This is an adaptation of Charles Dickens novel, A Christmas Carol. It will not be completely true to the original, and I intentionally changed things.


“Dead as an old rotten mushroom…”, he spoke, looking down at his deceased partner. “Hmph…you were a good partner, Laghodessa. But you are no use to me dead.”

Walter Scrooge walked away from the body, walking toward the old place where he and Laghodessa worked in the Forest. The grumpy old stag worked with Laghodessa in the business of selling mushrooms to other deer in exchange for pinecones. For seven years, he continued the work alone, his disposition to the other deer terribly awful. They, in return, shunned him. No deer dared walk toward Walter, speak to him, even look him in the eye. One fawn walked by, unaware of who he was. “Merry Christmas, sir!”, he spoke. “Bah! Humbug!”, Walter spat. The fawn stopped, tilting his head. “Christmas? A humbug?”, he asked the old stag. Walter stopped, turning and glaring at the little one. “Why don’t you do the Forest a favor and decrease the census population?”, he spoke, turning and walking off without a reply.

Walter went to the old mushroom dealership where he worked. Silence was there, working away. Walter stopped and looked over to him, “I suppose you want all day off tomorrow?”, he spoke. “It only comes once a year. We’re going to have a Christmas feast.”, Silence replied. “And I suppose you want a full day’s pay, too?”, Walter questioned. “Well…”, Silence began, but Walter shook his head. “Robbing me of my wages.”, the old stag said, “I expect you to be here first thing in the morning, or you’re fired!”, and then he walked off. It was time for the store to shut down anyway.

Walter went to the place where he slept. It was a patch of flowers away from the crowds, a place deep in the Birch forest where very few went. The night came quickly, and Walter shivered in the cold, when he heard something approach. Clink…rattle…clink…rattle…

The old stag sat up as the sound got louder. “What in the world is…?”, he began to say, when he saw a deer approach, glowing a strange pale color. Wrapped around the strange deer was a thick chain, and behind her was a heavy boulder much like those from the Playground. Her snout was wrapped with a cloth. When the deer stopped before him, Walter built up the nerves to ask, “Who are you?”

“Why don’t you ask who I was.”, the strange deer asked. “Well, who were you then?”, Walter asked. “I was your business partner, Laghodessa.”, the deer replied. Walter shook his head, “No, it can’t be. You’ve been dead for seven years!”, he said in shock. “You doubt your senses?”, Laghodessa asked. "Because," said Walter, "a little thing affects them. Stomach sickness, that’s what. You may be an undigested bit of pinecone, a crumb of mushroom, a fragment of an underdone grass."

“An undigested bit of pinecone…? A fragment of underdone grass…?”, Laghodessa questioned, and then immediately roared at him, the wrapping around her snout coming undone. Walter watched as her jaw drooped, and then she worked on wrapping the cloth again, to where she could speak again. Walter then asked, “Why do you wear that chain around your body?” “This is the chain I forged in my life, link by link, yard by yard.”, Laghodessa replied. “I am bound to this Earth, unable to rest, always moving. I cannot linger, I cannot stay anywhere.”

“Speak comfort!”, Walter cried. “I have none to give.”, Laghodessa replied. “I am here to warn you that you can escape my fate. You will be haunted by three spirits. Expect the first tomorrow at midnight, the second the next night, and the third the night after.” “Can’t I just have them all in one sitting, and get them over with?”, Walter asked, but Laghodessa didn’t answer. Instead, she started to walk away, dragging her chains again. “Look to see me no more.”, she spoke, and soon she vanished.

A few moments of silence passed. Walter tried to go to sleep, when he noticed the moon was overhead, centered perfectly. As he saw this, a strange light appeared before him. A candle burned brightly, and soon it transformed into a glowing stag. His face was red and smiling, brown fur and winding antlers on his head. He was glowing brilliantly. Walter hid his face from the glowing light. “Are you the spirit whose coming was foretold to me?”, he asked. “I am.”, the spirit spoke.

Walter then asked, “Please, can you dim that light?” The ghost frowned for a moment, “Would you soon so quickly put out by your worldly hooves the light I give?”, he asked. Walter’s eyes adjusted to the light, he looked upon the spirit then. “Who and what are you?”, he asked. “I am Trunks, but you may call me the Ghost of Christmas Past.”, Trunks spoke. “Long past?”, Walter asked curiously. Trunks smiled, “Your past.”, he replied. He then turned and said, “Rise and walk with me.”

Walter was hesitant to move, but then he stood and followed the spirit. As they walked, the night vanished, and soon they were standing in a snowy forest. Walter looked around, it seemed so familiar. “Do you know this place?”, Trunks asked. “Know it? I was a fawn here!”, Walter exclaimed. As he did, he saw other fawns running by. “Oh, I know every one of them! Hello there!”, he spoke, but the fawns kept running by. The old stag looked over to the spirit. “These are but shadows of things that have been.”, Trunks spoke, “They have no consciousness of us.”

The two continued walking, finding an old human structure where the fawns were taught. It was a Christmas, and as the other fawns ran off, one stayed behind. “One fawn was left for the winter.”, Trunks spoke. “Yes…me…”, Walter admitted, as they saw a young fawn sitting at the ruins, watching the other deer running to their homes. “Let’s see another Christmas…”, Trunks spoke, and the fawn grew to a young buck, who still was staring out the window. As he did, a doe approached, “Walter! Come join my family for Christmas!”, she spoke. “I’m not interested…”, the young Walter spoke. “But you can’t stay here for the winter, Walter. Come on!”, the doe pleaded. “I’m not interested!”, the buck snapped.

The old Walter turned his head, “Please, Spirit. Let us leave this memory. It’s too hard for me to bear.”, but Trunks insisted, “Just watch.” “Why, Walter? Why would you reject our home?”, the young doe asked the buck. He didn’t respond. The doe cried, and ran off. Old Walter looked at the buck, “Go after her, you fool!”, he yelled at himself, but the words fell on deaf ears, and the buck turned and sat in the ruins for another Christmas.

Walter looked to Trunks, “Take me back! Haunt me no longer!”, he cried. And as he spoke the words, he awoke and found himself in his patch of flowers again. He stood and looked around in the night Forest, noticing something strange going on at the Old Oak. The old stag walked that way, noticing the bark was shimmering a golden color. He then heard laughing, and as he looked inside the Oak, he saw a robed doe sitting upon a pile of presents, pinecones, and other gifts. She continued to laugh loudly, looking down on Walter. “Come in, and know me better!”, she spoke to him. “Who are you?”, Walter asked. “You have never seen the likes of me before?”, the spirit asked. Walter shook his head, “Not that I know.” “You have never walked forth with my brothers?”, the spirit then asked. Walter again shook his head, but asked, “You have many brothers?” The spirit let out another thundering laugh, “More than 1,800. 1,842 to be exact.”

She sat up on the pile, and then introduced herself, “I am Mystress, the Ghost of Christmas Present.” Walter let out a sigh, “Spirit, conduct me where you will.”, he requested. Mystress nodded, “Touch my robe.”, she told him, the robe extending down to the ground where Walter was. The old stag was hesitant but then touched it with his face, and soon they were transported to a shabby old den, where fawns were playing and laughing, and a doe was preparing a feast. As this was going on, Walter saw Silence come in with a fawn who had a wooden leg. Silence sat the fawn down, the two laughing happily. “How did Caden behave?”, the doe asked him. “As good as gold and better. He thinks the strangest things all by himself. He hopes that sitting in the open and letting them see a cripple will warm their hearts, and that it would let the deaf hear and the blind see.”, Silence replied.

The onlooking Walter turned to Mystress, “Will the fawn live?”, he asked. Mystress’ smile faded, and she spoke, “I see a vacant seat, and a crutch without an owner…” As this was going on, all the fawns and adults sat around a tree stump, and the feast was placed upon it – not much at all but just enough for them to get by. “A toast to Walter Scrooge, the founder of our feast!”, Silence called. “Walter Scrooge? Are you mad?”, the doe tilted her head, “That foul stag! I’ll drink to health and to the day, but not to his.” Caden smiled and said, “Merry Christmas, everyone!”

Walter and Mystress stepped out of the den. “Is there nothing that can save the fawn?”, Walter asked. “If these shadows remain unaltered, the fawn will die.”, Mystress replied, but she continued, looking to Walter sternly, “But what is it to you? If he is to die, then he’d better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” Walter frowned, hearing the words he had spoken earlier.

The two continued on, but Walter then noticed that the spirit had become old and grey. “What has happened to you? Are spirits lives so short?”, Walter asked her. “My life on this earth is very brief. It ends tonight.”, Mystress replied, “Hark, the time is drawing near.” As she spoke this, Walter noticed something sticking out from under her robe. “Forgive me, but I see something strange protruding from your skirt. Is it a hoof or a claw?”, Walter asked. “It may be a claw…look here.”, Mystress replied, opening the bottom of her robe, revealing two foul fawns, their hooves were claws, their mouths lined with fangs, hissing and gnashing at Walter.

“Are they yours?”, Walter asked at once. “They are deer’s. This boy is ignorance, this girl is want.”, Mystress replied. Walter stepped back, terrified at the two horrible fawns, and as he looked to Mystress, she began to laugh once again, collapsing and becoming dust. The fawns vanished before Walter’s eyes.

And as this ended, the Forest was very dark, and a chill breeze blew past Walter. He shivered, noticing something out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw a new figure there, one he recognized as The Creature, but her body was cloaked in a thick black robe, the details of her skull face and pink mane just enough for Walter to recognize her. “Am I in the presence of the Spirit of things yet to come?”, Walter asked. The Creature didn’t respond, but instead, pointed onward with a bony hoof. "You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen in the time before us?" Walter questioned. The cloak over the Creature’s head nodded just slightly, it was the only answer he would receive. “I fear you more than any spirit or specter I’ve seen. Lead on?”, Walter asked. The Creature didn’t move, remaining still, although her hoof pointed just slightly away. “The night is waning, the time is precious. Lead on, spirit.”, Walter spoke again. He began to walk in the direction, the Creature close behind.

Soon they were in an old part of the Forest. Some nameless deer were nearby, and Walter walked toward them, listening to their conversation. “I thought he’d never die.”, one spoke. “What has he done with his merit?”, another asked. “Not left to me, that’s for sure.”, the first spoke. They laughed, the third nameless speaking, “Well it will be a cheap funeral. I doubt anyone would come to see it.”

Walter saw the Creature had moved on, pointing further into the Forest. They continued where the light didn’t touch the earth, and there sat Quamar, who sat around a pile of things. As Walter was about to speak to him, another deer, Virgil. He grimaced when he saw Quamar’s skull face, but then spoke, “I’ve got a few things for you to buy.” Quamar snickered, “What do you have?”, he asked.

The red deer placed a few things before the orange irish elk. A pair of old, worn antlers, and a white mask with red markings around the eyes. “You took these off of him while he was lying there?”, Quamar questioned. Virgil nodded, “He won’t be needing them.”, the stag replied, “And someone was fool enough to put this necklace around him too.” He dropped the necklace before the irish elk, a thin string with several poppies that hung like a pendant. “Hmph…”, Quamar spoke, “Ten pinecones, eh?” Virgil smiled, “Better than nothing, I suppose. We all have to live, and both of us can profit now that he is dead.” The red deer lowered his head, “I couldn’t imagine it. Him lying there, all alone, gasping his last breath.”

“Spirit, who are they talking about?”, Walter asked the Creature. The spirit raised her hoof, and at once they were transported to a lone patch of flowers. There, a body lay on the patch, covered in thick vines. The spirit pointed at the body, and Walter looked down upon it, but said, “Spirit, this is a fearful place. But I must leave without it’s lesson.” The spirit continued to point at the body, especially at the head. She wanted him to uncover the face. “I understand, and I would if I could, but I don’t have the power.”, Walter spoke. “Please, I have only seen despair. Show me some tenderness.”, he asked.

The spirit lowered her hoof, and again they were transported, to an old den that was familiar to Walter. He saw a doe and her fawns, speaking to them in a sad tone. “He was very light to carry, and your father loved him so…”, and as she said the words, Silence came in to the den. “How was it?”, the doe asked. “Oh you should see how green a place it is. And I promised I would…”, Silence began, wiping a tear from his eye, “That I would walk with him every Sunday.”

The deer all lowered their heads. Silence then said, “I’m sure none of us will ever forget poor Caden.” Walter then saw, in the corner of the den, a fawn laying motionless. The deer all walked toward the fawn’s body, all weeping. As this was going on, the Creature pointed and Walter followed, not speaking another word.

They continued to walk, and Walter then asked, “Spirit, something tells me that our time of parting is close at hand. Tell me, who was that stag who was lying dead?” As they walked, they were soon near the old Ruins. The Creature stopped and pointed her bony hoof at one of the headstones, that was covered in moss. “Spirit, answer me one question. Are these the shadows of things that will be or the shadows of things that may be?”, Walter asked. At this time, the wind began to howl, and a storm started to rage around them. He feared looking at the headstone, but instead of uncovering the name on the stone, he asked, “Am I that stag who lies dead?”

At that moment, the moss was ripped off of the stone, and Walter saw the name written upon it.

Walter Scrooge

The storm continued to rage, and the ground opened up before the headstone. Walter began to fall in, catching the side of the ditch. “Spirit hear me, I am not the stag I was. Why show me this if I had lost all hope?”, Walter spoke quickly , “I will honor christmas in my heart all year. I will not shut out the lessons I learned from all three christmases.” As he said the words, he lost his grip, falling into the deep ditch, falling into darkness…

Walter sat up, looking around at his environment. It was the Forest, early morning. He stood, feeling his mask and antlers were still attached to his face. “It’s still here!”, he began to laugh. “I’m still here! I’m still here…I…don’t even know what day it is!”

Nearby, a fawn ran past. Walter smiled, “Hello there, my boy! What day is it?”, he called to the fawn, who stopped and looked at him. “Eh?”, the fawn tilted his head, “It’s Christmas Day!” Walter smiled, “They did it all in one night!”, he said to himself, then noticed the fawn start to walk away. “Oh, my boy! Did they sell the prize mushroom down by the Playground? Not the little one, the big one!”, Walter called. “It’s still there.”, the fawn replied. “Go and buy it!”, Walter told him. “You’re crazy!”, the fawn began to say, but Walter shook his head, “No really, go and bring the salesdeer with the prize mushroom here, and I’ll give you a pinecone! Bring him in five minutes, and I’ll give you two!”

The fawn, hearing this, ran off to find the salesdeer. Walter laughed, and stretching, he got ready for the day during the five minutes it took the fawn to return. When he did, he brought the stag with the giant mushroom. “That’s my boy! Here you go, two pinecones!”, Walter gave the fawn his tip and then paid the salesdeer, plus an extra tip.

He took the mushroom to his job, where he waited for Silence to come. When his business partner arrived, he said, “Thirteen minutes late. Hehe…”, then changed his appearance and looked grumpy once again. Silence entered and started to work, when Walter said to him, “What do you mean by coming here this time of day?” Silence looked to him, saying, “It’s only once a year, sir.”

“Well I won’t put up with it anymore. And therefore…and therefore…I’m going to raise your salary!”, Walter spoke. Silence sat there for a moment, staring at him, as Walter then burst out laughing. Silence smiled a little, unexpected to see Walter in a happy mood today. “I’m going to do everything I can for your family. And for today, we’ll take the day off. And if you don’t mind, I’d love to stop by for your feast.”, Walter said to him. “Oh! Oh yes sir!”, Silence exclaimed happily, and bowed to him. He ran off to go be with his family for Christmas. Walter smiled, he had turned a new leaf, and closing up the shop, he walked through the Forest, bowing to everyone he walked by. He even sang a Christmas carol!

And later, Walter came to visit Silence’s family, bringing the prize mushroom he bought. They had a wondrous celebration, and Walter provided much of the food for the feast. Walter became like a second father to Caden, who would live many happy years.

And as Caden would say, “Merry Christmas, everyone!”