Emerald Story Book

<h3><SPAN name="AN_EASTERN_LEGEND">AN EASTERN LEGEND</SPAN></h3> <p class="center"><span class="smcap">Grace Duffield Goodwin</span></p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">There’s a tender eastern legend,</div> <div class="verse indent4">In a volume old and rare</div> <div class="verse indent0">Of the Christ Child in his garden,</div> <div class="verse indent4">Walking with the children there.</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">And it tells—this strange, sweet story—</div> <div class="verse indent4">(True or false, ah, who shall say?)</div> <div class="verse indent0">How a bird with broken pinion</div> <div class="verse indent4">Dead within the garden lay.</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">And the children, children cruel,</div> <div class="verse indent4">Lifted it by shattered wing,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Shouting, “Make us merry music,</div> <div class="verse indent4">Sing, you lazy fellow, sing.”</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">But the Christ Child bent above it,</div> <div class="verse indent4">Took it in his gentle hand,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Full of pity for the suffering</div> <div class="verse indent4">He alone could understand.</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">Whispered to it—oh, so softly!</div> <div class="verse indent4">Laid his lips upon its throat,</div> <div class="verse indent0">And the song life, swift returning,</div> <div class="verse indent4">Sounded out in one glad note.</div> </div> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">Then away, on wings unwearied,</div> <div class="verse indent4">Joyously it sang and soared,</div> <div class="verse indent0">And the little children kneeling</div> <div class="verse indent4">Called the Christ Child, “Master-Lord!”</div> </div> </div></div> <hr class="chap" /> <!--chapter--> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="Page_171"></SPAN>[171]</span></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />