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Speaker 1: A picture of the Nativity by Fra. Filippo Lippi by

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Vernon Lee, as explained by a pious Florentine gossip of

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his day. Quote now, I cannot confirm that things did

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really take place in this manner, but it greatly pleases

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me to think that they did. Unquote Fra. Domenico Cavalca,

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Life of the Magdalen. The silly folks do not at

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all understand about the birth of our Lord. They say

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that our Lord was born at Bethlehem, and because the

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inns were all full, owing to certain feasts kept by

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those Jews in a stable. But I tell you this

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is an error and due to little sense. For our

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Lord was indeed placed in a manger, because none of

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the hostelries would receive Joseph and the Blessed Virgin. But

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it took place differently. For you must know that beyond Bethlehem,

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which is a big village Walden moted of those parts,

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lies a hilly country exceeding mild and covered with dense

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woods of firs, pines, larches, beeches and similar trees, which

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the people of Bethlehem cut down at times going in bands,

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and burned charcoal packing at on mules to sell in

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the valley, or tie together whole trunks, such as serve

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for beams, rafters and masts, and float them down the rivers,

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which are many and very rapid. And these mountains. Then,

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in the thickest part of the woods, a certain man

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of the wood cutting trade bethought him to build a

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house wherein to store the timber, and live himself and

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his family when it so pleased him, and to keep

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his beasts. And for this purpose he employed certain pillars

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and pieces of masonry that stood in the forest, being

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remains of a temple of the Heathen, the which had

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long ceased to exist. And he cleared the wood around about,

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leaving only tree stumps and bushes. And close by in

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a ravine between in high fir trees ran a river

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always full to the brim even in midsummer, owing to

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the melting snows, and of greenish waters, cold and rapid exceedingly,

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and around up Hill and down Dale stretched the wood

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of firs, larches, pines, and other noble and useful trees,

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emitting a very pleasant and virtuous fragrance. The man thought

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to enjoy his house, and came with his family and servants,

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and horses and mules and oxen, which he had employed

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to carry down the timber and charcoal. But scarcely were

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they settled than an earthquake rent the place, tearing wall

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from wall and pillar from pillar, and a voice was

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heard in the air crying Ecedoma's Stomini day. Whereupon they fled,

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astonished and in terror, and returned into the town. And

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no one of that man's family ventured henceforth to return

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to that wood or to that house, save one called Hilarian,

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a poor lad and a servant, but of upright heart

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and faith in the lord, which offered to go back

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and take his abode there, and cut down the trees

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and burn the charcoal for his master. So he went,

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being a poor lad and poorly clad in a leather

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tunic and coarse serge hood. And Hilarian took with him

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an ox and an ass to load with charcoal and

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drive down to Bethlehem to his master. And the first

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night that Hilarian slept in that house, which was fallen

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to ruin, only a piece of roof remaining, which he

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thatched with pine branches, he heard voices singing in the air,

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as of children, both boys and maidens. But he closed

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his eyes and repeated a paternoster, and turned over and slept.

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And again another night he heard voices and knew the

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house to be haunted and trembled, But being clear of heart,

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he said two aves and went to sleep. And once

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more did he hear voices, and they were passing sweet,

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and with them came a fragrance as of crushed herbs,

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and many kinds of flowers, and frankincense and oris root,

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And Hilarian shook, for he feared lest it be the

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heathen gods Mercury or Macamet or Apollinus. But he said

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his prayer and slept. But at length one night, as

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Hilarian heard those songs as usual, he opened his eyes,

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and behold, the place was light, and a great staircase

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of light like golden cobwebs stretched up to heaven. And

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there were angels going about in numbers, coming and going

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with locks like honeycomb, and dresses pink and green and

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sky blue and white, thickly embroidered with purest pearls, and

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wings as of butterflies, and peacock's tails, with glories of

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solid gold about their head. And they went to and

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fro carrying garlands and strewing flowers, so that a midwinter

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it was like a garden in June, so sweet of

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roses and lilies and gilly flowers. And the angels sang.

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And when they had finished their work, they said it

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is well, and departed, holding hands and flying into the

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sky above the fir trees. And Hilarian wondered greatly, and said,

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five potters and six aves. And the next day, as

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he was cutting a fir tree in the wood, there

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met him among the rocks, a man, old venerable, with

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a long gray beard and a solemn air. And he

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was clad in crimson, and under his arm he carried

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written books and a scourge. And Hilarian said, who art thou,

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For this forest is haunted by spirits, and I would

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know whether thou be of them or of men. And

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the ancient made answer, My name is Hieronymus. I am

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a wise man and a king. I have spent all

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my days learning the secrets of things. I know how

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that trees grow and waters run, and where treasure lies.

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And I can teach thee what the stars sing, and

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in what manner the ruby and the emeralds are smelted

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in the bowels of the earth, and I can chain

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the winds and stop the sun. For I am wise

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above all men. But I seek one wiser than myself,

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and go through the woods in search of him, my master.

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And Hilarian said, tarry thou here, and thou shalt see

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if I mistake not him whom thou seekest. So the

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old man, whose name was Hieronymus, tarried in the forest

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and built himself a hut of stones. And the day

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after that, as Hilarian went forth to catch fish in

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the river, he met on the bank a lady beautiful

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beyond compare the which for all clothing wore only her

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own hair, golden and exceeding long. And Hilarian asked, who

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art thou, For this forest is haunted by spirits, and

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I would know whether thou art one of such and

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vivil intent as the damon Venus, or a woman like

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the mother who bore me. And the lady answered, my

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name is Magdalen. I am a princess and a courtisan,

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and the fairest woman that ever be all day. The

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princes and kings of the earth have brought gifts to

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my house and hung wreaths on my roof, and strew

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in flowers in my yard. And the poets all day

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have sung to their lutes, and of all laine groaning

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at my gates at night. For I am beautiful beyond

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all creatures. But I seek one more beautiful than myself,

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And go searching my master by the lakes and the rivers.

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And Hilarian made answer, tarry thou here, and thou shalt

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see if I mistake not him whom thou seekest. And

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the lady whose name was Magdalen, tarried by the river

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and built herself a cabin of reeds and leaves. And

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that night was the longest and coldest of the winter.

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And Hilarian made for himself a bed of fern and

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hay in the stable of the ox and the ass,

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and lay close to them for warmth and lo In

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the middle of the night, the ass brayed and the

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ox bellowed, and Hilarian started up, and he saw the

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heavens open with a great brightness as of beaten and

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fretted gold, and angels coming and going and holding each

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other by the hand, and wreathed in roses, and singing gloria,

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and exchalsis Dale and at Terapax hominibus bonai voluntatus, and

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Hilarian wondered and said, ten potters and ten aves. And

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that day towards noon, there came through the wood, one

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bearing a staff and leading a mule, on which was

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seated a woman that was near unto her hour, and

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moaning piteously. And they were poor folk and travel stained.

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And the man said to Hilarian, my name is Joseph.

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I am a carpenter from the city of Nazareth, and

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my wife is called Mary, and she is in travail.

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Suffer thou ust to rest, and my wife to lie

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on the straw of the stable. And Hilarian said, you

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are welcome, Benedictus keywine in nomine domini. And Hilarian laid

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down more fern and hay, and gave provender to the mule.

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And the woman's hour came, and she was delivered of

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a male child, and Larian took it and laid it

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in the manger. And he went forth into the woods

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and found the ancient wizard Hieronymus and the lady Magdalen,

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and said, come with me to the ruined house, for

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truly there is he whom you be seeking. And they

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followed him to the ruined house, where the fir trees

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were cleared above the river, and they saw the babe

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lying in the manger, and Hieronymus and Magdalen kneeled down, saying,

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surely this is he that is our master, for he

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is wiser and more fair than either. And the skies opened,

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and the came forth angels such as Hilarian had seen,

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with glories of solid gold round their heads, and garlands

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of roses about their necks. And they took hands and

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danced and sang, flying up Gloria in Excelsis deo, end

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of a picture of the Nativity by Fra Filippo Lippi