Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – A different way of looking at him
You’ve hummed the lyrics countless times since you were a kid; probably more times than Lady Gaga has hairs on her head.
And even If you haven’t memorized the words, you certainly know the story: Santa very publicly anoints Rudolph as leader by declaring “….Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” [*]
What is left unsaid is the real reason why he was chosen?
Was Santa so shallow that he selected Rudolph just because he had a bright shiny nose?
Very doubtful.
You can get a battery operated flashlight nose anywhere. After all, you are Santa. And your elves are the consummate toymakers.
No, he had a better reason, a serious one, and the song gives it up:
“All of the other reindeer
used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games.”
Wait a minute. Think about that.
Santa is a very perceptive, intuitive, even sensitive man. He has to be to deliver the right gift to every kid all over the world on exactly the same night, Christmas Eve.
There is no room for untimely do-overs, or an excuse like my sleigh has a broken runner and we need to find a welder to repair it.
So Santa put his interpersonal skills and talents to work and chose Rudolph precisely because he observed first-hand that he withstood the abuse from his peers.
And, Rudy cowboyed up and showed his best stuff despite that.
So, if we remove the bullying from the story, there isn’t one.
There would be no:
“Then all the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer,
You’ll go down in history!”
And generations of children would never have been inspired to be a Rudolph, recognized by a Santa.
[* A big desktodirt THANK YOU for the image and lyrics goes, respectively, to
http://rywar480014806.deviantart.com/art/Rudolph-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-343536761
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