Nikolaos The Man Of Dreams ...and The Legend Of Santa Claus. Armando Lazzari

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      Armando Lazzari

      Nicholas The Man Of Dreams

      ...and The Legend Of Santa Claus

      Translated by

      Fatima Immacolata Pretta

      May St. Nicholas guide the helm of my life in this stormy sea and with his wisdom illuminate the path that leads me to God...

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

      This novel is a work of pure fantasy. Any reference to names of persons, places, events, historical facts, whether they really existed or existed, are to be considered only literal expedients to make the narrative plausible.

      All literary rights to this work are the exclusive property of the author.

      Title | Nicholas: The Man of Dreams... and the Legend of Santa Claus

      Author | Armando Lazzari

      © (2020) All rights reserved to the Author (Armando Lazzari)

      No part of this book may be reproduced without the

      prior consent of the Author.

Dedicated to:

      To my sons Alexander and Nicole

      &

      To my wife Alessandra

      A special greeting to Johnny J., so similar to Santa Claus both in appearance and for his big heart... my friend, give me an opinion from up there, commenting with your smile and your accent from Bologna that I will never forget...:

Summary

       AUTHOR'S NOTES:

       Dedicated to:

       Summary

       Introduction

       Prologue

       Part I

       Chapter 1

       Chapter 2

       Chapter 3

       Chapter 4

       Part II

       Chapter 5

       Chapter 6

       Chapter 7

       Part III

       Chapter 8

       Chapter 9

       Chapter 10

       Chapter 11

       Chapter 12

       Chapter 13

       Part IV

       Chapter 14

       Chapter 15

       Chapter 16

       Chapter 17

       Chapter 18

       Chapter 19

       Part V

       Chapter 20

       Chapter 21

       Chapter 22

       Chapter 23

       Chapter 24

       Chapter 25

       Chapter 26

       Chapter 27

       Chapter 28

       Epilogue

       Acknowledgments:

       Illustrated by Danilo Pigliucci …Written by Armando Lazzari

      Roman Empire, Anno Domini 337

      Map Turkey

      Constantinople

      Commercial routes and Via Variago-Greece

Introduction

      In our imaginary universe, everyone knows who Santa Claus, or Sinterklaas, is. Few, however, know that before becoming the famous big belly dressed in red, which on the night of December 24th crosses the globe on a sleigh pulled by reindeer carrying gifts to children, in about 300 BC, he was the Bishop of the city of Myra (now Demre, in southern Turkey) and his name was Nicholas.

      Blessed by God, he was a man of imposing physique, strong, just, ready to help all those in need, both with his sharp wit and, if required by the situation, to the sound of slapping and thrashing.

      What I will tell you here, are the deeds and deeds that made him famous among the people of that time and that prepared him to become the character we know today.

      His most special gift? To make dreams come true...

Prologue

      In the village the noises had been gone for several hours and the silence of the night would not be interrupted for much longer at least until the roosters gave their consent the day to rise.

      But that was not one of the usual cold winter nights. It was decreed by a chilling howl that broke the quiet.

      Everywhere large and small suddenly arose with their eyes wide open and their hearts throbbing with terror. Then chaos!

      Those who had dared to look out from the dark, had seen their nightmares incarnate and walk the streets, sweeping and raging everywhere, taking possession of everything they encountered as they passed. The glow of the high moon in the sky left no doubt: those hideous monsters that raged through the streets were Krampus! Hairy and cuckolded demons, as invincible as they were cruel.

      Merciless and swift