hristmas ritters 

The Animals that Saved Christmas 

by Dahni Santa Bopa

© 2013 all rights reserved

ai the hristmas oi

(Part III continued)

    he Red Crowned Crane are very large birds with long legs and bills. They are very strong flyers, very fierce against their enemies and very loyal to their loved ones and friends. It is said that they can live for 1,000 years. A pair of red-crowned cranes were used in the design for some of the Japanese coins called the 1000 yen (currently, a little over $8 in the United States).  The red-crowned crane is used as the symbol of the Japanese Airline or JAL.

The Red Crowned Crane is the symbol for JAL, the Japanese Airline 

   ranes are said to grant favors in return for acts of sacrifice. Kai San, (Mr. Kai) became a friend to Grus San (Mr. Grus) a Red Crowned Crane. One day, a gray wolf was hiding among the trees of the water garden where Kai lived. The gray wolf spied Grus San and was going to sneak up on and attack him. When Koi sense danger, they will swim deep into their pools and hide until the danger passes. But Not Kai! He saw the gray wolf wanting to attack Grus San. Instead of hiding himself, Kai swam deep into the water and filled his mouth with as much water as he could hold. Then he turned and swam to the top of the pool and leaped out of the water and aiming at the wolf, he spat out a stream of water at him. The wolf was startled and turned towards Kai. Grus San, seeing what Kai had done for him, turned and ran towards the wolf, poking at him with his long bill until the wolf ran away. Kai San and Grus San have been great friends, ever since that day! 

   ai lives in a large and beautiful water garden with his family and friends, near the ocean. Kai's name means, "Ocean," even though he is a fresh water fish and not a salt water fish like those that live in the Ocean. Still, there were two things that Kai wanted most of all, he wanted to see the ocean and he wanted to fly, not necessarily to become a flying dragon someday, but just to FLY !  

   ai had never seen the ocean, but he and Grus San the Red Crowned Crane would talk about the ocean during their many conversations together. Grus San would tell him about all the things he had seen at the ocean and even about "flying fish." They really could not fly, but they would swim deep then turn and swim fast to the surface of the water and leap out. It sure looked like they could fly, if even for just a little while. Kai imagined that flying was just like swimming, only in the air.  

   ai had very keen eyes and ears. But he used them mostly, to look and learn and listen. He could hear the sounds from the ocean just on the other side of the wall where he lived in the water garden. But he had never seen it. He could only imagine what the ocean must be like and from the stories Gnus San, his friend the Red Crowned Crane, told him whenever he would stop by. Like most of his family and friends, Kai loved to leap up waterfalls and pretend flying. But Kai practiced leaping out of the water, all the time, even when there was snow on the ground.  

   es, sometimes it snows in parts of Japan in December, only not as much as other parts of the world and it's not quite as cold. The waterfalls would run all year and kept the water garden from freezing over.   

Yes, it sometimes snows in parts of Japan in December

   ost of the Koi move more slowly in winter and when it's cold. They usually only come to the surface of the water to breathe fresh air and to eat, but very, very little in winter. But Kai, he practiced swimming deep into the pool, turning and swimming as fast as he could and leaping out of the water into the air as far as he could and as long as he could. Kai was growing stronger and stronger all the time. He loved doing this and did it most of the time, all year around. Other Koi thought this was kind of silly and especially in the winter, but Kai really wanted to fly!  
   nce upon a snowflake, that's how they start stories up at the North Pole. But, one Christmas Eve, there was a terrible snowstorm. Santa San (Mr. Santa - Santa Claus) checked the weather and the storm was very fierce and there was little chance of it letting up. But he knew, Christmas could not wait. Children and critters, all over the world, were depending on him! So, he prepared his sleigh and the reindeer to take off.  

   Santa prepares to take off during a terrible snowstorm 
   ow everyone knows that reindeer can fly and it's because of special flying dust from the Northern Lights or aurora borealis. Well, did you know that at the bottom of the world is the South Pole and it has lights too. They're called, the Southern Lights or aurora australis. They are made up of the same special dust that make the reindeer fly at the bottom of the world too.  

The Southern Lights - aurora australis

   s Santa San (Mr. Santa or Santa Claus) approached the coast of Japan, the snow storm was still fierce. The clouds were so thick, even Rudolph the red nose reindeer had trouble seeing through them. Visibility and navigation was very poor. The energy of the special flying dust from the Northern Lights was getting low in the reindeer and with the clouds blocking the Southern Lights, things were not looking too good for Santa and the reindeer. But do not worry, Santa had a box full of emergency flying dust, just for emergencies like this.  But suddenly, a very powerful wind hit across the sleigh. Down they went faster and faster. Santa had no time to get out the special flying dust from his box. All he could do was to keep a tight hold of the reins and hold on!  

Santa San (Mr. Santa or Santa Claus) and the reindeer falling

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