Shirley J. Juvenile Literature A beautiful garden that blooms in honor of Christ's birth
The Legend of the Christmas Rose by Ellin Greene 38 pages
A poor, hungry woman and her five children out begging for food stop and enter the open gate of the town's monastery. They see a beautiful garden being tended by one of the monks. When he sees the family he starts insisting they leave but they argue they are only looking. The abbot appears and speaks with them noting their appreciation for his beautiful garden. The woman tells him it is beautiful but not the most beautiful she has seen. The abbot questions her about where she saw better? She tells him of a garden that blooms only at Christmas time to honor Christ's birth. The abbot must see this garden. The woman tells the abbot that her husband cannot get work because he took something years ago and has been banned from the town ever since. If the abbot will get her husband pardoned for his crime so that he can go into town and seek work she will get the monk to the special Christmas garden. The abbot speaks on behalf of the man to the local magistrate and obtains a pardon for the man. As promised the woman sends her son to the abbot and his assistant to show them the way to the garden. The story takes place in Sweden so it is very cold and snowy and the journey is arduous, but, at last they arrive and the garden is everything the woman said it was, magnificent! And of course there is an exquisite rose growing in the center of the garden. A good book. I recommend this story to youngsters and all who love stories about the symbols of Christmas.
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