Never give up your faith in the sweet old stories, even after you come to see that they are only the pleasant shadow of a lovely truth,” is a quote attributed to the 19th century American writer Louisa May Alcott. This week, in the lead-up to Christmas, I am enjoying myself re-reading my favourite Christmas stories and would like to tell you about some of them. Some great Western writers have explored the ‘spirit of Christmas’ in their literary fairy tales. The poor are at the heart of the Gospel and that’s why many of these touching stories are about compassion for those less fortunate and being grateful for what we have.
At the top of my list is the French story, The Juggler of Notre Dame by Anatole France. It came out in 1890 and is based on a religious tale from the 13th century.
A travelling juggler called Barnaby earns his bread by entertaining people at markets and fairs. Struggling to survive, he seeks refuge in a monastery. Although he tries hard to pray and fast like the other monks, he feels hopelessly inadequate since he cannot read and write and knows no Latin. It is getting on for Christmas and the monastery is buzzing with plans in which Barnaby has no part. One day, he discovers a statue of Mary in the crypt below the church. Barnaby yearns to give her a gift as a Christmas offering like the others.
So he decides to do the only thing he can—juggle. On Christmas Eve, he lights a lone candle and outdoes himself juggling. Some suspicious monks follow him. They are very angry when they see him perform because they think it is sacrilege. How like the story of the Shaiva saint Kanappa Nayanaar this is. But then a miracle happens.Barnaby faints in tearful exhaustion, and the statue of Mary comes to life. She steps down from her alcove to tenderly wipe Barnaby’s face with her mantle and steps back.
Don’t you love the idea that everyone has something to share and no skill is too small to be appreciated?
Another story for Christmas is The Fir Tree by the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, from 1844. It is about a fir tree so anxious for greater things, that it cannot appreciate the gift of life in the here and now. Although it grows in a pleasant, sunny spot, the young fir compares itself to the big trees and feels resentful. When some big trees are cut down, the young fir wonders what became of them. It hears from the birds that those trees sailed out to sea as a part of ships. This makes the young fir restless. “How exciting that must be,” it thinks.
When yet more trees are felled, it hears from the birds that those trees were taken into homes and richly decorated, glowing with lights in a place of honour. The young fir immediately longs to be like them. Finally, it too is cut down and made into a Christmas tree. It greatly enjoys its glory. What happens when Christmas gets over makes for a sobering but moving read.
I cannot resist another tree story by Andersen from 1858, called The Last Dream of the Old Oak. In this story, an oak that grows atop a woody hill overlooking the sea is very pleased with itself, unlike the young fir. It has lasted over 300 years and serves as a trusty landmark to sailors out at sea. As penned by Anderson:
‘On many a warm summer, the Ephemera, the flies that exist for only a day, had fluttered about the old oak, enjoyed life and felt happy and if, for a moment, one of the tiny creatures rested on one of his large fresh leaves, the tree would always say, “Poor little creature! Your whole life consists only of a single day. How very short. It must be quite melancholy.”
“Melancholy! What do you mean?” the little creature would always reply. “Everything around me is so wonderfully bright and warm, and beautiful, that it makes me joyous.”’
The old oak cannot understand this at all. One day, however, it meets the fate of all living things, and the sailors lament its departure. The message is that all things pass, only God is ‘forever’; that each of us has a life to live and must make the best of it without pride.
Another moving Christmas read is the story of Papa Panov’s Special Christmas by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, also retold by others.
The story is about an old and lonely cobbler whose shop looks out on the street. Papa Panov feels Christmassy and sits down to read the Bible. He thinks he would never have turned Mary and Joseph away but given them his own bed. He reads of the gifts from the three kings or ‘Magi’ and wonders what he could have given Baby Jesus. He jumps up to take down a pair of baby shoes that he made long ago, as the perfect gift. Papa Panov longs to meet Jesus and dreams that Jesus promises him a visit. He is excitedly on the lookout next day, which is Christmas. He spots a cold, weary road-sweeper and calls him in for a cup of restorative coffee. He sees a shabby, worn-out looking mother trudging by, carrying her baby, and calls her in to sit by the fire. He warms some milk and presents the baby with the shoes that he wanted to give Jesus.
The day draws to a close and Papa Panov is sorely disappointed that Jesus did not come by as promised. But then he hears the voice of Jesus as though in his dream. “I was hungry and you fed me,” says the voice. “I was naked and you clothed me. I was cold and you warmed me. I came to you today in every one of those you welcomed.” The Biblical root of this story is Matthew 25:35.
Happy Christmas to you all in advance.
Renuka Narayanan
Slug: Faithline