I think you're gonna love it. This is The Nutcracker by Susanna McLaughlin.

[00:03:00] Clara gazed up at the Christmas tree towering overhead as her family hurried around her, hanging mistletoe and icing cakes and piling biscuits onto silver platters.

[00:03:11] The tree shimmered with tiny lanterns, and a silver star shone brightly from its top, just scraping the ceiling, as Clara's father had requested the tallest the market could provide.

[00:03:26] Clara closed her eyes and whispered to herself,

[00:03:31] Oh, I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish, that tonight will be the most magical of nights that there has ever, ever been, she said, squeezing her eyelids shut.

[00:03:46] And that there'll be lots of dancing, she said hurriedly, as her father bundled her away from the tree and towards the stairs.

[00:03:55] She followed his instruction up towards her room, where a lilac party dress the colour of sugared plums was laid out waiting for her.

[00:04:07] Tonight was the night of the Stahlbaum family's annual Christmas Eve party, and Clara was finally old enough to be permitted to stay up and be a part of it.

[00:04:18] It was a wondrous occasion, the talk of the city, with ladies and gentlemen coming from all over, doled up in their party clothes,

[00:04:29] the ladies dripping with pearls and beads, and the men with twirling moustaches and gleaming pocket watches.

[00:04:38] Clara would usually spend the evening kneeling on the landing in her nightclothes,

[00:04:43] peeping through the banister to spy on the guests mingling in the hall, but tonight she'd be amongst them.

[00:04:52] Clara put on her dress, clipped flowers into her hair, and slipped on her white silky gloves.

[00:05:00] Time slipped away, as it tends to do, and before she knew it, there it was,

[00:05:07] her favourite sound of the year, the first knock on the front door.

[00:05:14] Soon enough, the house was alive with laughter and music.

[00:05:19] The guests twirled across the dance floor, clouds of skirts flowing along behind them.

[00:05:26] Gifts piled up under the tree, and shiny glasses were being clinked together,

[00:05:33] and Clara was dizzy with the beauty of it all.

[00:05:37] The sugar mice, piled up in circles, as if in formation for a dance on a china plate.

[00:05:44] The marzipan fruit, minuscule pears and apples, and peaches decorating a cake with icing as white as snow.

[00:05:53] The silk slippers on the feet of the ladies, the latest style.

[00:05:58] And the shining leather of the gentlemen's loafers, seeming to Clara too pristine to ever wear outside.

[00:06:07] This, to Clara, was Christmas.

[00:06:10] The most magical time of the year.

[00:06:13] And she just wanted to witness it all.

[00:06:18] As she eavesdropped on a conversation between two diamond-clad young women discussing a ballet performed at the Berlin Opera House the evening prior,

[00:06:28] the clink of a spoon against a glass caught Clara's attention.

[00:06:34] Her father cleared his throat and called out for quiet, and a hush quickly fell over the party.

[00:06:43] I'm very glad to announce the arrival of an unexpected visitor, Clara's father said.

[00:06:52] Clara narrowed her eyes.

[00:06:54] She ran through a list in her mind of the friends, family, far-flung acquaintances,

[00:07:02] and almost strangers her parents had the tendency to invite to the party.

[00:07:07] To her knowledge, everyone had already arrived.

[00:07:12] There was a murmur of excitement amongst the gathered crowd,

[00:07:16] and Clara strained her neck to try and see who might be waiting in the hall.

[00:07:22] The visitor took two paces into the room.

[00:07:26] Clara saw him and ran and leapt into his arms.

[00:07:31] Her uncle Drossermeyer had returned in time for Christmas.

[00:07:36] Her uncle twirled her in a circle and hugged her close.

[00:07:42] As soon as he put her down, he was swallowed by a crowd and swept away from her,

[00:07:48] being clapped on the shoulder and wished happy holidays,

[00:07:51] and asked endless questions about where he had been and what he had brought back with him this time.

[00:07:59] Uncle Drossermeyer, Clara's godfather really, but she called him uncle,

[00:08:03] was a magician whose work took him all over the world.

[00:08:08] He'd been away for months in the Far East,

[00:08:11] and they hadn't heard a peep from him in that time.

[00:08:15] Now he'd come back with a different air about him,

[00:08:18] like there was extra magic sprinkled into the air with every swing of his cloak and tip of his hat.

[00:08:27] In Clara's eyes, her uncle had always glowed.

[00:08:32] She thought he was the most fascinating man to ever exist.

[00:08:38] When Uncle Drossermeyer finally broke away from the hordes of curious partygoers,

[00:08:44] he found Clara sipping lemonade at the buffet table,

[00:08:49] gazing at a couple waltzing across the living room.

[00:08:53] He took his old satchel from his shoulder and placed it at his feet,

[00:08:58] pulling from it an object hastily wrapped in newspaper.

[00:09:03] Merry Christmas, he said, passing Clara the package.

[00:09:09] She carefully peeled back the newspaper to find something quite ordinary,

[00:09:16] yet extraordinary at the very same time.

[00:09:20] It was a doll, but not the kind she was used to, all floppy and sewn from felt.

[00:09:26] This one was made of painted wood and fashioned to look like a soldier.

[00:09:33] His kindly face was painted on with a fine brush,

[00:09:38] as was a smart red uniform with golden lapels and a tall black hat on its head.

[00:09:46] The doll's jaw was on a hinge, giving it a strange kind of grimace.

[00:09:53] It's for cracking nuts, Uncle Drossermeyer said,

[00:09:58] pulling a round brown walnut from his pocket.

[00:10:01] See?

[00:10:02] He placed the walnut in the doll's mouth and pulled a little lever hidden on its back.

[00:10:09] With a crunch, the walnut shell cracked open

[00:10:12] and the nut inside fell into Clara's waiting palm.

[00:10:17] I love it, she said.

[00:10:20] Thank you.

[00:10:22] In truth, she had little need for a nutcracker,

[00:10:26] not being overly fond of walnuts, or any nuts for that matter.

[00:10:31] But anything her godfather gave her, she would forever cherish,

[00:10:35] just for having the magical imprint he put onto anything he touched.

[00:10:41] The night wiled on, and Clara was swept away into dancing

[00:10:47] and drawn into her uncle's stories,

[00:10:51] and she thought, or hoped, the party might never end.

[00:10:57] But it did, as all things do,

[00:11:00] and soon she found herself in her bed,

[00:11:04] replaying images of sparkling gowns and iced biscuits,

[00:11:09] and twinkling lights,

[00:11:11] until she drifted off into her dreams.

[00:11:15] She awoke a little while later

[00:11:18] to a gentle tap on the shoulder.

[00:11:22] Rolling over, she saw someone strangely familiar,

[00:11:27] though she was sure she'd never met him before.

[00:11:30] It was a boy,

[00:11:32] a boy in a smart uniform with golden lapels.

[00:11:37] The boy reached out a white-gloved hand in offering to Clara.

[00:11:43] She squinted up at him.

[00:11:46] Again, she ran through a list of acquaintances,

[00:11:50] family, and friends,

[00:11:52] before an image popped into her mind

[00:11:55] of a wooden boy with a red coat

[00:11:58] and a black hat perched on his head.

[00:12:01] But it couldn't be him, could it?

[00:12:05] Was this boy really who she thought he was?

[00:12:10] Clara looked at the boy's kind smile

[00:12:13] and his twinkling eyes.

[00:12:16] She didn't know how,

[00:12:18] but she was sure of it.

[00:12:21] This boy was her nutcracker soldier.

[00:12:26] Clara slipped her hand into his

[00:12:29] and rose from her sleeping place,

[00:12:31] looking down to where her pyjamas should be

[00:12:34] and gasping to see she was once again

[00:12:38] draped in her lilac dress,

[00:12:40] frosted in white beads,

[00:12:42] like a plum dusted in sugar.

[00:12:46] On her feet were ballet slippers

[00:12:48] she'd never seen before,

[00:12:51] crafted from the softest silk,

[00:12:54] tied up with a delicate ribbon.

[00:12:59] What kind of magic has brought you to life,

[00:13:02] wooden soldier?

[00:13:03] Clara asked with a smile still softened by sleep.

[00:13:08] And dress me so very beautifully.

[00:13:12] The nutcracker prince,

[00:13:14] as she saw now that he had to be a prince,

[00:13:18] just smiled and said three words,

[00:13:22] Merry Christmas, Clara.

[00:13:25] The nutcracker prince bowed

[00:13:28] and Clara curtsied as if customary

[00:13:31] before he spun her into a waltz around her bedroom.

[00:13:36] Every time she twirled,

[00:13:39] her bedroom faded around her,

[00:13:42] becoming cloaked in a soft glow,

[00:13:45] until she felt she was dancing on clouds.

[00:13:49] The beautiful sparkling fog twisted

[00:13:53] and lifted around her,

[00:13:56] until the final tendrils of mist drifted away,

[00:14:00] and Clara found herself in another land entirely.

[00:14:07] The ground beneath her feet

[00:14:09] was carpeted with soft, sparkling snow.

[00:14:13] Yet her feet didn't feel cold,

[00:14:16] not one bit.

[00:14:18] It sparkled with pinks and blues

[00:14:21] in a way she'd never seen snow sparkle before,

[00:14:26] as if each flake was cut like a diamond.

[00:14:32] Snowflakes drifted amongst the air

[00:14:35] and tall pine trees,

[00:14:38] fluffy and green

[00:14:40] and strung with lanterns circled them,

[00:14:43] each topped with a glowing star

[00:14:46] that seemed to be stitched

[00:14:47] into the sky itself.

[00:14:51] Clara's soldier extended a palm towards her,

[00:14:55] cupping a small silver box,

[00:14:58] engraved with swirling stars and moons.

[00:15:02] Lifting the lid,

[00:15:04] Clara revealed a perfect little ballerina

[00:15:08] in a lilac dress,

[00:15:10] perched daintily on a spring.

[00:15:15] Clara turned the handle on the music box

[00:15:18] and the minute ballerina began to twirl up and down

[00:15:23] as a lullaby began to play.

[00:15:26] As Clara watched the little doll dance,

[00:15:31] more and more music filled the air,

[00:15:34] drifting into the clearing on the soft breeze,

[00:15:39] until a symphony filled the air,

[00:15:43] like an invisible orchestra

[00:15:45] was playing with all their might.

[00:15:49] The nutcracker prince began to dance once more,

[00:15:55] and so did Clara,

[00:15:57] rising on her toes,

[00:16:00] pirouetting and leaping,

[00:16:02] watching the snowflakes dance around her.

[00:16:06] As she twirled,

[00:16:08] the clearing filled with soft white mice

[00:16:11] the size of people,

[00:16:13] twisting and turning

[00:16:15] and dancing alongside her.

[00:16:20] Snow drifted here and there,

[00:16:23] and Clara's cheeks flushed pink from the winter air,

[00:16:27] but she couldn't feel the cold.

[00:16:30] She paused for a moment

[00:16:32] and watched the dance,

[00:16:35] clapping her hands in time

[00:16:36] as the mice weave in and out of one another,

[00:16:40] their fur sugar-dusted like her dress,

[00:16:43] sequined by glittering snowflakes.

[00:16:47] The mice took one another by the paw

[00:16:50] and bowed and curtsied,

[00:16:53] and tip-tapped their way across the clearing,

[00:16:56] slow and then fast,

[00:16:59] and then slow once more.

[00:17:01] A gleaming flash of red amongst them

[00:17:05] marked her nutcracker prince,

[00:17:07] leaping and skipping,

[00:17:10] a picture of strength and grace

[00:17:13] as he lost himself to the music.

[00:17:17] When he rounded the clearing,

[00:17:20] he took her hand

[00:17:21] and swept her up in the dance once more,

[00:17:25] and Clara tipped her head to the clouds

[00:17:28] and laughed.

[00:17:31] As a lullaby played

[00:17:33] and the dance slowed,

[00:17:35] two of the tall fir trees

[00:17:37] to Clara's side

[00:17:39] seemed to lift their roots

[00:17:41] and tiptoe away from one another,

[00:17:44] clearing a path

[00:17:46] for a gleaming silver sleigh

[00:17:49] which entered the clearing,

[00:17:51] drawn by dogs

[00:17:53] with the whitest of coats

[00:17:55] and pinkest of noses.

[00:17:57] It was made of twisted decorative silver

[00:18:02] and painted with swathes of pale blue

[00:18:05] and jingling bells

[00:18:08] dangled from anywhere

[00:18:10] they could have been hung.

[00:18:12] Upon the sleigh,

[00:18:14] wrapped in a silver suede cloak

[00:18:16] edged with pale blue fur,

[00:18:18] was Clara's Uncle Drosemire.

[00:18:23] Uncle Drosemire?

[00:18:26] Clara smiled.

[00:18:27] Have you brought me here

[00:18:29] to this beautiful place?

[00:18:33] Uncle Drosemire smiled

[00:18:34] that familiar smile

[00:18:36] that made his eyes crinkle

[00:18:38] and patted the pillow beside him.

[00:18:42] Do you really think

[00:18:44] I could have done

[00:18:46] something so very magical?

[00:18:50] Clara smiled sheepishly.

[00:18:52] Yes, she said honestly.

[00:18:56] She really did believe

[00:18:58] he would be capable of this.

[00:19:00] She thought

[00:19:01] he held the world in his hand

[00:19:04] and that not one other person

[00:19:07] on the planet

[00:19:08] could conjure such beauty,

[00:19:10] not even in their imagination.

[00:19:15] Uncle Drosemire chuckled,

[00:19:17] and once Clara

[00:19:19] and her nutcracker prince

[00:19:21] were seated amongst

[00:19:22] the plush pillows

[00:19:23] and silk-spun blankets,

[00:19:26] he tapped the reins

[00:19:27] and whistled a short melody

[00:19:30] that sent the dogs

[00:19:32] across the clearing

[00:19:33] into a trot,

[00:19:34] then a run,

[00:19:36] and then had them

[00:19:38] leaping into the air

[00:19:39] and padding up into the sky

[00:19:42] as if it was as natural to them

[00:19:45] as swimming to a swan.

[00:19:48] Clara looked below her

[00:19:50] as the mice grew smaller,

[00:19:53] waving up at her

[00:19:55] as they continued to dance.

[00:19:57] The forest spread out

[00:20:00] as far as she could see,

[00:20:02] and topped with snow

[00:20:04] as the trees were,

[00:20:06] Clara thought she might just

[00:20:08] have found her way

[00:20:10] inside a snow globe

[00:20:12] where everything glistened

[00:20:15] and mice could dance

[00:20:17] and dogs could fly,

[00:20:20] and her nutcracker prince

[00:20:22] was real,

[00:20:23] really,

[00:20:25] truly real,

[00:20:26] and sat right beside her.

[00:20:31] Uncle Drosemire

[00:20:33] guided the sleigh

[00:20:34] higher and higher

[00:20:36] until the clouds spread below

[00:20:38] like the sweetest meringue,

[00:20:41] and the stars

[00:20:42] seemed close enough to touch.

[00:20:45] The moon grew larger

[00:20:48] until Clara could see its face,

[00:20:52] those wise eyes,

[00:20:53] and the slender nose,

[00:20:56] and the kind,

[00:20:57] faintly amused smile.

[00:21:00] The moon's eyes met hers,

[00:21:04] and she smiled,

[00:21:06] and it smiled,

[00:21:10] and everything somehow

[00:21:12] felt even more perfect,

[00:21:15] even more magical,

[00:21:17] than it had before.

[00:21:21] It was then

[00:21:22] that the sleigh

[00:21:23] began a descent,

[00:21:25] and Clara was looking

[00:21:27] at the fleet

[00:21:28] of perfect dogs

[00:21:29] as their paws reached

[00:21:31] and pushed in rhythm,

[00:21:33] guiding them closer

[00:21:35] to the clouds.

[00:21:37] As they passed through,

[00:21:40] Clara felt nothing

[00:21:42] but a cool breeze,

[00:21:44] and the world

[00:21:45] became visible

[00:21:47] beneath them

[00:21:48] once more.

[00:21:51] They were descending

[00:21:52] towards a garden

[00:21:54] where a ball

[00:21:55] was being held,

[00:21:57] the likes of which

[00:21:59] Clara hadn't ever managed

[00:22:00] to produce

[00:22:01] in her daydreams.

[00:22:03] Beautiful queens

[00:22:05] in jewel-encrusted dresses

[00:22:08] danced with soldiers

[00:22:10] and kings,

[00:22:11] and an orchestra

[00:22:13] of mice

[00:22:13] played shining

[00:22:15] golden trumpets

[00:22:17] and glossy cellos,

[00:22:19] and just about

[00:22:20] any instrument

[00:22:21] you could think of.

[00:22:23] The crowd moved

[00:22:25] in perfect synchronicity,

[00:22:29] as if they'd

[00:22:30] danced this dance

[00:22:31] one million times

[00:22:33] with an air

[00:22:35] of perfect happiness,

[00:22:37] like they would dance it

[00:22:39] one million times more.

[00:22:44] Long banquet tables

[00:22:46] with red

[00:22:47] and gold tablecloths

[00:22:48] were piled high

[00:22:50] with delicate tarts

[00:22:52] and intricately decorated

[00:22:54] tiered cakes.

[00:22:56] There were macarons

[00:22:58] and strawberry tarts

[00:23:00] from Paris,

[00:23:01] and rosy,

[00:23:02] red Turkish delight

[00:23:04] from Istanbul.

[00:23:04] There was baklava

[00:23:07] fresh from Athens,

[00:23:10] strudel from Vienna,

[00:23:12] and desserts

[00:23:13] dressed with silver stars

[00:23:15] and rose petals

[00:23:16] that Clara didn't think

[00:23:18] could possibly

[00:23:19] have come from her world.

[00:23:23] The trees

[00:23:24] were decorated

[00:23:25] for Christmas,

[00:23:27] draped with icicles

[00:23:29] and candles

[00:23:30] and strings of pearls

[00:23:32] and silver stars.

[00:23:36] Snowdrop flowers

[00:23:37] pushed their heads

[00:23:39] through the snow,

[00:23:40] and violets

[00:23:42] and lilacs

[00:23:43] decorated the tables

[00:23:44] and the lady's hair

[00:23:46] and were pinned

[00:23:47] to the gentleman's

[00:23:49] buttonholes.

[00:23:51] Clara's nutcracker prints

[00:23:53] tapped her

[00:23:54] on the arm

[00:23:55] and produced

[00:23:56] a flower crown

[00:23:58] from behind his back,

[00:24:00] resting it

[00:24:01] on her head.

[00:24:03] With her uncle

[00:24:05] on one arm

[00:24:06] and her prince

[00:24:07] on the other,

[00:24:08] Clara

[00:24:09] made her way

[00:24:11] through the party

[00:24:12] to sit

[00:24:13] beside the dance floor

[00:24:15] and watch

[00:24:17] as the spectacle

[00:24:18] reeled on

[00:24:19] around her.

[00:24:22] She was led

[00:24:23] to a golden throne,

[00:24:26] which appeared

[00:24:27] to have been

[00:24:27] left empty

[00:24:28] just for her,

[00:24:31] and as she sat

[00:24:32] onto its cream

[00:24:33] suede seat,

[00:24:35] a young girl

[00:24:36] appeared before her,

[00:24:38] round-cheeked

[00:24:40] and smiling

[00:24:40] and ducking

[00:24:42] into a low

[00:24:43] curtsy.

[00:24:45] As she bowed,

[00:24:46] she revealed

[00:24:48] small wings

[00:24:49] on her back,

[00:24:50] as delicate

[00:24:51] as a spiderweb

[00:24:53] and seemingly

[00:24:54] woven from ice.

[00:24:56] Her dark skin

[00:24:59] shimmered,

[00:25:00] and her dress

[00:25:01] of deep indigo

[00:25:03] poofed out

[00:25:04] around her,

[00:25:05] her ballet slippers

[00:25:07] as delicate

[00:25:08] and perfect

[00:25:09] as the ones

[00:25:11] on Clara's

[00:25:12] own two feet.

[00:25:15] Clara's nutcracker

[00:25:17] prince whispered

[00:25:18] in her ear

[00:25:19] to introduce her

[00:25:21] to the sugarplum fairy,

[00:25:23] who,

[00:25:24] he explained,

[00:25:25] would be the first

[00:25:26] to dance

[00:25:27] in Clara's honour.

[00:25:30] The music

[00:25:32] quietened,

[00:25:33] and another song

[00:25:34] began,

[00:25:36] a lilting

[00:25:37] flute melody

[00:25:39] punctuated

[00:25:40] by jingling

[00:25:41] bells,

[00:25:43] which sent

[00:25:44] the sugarplum fairy

[00:25:45] twirling

[00:25:46] and kicking

[00:25:47] and seeming

[00:25:48] to move

[00:25:49] around the floor

[00:25:50] without touching it.

[00:25:53] So light

[00:25:54] was she

[00:25:55] on her feet,

[00:25:57] with each movement,

[00:25:59] snowflakes

[00:26:01] were cast

[00:26:01] up from the ground

[00:26:03] to float

[00:26:04] in the air

[00:26:05] and once more

[00:26:07] turn the scene

[00:26:08] into one

[00:26:10] from a treasured

[00:26:11] snow globe.

[00:26:13] Clara

[00:26:14] quite wished

[00:26:15] she could

[00:26:16] enclose

[00:26:17] the moment

[00:26:18] in glass

[00:26:18] and keep it

[00:26:20] forever

[00:26:21] on her mantelpiece

[00:26:22] to disappear

[00:26:23] into

[00:26:24] whenever

[00:26:25] she wished

[00:26:26] it.

[00:26:27] She reached

[00:26:28] out her finger

[00:26:30] and caught

[00:26:31] some snow,

[00:26:33] and Uncle

[00:26:34] Drosselmeyer

[00:26:35] leant in

[00:26:36] closer.

[00:26:38] Taste it,

[00:26:40] he said,

[00:26:41] raising his voice

[00:26:42] over the sound

[00:26:43] of the music.

[00:26:45] Taste it?

[00:26:47] Clara

[00:26:48] furrowed her brow.

[00:26:49] Why on earth

[00:26:52] would I do that?

[00:26:54] You're in the land

[00:26:56] of sweets,

[00:26:58] my dear Clara,

[00:27:00] her uncle said.

[00:27:02] Trust me,

[00:27:05] Clara

[00:27:06] took the snow

[00:27:07] to her lips

[00:27:08] and tasted it.

[00:27:10] It was as sweet

[00:27:12] as sherbet

[00:27:13] and

[00:27:14] as cold

[00:27:16] as ice cream.

[00:27:18] Yet,

[00:27:20] altogether

[00:27:20] unlike

[00:27:21] anything

[00:27:22] she'd

[00:27:23] ever

[00:27:23] tasted.

[00:27:25] It tasted

[00:27:26] like Christmas

[00:27:28] and

[00:27:29] dancing

[00:27:29] and

[00:27:31] the way

[00:27:32] being with

[00:27:32] her family

[00:27:33] made her feel.

[00:27:36] The sugar

[00:27:37] plum fairy

[00:27:38] concluded

[00:27:39] her dance

[00:27:40] and the music

[00:27:41] changed

[00:27:42] once more.

[00:27:44] This time,

[00:27:45] strings

[00:27:46] sounded

[00:27:47] and a group

[00:27:48] of slender

[00:27:49] ladies

[00:27:52] took to the

[00:27:53] dance floor,

[00:27:54] bowing

[00:27:55] deeply

[00:27:56] and beginning

[00:27:57] to move.

[00:28:00] Clara knew

[00:28:01] who this group

[00:28:02] were.

[00:28:03] They were

[00:28:04] ballerinas,

[00:28:05] the ones

[00:28:06] from Berlin.

[00:28:07] The dancers

[00:28:09] moved

[00:28:10] slowly

[00:28:11] and surely

[00:28:12] with grace

[00:28:14] and confidence,

[00:28:16] extending their

[00:28:17] limbs

[00:28:17] in balances

[00:28:19] and poses

[00:28:20] that verged

[00:28:21] on acrobatic.

[00:28:24] Their long

[00:28:25] necks

[00:28:26] made Clara

[00:28:27] sit up

[00:28:28] straighter

[00:28:28] and their

[00:28:30] arabesques

[00:28:31] had her

[00:28:31] pointing her

[00:28:32] toes

[00:28:33] and it

[00:28:34] wasn't long

[00:28:35] before she

[00:28:35] stood up

[00:28:36] and joined

[00:28:37] them.

[00:28:38] She was

[00:28:39] hoisted

[00:28:40] into the

[00:28:40] air

[00:28:40] and then

[00:28:41] lowered

[00:28:42] to the

[00:28:42] ground

[00:28:43] and she

[00:28:44] fell

[00:28:44] into the

[00:28:45] routine

[00:28:46] as if

[00:28:47] she'd

[00:28:47] known it

[00:28:48] forever,

[00:28:48] somewhere

[00:28:49] deep

[00:28:50] inside.

[00:28:53] One

[00:28:53] by one,

[00:28:54] more

[00:28:55] dancers

[00:28:56] took to

[00:28:56] performing.

[00:28:58] There

[00:28:58] were Russian

[00:28:59] Cossacks

[00:29:00] with round

[00:29:01] fluffy hats

[00:29:02] and

[00:29:03] ballooning

[00:29:03] pants

[00:29:04] tied

[00:29:05] at the

[00:29:05] waist

[00:29:06] with silk

[00:29:06] sashes,

[00:29:07] rising

[00:29:08] and dropping,

[00:29:10] kicking

[00:29:10] and bouncing,

[00:29:12] their faces

[00:29:13] stern

[00:29:14] and determined

[00:29:15] as they

[00:29:16] danced.

[00:29:18] There

[00:29:19] were Arabian

[00:29:20] princesses,

[00:29:22] decorated in

[00:29:23] gold and

[00:29:24] sapphires,

[00:29:25] twirling

[00:29:26] sheer

[00:29:27] handkerchiefs

[00:29:28] and moving

[00:29:29] like rivers

[00:29:30] and seas.

[00:29:33] A

[00:29:33] sophisticated

[00:29:34] pair swept

[00:29:35] in a

[00:29:36] Viennese

[00:29:37] waltz,

[00:29:37] around

[00:29:38] and around,

[00:29:40] until Clara

[00:29:41] wanted to

[00:29:42] join in

[00:29:43] so desperately

[00:29:44] she took

[00:29:45] her nutcracker

[00:29:46] prince by

[00:29:47] the hand

[00:29:48] and pulled

[00:29:49] him into

[00:29:50] the fray.

[00:29:52] Clara

[00:29:52] danced

[00:29:53] and danced

[00:29:55] until she

[00:29:56] was dizzy

[00:29:57] and happy

[00:29:58] and her

[00:29:59] slippers

[00:30:00] were covered

[00:30:00] with snow.

[00:30:02] As she

[00:30:03] spun and

[00:30:04] curtsied

[00:30:05] and pointed

[00:30:06] her toes,

[00:30:06] the snowdrops

[00:30:08] and violets

[00:30:09] and lilacs

[00:30:11] grew,

[00:30:12] reaching higher

[00:30:13] from the

[00:30:14] ground

[00:30:14] and twirling

[00:30:15] up around

[00:30:16] the lantern

[00:30:17] posts.

[00:30:18] The stars

[00:30:20] shone

[00:30:21] brighter,

[00:30:22] their light

[00:30:23] bouncing

[00:30:24] and rebounding

[00:30:25] from the silver

[00:30:26] decorations,

[00:30:28] goblets

[00:30:28] and plates.

[00:30:29] The moon

[00:30:31] seemed

[00:30:32] to move

[00:30:33] closer,

[00:30:34] as if

[00:30:35] pulled in

[00:30:35] by Clara's

[00:30:36] gravity,

[00:30:37] until

[00:30:38] its smile

[00:30:39] could be seen

[00:30:40] from the

[00:30:40] earth.

[00:30:43] Snow

[00:30:43] fell

[00:30:44] in drifts,

[00:30:46] landing

[00:30:46] on Clara's

[00:30:48] nose

[00:30:48] and eyelashes,

[00:30:50] until

[00:30:51] she

[00:30:52] shimmered

[00:30:53] like the

[00:30:53] sugarplum

[00:30:54] fairy.

[00:30:56] And then

[00:30:57] when she

[00:30:57] began

[00:30:58] to yawn,

[00:30:59] Clara

[00:31:00] was swept

[00:31:01] up in

[00:31:01] a cloud

[00:31:02] and taken

[00:31:04] over

[00:31:04] by sleep.

[00:31:07] There

[00:31:08] Clara

[00:31:09] was,

[00:31:10] tucked

[00:31:11] up in

[00:31:12] bed,

[00:31:13] soft

[00:31:13] pillow

[00:31:14] under

[00:31:15] her head

[00:31:15] and a

[00:31:17] wooden

[00:31:17] soldier

[00:31:18] held

[00:31:19] loosely

[00:31:20] in her

[00:31:20] grasp.

[00:31:22] Her

[00:31:23] pyjamas

[00:31:24] of soft

[00:31:25] brushed

[00:31:26] cotton

[00:31:26] were buttoned

[00:31:28] to her

[00:31:28] chin.

[00:31:29] and her

[00:31:30] thick

[00:31:31] woolen

[00:31:31] blanket

[00:31:32] was pulled

[00:31:33] up over

[00:31:34] her shoulder.

[00:31:36] The night

[00:31:37] was quiet

[00:31:38] and the

[00:31:40] party

[00:31:40] was over

[00:31:42] as the

[00:31:43] clock

[00:31:44] ticked

[00:31:45] further

[00:31:46] into

[00:31:47] Christmas

[00:31:47] Day.

[00:31:50] Outside

[00:31:51] the window,

[00:31:52] snow

[00:31:53] began to

[00:31:54] fall.

[00:31:54] snow

[00:31:56] snowflake

[00:31:57] at first

[00:31:58] settling

[00:32:00] against

[00:32:00] the

[00:32:01] glass.

[00:32:02] The

[00:32:03] perfect

[00:32:04] six-spoked

[00:32:05] crystal

[00:32:06] peeking in

[00:32:08] at the

[00:32:09] sleeping

[00:32:09] girl.

[00:32:11] Then

[00:32:11] a few

[00:32:13] more

[00:32:13] and a

[00:32:14] few

[00:32:15] more

[00:32:15] until

[00:32:17] the air

[00:32:17] was filled

[00:32:18] with

[00:32:19] turning,

[00:32:19] tumbling

[00:32:20] drifts

[00:32:21] of white

[00:32:23] snow,

[00:32:24] carpeting

[00:32:25] the town

[00:32:26] and the

[00:32:27] garden

[00:32:27] below.

[00:32:30] Little

[00:32:30] would

[00:32:31] Clara

[00:32:31] know it,

[00:32:32] but up

[00:32:33] above,

[00:32:34] a silver

[00:32:35] sleigh

[00:32:36] pulled

[00:32:36] onto her

[00:32:37] roof,

[00:32:38] led not

[00:32:40] by a pack

[00:32:41] of white

[00:32:41] dogs,

[00:32:42] but of

[00:32:43] reindeer

[00:32:44] with ivory

[00:32:45] horns

[00:32:46] and soft

[00:32:48] silver

[00:32:48] fur.

[00:32:51] In

[00:32:52] Clara's

[00:32:52] dreams,

[00:32:53] she

[00:32:54] continued

[00:32:54] to

[00:32:55] sleep

[00:32:55] in a

[00:32:57] world

[00:32:57] of

[00:32:58] sugar

[00:32:58] mice

[00:32:59] and

[00:33:00] ballerinas

[00:33:01] and her

[00:33:02] nutcracker

[00:33:03] prince.

[00:33:05] Her

[00:33:05] favourite

[00:33:06] uncle

[00:33:06] looking over

[00:33:07] her and

[00:33:08] seeing her

[00:33:09] soft

[00:33:10] smile,

[00:33:12] decided

[00:33:12] then and

[00:33:13] there that

[00:33:15] it would

[00:33:15] be his

[00:33:16] duty from

[00:33:17] then on

[00:33:17] to share

[00:33:19] with his

[00:33:20] favourite

[00:33:20] niece

[00:33:21] the magic

[00:33:22] that he

[00:33:24] sought

[00:33:24] from the

[00:33:25] world.

[00:33:27] Until

[00:33:28] then,

[00:33:28] though,

[00:33:30] all there

[00:33:31] was left

[00:33:31] to do

[00:33:32] was sleep.

[00:33:35] The

[00:33:36] dreams

[00:33:36] faded

[00:33:37] away

[00:33:38] and

[00:33:39] Clara

[00:33:40] was left

[00:33:41] falling

[00:33:42] deeper

[00:33:43] and

[00:33:44] deeper

[00:33:44] into

[00:33:46] sleep,

[00:33:47] moving

[00:33:49] ever

[00:33:49] closer

[00:33:50] to

[00:33:51] Christmas

[00:33:52] day.

[00:33:52] Bye.