CHAPTER 2 THE STAR-CHILD
CHAPTER 2 THE STAR-CHILD CHAPTER 2 THE STAR-CHILD PART ONE The Baby One winter night in a big forest of pine trees, two woodcutters were walking home. It was very, very cold and there was snow on the ground. The trees were cold, the birds were cold and the animals were cold. The rabbits stayed in their rabbit holes and the squirrels stayed in the trees. But the two woodcutters continued their journey. They prayed to Saint Martin the protector of travellers and finally they saw the lights of
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CHAPTER 2 THE STAR-CHILD
CHAPTER 2 THE STAR-CHILD
PART ONE The Baby
One winter night in a big forest of pine trees, two woodcutters were walking home.It was very, very cold and there was snow on the ground.The trees were cold, the birds were cold and the animals were cold.The rabbits stayed in their rabbit holes and the squirrels stayed in the trees.
But the two woodcutters continued their journey.They prayed to Saint Martin the protector of travellers and finally they saw the lights of their little village in the distance.They were very happy and laughed.The Earth now seemed like a flower of silver and the moon seemed like a flower of gold.But soon they became sad again. "Why were we so happy?" asked one woodcutter."Life is for rich people, not poor people like us.It is better if we die in the snow or if a wild animal eats us."
Suddenly, something very strange happened.A very bright and beautiful star fell from the sky into the snow.
"Look," said one of the woodcutters to his friend, "perhaps we will find a pot of gold. Let's go and see!"
When they arrived they found a thing of gold on the white snow.But it wasn't the treasure they wanted. It was a golden cloak with golden stars on it.They opened the cloak and inside they saw a little baby, sleeping.Round the baby's neck was a chain of amber.
"This is not good," said one of them. "Let's leave the baby here.We have too many children and not enough money to buy food. I don't want another child."
"But we can't leave this little baby here alone," said the other woodcutter."He will surely die. I will take him home with me.We have many children and not enough food, but my wife will look after him."And the good woodcutter took the baby in his arms and continued his journey home.
When they arrived at their village the first woodcutter said,"You have the child so you must give me the cloak of gold."
But his friend answered, "No, this cloak is not yours or mine.It is the baby's cloak. It must stay with him."
The woodcutter's wife was very happy to see her husband. She put her arms round him and kissed him.
"I found something in the forest and I brought it home for you," he said.
"Good, what is it? We are very poor and we need many things."
But she was very angry when she saw the baby."We have too many children already and not enough money to buy food.I don't want another child," she said. But then she looked at the baby and her heart was full of pity.
"He is a Star-Child," said her husband. "We must love him."
So the woman put the baby in a little bed to sleep.She put the cloak and the chain into a chest. "Yes, we will love him," she answered.
PART TWO The Mother
The Star-Child lived with the woodcutter and his family but he was very different from them.Every year the Star-Child became more beautiful: his skin was white like ivory, his hair was gold like the daffodils,his lips were like the petals of a red flower and his eyes were blue like the violets near a river.The other people in the village had black hair and black eyes and they watched the Star-Child in wonder.
The Star-Child was very beautiful but very cruel, arrogant and selfish.He laughed at the other children in the village and said,"Your parents are poor but I am noble, I come from a star."He had no pity for poor people. He laughed at ugly people and ill people.He hurt animals and he laughed when they suffered. He was very vain and loved his beauty.In summer he often went to the well in the priest's orchardand looked at the reflection of his face in the water. Then he was happy.
The woodcutter and his wife treated the boy well but they were very sad.They often said to him, "We were good to you.We felt pity for you. Why are you so cruel? Why do you act in this way?"
The priest was very worried and said to him, "You must respect all God's creatures.Even the fly is your brother. Why do you cause pain to others?"
But the Star-Child didn't listen. He continued to hurt animals and laugh at the problems of other people.The other children followed him because he was beautiful and could dance and make music.They followed his orders. He was their leader and they became cruel and hard like him.
One day a poor beggar woman arrived in the village.Her clothes were very old and torn and she had no shoes on her feet.She was very tired and sat under a tree to rest.The Star-Child saw her and said to his friends, "Look at that ugly woman.We don't want her here," and they started to throw stones at the poor woman.She was terrified but she didn't stop looking at the Star-Child.
"What are you doing?" shouted the woodcutter when he saw this."Stop immediately. Why do you have no pity for this poor woman?"
"I will not listen to you. You are not my father," replied the Star-Child.
"This is true, but when I found you in the forest I had pity for you."
The old woman was listening and when she heard these words she screamed and fainted.The woodcutter carried her into his house and his wife put meat and drink on the table for her.But she did not eat or drink. She asked, "Did this child come from the forest?Did he have a gold cloak with stars on it? Did this happen about ten years ago?"
The woodcutter was very surprised. "Yes", he replied.
"And did he have an amber chain round his neck?"
"Yes he did," said the woodcutter. "Come with me and I will show you the cloak and the chain."
The woman looked at these things and started to cry with joy."He is my little son. I am his mother," she said."I lost him in the forest ten years ago and I looked all over the world for him. Now I have him again."The woodcutter was very surprised and called the boy."Come into the house and you will find your mother."
The Star-Child was very happy and ran in but when he saw her he said, "Where is my mother?I can see no one, only a horrible beggar woman." "I am your mother," she said.
"You are mad. I am not your son: you are dressed in old clothes, you are a beggar woman and I am a Star-Child!"
"But I recognised you when I saw you and I recognised your cloak of gold and your chain of amber.Robbers stole you from me. Come to me, my son. Your love is very important for me."She opened her arms to him but he was very angry and closed the doors of his heart to her.
