Speaker 1: A picture of the Nativity by Fra. Filippo Lippi by
Vernon Lee, as explained by a pious Florentine gossip of
his day. Quote now, I cannot confirm that things did
really take place in this manner, but it greatly pleases
me to think that they did. Unquote Fra. Domenico Cavalca,
Life of the Magdalen. The silly folks do not at
all understand about the birth of our Lord. They say
that our Lord was born at Bethlehem, and because the
inns were all full, owing to certain feasts kept by
those Jews in a stable. But I tell you this
is an error and due to little sense. For our
Lord was indeed placed in a manger, because none of
the hostelries would receive Joseph and the Blessed Virgin. But
it took place differently. For you must know that beyond Bethlehem,
which is a big village Walden moted of those parts,
lies a hilly country exceeding mild and covered with dense
woods of firs, pines, larches, beeches and similar trees, which
the people of Bethlehem cut down at times going in bands,
and burned charcoal packing at on mules to sell in
the valley, or tie together whole trunks, such as serve
for beams, rafters and masts, and float them down the rivers,
which are many and very rapid. And these mountains. Then,
in the thickest part of the woods, a certain man
of the wood cutting trade bethought him to build a
house wherein to store the timber, and live himself and
his family when it so pleased him, and to keep
his beasts. And for this purpose he employed certain pillars
and pieces of masonry that stood in the forest, being
remains of a temple of the Heathen, the which had
long ceased to exist. And he cleared the wood around about,
leaving only tree stumps and bushes. And close by in
a ravine between in high fir trees ran a river
always full to the brim even in midsummer, owing to
the melting snows, and of greenish waters, cold and rapid exceedingly,
and around up Hill and down Dale stretched the wood
of firs, larches, pines, and other noble and useful trees,
emitting a very pleasant and virtuous fragrance. The man thought
to enjoy his house, and came with his family and servants,
and horses and mules and oxen, which he had employed
to carry down the timber and charcoal. But scarcely were
they settled than an earthquake rent the place, tearing wall
from wall and pillar from pillar, and a voice was
heard in the air crying Ecedoma's Stomini day. Whereupon they fled,
astonished and in terror, and returned into the town. And
no one of that man's family ventured henceforth to return
to that wood or to that house, save one called Hilarian,
a poor lad and a servant, but of upright heart
and faith in the lord, which offered to go back
and take his abode there, and cut down the trees
and burn the charcoal for his master. So he went,
being a poor lad and poorly clad in a leather
tunic and coarse serge hood. And Hilarian took with him
an ox and an ass to load with charcoal and
drive down to Bethlehem to his master. And the first
night that Hilarian slept in that house, which was fallen
to ruin, only a piece of roof remaining, which he
thatched with pine branches, he heard voices singing in the air,
as of children, both boys and maidens. But he closed
his eyes and repeated a paternoster, and turned over and slept.
And again another night he heard voices and knew the
house to be haunted and trembled, But being clear of heart,
he said two aves and went to sleep. And once
more did he hear voices, and they were passing sweet,
and with them came a fragrance as of crushed herbs,
and many kinds of flowers, and frankincense and oris root,
And Hilarian shook, for he feared lest it be the
heathen gods Mercury or Macamet or Apollinus. But he said
his prayer and slept. But at length one night, as
Hilarian heard those songs as usual, he opened his eyes,
and behold, the place was light, and a great staircase
of light like golden cobwebs stretched up to heaven. And
there were angels going about in numbers, coming and going
with locks like honeycomb, and dresses pink and green and
sky blue and white, thickly embroidered with purest pearls, and
wings as of butterflies, and peacock's tails, with glories of
solid gold about their head. And they went to and
fro carrying garlands and strewing flowers, so that a midwinter
it was like a garden in June, so sweet of
roses and lilies and gilly flowers. And the angels sang.
And when they had finished their work, they said it
is well, and departed, holding hands and flying into the
sky above the fir trees. And Hilarian wondered greatly, and said,
five potters and six aves. And the next day, as
he was cutting a fir tree in the wood, there
met him among the rocks, a man, old venerable, with
a long gray beard and a solemn air. And he
was clad in crimson, and under his arm he carried
written books and a scourge. And Hilarian said, who art thou,
For this forest is haunted by spirits, and I would
know whether thou be of them or of men. And
the ancient made answer, My name is Hieronymus. I am
a wise man and a king. I have spent all
my days learning the secrets of things. I know how
that trees grow and waters run, and where treasure lies.
And I can teach thee what the stars sing, and
in what manner the ruby and the emeralds are smelted
in the bowels of the earth, and I can chain
the winds and stop the sun. For I am wise
above all men. But I seek one wiser than myself,
and go through the woods in search of him, my master.
And Hilarian said, tarry thou here, and thou shalt see
if I mistake not him whom thou seekest. So the
old man, whose name was Hieronymus, tarried in the forest
and built himself a hut of stones. And the day
after that, as Hilarian went forth to catch fish in
the river, he met on the bank a lady beautiful
beyond compare the which for all clothing wore only her
own hair, golden and exceeding long. And Hilarian asked, who
art thou, For this forest is haunted by spirits, and
I would know whether thou art one of such and
vivil intent as the damon Venus, or a woman like
the mother who bore me. And the lady answered, my
name is Magdalen. I am a princess and a courtisan,
and the fairest woman that ever be all day. The
princes and kings of the earth have brought gifts to
my house and hung wreaths on my roof, and strew
in flowers in my yard. And the poets all day
have sung to their lutes, and of all laine groaning
at my gates at night. For I am beautiful beyond
all creatures. But I seek one more beautiful than myself,
And go searching my master by the lakes and the rivers.
And Hilarian made answer, tarry thou here, and thou shalt
see if I mistake not him whom thou seekest. And
the lady whose name was Magdalen, tarried by the river
and built herself a cabin of reeds and leaves. And
that night was the longest and coldest of the winter.
And Hilarian made for himself a bed of fern and
hay in the stable of the ox and the ass,
and lay close to them for warmth and lo In
the middle of the night, the ass brayed and the
ox bellowed, and Hilarian started up, and he saw the
heavens open with a great brightness as of beaten and
fretted gold, and angels coming and going and holding each
other by the hand, and wreathed in roses, and singing gloria,
and exchalsis Dale and at Terapax hominibus bonai voluntatus, and
Hilarian wondered and said, ten potters and ten aves. And
that day towards noon, there came through the wood, one
bearing a staff and leading a mule, on which was
seated a woman that was near unto her hour, and
moaning piteously. And they were poor folk and travel stained.
And the man said to Hilarian, my name is Joseph.
I am a carpenter from the city of Nazareth, and
my wife is called Mary, and she is in travail.
Suffer thou ust to rest, and my wife to lie
on the straw of the stable. And Hilarian said, you
are welcome, Benedictus keywine in nomine domini. And Hilarian laid
down more fern and hay, and gave provender to the mule.
And the woman's hour came, and she was delivered of
a male child, and Larian took it and laid it
in the manger. And he went forth into the woods
and found the ancient wizard Hieronymus and the lady Magdalen,
and said, come with me to the ruined house, for
truly there is he whom you be seeking. And they
followed him to the ruined house, where the fir trees
were cleared above the river, and they saw the babe
lying in the manger, and Hieronymus and Magdalen kneeled down, saying,
surely this is he that is our master, for he
is wiser and more fair than either. And the skies opened,
and the came forth angels such as Hilarian had seen,
with glories of solid gold round their heads, and garlands
of roses about their necks. And they took hands and
danced and sang, flying up Gloria in Excelsis deo, end
of a picture of the Nativity by Fra Filippo Lippi