“Hey,” he said, casually strumming a few upbeat chords. “I say it’s their loss! Who needs a big party anyway?”
“Kristoff?” said Anna, surprised to see him in the strange costume. She wondered what he was up to.
“I’ve got just the thing to cheer you up: my favorite traditional troll tradition.” He leaned into Anna. “Care to join in?”
“Uh, yeah!” said Anna. She was excited at the prospect of sharing in a holiday tradition.
“Okay, it starts with a gathering song,” said Kristoff. “‘The Ballad of Flemmingrad.’” He struck a few chords dramatically.
Olaf squealed. “I LOVE BALLADS!” He bounced up and down, clapping his hands.
Kristoff continued to play, and he danced around the courtyard as he sang. Sven trotted to the beat of the music, pulling a small wooden wagon behind him, on which something sat mysteriously covered by a dark cloak.
The sisters enjoyed the music, and Olaf joined in. He used a twig arm as a flute to accompany Kristoff’s jolly tune.
“Tempo!” shouted Olaf, trying to keep the beat moving.
Kristoff carried on his serenade. The sisters were charmed by the sweet tune at first, but then the song started to get a little weird when the lyrics mentioned stuffing grass up a troll’s nose. Sven held a clump of grass in his teeth and dropped it into Elsa’s hands. He was asking her to participate.
Then Sven grabbed the cloak on the wagon with his teeth and yanked it off with a flourish—to reveal a sculpture of Flemmy the fungus troll. It was an absolutely disgusting-looking creation made of mud, fungus, rocks, and grass. Branches with dead brown leaves dangling from them stuck out on either side of the troll. Olaf gasped with glee and put his hands over his mouth.
Anna and Elsa were stunned. They had heard the legend of Flemmy, the hero troll who had saved all trollkind, but they had no idea what he would look like in statue form!
“Whoa, gross,” said Anna.
As Kristoff finished singing, one of Flemmy’s stone eyes fell off. Olaf quickly picked it up and stuffed it back on his mushy mud face.
At the end of the song, Kristoff smiled. “Now you lick his forehead and make a wish.” He bent and gave the troll sculpture a big lick. When he turned to Anna and Elsa, he had mud and moss all over his mouth and chin. “Who’s next?” he asked, grinning widely.
The sisters were horrified. Anna stuck an elbow out and nudged Elsa’s arm.
“Elsa!” she said. “You’re up.”
“Come on,” urged Kristoff. “Tastes like lichen.”
Elsa gagged at the thought of putting her mouth on the sticky mound of mud and moss.
Olaf leaned over to Anna and whispered, “You’re a princess; you don’t have to settle.”
Anna and Elsa watched Flemmy drip and ooze onto the courtyard. They tried to figure out a way to respond without hurting Kristoff’s feelings. His tradition was special, but it was his—not theirs.
“Okay, not so much a royal activity,” Kristoff said, letting them off the hook. Sven gave Kristoff’s face a big lick, cleaning off the mud and grass. “I get it. But wait until you taste my traditional Flemmy Stew!” He plucked a mushroom off Flemmy and threw it into an oversized pot. Sven jumped into the air and excitedly spun in a circle. “It may smell like wet fur, but it’s a real crowd-pleaser!”
Sven danced on his hooves, nudging the pot with his nose. The stew was his favorite part of the holidays! Kristoff and Sven, pulling Flemmy on the wagon, trudged out of the courtyard to start cooking.
“Oh, thanks—we’re good!” Anna called after him, not at all interested in the stew tradition, either.
“Big breakfast,” Elsa added, patting her stomach as if she were far too full to eat even a tiny bite.
Excited all over again, Olaf took Anna’s and Elsa’s hands and pulled them out of the courtyard.
“Oooohh, I can’t wait!” he said as they entered the castle.
Elsa looked at the little snowman, confused by his enthusiasm. “For what, Olaf?”
“For your family tradition!” said Olaf. “What is it? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!” He bounced up and down.
Anna and Elsa looked at each other, both at a loss. They wished they had something to share with him, but they couldn’t think of anything their family had done every year.
“Do we have any traditions, Elsa?” Anna asked. “Do you remember?” She gazed at her big sister with eyes full of hope. She thought maybe there was something. Maybe her poor memory was just blocking it out.
“Well, I remember…” Elsa’s voice trailed off as she looked up at the old family portrait hanging on the wall. Her father stood beside her, and their mother sat holding baby Anna on her lap. Elsa stared at the image of the young family as she tried to recall what the holidays were like for them back then.
She went to the window and tried to find the memories of holidays past playing out in the courtyard below. Then she could see her younger self, along with Anna and their parents, waving to the crowd that had gathered there, just like they had earlier that day. She saw the Yule Bell as it was brought in, and could picture it being raised up into the tower. Then she, her parents, and Anna had pulled the rope to ring in the holiday. The family smiled joyously as the bell rang out across the kingdom.
Elsa remembered hearing the sound of the bell and how it had made her feel. It was wonderful to be surrounded by such warm holiday joy and cheer. She recalled feeling happy and proud as she and her family celebrated the start of the season.
A small wrinkle formed above Anna’s eyes as she frowned, confused. “But the Yule Bell was for the whole kingdom,” she said. “What about us?”
“After the gates were closed, we were never together,” said Elsa, still staring out the window, her eyes full of sorrow. Her gaze fell to the floor as she sighed and turned away. Deep down, Elsa knew she shouldn’t blame herself for the way the magical powers she was born with had interfered with their childhood, but she often did. She couldn’t help thinking her family would have had some lovely annual family tradition, like everyone else in the kingdom, if it hadn’t been for her.
“Elsa?” Anna said, watching her sister walk across the floor.
“I’m sorry, Anna,” Elsa said. “It’s my fault we don’t have a tradition.” She hurried out of the ballroom.
“Wait, Elsa!” said Anna, rushing after her. But by the time she got to the doorway, Elsa was gone.
Olaf watched as Anna paused at the closed door separating her from her sister and put her hands against it. It was a familiar scene from their childhood, and Anna felt just as terrible as she had all those years before. She slumped her shoulders and walked out of the room, feeling empty and alone.
Olaf lowered his head. He hated seeing Elsa and Anna unhappy, and wished he could do something to help. He would give anything to fix it, if he only knew how. The sisters had worked so hard for so long to give everyone a holiday surprise. He couldn’t bear to think of them being alone and sad.
Suddenly, a smile flashed across his face. Armed with an idea, he dashed from the room.
Olaf rushed out of the castle and made his way to the stables. Sven was relaxing inside, slowly munching on some fresh hay.
“Sven!” hissed Olaf. “Anna and Elsa don’t have a family tradition.”
The reindeer groaned and hung his head.
“I know it’s sad,” Olaf said. “But I have a solution!”
Sven perked up. He lifted his head and waited to hear Olaf’s idea.
“We’ll go and find the best traditions Anna and Elsa have ever seen. We’ll bring items back to the castle so they can decide what they’d like to do themselves! Are you with me?” Olaf held out a twig arm, and Sven grunted as he gave him a high five—knocking the arm clear off Olaf’s body and sending it into the courtyard.
“Ow!” Olaf winced in pain but continued to smile.
The friends acted swiftly. First, they prepared Kristoff’s sleigh. Then they got Sven ready and hitched him up to
it. In no time at all, Olaf was sitting in the driver’s seat, holding the reins, as Sven pulled the sleigh out of the stables and into the courtyard.
“Let’s go find their tradition!” Olaf cheered. With the wind rushing past, Olaf felt exhilarated and full of hope as they raced across the courtyard and through the castle gates.
They went into town and stopped in front of the first home they saw. Olaf went up to the door. He knocked and knocked until he heard a woman call in a singsong voice, “Coming!”
Finally, Frigga, a short woman with a kind face, came with her son, Ben. Olaf stood there grinning.
“Good afternoon!” he said. “I am Olaf—”
“Hey, Olaf!” said Ben, enthusiastically shaking Olaf’s twig arm.
“Please let me finish,” said Olaf firmly. Then he returned to his friendly voice. “—and I like warm hugs.” Olaf turned to gesture to Sven, still hitched to Kristoff’s sleigh. “This is my associate, Sven.” The reindeer lifted his head and grunted as if to say hello. Frigga and Ben smiled at them.
“We’re going door-to-door looking for family traditions,” continued Olaf. “Tell us yours and we’ll decide if it’s special enough to take back to the castle.”
“Oh, we make candy canes together!” Frigga said brightly. She handed Olaf a thick, shiny, red-and-white-striped piece of candy.
“Ohhhhh!” said Olaf, grabbing the sweet treat. He removed his carrot nose and pushed the candy cane in its place. His head instantly popped up off his body and his eyes rolled around in his head. “Sugar rush!” He giggled.
Ben plucked the candy cane from Olaf’s face and stuck it into the snowman’s mouth. “You’re supposed to eat it,” he explained.
“Eat my new nose?” exclaimed Olaf. “Why would I do that?”
“Because it’s that time of year!” said Ben, spinning around joyfully.
“Huh,” said Olaf, popping his carrot nose back on. “It’s that time of year!” he repeated. Olaf’s smile widened as he realized just how special the holidays were. It felt great to be part of something that came once a year and meant so much to so many people. Feeling he could practically float with joy, Olaf thanked Ben and his mom for the candy cane and continued on his quest, heading to the next house and the next.
Olaf had a great time meeting everyone and hearing about all the different things they did for the holidays. He used a piece of parchment and a feather pen to catalog the great variety of family traditions that were taking place across the kingdom. All the families were more than happy to talk with him. They were proud of their customs, and honored to give a sample to the queen and princess. Olaf piled the items in the sleigh to take back to Anna and Elsa.
One family liked to hang boughs of holly over all the doorways in their home. Olaf smiled as he watched their little dog trot up holding some of the long garland, helping them decorate.
Another tradition was baking a giant cookie in the shape of Arendelle. The family worked together to pull the enormous cookie out of the wood-burning oven and show it to Olaf. It smelled and looked delicious. The kids wore colorful paper hats and eyed the cookie hungrily. Olaf loved how warm, cozy, and happy it was in their little home.
On one street, Olaf found a group of neighbors singing holiday songs at every house. The singers wore matching shiny purple costumes, and they sang dramatically for anyone who would listen. The group had even coordinated some dance moves. Olaf danced with them!
One family demonstrated how they hung stockings over an open fire. Olaf watched the fabric sway above the crackling flames.
“That seems safe,” said Olaf, smiling awkwardly.
He thanked each family for sharing their special traditions. He was taking notes diligently. He couldn’t wait to show everything to Elsa and Anna!
“We better get a move on if we’re going to hit every house in the kingdom!” said Olaf. Sven nodded and took off toward the next street.
They continued on from house to house, finding new and different traditions and putting more and more items into their sleigh. It was filling up quickly!
One family celebrated Hanukkah with a spinning top called a dreidel. The children huddled around, taking turns playing with it. They also had a special candle lamp called a menorah that they would light for eight nights in a row.
Another group danced in the snow wearing evergreen garland necklaces and chandeliers of lit candles on their heads. Olaf thought it was all so cheerful and festive. He couldn’t possibly choose a favorite!
Another family’s tradition was making fruitcake for their friends. They gave one of the cakes to Olaf and he gobbled down the entire thing in one gulp. It fell out of him and landed with a thud.
“That went right through me,” he said, laughing. He picked the fruitcake up and tossed it into the sleigh.
At yet another house, the family explained that they’d bought presents for each other and hidden them. A little girl showed Olaf the mountain of gifts she’d put under her bed. There were so many that they lifted her bed off the floor! Her “secret” hiding place was not very secret at all.
One family explained how every year they would wait for a chubby man to slide down their chimney and bring them presents.
Olaf jotted this down. “Breaking and entering: okay on Christmas,” Olaf noted cheerfully.
Everyone Olaf encountered was so happy and jolly, he couldn’t help feeling the spirit of the holiday. Some townspeople played instruments and danced in the snow. Unable to pass them by, Olaf stopped to dance with them. A woman swung him around and around until he flew right off his twig arms! He landed in a windmill and spun around until he was flung back to the snowy ground. The woman hurried over, stuck his arms back on his body, and gave him a clarinet. He attempted to play it as everyone enjoyed the big dance party.
As Olaf knocked on more doors, he couldn’t believe the number of new and interesting traditions there were. One family’s tradition was knitting scarves, sweaters, and mittens. Just next door, their neighbor knitted pajamas for her kittens every year. Kittens purred and peered around every inch of her house, wearing matching pajamas!
Soon a heaping mound of items representing all the traditions was piled high in Kristoff’s sleigh. There was everything from mistletoe, garland, and sprigs of holly to candles, musical instruments, and figurines. The sleigh was packed! Olaf had collected something from each and every house—except one.
“One more house, Sven!” exclaimed Olaf, clambering onto the seat. “Something tells me this will be the best tradition yet.”
He held the reins tight, and Sven led the way out of town, up toward the mountains.
The door opened. Oaken, the owner of Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna, stood tall, filling the doorframe. He looked down at the little snowman and smiled, immediately recognizing him.
“Hoo, hoo!” said Oaken in a friendly voice.
“Helloooo!” said Olaf, mimicking Oaken’s singsong tone. “And what does your family do this time of year?”
“Ooohh!” said Oaken excitedly, pressing his index fingers together. He couldn’t wait to show Olaf his family’s holiday tradition.
Moments later, Olaf and Oaken joined the entire Oaken family, cousins and all, inside a huge sauna. They were playing music, chatting, eating, and drinking—as if they were in someone’s living room. Only instead of wearing fancy holiday dresses and suits or pajamas, they were all wearing bathing suits and towels!
The sauna was decorated with all the festive touches of a holiday party—there were even piles of wrapped gifts under several Christmas trees! Olaf was thrilled to be there, not only because he was enjoying the celebration, but also because it was his first time in a sauna. He had always wondered what it was like, and just as he had expected, it was toasty.
Oaken sat beside Olaf wearing nothing but a tiny towel.
“Enjoying the Christmas sweats, inquisitive magic snowman?” he asked.
Olaf, who was wearing his own little towel, was happy as can be.
As he began to melt from the intense heat, he replied, “Oh, yeah. Nothing like taking your coals off once in a while, you know what I mean? My troubles are just melting away.”
Oaken nodded. He calmly pushed a wooden bucket under Olaf, catching the liquid snowman as he melted right off the bench. Then Oaken opened the door.
“In retrospect,” he said, “the holiday sweats are for those not made of snow.” He tossed out the melted Olaf, and as the carrot, twigs, and water hit the chilly air, they instantly froze together. Olaf reformed, now a solid piece of misshapen ice.
Sven tapped the translucent ice with his hoof, shattering it. Suddenly, Olaf was back to normal! He shook, and dozens of tiny ice chips flew off his body.
“Ohhhh, I feel so refreshed!” he exclaimed. He looked at his reflection in a big, shiny tuba sitting on top of the sleigh. “Am I glowing?”
THUMP! Oaken loaded a small sauna onto the very top of the sleigh. “Here’s a sauna for your friends,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. Wandering Oaken!” said Olaf gratefully. “Oh, one last thing. Would it be possible to get one of those awkwardly revealing yet tastefully traditional towels your family is so fond of wearing?”
“Take mine! Yah?” said Oaken, whipping off his towel and flinging it at Olaf’s head.
“Ooohh, still warm!” said Olaf, enjoying the feel of the steamy towel on his face.
Olaf tied the towel around his middle and hopped onto the sleigh. It looked fantastic, fully loaded with holiday traditions. He grinned at Sven, knowing they had succeeded in their quest. They were ready to head back to the castle and share their finds with Anna and Elsa. He couldn’t wait to see which tradition they chose!
Olaf climbed back into the driver’s seat and grabbed the reins. A squirrel scurried across a snow-covered tree branch and watched Olaf and Sven start off down the mountain. The traditions were piled so high, the sleigh teetered back and forth. The sauna, perched at the very top, swayed precariously. Olaf ignored it and began to sing.
The squirrel’s bushy tail twitched as it watched Olaf. Feeling on top of the world, Olaf playfully ripped the towel from around his waist and swung it around, causing the sauna door to open. A single hot coal tumbled out.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure Junior Novel Page 3
