Jesus our brother, strong and good,
Was humbly born in a stable rude,
And the friendly beasts around him stood.
I, said the cow, all white and red,
I gave him my manger for his bed,
I gave him my hay to pillow his head.
I, said the camel, yellow and black,
Over the desert, upon my back,
I brought him a gift in the wise man's pack.
I, said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
I carried his mother uphill and down,
I carried her safely to Bethlehem town.
I, said the sheep, with the curly horn,
I gave him my wool for his blanket warm,
He wore my coat on Christmas morn.
I, said the dove, from my rafter high,
Cooed him to sleep that he should not cry,
We cooed him to sleep my mate and I.
And every beast, by some good spell
In the stable dark, was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Immanuel.
[Footnote 1: By Robert Davis.]
_When the carol is finished_, NURSE MARY _looks at the clock, and
says_, My dears, it is time we were all in bed, or Santa Claus when
he comes, will find us awake, and that would never do. So I must be
going home.
But how do you feel? _asks_ POLLY. Has the medicine done your back
good?
My back? _says_ NURSE MARY. Why, I had forgotten all about my
back--not an ache in it.
And your joints? _asks_ JACK.
I wouldn't know I had any joints, _answers_ NURSE MARY. I declare,
I believe I could dance the Highland Fling. But where is my cloak?
_Then Polly gets the cloak and hood, and helps her put them on, and as
Nurse Mary goes out at the door_,
Good-night, Nurse Mary, _cry_ JACK _and_ POLLY.
Good-night, my dears, NURSE MARY _answers. And the door closes behind
her_.
_Now while the children had their backs turned, a funny thing
happened, for out of the fire-place there stepped, without making a
sound, a little man dressed all in green. Jack and Polly, when they turn
about, see him standing there._
Why, who are you? _asks_ JACK, _standing still, but very bravely
keeping in front of Polly._
_The little green man says never a word, but after waiting a moment
with his finger on his lips, he beckons to them to come forward, and
slowly, for they are a little frightened, they obey him. When they are
quite close, he looks cautiously around, and then draws a large white
letter out of his pocket, and hands it to Jack. Jack looks at it, and
shows it to Polly. Then he looks at the little green man, who nods his
head with a funny little jerk._
Shall I open it? _asks_ JACK. _And the little green man nods
again. So Jack opens it._
Shall I read it? _asks_ JACK. _And the little green man nods
again. So Jacks begins to read:_ "My dear Children all over the
world, I, who write you this letter, am your old friend Santa Claus,
and how shall I tell you the sad news, for tonight is the night when
I ought to get into my reindeer sleigh and go about filling your precious
stockings with Christmas gifts, and I cannot do it because I am sick.
My back aches like a tooth ache, and every joint in my whole body is
so stiff that I can hardly move. Old Father Time, who pretends to be
something of a doctor, says the trouble is that I am growing old--the
idea of it! I sent him packing about his business, I can tell you. But
all the same I do feel mighty queer, and that's a fact. And the worst of
it is that this is Christmas Eve, and here I am shut up indoors in my
house at the North Pole, and every stocking in the world is hanging
empty. I cannot bear to have Christmas come and go without any word at
all from me, so I have gotten my good little friends the gnomes and
fairies and elves to help me out. They had some old fairy toys, that are
almost as good as new, and these they are going to carry about to all
the children; and although these gifts are rather different from what
you usually receive from me, I hope they will at least keep you from
forgetting poor old Santa Claus."
_Jack and Polly look sadly at one another, and then at the little
green man. He reaches out his hand, takes the letter, folds it up,
replaces it in the envelope, and tucks it away in his pocket. Then he
brings out two little packages, all in green paper, tied with green
string, and gives one to Polly and one to Jack. Then, quick as a flash,
he has disappeared in the fire-place._
Where did he go to? _asks_ POLLY, _after a moment of
surprise._
Up the chimney, _says_ JACK.
But what has he given to us? _says_ POLLY, _looking at the little
green package in her hand._
Let's open them, _says_ JACK.
_So the two children untie the strings, and open the papers, and soon
hold up the things they have found inside. Jack has a pair of spectacles
with large round glasses and black rims. Polly has a curious little
brown cap. They look at them in perplexity._
Oh, there is some writing fastened to mine, _says_ POLLY.
And to mine, too, _adds_ JACK.