A CHRISTMAS LEGEND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 30, 3 December 1943, Page 3

A CHRISTMAS LEGEND

All around the wondrous story of Bethlehem and the first Christmas night have grown many quaint legends most of them with a cliarm of their own and all containing some interesting thought.

In some part of Russia the peasants have a legend ol a woman whom they call the Baboushka. The story runs that the Three Wise Men passed licr house, on their journey to find the place where the Child lay; They stopped at. her cottage door and begged her to accompany them in their search. "We. have seen His star in the East," they said. "Come with us., i'or we are going to worship Him." But the Baboushka was busy and Avould not join them. "I will come some time," she said, "but not. now." And the Wise Men went on without her. Then she was filled with a great, longing to be with them, but it was too late., and though she followed them she never saw the Christ. Child. But, the legend says, she is still living and still searching, and it is she, in those Russian houses, who fills the. children's stockings and hangs the lights and the presents on the Christmas trees, and on Christinas morning the children cry,, 'Behold the Baboiislika' and rush out hoping they may see her. For she is always hoping that some day, in some home., she may find amongst the children, the Christ child she missed those hundred years ago. In another part of Russia a young girl is believed to bring the. presents for the children on Christmas Eve. She is a white-clad maiden known as Kolyada. and she drives in a sledge from house to house distributing presents, in the manner of our Santa Claus. So do the .legends grow in every country and of every kind, for out of every great event, come stories, and it is small wonder that the stupendous event of Christmas should be decked with garlands of story and song.

THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT A Scottish couple, on the eve of Christmas, were discussing the subject of a present for their son. Alter much careful thought lather hit on an idea. "I know,," he said. "D'ye remember. he was a good boy iast year .so we bought him a ha! loon for Christmas. Well, lie's been a, good boy this year, so 1 think we'll blow it up for him."