اشتباهات بزرگ

Chapter seven

Big Mistakes

Santa wanted to ask, “what does trick or treat mean” but they put a big bag over his head before he could ask his question.

Not one witch, vampire, or skeleton in Halloweentown could say “No” to Jack. When he asked for happy music, he got it. When he asked for cakes, decorations, and toys, he got them. But when he asked Sally for some red clothes, she didn’t want to make them. She wasn’t happy about Jack’s plan. She thought about the Christmas tree on fire in her hand and she felt afraid.

“Jack, listen to me,” Sally said. “This isn’t going to work.”

“Yes, it is! You can do it. I only want a wonderful red Santa Claus jacket and some red pants,” Jack answered happily. He could think of nothing but his clothes for Christmas.

“I’ll make them for you, Jack. But I think it’s a mistake,” she said sadly.

Sally could make clothes very well and she did a very good job on Jack’s new red pants and jacket. When she finished her work, she left his house. She walked to the center of town.

Jack’s next visitors were Lock, Shock, and Barrel. They arrived with a very big Halloween bag. But they did not have candy inside the bag this time.

“Jack, we caught him,” they shouted.

“Open it! Let’s see him,” said Jack excitedly.

But when the three boys opened the bag, Jack’s eyes and mouth opened wide. He did not see an old man in red clothes. He saw an animal with very long ears. It jumped out of the bag and ran around the room. Up and down, up and down.

“What’s that,” Jack asked. “It’s not Santa Claus!”

“Isn’t it,” asked Shock.

“But we went through the door in the tree,” said Lock.

“Which door,” asked Jack.

“The door with the egg and the yellow flower,” said Barrel.

“You went through the wrong door,” Jack said. “Go back and go through the door with the Christmas tree on it. And take this thing back to its tree!”

“It was Lock’s mistake,” said Shock.

“It was Barrel’s mistake,” said Lock.

The angry words turned into a fight. Shock hit Lock and Barrel hit Shock. Jack watched them for a minute or two. Then he moved very quickly and scared them with the sound of his skeleton arms.

Usually he only did that on Halloween night.

The boys, afraid, jumped and ran out of the door. The animal with the long ears followed them.

“Take that thing back to its tree and bring Santa Claus here,” Jack shouted behind the three trick-or-treaters. “And be nice to Santa!”

When they were in the woods again, Shock turned to his friends. “How did we make that mistake,” he asked.

“When I saw the egg and flower on the tree’s door–” Lock said slowly.

Shock said, “You shouted ‘decorations’ and we went inside! You stupid boy!”

Everybody in Halloweentown was very busy and Jack watched them happily. The Doctor came with his reindeer and they were almost as big as horses.

In Christmastown Santa Claus was busy, too. His helpers’ beautiful toys were almost ready. He looked at the names of the children in Christmastown. He had a present for each child.

“Are the cakes ready, Mrs. Claus,” he called to his wife.

In the kitchen, Mrs. Claus smiled. She loved cakes and she enjoyed her job on the night before Christmas very much.

“Here comes the last one,” she shouted happily.

Santa Claus said, “I’m going to get the reindeer. They have to pull a very heavy sleigh tonight, so I’ll give them more food and water.”

“Good idea,” his wife said.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise at their front door.

“Who’s that,” Santa shouted to his helpers.

But his helpers were singing loudly and happily in the next room, so they didn’t hear him.

“I’ll answer the door,” he called to his wife.

When he opened it, he saw three strange children in very strange dark clothes.

“Trick or treat,” they shouted.

Santa wanted to ask, “What does ‘trick or treat’ mean?” But they put a big bag over his head before he could ask his question. From inside the bag, he shouted for his wife and helpers, but they didn’t hear him.