By Lucy Wheelock

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Retold by The Legendary Connection

TLC#00262

On a cold winter night, two little children sat by the warm glow of a fire. The soft crackle of the flames filled the cozy room. Suddenly, they heard a gentle knock at the door.

“Who could that be?” wondered one child. Curious, they ran to open it.

Standing outside in the cold and dark was a small boy. He wore no shoes, and his clothes were thin and tattered. His shoulders shook with the chill, and his breath came out in tiny clouds of mist.

“Please, may I come in and warm myself?” the boy asked with a trembling voice.

“Yes, of course! Come in!” both children said at once. “You can have our spot by the fire.”

They guided the boy to their warm, cozy seat. They shared their supper with him—a small but hearty meal—and later, they offered him their bed. The two children lay down on a hard wooden bench, letting their new friend rest in comfort.

That night, something magical happened.

The children were awakened by the sound of the sweetest music they had ever heard. It floated through the air like a song carried by the wind. They sat up and looked out the window. A group of children, dressed in shining clothes as bright as the stars, was approaching their house. Each child played a golden harp, filling the air with beautiful, heavenly melodies.

Suddenly, the boy who had been sleeping in their bed appeared before them. But he was no longer cold or dressed in rags. His clothes shimmered like silver moonlight, and his face was full of warmth and light.

In a gentle voice, he said, “I was cold, and you welcomed me. I was hungry, and you fed me. I was tired, and you gave me your bed. I am the Christ Child, and I walk the world bringing peace and joy to all children who are kind and good. Because you showed love and kindness to me, I will bless you in return.”

He stepped outside and approached a small fir tree growing near the house. Carefully, he broke off a branch and planted it in the soft earth by the door.

“This tree will grow strong,” he said, “and every year it will bear wonderful fruit to remind you of your kindness.”

Then, with a soft glow of light, he disappeared into the night.

The children watched in amazement as the little branch grew taller and taller until it became a grand tree. Every year, it blossomed with the most wonderful fruit—bright, colorful, and sweeter than anything they had ever tasted. The tree became a symbol of the love and kindness they had shared that cold winter’s night, a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can grow into something truly magical.

Original Source: “The Children’s Book of Christmas Stories.” Gutenberg.org, 2024, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5061/pg5061-images.html#link2H_4_0012. Accessed 20 Dec. 2024.