December 10, 2023 • 26 mins
Can you imagine the magic of transforming a humble vegetable pie into a shimmering Christmas feast? Join us as we journey through Temple Bailey’s heartwarming tale, "The Candle in the Forest," in our special holiday bonus episode. This enchanting story illuminates the power of contentment and love over materialistic desires, showcasing how a loving mother's imagination and a small girl's faith can create a Christmas filled with sparkling gold carrots, silver onions, and ivory potatoes.
Uncover a narrative woven with hope, love, and the spirit of the season as we traverse the difficult trials of a family faced with poverty. Hear about the mother's difficult choice between paying the rent or gifting her daughter with a Christmas doll. The sheer power of love shines through as we discuss a chocolate mouse, a neighboring boy, and a vibrant Christmas tree, each element bringing its own bit of holiday magic.
Finally, we experience the joy and warmth of a magical Christmas morning and the touching act of kindness that truly brings the story to life. The journey to the forest, the discovery of the perfect Christmas tree, and a surprise feast all create a holiday scene that will stay with you long after the episode ends. Tune in, as we bask in the true essence of Christmas: love, generosity, and contentment.
[END SHOW NOTES]
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to a special holiday bonus episode of Truth
Track.
Each Sunday from now untilChristmas there will be a bonus
episode.
I will be reading someChristmas stories.
I had posted the stories lastyear before I launched Truth
Track on a separate podcast, andthey were enjoyed by many
people.
I will not be posting all thestories from last year, but the
(00:42):
ones that were the most wellreceived based on the podcast
analytics.
So gather the family and enjoythis holiday story.
The Candle in the Forest byTemple Bailey.
(01:08):
The small girl's mother wassaying the onions will be silver
and the carrots will be goldand the potatoes will be ivory,
said the small girl, and theylaughed together.
The small girl's mother had abig white bowl in her lap and
she was cutting up vegetables.
The onions were the hardestbecause she cried over them, but
(01:31):
our tears will be pearls, saidthe small girl's mother, and
they laughed at that and driedtheir eyes and found the carrots
much easier and the potatoeseasiest of all.
Then the next door neighborcame in and said what are you
doing?
We are making a vegetable piefor our Christmas dinner, said
the small girl's mother.
(01:51):
And the onions are silver andthe carrots are gold and the
potatoes are ivory, said thesmall girl.
I am sure I don't know what youare talking about, said the
next door neighbor.
We are going to have turkey fordinner and cranberries and
celery.
The small girl laughed andclapped her hands.
But we are going to have aChristmas pie and the onions
(02:14):
will be silver and the carrotsgold.
You said that once, said thenext door neighbor, and I should
think you'd know they weren'tanything of the kind.
But they are, said the smallgirl, all shining eyes and rosy
cheeks.
Run along darling, said thesmall girl's mother, and find
poor Pussy Purrup.
He's out in the cold and youcan put on your red sweater and
(02:36):
red cap.
So the small girl hopped awaylike a happy robin.
And the next door neighbor saidshe's old enough to know that
onions aren't silver.
But they are, said the smallgirl's mother, and the carrots
are gold and the potatoes are.
The next door neighbor's facewas flaming.
If you say that again I'llscream.
Sounds silly to me, but itisn't in the least silly, said
(02:59):
the small girl's mother, and hereyes were blue as sapphires and
as clear as the sea.
It is sensible when people arepoor they have to make the most
of little things and we'll haveonly inexpensive things in our
pie, but the onions will besilver.
The lips of the next doorneighbor were folded in a thin
(03:19):
line.
If you had acted like asensible creature I shouldn't
have asked you for the rent.
The small girl's mother wassilent for a moment.
Then she said I'm sorry, itought to be sensible to make the
best of things.
Well said the next doorneighbor sitting down in a chair
with a very stiff back.
Pie is a pie and I wouldn'tteach a child to call it
(03:41):
anything else.
I haven't taught her to call itanything else.
I wasn't only trying to makeher feel that it was something
fine and splendid for ChristmasDay.
So I said the onions weresilver.
Don't say that again, snappedthe next door neighbor, and I
want the rent as soon aspossible.
With that she flung up her headand marched out of the front
(04:02):
door and it slammed behind herand made wild echoes in the
little home.
And the small girl's motherstood there alone in the middle
of the floor and her eyes werelike the sea in a storm.
But presently the door openedand the small girl, looking like
a red breast robin, hopped inand after her came a great black
cat with his tail in the airand he said Purr up, which gave
(04:24):
him his name.
And the small girl said, out ofthe things she had been
thinking, mother, why don't wehave turkey?
The clear look came back intothe eyes of the small girl's
mother and she said Because weare content.
And the small girl said what iscontent?
And her mother said it ismaking the best of what God
(04:45):
gives us and our best forChristmas Day.
My darling is our Christmas pie.
So she kissed the small girland they finished peeling the
vegetables and then they putthem to simmer on the back of
the stove.
After that the small girl hadher supper of bread and milk and
pussy purr up had milk and asaucer on the hearth and the
(05:05):
small girl climbed up in hermother's lap and said Tell me a
story.
But the small girl's mothersaid Won't it be nicer to talk
about Christmas presents?
And the small girl sat up andsaid let's.
And the mother said let's telleach other what we'd rather have
in the whole wide world.
Oh, let's, said the small girl,and I'll tell you first that I
(05:28):
want a doll and I want it tohave a pink dress and I want it
to have eyes that open and shutand I want it to have shoes and
stockings and I want it to havecurly hair.
She had to stop because shedidn't have any breath left in
her body and when she got herbreath back she said Now, what
do you want, mother, more thananything else in the whole wide
(05:48):
world.
Well, said the mother, I want achocolate mouse.
Oh, said the small girlscornfully.
I shouldn't think you'd wantthat.
Why not?
Because a chocolate mouse isn'tanything.
Oh, yes, it is, said the smallgirl's mother, a chocolate mouse
is dickery, dock and pussycat,pussycat wherever you've been
(06:11):
was frightened under the chair.
And the mice and the threeblind mice ran after the
farmer's wife and the mouse, ina frog with a wooing go, went
down the throat of a crow.
And the small girl said could achocolate mouse do all that?
Well, said the small girl'smother, we could put him on the
clock and under a chair and cuthis tail with a carving knife
(06:31):
and at the very last we couldeat him like a crow.
The small girl said, shiveringdeliciously, and he wouldn't be
a real mouse, no, just achocolate one with cream inside.
Do you think I'll get one forChristmas?
I'm not sure, said the mother.
Would he be nicer than a doll?
The small girl's motherhesitated then told her the
(06:52):
truth.
My darling mother saved upmoney for a doll, but the
next-door neighbor wants therent.
Hasn't daddy any more money?
Poor daddy has been sick solong but he's well now, I know.
But he has to pay for thedoctors and money for medicine
and money for your red sweaterand money for milk for
(07:13):
pussypurrup and money for ourpie.
The boy next door says we'repoor mother, we are rich, my
darling.
We have love each other.
And pussypurrup.
His mother won't let him have acat, said the small girl, with
her mind still on the boy nextdoor.
But he's going to have a radio.
Would you rather have a radiothan pussypurrup?
(07:34):
The small girl gave a crow ofderision I'd rather have
pussypurrup than anything elsein the whole wide world.
That the great cat who had beensitting on the hearth with his
paws tucked under him and hiseyes like moons, stretched out
his satin, shining length andjumped up on the arm of the
chair beside the small girl andher mother and began to sing a
(07:57):
song that was like a mill wheela way off.
He purred to them so loud andso long that at last the small
girl grew drowsy.
Tell me some more about thechocolate mouse.
She said and nodded and slept.
The small girl's mother carriedher into another room, put her
to bed and came back to thekitchen and it was full of
(08:20):
shadows, but she did not letherself sit among them.
She wrapped herself in a grapecape and went out into the cold
dusk.
There was a sweep of wind,heavy clouds overhead and a band
of dull orange showing back ofthe trees where the sun had
burned down.
She went straight from herlittle house to the big house of
the next door neighbor and rangthe bell at the back entrance.
(08:42):
A maid let her into the kitchenand there was a next door
neighbor and the two women whoworked for her and a
daughter-in-law who had come tospend Christmas.
The great range was glowing andthings were simmering and
things were stewing and thingswere steaming and things were
baking and things were boilingand things were broiling and
(09:02):
there were the fragrances of athousand dishes in the air and
the next door neighbor said weare trying to get as much done
as possible tonight.
We have plans for 12 people forChristmas dinner tomorrow.
And the daughter-in-law, whowas all dressed up and had an
apron tied around her, said in asharp voice I can't see why you
don't let your maids work foryou.
(09:23):
And the next door neighbor saidI have always worked.
There is no excuse for laziness.
And the daughter-in-law said Iam not lazy, if that's what you
mean, and will never have anydinner if I have to cook it.
In a way.
She went out of the kitchen withtears of rage in her eyes and
the next door neighbor said ifshe hadn't gone out when she did
(09:44):
, I should have told her to go.
And there was rage in her eyes,but no tears.
She took her hands out of thepan of breadcrumbs and sage
which was being mixed for thestuffing and said to the small
girl's mother did you come topay the rent?
The small girl's mother handedher the money and the next door
neighbor went upstairs to writea receipt.
Nobody asked the small girl'smother to sit down, so she stood
(10:06):
in the middle of the floor andsniffed the entrancing
fragrances and looked at themountain of food which would
have served her small family fora month.
While she waited, the boy nextdoor came in and said are you
the small girl's mother?
Yes, are you going to have atree?
Yes, do you want to see mine?
It would be wonderful.
So he led her down a longpassage to a great room and
(10:30):
there was a tree which touchedthe ceiling and on the very top
branches and all the otherbranches were myriads of little
lights which shone like stars,and there were gold bells and
silver ones and red and blue andgreen balls, and under the tree
and on it were toys for boysand toys for girls, and one of
the toys was a doll in a pink.
(10:52):
At that the heart of the smallgirl's mother tightened and she
was glad she wasn't a thief, orshe would have snatched at that
pink doll when the boy wasn'tlooking and hid it under her
cape and run away with it.
The next door neighbor boy wassaying it's the finest tree
anyone has around here.
But dad and mother don't knowthat.
(11:14):
I've seen it.
Oh, don't they, said the smallgirl's mother.
No, said the boy next door witha wide grin.
And it's fun to fool him, is it?
Said the small girl's mother.
Now, do you know?
I should think the very nicestthing in the whole world would
have been not to see the tree.
Because, said the small girl'smother, the nicest thing in the
(11:35):
world would be to have someonetie a handkerchief around your
eyes so tight, and then havesomebody take your hand and lead
you in and out and in and outand in and out until you didn't
know where you were, and then tohave them untie the
handkerchief and there would bethe tree, all shining and
splendid.
She stopped, but her singingvoice seemed to echo and re-echo
(11:58):
in the great room.
The boy's staring eyes had anew look in them.
Did anybody ever try ahandkerchief over your eyes?
Oh, yes.
And lead you in and out and inand out, yes, well, nobody does
things like that in our house.
They think it's silly.
The small girl's mother laughedand her laugh tinkled like a
(12:20):
bell.
Do you think it's silly?
He was eager.
No, I don't.
She held out her hand to himWill you come and see our tree
tonight?
No, tomorrow morning earlyBefore breakfast, she nodded I'd
like it.
So that was a bargain.
And with a quick squeeze of herhands on it and the small girl's
(12:42):
mother went back to the kitchenand the next door neighbor came
down with the receipt and thesmall girl's mother went out to
the back door and found that theorange band which had burned on
the horizon was gone and thatthere was just the wind and the
singing of the trees.
Two men passed her on the brickwalk which led to the house,
and one of them was saying ifyou'd only been fair to me,
(13:04):
father.
The other man said all you wantof me is money.
You taught me that, father.
Blame it on me.
You are to blame you and mother.
Did you ever show me the finerthings?
Their angry voices seemed tobeat against the noise of the
wind and the singing trees, sothat the small girl's mother
shivered and drew her capearound her and ran as fast as
(13:26):
she could to her little house.
There were the shadows to meether, but she did not sit among
them.
She made coffee and a dish ofmilk toast and set the toast in
the oven to keep hot, and thenshe stood in the window watching
.
At last she saw through thedarkness what looked like a star
low down, and she knew thatthat star was a lantern.
(13:49):
And she ran and opened the doorwide and her young husband set
the lantern down on thethreshold and took her in his
arms and said the sight of youis more than food and drink.
When he said that she knew hehad had a hard day, but her
heart leapt because she knewthat what he had said of her was
(14:10):
true.
Then they went into the housetogether and she set the food
before him and that he mightforget his hard day, she told
him of her own and when she cameto the part about the next door
neighbor in the rent, she saidI am telling you this because it
has a happy ending.
He put her hands over hers andsaid everything with you has a
(14:30):
happy ending.
Well, this is a happy ending,said the small girl's mother
with all the sapphires in hereyes, emphasizing it.
Because when I went over to paythe rent I was feeling how poor
we were and wishing that I hada pink doll for baby and books
for you and and and a magiccarpet to carry us away from
(14:54):
work and worry.
And then I went into the parlorand saw the tree with
everything hanging on it thatwas glittering and gorgeous.
And then I came home.
Her breath was quick and herlips smiling.
I came home and I was glad Ilived in my little home.
What made you glad, dearest?
Oh, love is here and hate isthere and a boy's deceit and a
(15:20):
man's injustice.
They were saying sharp thingsto each other and and their
dinner will be like a stalled ox.
And in my little house is thefaith of a child in the goodness
of God and the bravery of a manwho fought for his country.
She was in his arms now and theblessing of a woman who has
never known defeat.
(15:40):
His voice broke on the words.
In that moment it seemed as ifthe wind stopped blowing and as
if the trees stopped sighing andas if there were a sound of
heavenly singing.
The small girl's mother and thesmall girl's father sat up very
late that night.
They popped a great bowl fullof crisp snowy corn and made it
(16:03):
into balls.
They boiled sugar and molassesand cracked nuts and made candy
of them.
They cut funny little Christmasfairies out of paper and
painted their jackets bright redwith round silver buttons of
the tinfoil that came on creamcheese.
And then they put the balls andthe candy and the painted
fairies and the long red candlein a big basket and set it away.
(16:27):
And the small girl's motherbrought out the chocolate mouse.
We will put this on the clock.
She said where her eyes willrest on it first thing in the
morning.
So they put it there and itseemed as natural as life, so
that pussypurra positivelylicked his chops and sat in
front of the clock as if to keephis eye on the chocolate mouse.
(16:50):
The small girl's mother saidshe was lovely about giving up
the doll and she will love thetree.
We'll have to get up very early, said the small girl's father,
and you'll have to run ahead tolight the candle.
Well, they got up before dawnthe next morning and so did the
boy next door.
He was there on the stepwaiting, blowing on his hands
(17:12):
and beating them, quite like thepoor little boys do in a
Christmas story, who haven't anymittens.
But he wasn't a poor little boyand he had so many pairs of
fur-trimmed gloves that hedidn't know what to do with them
.
But he had left the house insuch a hurry that he had
forgotten to put them on.
So there he stood on the frontstep of the little house,
(17:32):
blowing on his hands and beatingthem, and it was dark, with a
pale sort of shine in theheavens which didn't seem to
come from the stars or theherald of the dawn, it was just
a mystical silver glow that setthe boy's heart to beating.
He had never been out alonelike this.
He had always stayed in hiswarm bed until somebody called
(17:53):
him, and then he had waiteduntil they had called again, and
then he had dressed and gone tobreakfast, where his father
scolded because he was late andhis mother scolded because he
ate too fast.
But this day had begun withadventure and for the first time
, under that silvery sky, hefelt the thrill of it.
Then, suddenly, someone camearound the house, someone tall
(18:15):
and thin with a cap on his headand an empty basket in his hands
.
Hello, he said, a merryChristmas.
It was the small girl's fatherand he put the key in the lock
and went in and turned on alight and there was a table set
for four.
And the small girl's fathersaid you see, we have set a
place for you.
We must eat something before wego out.
(18:37):
And the boy said are we goingout?
I came to see the tree.
We are going out to see thetree.
Before the boy could ask anyquestions, the small girl's
mother appeared with fingers onher lips and said shh.
And then she began to recite ina hushed voice hickory, dickory
, dock.
Then there was a little cry andthe sound of dancing feet and
(19:00):
the small girl in a red dressinggown came flying in.
Oh mother, mother, the mouse ison the clock.
The mouse is on the clock.
Well, it seemed to the littleboy that he had never seen
anything so exciting as thethings that followed.
The chocolate mouse went up theclock and under the chair and
(19:20):
would have had its tail cut off,except that the small girl
begged to save it.
I want to keep it as it is,mother.
And playing this game as if itwere the most important thing in
the whole wide world, were thesmall girl's mother and the
small girl's father all laughingand flushed and chanting the
quaint old words to the quaintold music.
The boy next door held hisbreath for fear he would wake up
(19:44):
from his entrancing dream andfind himself in his own big
house alone in his puffy bed oreating breakfast with his stodgy
parents who had never playedwith him in his life.
He found himself laughing too,and flushed and happy, and
trying to sing in his funnyboy's voice.
The small girl absolutelyrefused to eat the mouse.
(20:06):
He's my darling Christmas mouse, mother.
So her mother said well, I'llput him on the clock again where
pussy perup can't get him whilewe are out.
Oh, are we going out?
Said the small girl Round eyed.
Yes, where are we going to findChristmas?
That was all the small girl'smother would tell.
(20:26):
So they had breakfast andeverything tasted perfectly
delicious to the boy next door.
But first they bowed theirheads and the small girl's
father said Dear Christ, on thisChristmas morning, bless these
children and keep our heartsyoung and full of love for thee.
The boy next door, when helifted his head, had a funny
feeling, as if he wanted to cry.
(20:47):
And yet it was a lovely feeling, all warm and comfortable
inside.
For breakfast they each had agreat baked apple and great
slices of sweet bread and butterand great glasses of milk.
And as soon as they hadfinished away, they went out of
the door and down into the woodsin back of the house.
And when they were deep into thewoods the small girl's father
(21:09):
took out of his pocket a littleflute and began to play.
He played thin piping tunesthat went flittering about
around the trees and the smallgirl and her mother hummed the
tunes until it sounded likesinging bees and their feet
fairly danced and the boy foundhimself humming and dancing with
them.
Then, suddenly, the pipingceased and a hush fell over the
(21:33):
woods.
It was so still that they couldalmost hear each other breathe.
So still that when a lightflamed suddenly in that open
space, it burned without aflicker.
The light came from a redcandle that was set in the top
of a small living tree.
It was the only light on thetree, but it showed the snowy
(21:55):
balls and the small red fairieswhose coats had silver buttons.
It's our tree, my darling".
He heard the small girl'smother saying.
Suddenly it seemed to the boythat his heart would burst in
his breast.
He wanted someone to speak tohim like that.
The small girl sat high on herfather's shoulders and her
(22:17):
father held her mother's hand.
It was like a chain of goldthere, holding hands like that,
the loving each other.
The boy reached out and touchedthe woman's hand.
She looked down at him and drewhim close.
He felt warmed and comforted.
Their candle burning there inthe darkness was like some
(22:37):
sacred fire of friendship.
He wished that it would nevergo out, that he might stand
there watching it with his small, cold hand in the clasp of the
small girl's mother's hand.
It was late when the boy nextdoor got back to his own big
house, but he had not beenmissed.
Everybody was up and everythingwas upset.
(22:59):
The daughter-in-law haddeclared the night before that
she would not stay another dayout beneath that roof and off
she had gone with her younghusband and her little girl who
was to have the pink doll on thetree.
And good riddance, said thenext door neighbor.
But she ate no breakfast.
And she went to the kitchen andworked with her maids to get
the dinner ready and there werecovers laid for nine instead of
(23:21):
twelve and the next doorneighbor kept saying good
riddance, good riddance, and notonce did she say a merry
Christmas.
But the boy next door hadsomething in his heart that was
warm and glowing like the candlein the forest and he came to
his mother and said may I havethe pink dolly?
She spoke frowningly.
(23:42):
What does a boy want of a doll?
I'd like to give it to thelittle girl next door.
Do you think I can buy dolls togive away to charity?
Well, they gave me a Christmaspresent.
What did they give you?
He opened his hand and showed alittle flute tied with a bright
red ribbon.
He lifted it to his lips andblew on it a thin piping tune.
(24:06):
Oh, that said his motherscornfully.
Way, there's nothing but a reedfrom a pond.
But the boy knew it was muchmore than that.
It was a magic pipe that madeyou dance and made your heart
warm and happy.
So he said again, I'd like togive her the doll.
And he reached out his littlehand and touched his mother's
(24:27):
and his eyes were wistful.
His mother's own eyes softened.
She had lost one son that day.
She said oh well, do as youplease, and went back to the
kitchen.
The boy next door ran into thegreat room and took the doll
from the tree and wrapped it inpaper and flew out of the door
and down the brick walk andstraight into the little house.
(24:48):
When the door was opened he sawthat his friends were just
sitting down to dinner and therewas the pie, all brown and
piping hot, with a wreath ofholly, and the small girl was
saying and the onions weresilver and the carrots were gold
.
The boy next door went up tothe small girl and said I've
(25:09):
brought you a present.
With his eyes all lighted up,he took off the paper in which
it was wrapped and there was thedoll in rosy frills, with eyes
that opened and shut and shoesand stockings and curly hair
that was bobbed and beautiful.
And the small girl, in awhirlwind of happiness, said is
it really my doll?
(25:31):
And the boy next door felt veryshy and happy and he said yes.
And the small girl's mothersaid it was a beautiful thing to
do and she bent and kissed himAgain.
That bursting feeling came intothe boy's heart and he lifted
his face to hers and said may Icome sometimes and be your boy?
She said yes, and when at lasthe went away, she stood in the
(25:57):
door and watched him.
Such a little lad who knew solittle of loving.
And because she knew so much oflove, her eyes filled to
overflowing.
But presently she wiped thetears away and went back to the
table and she smiled at thesmall girl and at the small
girl's father.
And the potatoes were ivory.
(26:18):
She said oh, who would ask fora turkey when they can have a
pie like this?
The end.
Welcome to a special holiday bonus episode of Truth
Track.
Each Sunday from now untilChristmas there will be a bonus
episode.
I will be reading someChristmas stories.
I had posted the stories lastyear before I launched Truth
Track on a separate podcast, andthey were enjoyed by many
people.
I will not be posting all thestories from last year, but the
(00:42):
ones that were the most wellreceived based on the podcast
analytics.
So gather the family and enjoythis holiday story.
The Candle in the Forest byTemple Bailey.
(01:08):
The small girl's mother wassaying the onions will be silver
and the carrots will be goldand the potatoes will be ivory,
said the small girl, and theylaughed together.
The small girl's mother had abig white bowl in her lap and
she was cutting up vegetables.
The onions were the hardestbecause she cried over them, but
(01:31):
our tears will be pearls, saidthe small girl's mother, and
they laughed at that and driedtheir eyes and found the carrots
much easier and the potatoeseasiest of all.
Then the next door neighborcame in and said what are you
doing?
We are making a vegetable piefor our Christmas dinner, said
the small girl's mother.
(01:51):
And the onions are silver andthe carrots are gold and the
potatoes are ivory, said thesmall girl.
I am sure I don't know what youare talking about, said the
next door neighbor.
We are going to have turkey fordinner and cranberries and
celery.
The small girl laughed andclapped her hands.
But we are going to have aChristmas pie and the onions
(02:14):
will be silver and the carrotsgold.
You said that once, said thenext door neighbor, and I should
think you'd know they weren'tanything of the kind.
But they are, said the smallgirl, all shining eyes and rosy
cheeks.
Run along darling, said thesmall girl's mother, and find
poor Pussy Purrup.
He's out in the cold and youcan put on your red sweater and
(02:36):
red cap.
So the small girl hopped awaylike a happy robin.
And the next door neighbor saidshe's old enough to know that
onions aren't silver.
But they are, said the smallgirl's mother, and the carrots
are gold and the potatoes are.
The next door neighbor's facewas flaming.
If you say that again I'llscream.
Sounds silly to me, but itisn't in the least silly, said
(02:59):
the small girl's mother, and hereyes were blue as sapphires and
as clear as the sea.
It is sensible when people arepoor they have to make the most
of little things and we'll haveonly inexpensive things in our
pie, but the onions will besilver.
The lips of the next doorneighbor were folded in a thin
(03:19):
line.
If you had acted like asensible creature I shouldn't
have asked you for the rent.
The small girl's mother wassilent for a moment.
Then she said I'm sorry, itought to be sensible to make the
best of things.
Well said the next doorneighbor sitting down in a chair
with a very stiff back.
Pie is a pie and I wouldn'tteach a child to call it
(03:41):
anything else.
I haven't taught her to call itanything else.
I wasn't only trying to makeher feel that it was something
fine and splendid for ChristmasDay.
So I said the onions weresilver.
Don't say that again, snappedthe next door neighbor, and I
want the rent as soon aspossible.
With that she flung up her headand marched out of the front
(04:02):
door and it slammed behind herand made wild echoes in the
little home.
And the small girl's motherstood there alone in the middle
of the floor and her eyes werelike the sea in a storm.
But presently the door openedand the small girl, looking like
a red breast robin, hopped inand after her came a great black
cat with his tail in the airand he said Purr up, which gave
(04:24):
him his name.
And the small girl said, out ofthe things she had been
thinking, mother, why don't wehave turkey?
The clear look came back intothe eyes of the small girl's
mother and she said Because weare content.
And the small girl said what iscontent?
And her mother said it ismaking the best of what God
(04:45):
gives us and our best forChristmas Day.
My darling is our Christmas pie.
So she kissed the small girland they finished peeling the
vegetables and then they putthem to simmer on the back of
the stove.
After that the small girl hadher supper of bread and milk and
pussy purr up had milk and asaucer on the hearth and the
(05:05):
small girl climbed up in hermother's lap and said Tell me a
story.
But the small girl's mothersaid Won't it be nicer to talk
about Christmas presents?
And the small girl sat up andsaid let's.
And the mother said let's telleach other what we'd rather have
in the whole wide world.
Oh, let's, said the small girl,and I'll tell you first that I
(05:28):
want a doll and I want it tohave a pink dress and I want it
to have eyes that open and shutand I want it to have shoes and
stockings and I want it to havecurly hair.
She had to stop because shedidn't have any breath left in
her body and when she got herbreath back she said Now, what
do you want, mother, more thananything else in the whole wide
(05:48):
world.
Well, said the mother, I want achocolate mouse.
Oh, said the small girlscornfully.
I shouldn't think you'd wantthat.
Why not?
Because a chocolate mouse isn'tanything.
Oh, yes, it is, said the smallgirl's mother, a chocolate mouse
is dickery, dock and pussycat,pussycat wherever you've been
(06:11):
was frightened under the chair.
And the mice and the threeblind mice ran after the
farmer's wife and the mouse, ina frog with a wooing go, went
down the throat of a crow.
And the small girl said could achocolate mouse do all that?
Well, said the small girl'smother, we could put him on the
clock and under a chair and cuthis tail with a carving knife
(06:31):
and at the very last we couldeat him like a crow.
The small girl said, shiveringdeliciously, and he wouldn't be
a real mouse, no, just achocolate one with cream inside.
Do you think I'll get one forChristmas?
I'm not sure, said the mother.
Would he be nicer than a doll?
The small girl's motherhesitated then told her the
(06:52):
truth.
My darling mother saved upmoney for a doll, but the
next-door neighbor wants therent.
Hasn't daddy any more money?
Poor daddy has been sick solong but he's well now, I know.
But he has to pay for thedoctors and money for medicine
and money for your red sweaterand money for milk for
(07:13):
pussypurrup and money for ourpie.
The boy next door says we'repoor mother, we are rich, my
darling.
We have love each other.
And pussypurrup.
His mother won't let him have acat, said the small girl, with
her mind still on the boy nextdoor.
But he's going to have a radio.
Would you rather have a radiothan pussypurrup?
(07:34):
The small girl gave a crow ofderision I'd rather have
pussypurrup than anything elsein the whole wide world.
That the great cat who had beensitting on the hearth with his
paws tucked under him and hiseyes like moons, stretched out
his satin, shining length andjumped up on the arm of the
chair beside the small girl andher mother and began to sing a
(07:57):
song that was like a mill wheela way off.
He purred to them so loud andso long that at last the small
girl grew drowsy.
Tell me some more about thechocolate mouse.
She said and nodded and slept.
The small girl's mother carriedher into another room, put her
to bed and came back to thekitchen and it was full of
(08:20):
shadows, but she did not letherself sit among them.
She wrapped herself in a grapecape and went out into the cold
dusk.
There was a sweep of wind,heavy clouds overhead and a band
of dull orange showing back ofthe trees where the sun had
burned down.
She went straight from herlittle house to the big house of
the next door neighbor and rangthe bell at the back entrance.
(08:42):
A maid let her into the kitchenand there was a next door
neighbor and the two women whoworked for her and a
daughter-in-law who had come tospend Christmas.
The great range was glowing andthings were simmering and
things were stewing and thingswere steaming and things were
baking and things were boilingand things were broiling and
(09:02):
there were the fragrances of athousand dishes in the air and
the next door neighbor said weare trying to get as much done
as possible tonight.
We have plans for 12 people forChristmas dinner tomorrow.
And the daughter-in-law, whowas all dressed up and had an
apron tied around her, said in asharp voice I can't see why you
don't let your maids work foryou.
(09:23):
And the next door neighbor saidI have always worked.
There is no excuse for laziness.
And the daughter-in-law said Iam not lazy, if that's what you
mean, and will never have anydinner if I have to cook it.
In a way.
She went out of the kitchen withtears of rage in her eyes and
the next door neighbor said ifshe hadn't gone out when she did
(09:44):
, I should have told her to go.
And there was rage in her eyes,but no tears.
She took her hands out of thepan of breadcrumbs and sage
which was being mixed for thestuffing and said to the small
girl's mother did you come topay the rent?
The small girl's mother handedher the money and the next door
neighbor went upstairs to writea receipt.
Nobody asked the small girl'smother to sit down, so she stood
(10:06):
in the middle of the floor andsniffed the entrancing
fragrances and looked at themountain of food which would
have served her small family fora month.
While she waited, the boy nextdoor came in and said are you
the small girl's mother?
Yes, are you going to have atree?
Yes, do you want to see mine?
It would be wonderful.
So he led her down a longpassage to a great room and
(10:30):
there was a tree which touchedthe ceiling and on the very top
branches and all the otherbranches were myriads of little
lights which shone like stars,and there were gold bells and
silver ones and red and blue andgreen balls, and under the tree
and on it were toys for boysand toys for girls, and one of
the toys was a doll in a pink.
(10:52):
At that the heart of the smallgirl's mother tightened and she
was glad she wasn't a thief, orshe would have snatched at that
pink doll when the boy wasn'tlooking and hid it under her
cape and run away with it.
The next door neighbor boy wassaying it's the finest tree
anyone has around here.
But dad and mother don't knowthat.
(11:14):
I've seen it.
Oh, don't they, said the smallgirl's mother.
No, said the boy next door witha wide grin.
And it's fun to fool him, is it?
Said the small girl's mother.
Now, do you know?
I should think the very nicestthing in the whole world would
have been not to see the tree.
Because, said the small girl'smother, the nicest thing in the
(11:35):
world would be to have someonetie a handkerchief around your
eyes so tight, and then havesomebody take your hand and lead
you in and out and in and outand in and out until you didn't
know where you were, and then tohave them untie the
handkerchief and there would bethe tree, all shining and
splendid.
She stopped, but her singingvoice seemed to echo and re-echo
(11:58):
in the great room.
The boy's staring eyes had anew look in them.
Did anybody ever try ahandkerchief over your eyes?
Oh, yes.
And lead you in and out and inand out, yes, well, nobody does
things like that in our house.
They think it's silly.
The small girl's mother laughedand her laugh tinkled like a
(12:20):
bell.
Do you think it's silly?
He was eager.
No, I don't.
She held out her hand to himWill you come and see our tree
tonight?
No, tomorrow morning earlyBefore breakfast, she nodded I'd
like it.
So that was a bargain.
And with a quick squeeze of herhands on it and the small girl's
(12:42):
mother went back to the kitchenand the next door neighbor came
down with the receipt and thesmall girl's mother went out to
the back door and found that theorange band which had burned on
the horizon was gone and thatthere was just the wind and the
singing of the trees.
Two men passed her on the brickwalk which led to the house,
and one of them was saying ifyou'd only been fair to me,
(13:04):
father.
The other man said all you wantof me is money.
You taught me that, father.
Blame it on me.
You are to blame you and mother.
Did you ever show me the finerthings?
Their angry voices seemed tobeat against the noise of the
wind and the singing trees, sothat the small girl's mother
shivered and drew her capearound her and ran as fast as
(13:26):
she could to her little house.
There were the shadows to meether, but she did not sit among
them.
She made coffee and a dish ofmilk toast and set the toast in
the oven to keep hot, and thenshe stood in the window watching
.
At last she saw through thedarkness what looked like a star
low down, and she knew thatthat star was a lantern.
(13:49):
And she ran and opened the doorwide and her young husband set
the lantern down on thethreshold and took her in his
arms and said the sight of youis more than food and drink.
When he said that she knew hehad had a hard day, but her
heart leapt because she knewthat what he had said of her was
(14:10):
true.
Then they went into the housetogether and she set the food
before him and that he mightforget his hard day, she told
him of her own and when she cameto the part about the next door
neighbor in the rent, she saidI am telling you this because it
has a happy ending.
He put her hands over hers andsaid everything with you has a
(14:30):
happy ending.
Well, this is a happy ending,said the small girl's mother
with all the sapphires in hereyes, emphasizing it.
Because when I went over to paythe rent I was feeling how poor
we were and wishing that I hada pink doll for baby and books
for you and and and a magiccarpet to carry us away from
(14:54):
work and worry.
And then I went into the parlorand saw the tree with
everything hanging on it thatwas glittering and gorgeous.
And then I came home.
Her breath was quick and herlips smiling.
I came home and I was glad Ilived in my little home.
What made you glad, dearest?
Oh, love is here and hate isthere and a boy's deceit and a
(15:20):
man's injustice.
They were saying sharp thingsto each other and and their
dinner will be like a stalled ox.
And in my little house is thefaith of a child in the goodness
of God and the bravery of a manwho fought for his country.
She was in his arms now and theblessing of a woman who has
never known defeat.
(15:40):
His voice broke on the words.
In that moment it seemed as ifthe wind stopped blowing and as
if the trees stopped sighing andas if there were a sound of
heavenly singing.
The small girl's mother and thesmall girl's father sat up very
late that night.
They popped a great bowl fullof crisp snowy corn and made it
(16:03):
into balls.
They boiled sugar and molassesand cracked nuts and made candy
of them.
They cut funny little Christmasfairies out of paper and
painted their jackets bright redwith round silver buttons of
the tinfoil that came on creamcheese.
And then they put the balls andthe candy and the painted
fairies and the long red candlein a big basket and set it away.
(16:27):
And the small girl's motherbrought out the chocolate mouse.
We will put this on the clock.
She said where her eyes willrest on it first thing in the
morning.
So they put it there and itseemed as natural as life, so
that pussypurra positivelylicked his chops and sat in
front of the clock as if to keephis eye on the chocolate mouse.
(16:50):
The small girl's mother saidshe was lovely about giving up
the doll and she will love thetree.
We'll have to get up very early, said the small girl's father,
and you'll have to run ahead tolight the candle.
Well, they got up before dawnthe next morning and so did the
boy next door.
He was there on the stepwaiting, blowing on his hands
(17:12):
and beating them, quite like thepoor little boys do in a
Christmas story, who haven't anymittens.
But he wasn't a poor little boyand he had so many pairs of
fur-trimmed gloves that hedidn't know what to do with them
.
But he had left the house insuch a hurry that he had
forgotten to put them on.
So there he stood on the frontstep of the little house,
(17:32):
blowing on his hands and beatingthem, and it was dark, with a
pale sort of shine in theheavens which didn't seem to
come from the stars or theherald of the dawn, it was just
a mystical silver glow that setthe boy's heart to beating.
He had never been out alonelike this.
He had always stayed in hiswarm bed until somebody called
(17:53):
him, and then he had waiteduntil they had called again, and
then he had dressed and gone tobreakfast, where his father
scolded because he was late andhis mother scolded because he
ate too fast.
But this day had begun withadventure and for the first time
, under that silvery sky, hefelt the thrill of it.
Then, suddenly, someone camearound the house, someone tall
(18:15):
and thin with a cap on his headand an empty basket in his hands
.
Hello, he said, a merryChristmas.
It was the small girl's fatherand he put the key in the lock
and went in and turned on alight and there was a table set
for four.
And the small girl's fathersaid you see, we have set a
place for you.
We must eat something before wego out.
(18:37):
And the boy said are we goingout?
I came to see the tree.
We are going out to see thetree.
Before the boy could ask anyquestions, the small girl's
mother appeared with fingers onher lips and said shh.
And then she began to recite ina hushed voice hickory, dickory
, dock.
Then there was a little cry andthe sound of dancing feet and
(19:00):
the small girl in a red dressinggown came flying in.
Oh mother, mother, the mouse ison the clock.
The mouse is on the clock.
Well, it seemed to the littleboy that he had never seen
anything so exciting as thethings that followed.
The chocolate mouse went up theclock and under the chair and
(19:20):
would have had its tail cut off,except that the small girl
begged to save it.
I want to keep it as it is,mother.
And playing this game as if itwere the most important thing in
the whole wide world, were thesmall girl's mother and the
small girl's father all laughingand flushed and chanting the
quaint old words to the quaintold music.
The boy next door held hisbreath for fear he would wake up
(19:44):
from his entrancing dream andfind himself in his own big
house alone in his puffy bed oreating breakfast with his stodgy
parents who had never playedwith him in his life.
He found himself laughing too,and flushed and happy, and
trying to sing in his funnyboy's voice.
The small girl absolutelyrefused to eat the mouse.
(20:06):
He's my darling Christmas mouse, mother.
So her mother said well, I'llput him on the clock again where
pussy perup can't get him whilewe are out.
Oh, are we going out?
Said the small girl Round eyed.
Yes, where are we going to findChristmas?
That was all the small girl'smother would tell.
(20:26):
So they had breakfast andeverything tasted perfectly
delicious to the boy next door.
But first they bowed theirheads and the small girl's
father said Dear Christ, on thisChristmas morning, bless these
children and keep our heartsyoung and full of love for thee.
The boy next door, when helifted his head, had a funny
feeling, as if he wanted to cry.
(20:47):
And yet it was a lovely feeling, all warm and comfortable
inside.
For breakfast they each had agreat baked apple and great
slices of sweet bread and butterand great glasses of milk.
And as soon as they hadfinished away, they went out of
the door and down into the woodsin back of the house.
And when they were deep into thewoods the small girl's father
(21:09):
took out of his pocket a littleflute and began to play.
He played thin piping tunesthat went flittering about
around the trees and the smallgirl and her mother hummed the
tunes until it sounded likesinging bees and their feet
fairly danced and the boy foundhimself humming and dancing with
them.
Then, suddenly, the pipingceased and a hush fell over the
(21:33):
woods.
It was so still that they couldalmost hear each other breathe.
So still that when a lightflamed suddenly in that open
space, it burned without aflicker.
The light came from a redcandle that was set in the top
of a small living tree.
It was the only light on thetree, but it showed the snowy
(21:55):
balls and the small red fairieswhose coats had silver buttons.
It's our tree, my darling".
He heard the small girl'smother saying.
Suddenly it seemed to the boythat his heart would burst in
his breast.
He wanted someone to speak tohim like that.
The small girl sat high on herfather's shoulders and her
(22:17):
father held her mother's hand.
It was like a chain of goldthere, holding hands like that,
the loving each other.
The boy reached out and touchedthe woman's hand.
She looked down at him and drewhim close.
He felt warmed and comforted.
Their candle burning there inthe darkness was like some
(22:37):
sacred fire of friendship.
He wished that it would nevergo out, that he might stand
there watching it with his small, cold hand in the clasp of the
small girl's mother's hand.
It was late when the boy nextdoor got back to his own big
house, but he had not beenmissed.
Everybody was up and everythingwas upset.
(22:59):
The daughter-in-law haddeclared the night before that
she would not stay another dayout beneath that roof and off
she had gone with her younghusband and her little girl who
was to have the pink doll on thetree.
And good riddance, said thenext door neighbor.
But she ate no breakfast.
And she went to the kitchen andworked with her maids to get
the dinner ready and there werecovers laid for nine instead of
(23:21):
twelve and the next doorneighbor kept saying good
riddance, good riddance, and notonce did she say a merry
Christmas.
But the boy next door hadsomething in his heart that was
warm and glowing like the candlein the forest and he came to
his mother and said may I havethe pink dolly?
She spoke frowningly.
(23:42):
What does a boy want of a doll?
I'd like to give it to thelittle girl next door.
Do you think I can buy dolls togive away to charity?
Well, they gave me a Christmaspresent.
What did they give you?
He opened his hand and showed alittle flute tied with a bright
red ribbon.
He lifted it to his lips andblew on it a thin piping tune.
(24:06):
Oh, that said his motherscornfully.
Way, there's nothing but a reedfrom a pond.
But the boy knew it was muchmore than that.
It was a magic pipe that madeyou dance and made your heart
warm and happy.
So he said again, I'd like togive her the doll.
And he reached out his littlehand and touched his mother's
(24:27):
and his eyes were wistful.
His mother's own eyes softened.
She had lost one son that day.
She said oh well, do as youplease, and went back to the
kitchen.
The boy next door ran into thegreat room and took the doll
from the tree and wrapped it inpaper and flew out of the door
and down the brick walk andstraight into the little house.
(24:48):
When the door was opened he sawthat his friends were just
sitting down to dinner and therewas the pie, all brown and
piping hot, with a wreath ofholly, and the small girl was
saying and the onions weresilver and the carrots were gold
.
The boy next door went up tothe small girl and said I've
(25:09):
brought you a present.
With his eyes all lighted up,he took off the paper in which
it was wrapped and there was thedoll in rosy frills, with eyes
that opened and shut and shoesand stockings and curly hair
that was bobbed and beautiful.
And the small girl, in awhirlwind of happiness, said is
it really my doll?
(25:31):
And the boy next door felt veryshy and happy and he said yes.
And the small girl's mothersaid it was a beautiful thing to
do and she bent and kissed himAgain.
That bursting feeling came intothe boy's heart and he lifted
his face to hers and said may Icome sometimes and be your boy?
She said yes, and when at lasthe went away, she stood in the
(25:57):
door and watched him.
Such a little lad who knew solittle of loving.
And because she knew so much oflove, her eyes filled to
overflowing.
But presently she wiped thetears away and went back to the
table and she smiled at thesmall girl and at the small
girl's father.
And the potatoes were ivory.
(26:18):
She said oh, who would ask fora turkey when they can have a
pie like this?
The end.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.