THE STRANGER CHILD
A LEGEND
BY COUNT FRANZ POCCI (TRANSLATED)
There once lived a laborer who earned his daily
bread by cutting wood. His wife and two children,
a boy and girl, helped him with his work.
The boy's name was Valentine, and the girl's,
Marie. They were obedient and pious and the
joy and comfort of their poor parents.
One winter evening, this good family gathered
about the table to eat their small loaf of bread,
while the father read aloud from the Bible. Just
as they sat down there came a knock on the window,
and a sweet voice called:--
``O let me in! I am a little child, and I have
nothing to eat, and no place to sleep in. I am so
cold and hungry! Please, good people, let me in!''
Valentine and Marie sprang from the table and
ran to open the door, saying:--
``Come in, poor child, we have but very little
ourselves, not much more than thou hast, but
what we have we will share with thee.''
The stranger Child entered, and going to the
fire began to warm his cold hands.
The children gave him a portion of their bread,
and said:--
``Thou must be very tired; come, lie down in
our bed, and we will sleep on the bench here before
the fire.''
Then answered the stranger Child: ``May God
in Heaven reward you for your kindness.''
They led the little guest to their small room,
laid him in their bed, and covered him closely,
thinking to themselves:--
``Oh! how much we have to be thankful for!
We have our nice warm room and comfortable
bed, while this Child has nothing but the sky for a
roof, and the earth for a couch.
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