The Pearl Story Book Part 16

"Explain yourself!" said the King. "How can a beast with horns be a token of love?"

The youth drew himself up to his full height.

"It is not a beast," said he. "It is the branch of a holly-tree. On this day of the year, which in my country we call Christmas Day, our people decorate their houses with branches of this holly or holy tree as a token of love and peace and good-will. This is the message that I have brought to you--a message that we in our country know very well, but which you have never heard before."

The King and the Warriors, the Wise Men, the Queen and Princesses all listened to his words in silence.

When he had ended there was a long pause.

"And in what particular way does your message affect us?" said the King at last.

"Thus, your Majesty," answered the youth, approaching the Youngest Princess and taking both her hands in his, "on this day I, Prince Moldo, would have peace and good-will between my kingdom and your kingdom; and I would seal it for ever by taking the Youngest Princess home with me as my bride. You, O King, recognized me not, for I have much changed since I lived here with her for playfellow, but in all my wanderings I found a Pearl of no greater price than this, and I would proclaim to all the world that the Secret of Happiness is Love."

So on that very Christmas Day they were married, amid great rejoicings, and war ceased throughout the kingdom. And on every Christmas Day for ever after, the people of that country decorated their houses with holly, the symbol of love and peace and good-will, and wished each other a Merry Christmas, even as I do now to you.

THE WILLOW MAN

There once was a Willow, and he was very old, And all his leaves fell off from him, and left him in the cold; But ere the rude winter could buffet him with snow, There grew upon his h.o.a.ry head a crop of Mistletoe.

All wrinkled and furrowed was this old Willow's skin His taper fingers trembled, and his arms were very thin; Two round eyes and hollow, that stared but did not see, And sprawling feet that never walked, had this most ancient tree.

A Dame who dwelt a-near was the only one who knew That every year upon his head the Christmas berries grew; And when the Dame cut them, she said--it was her whim-- "A merry Christmas to you, Sir," _and left a bit for him_.

"Oh, Granny dear, tell us," the children cried, "where we May find the s.h.i.+ning mistletoe that grows upon the tree?"

At length the Dame told them, but cautioned them to mind To greet the willow civilly, _and leave a bit behind_.

"Who cares," said the children, "for this old Willow-man?

We'll take the Mistletoe, and he may catch us if he can."

With rage the ancient Willow shakes in every limb, For they have taken all, and _have not left a bit for him_.

Then bright gleamed the holly, the Christmas berries shone But in the wintry wind, without the Willow-man did moan: "Ungrateful, and wasteful! the mystic Mistletoe A hundred years hath grown on me, but never more shall grow."

A year soon pa.s.sed by, and the children came once more, But not a sprig of Mistletoe the aged Willow bore.

Each slender spray pointed; he mocked them in his glee, And chuckled in his wooden heart, that ancient Willow-tree.

O children, who gather the spoils of wood and wold, From selfish greed and wilful waste your little hands withhold.

Though fair things be common, this moral bear in mind, "Pick thankfully and modestly, _and leave a bit behind_."

Juliana Horatia Ewing.

THE IVY GREEN

Oh, a dainty plant is the ivy green, That creepeth o'er ruins old!

Of right choice food are his meals, I ween, In his cell so lone and cold.

The wall must be crumbled, the stone decayed To pleasure his dainty whim; And the mouldering dust that years have made, Is a merry meal for him.

Creeping where no life is seen, A rare old plant is the ivy green.

Charles d.i.c.kens.

LEGEND OF SAINT NICHOLAS

Amy Steedman

Of all the saints that little children love is there any to compare with Santa Claus? The very sound of his name has magic in it, and calls up visions of well-filled stockings, with the presents we particularly want peeping over the top, or hanging out at the side, too big to go into the largest sock. Besides, there is something so mysterious and exciting about Santa Claus, for no one seems to have ever seen him. But we picture him to ourselves as an old man with a white beard, whose favourite way of coming into our rooms is down the chimney, bringing gifts for the good children and punishments for the bad.

Yet this Santa Claus, in whose name the presents come to us at Christmas time, is a very real saint, and we can learn a great deal about him, only we must remember that his true name is Saint Nicholas. Perhaps the little children, who used to talk of him long ago, found Saint Nicholas too difficult to say, and so called him their dear Santa Claus. But we learn, as we grow older, that Nicholas is his true name, and that he is a real person who lived long years ago, far away in the East.

The father and mother of Nicholas were n.o.ble and very rich, but what they wanted most of all was to have a son. They were Christians, so they prayed to G.o.d for many years that He would give them their hearts' desire; and when at last Nicholas was born, they were the happiest people in the world.

They thought there was no one like their boy; and indeed, he was wiser and better than most children, and never gave them a moment's trouble.

But alas, while he was still a child, a terrible plague swept over the country, and his father and mother died, leaving him quite alone.

All the great riches which his father had possessed were left to Nicholas, and among other things he inherited three bars of gold.

These golden bars were his greatest treasure, and he thought more of them than all the other riches he possessed.

Now in the town where Nicholas lived there dwelt a n.o.bleman with three daughters. They had once been very rich, but great misfortunes had overtaken the father, and now they were all so poor they had scarcely enough to live upon.

At last a day came when there was not even bread enough to eat, and the daughters said to their father:

"Let us go into the streets and beg, or do anything to get a little money, that we may not starve."

But the father answered:

"Not to-night. I cannot bear to think of it. Wait at least until to-morrow. Something may happen to save my daughters from such disgrace."

Now, just as they were talking together, Nicholas happened to be pa.s.sing, and as the window was open he heard all that the poor father said. It seemed terrible to think that a n.o.ble family should be so poor and actually in want of bread, and Nicholas tried to plan how it would be possible to help them. He knew they would be much too proud to take money from him, so he had to think of some other way. Then he remembered his golden bars, and that very night he took one of them and went secretly to the n.o.bleman's house, hoping to give the treasure without letting the father or daughters know who brought it.

To his joy Nicholas discovered that a little window had been left open, and by standing on tiptoe he could reach it. So he lifted the golden bar and slipped it through the window, never waiting to hear what became of it, in case any one should see him. (And now do you see the reason why the visits of Santa Claus are so mysterious?)

Inside the house the poor father sat sorrowfully watching, while his children slept. He wondered if there was any hope for them anywhere, and he prayed earnestly that heaven would send help. Suddenly something fell at his feet, and to his amazement and joy, he found it was a bar of pure gold.

"My child," he cried, as he showed his eldest daughter the s.h.i.+ning gold, "G.o.d has heard my prayer and has sent this from heaven. Now we shall have enough and to spare. Call your sisters that we may rejoice together, and I will go instantly and change this treasure."

The precious golden bar was soon sold to a money-changer, who gave so much for it that the family were able to live in comfort and have all that they needed. And not only was there enough to live upon, but so much was over that the father gave his eldest daughter a large dowry, and very soon she was happily married.

When Nicholas saw how much happiness his golden bar had brought to the poor n.o.bleman he determined that the second daughter should have a dowry too. So he went as before and found the little window again open, and was able to throw in the second golden bar as he had done the first. This time the father was dreaming happily, and did not find the treasure until he awoke in the morning. Soon afterwards the second daughter had her dowry and was married too.