Christmas Legends

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20995, 23 December 1939, Page 19 (Supplement)

Christmas Legends

THE STORY OF FLOWERS 'T'HERE are lots of legends connected * with flowers and the birth of Christ, and here are a few of them which you may, or may not know. The snowdrop is the flower of the Virgin Mary and is said to be the emblem of the candles she lighted on Christmas Eve, while the Xmas rose was divinely created. A shepherd maid wept at having no gift to lay before the Babe in the Manger. Suddenly an angel appeared before her— The angel spoke, his voice was low and sweet, As the sea’s murmur on low-lying shore Oh whisper of the wind in ripendd wheat. On hearing why the maiden wept, he touched the ground where her tears had fallen, with the branch of lilies he carried, and immediately the place was white with Christmas roses which the maid gathered and laid in the manger. The chrysanthemum, which was born at the same time as the “Babe of Bethlehem,” was the token of the Wise Men that they had reached the spot where the star had guided them, for as they searched along the narrow ways of the village towards the fall of night, these rufers of tribes wondered what should be disclosed to them.

There was no excitement among the people; all was silent and gloomy, when at a word from King Melchior the caravan stood still. “It is the place,” he cried. “For look ! Here is a flower rayed like the star which has guided us, and which is even now above our heads.”

As Melchior bent and picked it up, the Stable door opened of itself and the pilgrims entered in. King Melchior placed the Chrysanthemum in the Hand extended to receive it—the Hand of a new-born Babe.

THE ROSEMARY LEGEND Then there is the legend which says that when Christ was an infant, His Mother, having washed His baby clothes, spread them to dry on some bushes by the roadside. They were verv ordinary little bushes that no one noticed, with tiny flowers and no scent. But later, when

Mary gathered up the little garments a wonderful perfume clung to them, unlike any known flower, and turning back to examine the bushes, she found that every leaf was shining with a silvery light. Ttf this day on every rosemary bush you may see the silver on the underside of the green scented leaves.