Paste your document here...
Santa regarded the tall blond with some suspicion. True the male (at least it was probably male) had the correctly pointed ears, but it was way too tall and it didn't have any of the regulation clothing. Elves were supposed to have red or green pointy hats, with bells on! When Santa had suggested this to the creature it seemed indignant and asked if he looked like a hobbit.
"What's a hobbit?" asked Santa who was getting more puzzled by the second.
"A Halfling, a Periannath, one of the shire folk!" exclaimed Legolas, for it was he. He had no idea how he had got here, but it probably had something to do with being young, royal and incredibly good looking, which is often the case with fictional characters who drop into other worlds.
"Still not quite with you there" Santa admitted. "Still, no time to hang about! There's work to be done. How are you on toy making?
"Excuse me?"
"Making toys for girls and boys" (Santa was a natural if rather pedantic poet).
"Gandalf is that you? Are you playing some sort of a prank, because if so I have to say I am not amused!"
"Perhaps feeding the reindeer then" mused Santa, ignoring the question.."or mucking them out, got your own shovel have you?"
"Sir! I am a prince of the Woodland realm, I do not 'muck out' domestic animals although my father rides one from time to time. However his does not have a red nose unlike the creature I see over there which I assume is called a reindeer. My father sometimes has a red nose after too much sherry but that's entirely different."
"Him and me both then" said Santa sympathetically. Every Christmas it's the same thing - mince pies, sherry, a carrot for Rudolph. I tend to get a bit forgetful after the first few thousand glasses which might explain why not everyone gets what they asked for."
Rudolph made a low barking noise which seemed to signify his agreement, and at the same time, pointing out that he wouldn't mind the odd sherry and Santa was welcome to a few carrots for a change.
"So why am I/you here?" they asked at the same moment.
"beats me!" Santa said with a shrug, "have you been bad or good this year?"
"Good as always!" Legolas answered indignantly.
"Hmm, let me just check my list, I do that twice you know, I'm very thorough."
Santa leafed through a notebook which had a rather fetching holly pattern on the cover.
"Legolas, you say?" Can't seem to find you at all – how old are you?"
Legolas told him adding that it was young-ish for an elf
"None of mine are anything like as old as that!" Santa exclaimed.
As they were both standing there wondering what to do next Gandalf appeared in a flash of blue light.
The two bearded old guys looked each other up and down.
"What are you wearing?" Gandalf asked incredulously.
"Don't make personal remarks and you can talk!" Santa shot back.
It was then that Santa noticed the diminutive figure by Gandalf's side, who was wearing a red pointy hat with a bell on it..
"Eric!" exclaimed Santa, Where did you get to? I've been looking all over for you."
"Sorry boss," muttered Eric sheepishly. "I never should have rubbed that old lamp I found in the reindeer pen. I ended up in a different place but Mr Gandalf here was kind enough to bring me back."
"It would seem, that we both ended up with someone we didn't expect." Gandalf explained. "By your leave I'll take this young elf back to his father."
"Probably for the best" admitted Santa. "he's a very good looking young man but I can see it could cause no end of trouble having him here. All the girls would want one!"
