The Bell Under the Coal — Every night, Briggs tapped his silver watch and shouted, “Tickets, tinsel, toys!” before the Santa Express chugged into the mountain pines. Read the full story →
Every night, Briggs tapped his silver watch and shouted, “Tickets, tinsel, toys!” before the Santa Express chugged into the mountain pines. He wanted the train to leave exactly when the moon touched the tallest spruce, but one night the engine only wheezed, puff-puff-FOOF, and shot a cloud of sparkly soot over his boots.
Because of that, Briggs climbed into the coal car with his lantern, sniffing peppermint smoke and grumbling at the lumpy black pile. Because of that, he found not coal, but a tiny brass bell tucked under the last chunk, wearing a tag that read: RING ONLY IF JOY IS TOO BIG. Briggs laughed so hard his hat slid over one eye. “Well, that’s clearly dangerous.”
At the first ring, every present in every car jingled back. Bears bounced, ribbons wiggled, and even the little cottage windows blinked awake as the train curved through the snowy hills. Finally, Briggs rang it again for everyone—the trees, the stars, the sleepy foxes—and the Santa Express rolled on, puff-puff-FOOF, while joy too big to keep hid nowhere at all. Can you spot the train car where you’d hide that mischievous bell?
