The Legend of the Christmas Tree - Charles Dickens

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Charles Dickens. Most
children have seen a Christmas tree, and many know that
the pretty and pleasant custom of hanging gifts on its
boughs comes from Germany. But perhaps few have heard or
read the story that is told to little German children

(00:21):
respecting the origin of this custom. The story is called
the Little Stranger, and runs thus. In a small cottage
on the borders of a forest lived a poor laborer
who gained a scanty living by cutting wood. He had
a wife and two children who helped him in his work.

(00:43):
The boy's name was Valentine, and the girl was called Mary.
They were obedient, good children, and a great comfort to
their parents. One winter evening, this happy little family were
sitting quietly round the hearth, the knowing the wind raging
outside while they ate their supper of dry bread, when

(01:05):
a gentle tap was heard on the window, and a
childish voice cried from without, Oh, let me in, pray.
I am a poor little child with nothing to eat
and no home to go to, and I shall die
of cold and hunger unless you let me in. Valentine
and Mary jumped up from the table and ran to
open the door. Saying, come in, poor little child. We

(01:29):
have not much to give you, but whatever we have
we will share with you. The stranger child came in
and warmed his frozen hands and feet at the fire,
and the children gave him the best they had to eat, saying,
you must be tired, too, poor child, Lie down on
our bed. We can sleep on the bench for one night.

(01:53):
Then said the little stranger child, thank God for all
your kindness to me. So they took their little guest
into their sleeping room, laid him on the bed, covered
him over, and said to each other, how thankful we
ought to be. We have warm rooms on a cozy bed,

(02:13):
while this poor child has only heaven for his roof
and the cold earth for his sleeping place. When their
father and mother went to bed, Mary and Valentine lay
quite contentedly on the bench near the fire, saying, before
they fell asleep, the stranger child will be so happy

(02:34):
to night in his warm bed. These kind children had
not slept many hours before. Mary awoke and softly whispered
to her brother Valentine, dear, wake and listen to the
sweet music under the window. Then Valentine rubbed his eyes
and listened. It was sweet music indeed and sounded like

(02:58):
beautiful voices singing to the tones of a heart.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh, Holy child, we agree thee bringing sweet strains of
har harp to aid our singing. Thou, holy child, in
peace are sleeping while we are wat with THU dark keeping.

Speaker 3 (03:29):
Blessed be the house wherein thou liest happy est on
earth to Heaven the highest. The children listened while a
solemn joy filled their hearts. Then they stepped softly to

(03:50):
the window to see who might be without. In the
east was a streak of rosy dawn, and in its
light they saw a group of children standing before the house,
clothed in silver garments, holding golden harps in their hands.
Amazed at this sight, the children were still gazing out

(04:11):
of the window when a light tap caused them to
turn around. There stood the stranger child before them, clad
in a golden dress with a gleaming radiance round his
curling hair. I am the little christ Child, he said,
who wanders through the world bringing peace and happiness to

(04:33):
good children. You took me in and cared for me
when you thought me a poor child, and now you
shall have my blessing for what you have done. A
fir tree grew near the house, and from this he
broke a twig, which he planted in the ground, saying,
this twig shall become a tree, and shall bring forth

(04:55):
fruit year by year for you. No sooner had he
done this than he vanished, and with him the little
choir of angels. But the fir branch grew and became
a Christmas tree, and on its branches hung golden apples
and silver nuts every Christmas tide, such as the story

(05:20):
told the Jerban children concerning their beautiful Christmas trees. Though
we know that the real little Christ Child can never
be wandering, cold and homeless again in our world, inasmuch
as he is safe in heaven by his father's side,
yet we may gather from this story the same truth

(05:40):
which the Bible plainly tells us, that any one who
helps a Christian child in distress, it will be counted
unto him, as if he had in ye done it
unto Christ himself. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it
unto mean. End of the Legend of the

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Christmas Tree by Charles Dickens