Mila in the Elves’ Workshop

Mama decorates the tree.
Papa untangles the fairy lights.
Mila shakes the snow globe.
“Someone’s waving! In the workshop!”
The snow swirls faster. And faster.

Snow in the room? Snow everywhere!
Suddenly Mila is standing in the workshop.
An elf comes running.
“I’m Pip. Good thing you’re here!
Our toy machine only makes nonsense.
Can you help us?”

Pip pulls Mila by the hand.
Shelves up to the ceiling! Elves with paintbrushes!
Parcels, bows, ribbons.
And at the back: Rumble. Rumble. PLOP.
“That’s it,” says Pip. “Hear that? That’s what nonsense sounds like.”

A teddy with wheels!
A ball with rabbit ears!
“I can’t give these away,”
grumbles Santa.
Mila turns the teddy over. “Strange …”

Mila throws a ball in at the top.
Rattle. Rattle. Plop.
Out it comes at the bottom. With a beak.
“Quack?”
“It’s not the throwing-in,” says Mila.

Knock, knock! Santa hammers.
Drip, drip! Pip oils.
But the machine rattles on.
Mila lies down on the tummy.
“I’ll have a look underneath.”
What on earth is stuck in there?

It’s dark down there. And loud.
Pip passes a lantern.
Cogwheels as big as cartwheels.
And in between? Something shimmers.
Red. White. Red. White.
“What is THAT?”

“A sock!”
Mila grabs the red-and-white stripes.
Pull. A bit more. Heave-ho!
The sock comes free.
Now then, machine!

Mila crawls out. The sock flutters.
The machine stops. Silence.
Then: Gulp. Hum. Hum.
Pip looks down at his bare foot.
“That’s MINE!”
Everyone laughs. Even the machine, a little.

Rattle, rattle, plop!
A teddy. A ball. All just right!
Santa lifts Mila up high.
“Without you there would be no presents!”
Pip tugs at his stripy sock.
“Christmas can come!”

“Time to go home,” says Santa.
Pip takes the sock off again.
“For you. To remember. I’ve got more.”
The snow swirls. Faster. Faster.
The workshop shrinks to the size of a globe.
Bye, Pip!

At home the snow globe stands still.
Mila holds up a tiny sock.
“Was that a dream?”
Mama is amazed. Papa too.
“Then my dream has lost a sock!”