The Story of St. Nicholas - A Visit to St. Nicholas

A Visit to St. Nicholas

.. When the children came to the open space in the store, Jan suddenly held his breath. He got a funny feeling in his tummy.

"Oh no," he whispered... He stood right in front of St. Nicholas with a crying Antje on his side. He swallowed, and swallowed again and felt his heart beating wildly.

Black Peter reached out to him and asked in a friendly voice: "Why is your sister crying? She isn't scared, is she?"

Jan shook his head.

"What is your name?' Black Peter asked.

As Jan looked into Black Peter's kind eyes, his fear began to disappear slowly.

"I am Jan and this is Antje."

"Why is she crying?"

"We've lost our mother," said Jan. He looked around him carefully, and yes, there was St. Nicholas, just a few feet away. Next to him was the Big Book on a table and underneath the table was Peter's sack, full of small packages.

St. Nicholas asked Black Peter to bring the children over to him and then asked them all sorts of questions: Where they had last seen Mother, what they would like to get from Him on His Birthday, and if they could sing a song for Him. And while Black Peter went looking for Mother, Jan and Antje tried their best at singing.

Suddenly a voice came over the loudspeakers: "Attention, attention, would the mother of Jan and Antje come to St. Nicholas on the second floor. She will find a surprise there."

"Is Mommy coming?" Antje asked, and she looked at St. Nicholas as if he were a wizard.

While they were waiting for Mother, St. Nicholas talked with the children about the letters they had sent him. He seemed to know what was in them because he asked Jan: "You want a very special gift, don't you?"

Jan blushed and stuttered: "Y- yes, St. Nicholas."

Saint gave him an understanding wink and said: "There is a big sack full of small gifts over there. Why don't you each take one. After all, it's almost my birthday.

When they turned around to dig into the sack, who was there watching them happily? ....Mother.