You must know
the Babouscka was poor and could not afford to do her work by
candle-light.
Presently, down the widest and the lonesomest of the white roads,
there appeared a long train of people coming. They were walking
slowly, and seemed to be asking each other questions as to which
way they should take. As the procession came nearer, and finally
stopped outside the little hut, Babouscka was frightened at the
splendor. There were Three Kings, with crowns on their heads,
and the jewels on the Kings' breastplates sparkled like sunlight.
Their heavy fur cloaks were white with the falling snow-flakes,
and the queer humpy camels on which they rode looked white as
milk in the snow-storm. The harness on the camels was decorated
with gold, and plates of silver adorned the saddles. The
saddle-cloths were of the richest Eastern stuffs, and all the
servants had the dark eyes and hair of an Eastern people.
The slaves carried heavy loads on their backs, and each of the
Three Kings carried a present. One carried a beautiful
transparent jar, and in the fading light Babouscka could see in
it a golden liquid which she knew from its color must be myrrh.
Another had in his hand a richly woven bag, and it seemed to be
heavy, as indeed it was, for it was full of gold. The third had
a stone vase in his hand, and from the rich perfume which filled
the snowy air, one could guess the vase to have been filled with
incense.
Babouscka was terribly frightened, so she hid herself in her hut,
and let the servants knock a long time at her door before she
dared open it and answer their questions as to the road they
should take to a far-away town.
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