The scenes depicted in "The Story of the Toy Thief" aren't just used because they are magical, they are indeed part of the Toy Thief's territory, the land that is his home.  This land was part of our property and I visited these beautiful woods almost daily. In winter I loved cross country skiing through these snowy woods and in the other seasons I would walk the trails. Porcupines, deer, squirrels, fox, owls and many birds all called these woods home in addition to the Toy Thief.