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The Forest Angel
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It had been an especially exciting fall that year. The little forest animals were always excited when the leaves began to fall. There was much to do in preparation for the cold winter months. The squirrels gathered, the rabbits and foxes burrowed - the entire forest hummed with activity. But this year something very exciting happened - a family moved into the old farmhouse at the edge of their forest. The people who moved in were as busy as the rest of the forest creatures. They cleaned and painted and hammered. The tall man put a shiny new mailbox out by the road. The slender woman washed every window until it gleamed. The tiny girl jumped into the piles of bright leaves and ran around in the cool, golden afternoon sunlight, arms outstretched. Her name, the animals discovered when her mother called to her, was Nora. The younger forest animals became more and more interested in the activities in the big house. When it was dark outside and the light came on inside, they crept up closer and closer to peer into the house. They were warned by their elders to stay away, but it was just too much fun. Two of the boldest were Mollie, a young grey squirrel whose curiosity was boundless, and Kip, and adventurous young rabbit with a kind heart and cheerful disposition. When the weather grew colder and the people did not come outside as much as before, Mollie and Kip grew bold enough to go right up to the windows and peek inside. Mollie could even go up the big oak tree beside Nora's bedroom and leap a short distance onto the window sill. That is how she discovered bedtime stories. Every night the man and woman tucked Nora under soft quilts in her own bed and opened the window ever so slightly to the cool night air. Every night they took out her books and read a story with Nora snuggled up between them. Then, after singing her little songs and kissing her tenderly the shut the window and went out as Nora drifted off to sleep. The little squirrel was enchanted. She loved the stories they read. She listened very carefully to each word so she could tell it to Kip afterwards. He waited, not so patiently, at the bottom of the tree. Every night Mollie and Kip went back to share the stories with the other animals, especially Kip's baby brother and sister, Juniper and Lily. That was how they first learned of Christmas - from the stories. They had already noticed some unusual excitement in the old farmhouse. There were lots of whispers and smiles and a big green wreath with a red bow appeared on the front door. At night the bedtime stories began to be all about Christmas, which sounded so wonderful that Mollie and Kip could hardly believe it. The animals watched with fascination as the man, the woman, and the little girl went out into the forest and, choosing a tree carefully, cut it down and brought it right up the front steps and into the house. There they set it up on a stand and put lovely toys and shiny round balls, and strings of beads and colored lights on it. After dark, they could see it glowing through the front room window. Mollie thought it the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Soon brightly colored packages began to appear under the tree. The house began to smell so good as the woman busied herself in the sunny kitchen. A few days before Christmas came, Mollie heard the story of the first Christmas and the birth of the baby who would bring love and peace into the world. This was the greatest story ever. Mollie forgot where she was and crept close enough to get her little head and paws under the window to catch every word and in the moonlight, Nora saw her. Mollie froze in fright, but Nora only lay very still so as not to scare her away. Then Nora smiled sleepily at Mollie and the big people never saw the little squirrel as she scampered down the tree to tell Kip about the coming of the Christ child. Mollie and Kip both shared the story that night with all the animals. Even the oldest and wisest creature, the ancient owl, stayed to the very end to hear about the birth of the baby and the startled shepherds and the angels singing the good news. It was a song of God's love for all creation. It was quiet foe a long moment after Mollie and Kip finished speaking. Then Geoffrey, a fine young red fox known for his quick grasp of any situation, spoke what everyone was thinking. ``We must celebrate this Christmas, too," he said. ``We must welcome the Christ child. We must have our own Christmas tree." Everyone looked at the wise old owl and waited respectfully for him to speak. Finally the owl nodded slowly. ``Yes," he said. ``You are quite right. We must prepare for Christmas and there is not a moment to spare." The little animals squealed and squeaked and jumped around in delight. Everyone had to hurry and work together. The owl flew overhead directing the search for the perfect Christmas tree. They found it in a clearing in the forest, a dusting of snow on its branches. Everyone helped to decorate it. The squirrels gathered pine cones and sprigs of holly. The rabbits picked bright purple berries that they hung on long strings with the help of the birds (who had to be continually reminded not to eat the berries before Christmas!) Geoffrey, the fox, provided bits of red yarn that he had collected for his own amusement. The clever squirrels hung the pine cones from it on the tree. That cold Christmas eve, as the light faded from the forest, the animals stood back to gaze at their first Christmas tree. They were very pleased with themselves...yet something was missing. ``It doesn't glow like the one the people have," Mollie said sadly. ``I am afraid no one will be able to see it in the dark. No one will even know it is here." The animals sat down at the base of the tree feeling discouraged. ``Oh, I so wanted to welcome the Christ child," lisped Juniper. He was such a little rabbit that he kept shivering in the cold night air and began to long for his burrow. Kip put a paw around him against the wind which seemed to be picking up. ``Maybe next year," Kip said. Just then they realized that it was growing steadily brighter - the wind was blowing the snow around in swirling clouds. Yes, it was growing very bright, indeed. The little animals froze, caught in the light that seemed to flow into the dark night and fill the whole world. Then they saw her. The angel was nearly as beautiful as the light itself and as they watched she came forward and placed a tiny star that she had plucked from the heavens very carefully atop their tree. She smiled at them and called them by name - even the baby rabbits, Juniper and Lily, who drew closer to her and the light and nestled beneath her cape for warmth. She spoke very softly (like the sound of falling snow) telling them that they should not be afraid - that the Christ child had come and that God loved them very much - each one. As the tree glowed and glowed she began to sing to them. She sang very softly at first and then the angel's song rang through the forest - first to the old farmhouse, then down the valley and then to the whole world. | ||||||||||||
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