A/N: On the fourth day of Christmas, we learn that Helen takes much more after her father in some respects...no zebras were harmed in the writing of this chapter!

It's the fourth day of Christmas, and what did Barnum see, but four painted zebras...

December 17, 1851

P.T. stared in surprise at the scene before him. All four circus zebras stood in the ring Gone were their black-and-white-striped flanks, however. Two of the zebras had been painted a light green and dusted with silvery glitter. Another zebra was light pink and covered in gold. And the final zebra - here P.T. had to rub his eyes to be sure he wasn't seeing things - was standing patiently as his daughter colored his fur, mane, and tail the same pink as the third zebra. He cleared his throat.

"Helen, sweetheart?" Helen looked up from her handiwork and waved enthusiastically at her father.

"Hi, Daddy! Look, I painted the zebras!" P.T.'s lips twitched.

"So I see," he said mildly. It was rather hard to miss, after all. "May I ask why?"

"For Christmas, of course! I heard you were sad Phillip wouldn't let you bring any reindeer. But now the zebras are Christmas-themed!" his daughter exclaimed. P.T. blinked. When Charity had told him to watch what he said when the girls were around, this probably wasn't what she had in mind. "Do you like it?"

It was an interesting question.

"If it's supposed to be Christmas colors, why did you paint two of them pink instead of red?" he asked instead.

"Because red would look like blood," she promptly replied, in a tone that implied she thought her father a little slow. "Plus, pink is just more fun than red."

"Okay…" P.T. wasn't sure what to say next. "And the glitter?" Helen was now liberally shaking gold glitter over the partially pink zebra before the paint could dry.

"Everything in your show is glittery, Daddy. The zebras wouldn't match otherwise!"

"Err, right. And the zebras were okay with you doing this?" Helen had always had a bond with even the most uncooperative of his animals, but this was taking it to a new level. As though to prove his point, the zebra Helen was painting gave an angry warning snort as he tried to step closer.

"Aww, they don't mind! Do you, Stripey?" she stroked the zebra's mane, and he could've sworn it actually purred somehow.

"Well," he said finally, "they look gorgeous, Helen." They actually looked quite festive, and it was all done with now. He knew he had said the right thing when she absolutely beamed with pride.

"Thanks, Daddy! You won't tell Mama yet, though, will you? I want it to be surprise!" she said anxiously.

"Oh, Helen, I can say with absolute certainty that she will be very surprised." At that moment, Anne and W.D. walked in, presumably to begin their trapeze rehearsal, though that would be a tad difficult at the moment.

"Hi, Anne! Hi, W.D.! Do you like what I've done with the zebras?" Helen waved so enthusiastically that the glitter fell in a shower over the zebra, who sneezed. Anne and W.D. were both struggling to keep a straight face.

"They're lovely, Helen," Anne replied. She turned to P.T. "Does Charity know about this?" she muffled a snicker with her hand. P.T. groaned internally.

"Not yet."

"Well then," W.D. began, "Can we please be in the room when you tell her?" At that, the siblings lost their battle for stoicism and dissolved into laughter. P.T. groaned aloud this time.

...three new daring acts,

two dancing daughters,

and a beautiful Christmas tree!

Question of the Day: This isn't really Christmas-themed, but if you have a pet (like a dog or a cat) do you try to dress them up?