Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Franz Kafka
First published 12/24/1998

Franz Kafka: Mr. Christmas himself

Perhaps you know of Dasher and Dancer and Comet and the others; they have been of some repute, and certainly they are noted in the records of certain officials and designated representatives who populate the vast hallways and locked dusty file-rooms of the offices of the North Pole. But do you recall, I wonder, the most famous reindeer of all?

R. awoke one morning to discover he'd been transformed into a red-nosed reindeer. He certainly had no recollection of ever having such a nose before, and yet there it was -- very shiny. In fact, one could even say it glowed, were one to see it. (But how? Even now, attached to R. himself it flies through an impenetrable mist, attempting to land on an infinitely-receding number of rooftops.)

R. turned over in bed and thought to himself it was a strange glow, even for a nose...

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