RAYMOND REINDEER: RAYMOND LEARNS A LESSON

Raymond dumped another cup of raisins into his breakfast oats. As he reached for the sugar bowl his mother stopped him.

"Raymond, that's enough," she shouted. "You've already had three lumps of sugar. There's no need to stuff yourself. We are having the Reindeer Dinner this afternoon before Santa and his team leave on their Christmas Eve journey. There will be dancing, gifts and plenty of delicious food. All that sugar will spoil your appetite."

Raymond gulped down his breakfast. Then when his mother wasn't looking he grabbed a few lumps of sugar and headed out the door to find his friends.

When he reached the meadow, he found two of his reindeer friends frolicking in the snow. He stuffed the sugar lumps in his mouth before joining his friends. "How about a game of tag?" cried his friends Roger and Renee when they spied their friend Raymond. "You're it!" they giggled as they raced across the meadow. They ran and laughed until they grew tired and Raymond announced, "I'm cold!"

"Follow me. I know where we can get some delicious hot chocolate!" shouted Renee as she galloped back to the reindeer barn.

Near the barn, an elf was stirring a large kettle of bubbling hot chocolate. A hot drink would be needed to warm Santa and his helpers on their rounds that night.

"My friends and I are very cold," explained Renee. May we have a cup?" she asked politely.

"Yes, you may," answered the elf. "But don't let it spoil your dinner," he said as he poured them each a cup.

It was so delicious that Raymond begged for more. His friends watched in wonder as he noisily slurped down three cups.

"Raymond, wipe your mouth. You have a chocolate mustache," laughed Roger. But Raymond ignored his friend. He had spied something of interest. His belly sloshed as he trotted toward a large truck parked outside Santa's Den. On a closer look, the friends discovered crates of apples and oranges being unloaded by two hearty elves.

"That fruit certainly looks good," Raymond told the elves as they unloaded box after box of fruit. "Do you think we could have a piece?"

"I've got just the thing for you little guys," answered one of the elves. "These apples are just too big to stuff in children's stockings. Just take what you like."

Roger and Renee both picked an apple. "Is that all you're having? Gimmie yours!" Raymond demanded. He greedily chomped down on the remaining fruit.

Roger and Renee trotted down the sidewalk. Raymond could barely keep up with his friends. But then his nose caught a wonderful smell coming from Mrs. Claus' kitchen. "Let's go see what's cooking." Raymond exclaimed as he headed to a partially opened window. Inside they saw teams of elves stirring pots of fudge and baking trays of cookies and gingerbread men.

Mrs. Claus saw Raymond drooling at the window. She brought over a tray of cookies. "You are welcome to sample these," she told them as she placed the tray on the sill. "Now don't eat too many, it's almost dinner time."

"Wow, let's eat!" Raymond called delightedly as he stuffed cookies and gingerbread into his overfull mouth.

"No thanks," answered his pals. "Our mother never allows us to eat sweets between meals."

Raymond covered his mouth politely as he let out a small burp. Then he snarfed down the remaining cookies. His friends couldn't believe Raymond was such a glutton. They left him licking the crumbs from the plate. Then with his belly bulging, he lumbered after his friends.

Raymond caught up with his friends at the Festival of Trees. They raced up and down admiring the colored lights. Raymond had a hard time keeping up. He wasn't feeling well.

"My tummy feels a little funny," moaned Raymond, "I think I might have eaten too much."

"Here, said Renee as she pulled a candy cane from the tree. "My mother always gives me a little peppermint to help settle my stomach."

Raymond munched the candy. He felt a little better and thought to himself, "If a little made me feel better, a lot would make me feel great!" Raymond continued to devour more candy. Roger and Renee raced on as Raymond stayed behind. He noticed cranberries that were strung around the tree and decided to sample some. He trotted home slowly.

He found his mother preparing for the Reindeer Dinner. "Hurry, Raymond. It's almost time for dinner," she called as he entered the barn. Raymond stood quietly. "I don't feel that well," he whined, "I have a tummy ache." Mother looked at his bloated belly; he even looked a little green. She asked, "Just what have you been eating?"

"Just a little hot chocolate, some apples and oranges, a few cookies, popcorn and cranberries, and a peppermint to settle my stomach," he explained as he lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Then I know just the thing to make you feel better," she said as she wrapped him in a blanket. She fixed him a cup of hot tea and tucked him into bed.

"But I'll miss the Reindeer Dinner," he whimpered as she closed the door to his stall. She stopped and said, "But you ate so much you made yourself too sick to go."

Raymond threw back the blanket and stood looking out his window. Outside all his friends laughed and played. "If I hadn't made such a pig of myself, I would be having fun," he thought sadly. He climbed back into his bed and sucked on a piece of candy he had hidden under his pillow until he fell asleep.

THE END!