
LITTLE TALES OF THE DESERT - By - ETHEL TWYCROSS FOSTER, L. L. B.
CHRISTMAS ON THE DESERT
TRADE RATS
A CHAT WITH MRS. COTTONTAIL
RABBITS AND CACTUS BURRS
THE DANGEROUS PET
A VISIT TO PALM SPRINGS
THE ROAD-RUNNER
A STRANGE CAPTURE
A DESERT MAY PARTY
On a wind‑swept Arizona mining camp, six‑year‑old Mary watches the desert stretch into endless sky, wondering how a holiday so tied to snow and city lights could ever find its way out here. When the night before Christmas shines brighter than any lantern, a curious procession appears: twelve tiny burros, a flower‑adorned carriage, and a Santa dressed in a crisp khaki suit and wide sombrero, his familiar smile unchanged by the barren landscape. He plants gifts among the spines of a Joshua tree, offering the children a blend of familiar toys and desert‑inspired treats that sparkle under crimson blossoms.
The story captures the wonder of imagination bridging two very different worlds—city glamour and rugged frontier—while celebrating the idea that kindness knows no climate. Warm, gently humorous, and illustrated with charming artwork, the tale invites listeners to picture a Christmas that glitters with cactus candy and the soft clatter of burros, reminding us that magic can arrive on any horizon.
Language
en
Duration
~36 minutes (35K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2009-12-15
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best known for a small, vivid children’s book set in the Arizona desert, this early-20th-century writer captured the landscape through the eyes of a curious young girl. Her work mixes warmth, nature, and a sense of adventure in a way that still feels inviting.
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