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Across the ice of the Arctic Circle, a brown shape moved slowly. It was a real reindeer, separated from his herd in a snowstorm.
One night as he gazed into the sky, the reindeer saw something strange flying towards him. With a crash it landed on the snow a few yards away, and a jolly man called out. "Need a job?" the man asked. "One of my reindeer left at short notice."
The reindeer cleared his throat. "Er, well, the fact is…I've never learned to fly."
The old man was doubled up with laughter. "Don't worry. I give on the job training. Come on!"
So the reindeer took his place with the others. "Hurry up!" cried the man in red, climbing into the sleigh. "This is a busy night for me! Three, two, one…lift off!"
All that night the sleigh flew over towns and villages delivering presents. At last the old man pulled off his cap. "Just one more present to deliver," he said.
Soon the sleigh flew over a snowy landscape once more. "Will this be okay?" asked the old man. "There seems to be a few reindeer here already. Do you mind?"
"Mind? It's my family!" cried the reindeer joyfully. And he ran off to join them.
"Well that’s the last present delivered," chuckled Santa Claus. "See you all next year."
