Comic Geek Speak presents, in recognition of the 80th anniversary of its publication,

the original story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, written for the Montgomery Ward Company

in 1939 by Robert L. May.

T'was the day before Christmas, and all through the hills, the reindeer were playing,

enjoying the spills of skating and coasting and climbing the willows,

and hopscotch and leapfrog, protected by pillows.

While every so often they'd stop to call names at one little deer not allowed in their games.

"'Ha! ha! Look at Rudolph! His nose is a sight! It's red as a beat! Twice as big, twice as bright!

While Rudolph just wept, what else could he do? He knew that the things they were saying were true.

Where most reindeer's noses are brownish and tiny, poor Rudolph's was red, very large,

and quite shiny.

In daylight it dazzled, the picture shows that.

At nighttime it glowed like the eyes of a cat.

And putting dirt on it just made it look muddy.

Oh boy, was he mad when they nicknamed him ruddy. Although he was lonesome, he always was good, obeying his parents as good reindeer

should. That's why, on this day, Rudolph felt almost playful. He hoped that from Santa,

soon driving his sleighful of presents and candy,

dollies and toys, for good little animals, good girls and boys, he'd get just as much,

and this is what pleased him, as the happier, handsomer reindeer who teased him.

As night and a fog hid the world like a hood, he went to bed hopeful. He knew he'd been

good. While way, way up north, on this same foggy night, old Santa was packing his sleigh for its flight.

"'This fog,' he complained, "'will be hard to get through. He shook his round head, and his

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