A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card Read Free Book Online Page B

families and their traditions and their faith and their nation—the very stuff they don’t allow us to have here.”
    â€œMaybe we fight so we can get back home and find all that stuff still there, waiting for us,” said Wiggin.
    â€œMaybe none of us are fighting at all,” said Flip. “It’s not like anything we do here is real.”
    â€œI’ll tell you what’s real,” said Dink. “I was Sinterklaas’s helper last night.” Then he grinned.
    â€œSo you’re finally admitting you’re an elf,” said the American kid, grinning back.
    â€œHow many Dutch kids are there in Battle School?” said Dink. “Sinterklaas is definitely a minority cultural icon, right? Nothing like Santa Claus, right?”
    Rosen kicked Dink lightly on the shin. “What do you think you’re doing, Dink?”
    â€œSanta Claus isn’t a religious figure, either. Nobody prays to Santa Claus. It’s an American thing.”
    â€œCanadian too,” said another kid.
    â€œAnglophone Canadian,” said another. “Papa Noël for some of us.”
    â€œFather Christmas,” said a Brit.
    â€œSee? Not Christian, national, ” said Dink. “It’s one thing to stifle religious expression. But to try to erase nationality—the whole fleet is thick with national loyalties. They don’t make Dutch admirals pretend not to be Dutch. They wouldn’t stand for it.”
    â€œThere aren’t any Dutch admirals,” said the Brit.
    It wasn’t that Dink let idiotic comments like this make him angry. He didn’t want to hit anybody. He didn’t want to raise his voice. But still, there was this deep defiance that could not be ignored. He had to do something that other people wouldn’t like. Even though he knew it would cause trouble and accomplish nothing at all, he was going to do it, and it was going to start right now.
    â€œThey were able to stifle our Dutch holiday because there are so few of us,” said Dink. “But it’s time for us to insist on expressing our national cultures like any other soldiers in the International Fleet. Christmas is a holy day for Christians, but Santa Claus is a secular figure. Nobody prays to Saint Nicholas.”
    â€œLittle kids do,” said the American, but he was laughing.
    â€œSanta Claus, Father Christmas, Papa Noël, Sinterklaas, they may have begun with a Christian feast day, but they’re national now, and people with no religion at all still celebrate the holiday. It’s the day of gift-giving, right? December twenty-fifth, whether you’re a believing Christian or not. They can keep us from being religious, but they can’t stop us from giving gifts on Santa Claus day.”
    Some of them were laughing. Some were thinking.
    â€œYou’re going to get in such deep doodoo,” said one.
    â€œÃ‰,” said Dink. “But then, that’s where I live all the time anyway.”
    â€œDon’t even try it.”
    Dink looked up to see who had spoken so angrily.
    Zeck.
    â€œI think we already know where you stand,” said Dink.
    â€œIn the name of Christ I forbid you to bring Satan into this place.”
    All the smiles disappeared. Everyone fell silent.
    â€œYou know, don’t you, Zeck,” said Dink, “that you just guaranteed that I’ll have support for my little Santa Claus movement.”
    Zeck seemed genuinely frightened. But not of Dink. “Don’t bring this curse down on your own heads.”
    â€œI don’t believe in curses, I only believe in blessings,” said Dink. “And I sure as hell don’t believe I’ll be cursed because I give presents to people in the name of Santa Claus.”
    Zeck glanced around and seemed to be trying to calm himself. “Religious observances are forbidden for everybody.”
    â€œAnd yet you observe your religion all the time,” said Dink.