“Oh, if I could only go back home to the snow and do my work there!” he wished, and then, in a little while he fell sound asleep.

The Fairy of Happy Dreams was very busy that Christmas Day, and when she flew over Prince Jan and saw he was so lonesome and homesick, she touched him with her magic wand and fluttered away, smiling.

And Prince Jan dreamed he was at the door of the Hospice.  The little wooden keg hung from his collar.  Rollo, with another collar and keg, romped beside him, pulling playfully at Jan’s hairy neck, while Brother Antoine and other monks stood on the upper step, smiling and saying, “He is just like his father, and Rex was descended from Barry!  Prince Jan is of royal blood.  He will be a credit to his ancestors!”

In the dream, Jan bounded away through the crisp, biting air, his big paws sinking in the cold, fluffy snow.  Oh, how good it felt!

“My time has come!  My time has come!” he shouted as he leaped with joy.

“Jan!  Jan!  Remember your father!” his mother and Bruno called after him.

“I will,” he answered.  Then he and Rollo raced down the slippery path, their voices, like deep-sounding bells, giving forth the cry of the St. Bernards.  They trod over ice-bridges, ploughed through deep drifts, sliding and floundering, following the trail of their forefathers, and sniffing as they ran.

Suddenly Jan stopped and thrust his nose into a deep drift.  Then he and Rollo dug furiously, until Jan cried, “Run, Rollo, run to the Hospice!”

Rollo whirled and disappeared, while Jan’s rough tongue licked the snow until he saw the round, soft face of a child, and beneath that child lay its mother.  Both were very quiet.  Jan licked their faces, he pushed them with his nose to rouse them, then he crowded his warm body closely against them, and his eyes watched the trail.  Soon he gave a wild yelp, for he saw Rollo coming and back of him hurried Brother Antoine and one of the men of the Hospice who helped on the trail.

The men lifted the woman and child, and wrapped them in warm shawls, then they unfastened the keg from Jan’s collar, and as the woman opened her eyes they made her drink the liquid.  Some of it was given to the child.  Brother Antoine carried the little one in his arms while the other man held the woman, and Jan and Rollo trotted ahead of them to beat down the snow and make the path easier to travel.  Bruno and the other dogs in the kennel yard sent back answering calls to Jan and Rollo.  The door opened and kindly hands received the woman and child, and carried them to shelter and warmth.

Brother Antoine stooped and patted Jan’s head, and brushed off snow that still clung to the long hair on the dog’s back, saying very softly, “The Blessed Mother guided you, Jan; for you have saved a mother and child on Christmas Day!”

Then he heard laughter and voices saying, “Jan is dreaming again!  Wake up, Jan!”