Christmas Stories And Legends

Christmas Stories And Legends

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Christmas Stories And Legends, by Various This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Christmas Stories And Legends
Author: Various
Release Date: February 16, 2006 [EBook #17770]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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CHRISTMAS STORIES AND LEGENDS
COMPILED BY PHEBE A. CURTISS
Author of "White Gifts for the King"

MEIGS PUBLISHING CO. INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
Copyright 1916
BY
MEIGS PUBLISHING CO. Indianapolis, Indiana

FOREWORD
No greater teaching force has ever been discovered than the story and no one has ever lived who used that force so skillfully as did our Great Teacher.
It is not strange, then, that among all the stories that have ever been written or told none are so dear to us as the stories and legends which center in His birth.
Young and old alike delight in them and never tire of hearing them.
Unusual care has been taken in compiling this little volume and each story has its own sweet lesson. Each one is from the pen of one who has imbibed the real spirit of Christmas. They were chosen as being particularly well adapted to use in connection with the Christmas Service "White Gifts for the King," but they will prove attractive and helpful at any time during the year.
It is our earnest wish that this little book may find its way into many homes and schools and Sunday Schools and that its contents may help to give a deeper appreciation of the true Christmas spirit.

CONTENTS
Page I. The Legend of the "White Gifts"--Phebe A. Curtiss 9
II. Her Birthday Dream--Nellie C. King 13
III. The Fir Tree--Hans Andersen--adapted by J. H. Stickney 25
IV. The Little Match Girl--Hans Andersen 37
V. Little Piccola--Nora A. Smith 41
VI. The Shepherd's Story--Dr. Washington 47
VII. The Story of Christmas--Nora A. Smith 63
VIII. The Legend of the Christmas Tree--Lucy Wheelock 69
IX. Little Jean--French of Francois Coppe. Translated by Nannie Lee Frayser 71
X. How the Fir Tree Became the Christmas Tree--Aunt Hede in Kindergarten Magazine 77
XI. The Magi in the West and Their Search for the Christ--Frederick E. Dewhurst 79
XII. Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe--Elizabeth Harrison 93
XIII. The Little Shepherd--Maud Lindsay 105
XIV. Babouscka--Carolyn S. Bailey 109
XV. The Boy with the Box--May Griggs Van Voorhis 113
XVI. The Worker in Sandal wood--Marjorie L. C. Pickthall 125
XVII. The Shepherd Who Didn't Go--Jay T. Stocking 135
XVIII. Paulina's Christmas--Adapted from Anna Robinson's "Little Paulina" 145
XIX. Unto Us a Child Is Born--Phebe A. Curtiss 153
XX. The Star--Florence M. Kingsley 159

THE LEGEND OF THE "WHITE GIFTS"
As Told by Phebe A. Curtiss
A great many years ago in a land far away from us there was a certain king who was dearly beloved by all of his people. Men admired him because he was strong and just. In all of his dealings they knew they could depend upon him. Every matter that came to his consideration was carefully weighed in his mind and his decisions were always wise. Women trusted him because he was pure and true, with lofty thoughts and high ambitions, and the children loved him because of his gentleness and tenderness toward them. He was never so burdened with affairs of state that he could not stop to speak a pleasant word of greeting to the tiniest child, and the very poorest of his subjects knew they could count upon his interest in them.
This deep-seated love and reverence for their king made the people of this country wish very much for a way in which to give expression to it so that he would understand it. Many consultations were held and one after another the plans suggested were rejected, but at last a most happy solution was found. It was rapidly circulated here and there and it met with the most hearty approval everywhere.
It was a plan for celebrating the King's birthday.
Of course, that had been done in many lands before, but there were certain features about this celebration which differed materially from anything that had ever been tried. They decided that on the King's birthday the people should all bring him gifts, but they wanted in some way to let him know that these gifts were the expression of a love on the part of the giver which was pure and true and unselfish, and in order to show that, it was decided that each gift should be a "White Gift."
The King heard about this beautiful plan, and it touched his heart in a wonderful way. He decided that he would do his part to carry out the idea and let his loving subjects