You know she had never studied a
geography lesson in her life, was old and stupid and scared. She
knew the way across the fields to the nearest village, but she
know nothing else of all the wide world full of cities. The
servants scolded, but the Three Kings spoke kindly to her, and
asked her to accompany them on their journey that she might show
them the way as far as she knew it. They told her, in words so
simple that she could not fail to understand, that they had seen
a Star in the sky and were following it to a little town where a
young Child lay. The snow was in the sky now, and the Star was
lost out of sight.
"Who is the Child?" asked the old woman.
"He is a King, and we go to worship him," they answered. "These
presents of gold, frankincense and myrrh are for Him. When we
find Him we will take the crowns off our heads and lay them at
His feet. Come with us, Babouscka!"
What do you suppose? Shouldn't you have thought the poor little
woman would have been glad to leave her desolate home on the
plains to accompany these Kings on their journey?
But the foolish woman shook her head. No, the night was dark and
cheerless, and her little home was warm and cosy. She looked up
into the sky, and the Star was nowhere to be seen. Besides, she
wanted to put her hut in order--perhaps she would be ready to go
to-morrow. But the Three Kings could not wait; so when
to-morrow's sun rose they were far ahead on their journey. It
seemed like a dream to poor Babouscka, for even the tracks of the
camels' feet were covered by the deep white snow.
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