It was the day before Christmas and Friedel was working on a Wonder-Beautiful horse which held one foreleg lifted and threw back his head proudly. One would not be surprised to hear him neigh the next moment. With three feet he stood upon a smooth board on which were wheels so that he could run. He had no saddle but there was a bridle, a narrow strip of brown leather. As the sun went down Friedel’s work was finished and his eyes shone with joy. “Now will I ride out, old Miez,” he said; “will you come with me?” “No,” said the cat, “it is too cold outside for me and this evening it will snow; then I couldn’t find my way back home again when you fall off your steed.” “Do you really think I shall fall off?” “Of course,” muttered the cat; “you have no claws: with what will you hold fast?” Then the mother came home from work and said, “Lay your knife away, Friedel. Holy Evening is here, when one must not whittle and carve or the great Mountain Chopper will come and carry you off.” “No, mother, when it grows dark two little angels will very softly open heaven’s door, which is there where the sun is gone down, and the Christ-child will ride down to earth on a silver white horse and visit the good children.” “Yes,” said the woman, and turned away to light some pine chips; then she opened the cupboard and placed bread and butter upon the table. Friedel said very thoughtfully, “Why doesn’t he come to us? We have always been good!” But the mother sunk her eyes and whispered, “Because we are too poor. The Christ-child comes only to people who have money and we have none.” “But that’s a shame,” said the little fellow. And when his mother heard that she began to cry bitterly. Friedel ran to her, put his head in her lap and said, “I have a big horse called Huppdiwupp which I will sell. I shall get much money for him, and then the Christ-child will come.” When he had said this he took his horse and went out of the room; his mother, crying softly, did not watch after him; and then, because she was so very tired, she closed her eyes and sank into a deep sleep. The little boy opened the door very gently, put his horse outside, got upon it and cried, “Hü!” But the horse didn’t understand: he was still too young; and besides he had a hard head and would not run. “If I only had a whip!” said Friedel; and because he had none he dismounted and dragged his steed by the bridle behind him.