Speaker 1: The Star by Florence M. Kingsley. Once upon a time,
in a country far away from here, there lived a
little girl named Ruth. Ruth's home was not at all
like our houses, for she lived in a little tower
on top of the great stone wall that surrounded the
town of Bethlehem. Ruth's father was the hotel keeper. The
Bible says the innkeeper. This inn was not at all
like our hotels either. There was a great open yard,
which was called the courtyard. All about this yard were
little rooms, and each traveler who came to the hotel
rented one. The inn stood near the great stone wall
of the city, so that as Ruth stood one night
looking out of the tower window, she looked directly into
the courtyard. It was truly a strange sight that met
her eyes. So many people were coming to the inn,
for the king had made a law that every man
should come back to the city where his father used
to live, to be counted and to pay his taxes.
Some of the people came on the backs of camels,
with great rolls of bedding and their dishes for cooking
upon the back of the beast. Some of them came
on little donkeys, and on their backs, too, were the
bedding and the dishes. Some of the people came walking slowly,
they were so tired. Many miles some of them had come.
As Ruth looked down into the courtyard, she saw the
camels being led to their places by their masters. She
heard the snap of the whips. She saw the sparks
shoot up from the fires that were kindled in the
courtyard where each person was preparing his own supper. She
heard the cries of the tired, hungry little children. Presently,
her mother, who was cooking supper, came over to the
window and said, Ruthie, thou shalt hide in the house
until all those people are gone. Dost thou understand? Yes,
my mother, said the child, and she left the window
to follow her mother back to the stove, limping painfully,
for little Ruth was a cripple. Her mother stooped suddenly
and caught the child in her arms. My poor little lamb,
it was a mule's kick, just six years ago that
hershiell pore back and made you lame. Never mind, my mother,
My back does not ache to day, And lately, when
the light of the strange new star shone down upon
my bed, my back is felt so much stronger, and
I have felt so happy, as though I could climb
upon the rays of the star, and up up into
the sky and above the stars. Her mother shook her
head sadly, thou art not likely to climb much now
or ever. But come, the supper is ready. Let us
go to find your father. I wonder what keeps him.
They found the father standing at the gate of the courtyard,
talking to a man and woman who had just arrived.
The man was tall, with a long beard, and he
led by a rope, a snow white mule, on which
sat the drooping figure of the woman. As Ruth and
her mother came near, they heard the father say, but
I tell thee that there is no more room than
thee inn. Hast thou no friends? Where thou canst go
to spend the night? The man shook his head, No none,
he answered, I care not for myself but my poor wife.
Little Ruth pulled at her mother's dress. Mother, the oxen
sleep out under the stars these warm nights, and the
straw and the caves is clean and warm. I have
made a bed there for my little lamb. Ruth's mother
bowed before the tall man thou didst hear the child?
It is as she says, The straw is clean and warm.
The tall man bowed his head, We shall be very
glad to stay. And he helped the sweet faced woman
down from the donkey's back and led her away to
the cave stable, while the little Ruth and her mother
hurried up the stairs that they might send a bowl
of porridge to the sweet faced woman, and a sup
of new milk as well. That night, when little Ruth
lay down on her bed, the rays of the beautiful
new stars shone through the window, more brightly than before.
They seemed to soothe the tired, aching shoulders. She fell
asleep and dreamed that the beautiful bright star burst, and
out of it came countless angels who sang in the
night glory to God, in the highest peace on earth,
good will to men. And then it was morning, and
her mother was bending over her and saying, awake, awake,
little Ruth, Mother has something to tell thee. Then, as
the eyes opened slowly, the angels came in the night,
little one, and left a baby to lay beside your
little white lamb in the manger. That afternoon, Ruth went
with her mother to the fountain. The mother turned aside
to talk to the other women of the town about
the strange things heard and seen the night before, but
Ruth went on and sat down by the edge of
the fountain. The child was not frightened. Her strangers came
often to the well, but never had she seen men
who looked like the three who now came towards her.
The first one, a tall man with a long white beard,
came close to Ruth and said, Corince, tell us, child,
where is born he that is called the king of
the Jews? I know of no king. She answered that
last night, while the star was shining, the angels brought
a baby to lie beside my white lamb in the manger.
The stranger bowed his head. That must be he. Wilt
thou ShoWest away to him my child? So Ruth ran
and her mother led the three men to the cave,
and when they saw the child, they rejoiced with exceeding
great joy, and opening their gifts, they presented unto him
gold and frankincense and myrrh with wonderful jewels, so that
Ruth's mother's eyes shone with wonder But little Ruth saw
only the baby, which lay asleep on its mother's breast.
If only I might hold him in my arms, she thought,
but was afraid to ask. After a few days the
strangers left Bethlehem, all but the three, the man whose
name was Joseph, and Mary, his wife, and the baby. Then,
as of old, little Ruth played about the courtyard, and
the white lamb frolicked at her side. Often she dropped
to her knees to press the little wooly white head
against her breast while she murmured, my little lamb, my
very very own I love you, lammie. And then together
they would steal over to the entrance of the cave
to peep in at the baby. And always she thought,
if I only might touch his hand, but was afraid
to ask. One night, as she lay in her bed,
she thought to herself, Oh, I wish I had a
beautiful gift for him, such as the wise men brought.
But I have nothing at all to offer, and I
love him so much. Just then the light of the star,
which was nightly fading, fell across the foot of the
bed and shone full upon the white lamb, which lay
asleep at her feet. And then she thought of something.
The next morning, she arose the face shining with joy.
She dressed carefully, and with the white lamb held close
to her breast, went slowly and painfully down the stairway
and over to the door of the cave. I have come,
she said, to worship him, and I have brought him
my white lamb. The mother smiled at the lame child.
Then she lifted the baby from her breast and placed
him in the arms of the little maid, who knelt
at her feet. A few days after, an angel came
to the father Joseph, and told him to take the
baby and hurried to the land of Egypt, for the
wicked king wanted to do it harm. And so these three,
the father, mother, and baby went by night to the
far country of Egypt. And the star grew dimmer and dimmer,
and passed away forever from the skies of a Bethlehem.
But little Ruth grew straight and strong and beautiful as
the almond trees in the orchard. And all the people
who saw her were amazed, for Ruth was once a cripple.
It was the light of the strange star, her mother said.
But little Ruth knew it was the touch of the
blessed Christ child, who was once folded against her heart.
End of the Star by Florence M. Kingsley