The devil brandished a black cloth sack. If he’s been naughty, he growled, he’ll be on the way to hell in my bag. His voice took a sudden hurdle at hell and overturned like a cart cracking at bag. The angel laughed and covered her smile after. He had black powder on his face, a hat with paper horns. Aleks wouldn’t look at him.

The devil tried again. Can you sing us a song?

Yes, I can sing a song.

His face lifted and he began, his voice thin and falling like his face till at the end only with his eyes did he glance at the angel, who smiled and kept smiling because now Aleks’s face was hidden behind his brim, and no one could be sure if he’d finished or not.

Trn looked under the hat. Are you done?

The hat nodded.

Very good, said the angel. She handed her white staff to the devil and put a hand into her basket.

Alena nudged the boy’s shoulder. It’s over now. You can look up.

The angel held out her fist and Aleks put his open hand beneath it. She placed a candy there in a bright red wrapping and before Aleks could say thank you they were gone on to another family.

God I wish he weren’t so timid.

That was better than last year wasn’t it, Daddy?

That was so good, Aleks, there’s no comparison. Your practice worked well. He whispered, He’s still a little boy. He’s gentle. That’s his nature.

May I have it now?

Aleks looked at Trn and Trn said, Ask your mother if it will spoil your dinner.

I suppose not. She smiled at him, looked at Trn. No, he’s timid. He’s entirely too timid.

He’ll grow.

When?

He’s growing all the time.

Aleks drifted toward another stall, trains and tops and a tin auto on cut tin wheels flanked by wooden tanks with turrets all painted green.

Trn said, At least he’s not looking at the dolls, but Alena could not smile.

Has Baby Jesus already decided what I’m getting? Aleks asked.

A man fisting a stein bumped into the corner of the stall and shook the toys on the plank shelf and reeled toward Trn. The beer sloshed on the stones and the man reeled on, grumbling or chanting.

That was a near miss, Aleks said.

Trn raised his eyebrows.

So has he? Has Baby Jesus decided?

Yes, said Alena, he decided long ago.

Why? Trn said.

That’s a pretty car, don’t you think? The blue one. He reached with two fingers, rolled it a short way along the plank. Do you think it’s a Mercedes?