From Judy – Christmas Eve Tale of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

This story comes from my friend, Geoffrey Keyte, Director of Healing International at http://healinginternational.ning.com

The Story Behind the Story of Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph…

from www.guy-sports.com

 

 

 

 

 

A man named Bob May, depressed and broken hearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.  His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing.

Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.

Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears.

Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob. Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember.

From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little  girl.

But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped  them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced  to live in a two-room apartment in he Chicago slums. Evelyn died  just days before Christmas in 1938. Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined a make one - a storybook!

Bob had created a character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling.

Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print,_ Rudolph the  Red-Nosed Reindeer_ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.

By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an  updated version of the book. In an unprecedented gesture of  kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from  the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story  doesn't end there either. 

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to  Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists  as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing  cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released  in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling mo re records than  any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May
learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  Merry Christmas from our house to yours… www.angelsandancestors.com   See our Angel photo gallery http://www.angelsandancestors.com/galleryAngel.html