Th e v er s es o rig i na l l y app ear ing infl

Ave Ma ria ,Th e ! outh

’ s Compan ion an d

L ipp incott’ s a re h e re rep r inted with th e

! ind perm i ss ion of th es e maga z in e s .

GORHAM ! RESS , B OSTON , ! .

© 0l.A2 7 8 7 2 5

The Legend o f the Pu rpl e Th read

The Holy Nigh t

The Song of Mary a

I n the S tabl e a.

The Ch i l d aha the Lamb

Christmas Morn

The Gi f ts o f the Magi

Mate r Arn ab il is

When Jesus was a Li ttl e Ch i ld

The M i racl e o f the Corn

Mary of the Mystic Eyes

The Madonna of the Napkin

The Legend o f the Palm

His l\/I o~th e-r

The Legend o f the Aspen Tree

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

An Old—Time Legend

CONTENTS

A Legend o f the Robin .

The Moss Rose.

Bartol ommeo’

s V i s ion

Guard i an Angels

The B lessed Mother .

A Legend o f All Sou ls

St. ! ranci s and the B i rds .

NowI Lay Me

ILL! STRATIONS

Madon na and Ch i l d F ront isp iece

By Carl o D ol ce

The Annunci at ion To face page 8

By B otticel l i

Madonna del la S ed ia To face page 1 0

By Raph ael

Madonna an d Ch i ld page 1 7 L

By Sassoferrato

Madonna of the Pomegranate . .To page 2 1L’

By B otticel l i

Madonna o f the Rose Garden . . To page 2 5

By B otticel l i

Chri st Chi ld To face page 28V

By M uril l o

Guard ian Angels page 36w

By B otticel l i

w

MADONNA HRIST C

THE LEGEND OF THE P! RPLE THREAD

My b rethren , hear the legend swee t

O f Bl essed Mary to l d ,O f how she spun the sacred ve i l

O f pu rpl e and o f go ld .

Fo r some cou ld sp in the gold en th read,

And some could sp in the blue !But one alone

,swee t Mary dear ,

Could sp in the pu rp le t rue .

O sweetly , so f tly , sat she d own

And ben t her gentle head ,And in and ou t and roundabou t

She spun the purp le thread .

For some could sp in the go lden th read ,And some could sp in the blue !Bu t one alone

,swee t Mary dear

,

Could sp in the purp le t ru e .

As in and ou t her shu ttl e spun ,The room seem ed al l aflame,And the re a holy angel s tood

And cal l ed the Maiden’s name .

For some can sp in the golden thread,

And some can sp in the blue !But one alone

,sweet Mary dear

,

Can sp in the pu rpl e true .

Ah , some can sp in the go lden th read ,And some can sp in the blu e !

Cans t t rue!”

flmzuflcz'

atiofl , oy B otticelli

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THE SONG O! MARY

S leep , little Son ,Most holy gues t !

S leep , l i ttle Son ,On Mother

’

s breas t !”

So Mary sang in far Judea !God sent H is angels down to hear .

“S l eep , l i t tle Son !

! pon Thy brow

A thorny crown

I saw bu t now’

Twas but a shadow ,—s leep , my Ch i ld !

So to her Son sang Mary mild .

Ah,ho ly Babe

On Mother’

s knee,I n al l my d reams

A cross I see !

God keep Thee safe , mine own dear Son !

So Mary sang when day was done .

Sleep , l i t tl e Son ,Ah , sl eep , my Ch i l d !

So to h er Son

Sang Mary m i ld .

IN THE STABLE

I n to s i lvery vapor is formed ,The peasant wil l say , Now th is is the way

That the l i t tl e Lord Chr ist waswarmed !For Our Lord was born in a stab le,An d the catt l e wen t down on the i r knees ,An d th ey fought wi th death with the i r l iv i ng breath ,

!For Our Lady was l ike to freez e !)

O b l est be the stable lowly

\Vh ere lVI ary the lVIoth er d i vine ,And th e l i tt le ch i ld of th at h I oth er mild

Were warmed by the breath o f the k ine !

For,when breath o f the cows and the o ! en

I nto si lvery vapor is fo rmed,

The peasant wi l l say , Now th is i s th e way

That l i t t le Lord was warmed !

I I

THE CH ILD AND THE LAMB

Ah,l i t tlewhite lamb , far away from the fold ,

Dark,dark i s the sky and th e n igh t groweth co ld .

What have you seen as you wandered,afar

Li ttl e chi l d,l i t tle ch i l d , I have seen but a S tar .

I fol low my shepherd , h e fol lows the L igh t

We walk wi th God ’s angels th i s wonderful n igh t !

Ah , l i t tl e wh i te l amb , as you wandered afar ,What news d id you w i n

‘

of the wander ing S tar !

I saw but a manger ! I saw but a Ch i l d ,Who lay in th e l ap of H is Mother an d sm i led .

I fol lowed my sheph erd , he fol lowed the L ight

God’

s angel s walked wi th us th is won der fu l n ight !

Ah ! l i t t le wh ite l amb , far away from th e fold ,Never fo r you shal l be darkness or co ld !

You have looked on the Lord as you wandered

afar .

Li ttl e ch i ld , l i t tl e ch i ld , I have seen but a S tar .

I fol lowed my shepherd , he fol lowed the Light

God’

s angels walked w i th us th i s wonder ful n ight !

1 2

CHRI STMAS MORN

Christmas morn,fai r Chr istmas morn ,

I n H is beau ty Christ was born !

Years ago , ah ! years ago !

Pure as l i l i es i n the snow

Came the l i t t le Chr ist - ch i ld loving ,All the Father ’s kindness p roving .

Fai r and sweet , O fai r and sweet !

! iss the t iny hands and fe et !

Toward the Shepherd o f H is sheep

Love can never be too deep !

Ring the bel ls,ah ! r ing th e bel ls !

Tel l i t to the glades and del ls !

How to - day—O bl i th e to—day !Chr is t is worshipped far away .

Born wi th in a lonely manger

Came th i s l i t tle j oyous stranger .

Bow you r heads , O bow your heads !

Rad i ant is the l i ght H e sheds !

Lay your offer ings,—it i s meet ,

Lowly at the Chr ist - ch i l d’

s fee t !

Then rej o ice ,i

O then rej o ice !

With a happy hear t and voice

Let no tears , O let no tears !

Dim the br igh test o f our years .

! nder ear th th e roots are grow i ng

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And Bal thasar b r ingeth the b i tte r mvrrh

For the sorrow Thy l i fe sh al l hold !But Melchoi r br i ngeth the i ncense sweet

That ages shal l burn at Thy ho ly feet .

Three Wise Men came out o f the East !

!And one , he was Bal th asér z )And over the mountain and desert and sand

They fol lowed the holy S tar .

Caspar o f Tarsus was one

With h is casket of j ewe ls and gold !And Bal thasar carr i ed the bi tter myrrh

,

For the l i t t l e Lord Chr ist to h old !But Melcho i r carr ied the incense sweet

Forever to burn at H is holy feet !

MATER AMABILIS

Mary Mother,sweet and mi ld

Ben t above your l i ttle Ch i l d !I can see y our eyes grow dim

Gaz ing gravely down at H im .

Do you see th e shadowed way

That your Boy must tread some day !

Yours He i s ! but yet in part

!Once He nestled near your heart ! )All the world must claim H im now ,

By the thorn - marks on H is brow !

Ah ! the weary shadowed way

That your Boy must tread some day !

Yours i t i s to gu idei s fee t !Make H is baby pathway sweet .

For a t ime upon your knee

Shal l H is earthly k ingdom be !

Then , - the weary shadowed way

That your Boy must tread some day !

Mary Mother , sweet and mi ld

Smi les upon her sleep ing Chi ld .

Well she knows the angels keep

Watch above the Chr ist - ch i ld ’s s leep .

Yet,—the weary shadowed way

That her Boy must tread some day !

I 7

WHEN JES! SWAS A LITTLE CH ILD

When Jesus was a l i ttl e ch i ld

Asleep on Bl essed Mary ’s knee,

Do you suppose H is Mo ther smi led

Just as my mother smi les on me !

For I have heard my father say ,All mothers smi le the se l fsame way !That mother - love i s a l l d iv ine

S ince Jesus l ived i n Palestine .

When Jesus l ived in Gal i lee

He made some l i t tl e bi rds o f cl ay .

“Go , l i tt l e b ir ds of God l”

. said He !And fast and far they fl ew away .

Ah , surely then H is Mother sm i led

And sof tly bl ess ed her l i t tle Chi ld .

I wish I had been there to see ,When Jesus l ived Gal i l ee !

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THE MIRACLE OF THE CORN

I

In a ! uaint volume by the monks o f old ,There is a legend of Our Lady told ‘

How with the Holy Ch il d sh e fl ed one morn

Past toi l - worn laborers , as they sowed the i r corn .

And each man hastened from his work to see

Sweet Mary ’s Son,held fast upon her knee .

He plunged H is fi ngers i n the golden grain

And flung i t to the furrows , l ike the rain .

And l Wary said !“Blest shall thy harvest be !

For 10 ! my l i tt le Son has sowed for thee !

One seeks H is l i fe . Should Herod come th is morn .

Say that we passed the'

e as thou sowed’

st thy corn .

”

Blest was thei r sowing ! soon there came a shower ,And a great mi racle was wrought that hour .

For the grain sprouted ! fol lowed blade and root !And , lo ! the cornfield wi th i ts r ipened fru i t !

When Herod passed wi th al l h i s mighty train ,There stood the laborers , gather ing in the i r grain .

He ra i sed h is hand ! “We seek a ch i ld , said he ,Like a young k ing he r ides , and fai r to see !Perchance you met him on th is busy morn ! ”

They said ! “One passed us as we sowed our com .

Then to thei r work . And Herod went h i s way ,And sought the Chi ld no longer from that day .

I 9

THE MADONNA FLOWER

When B lessed Mary walked the fiel ds ,The l i t tl e flowerets sweet

Al l breathed the i r f ragrance ou t to her

And k issed her gen tle feet .

And one sh e loved above th e rest !And alway from that hou r

Th is l i tt l e blossom has been cal l ed

The fai r Madonna Flower .

How sweet to think the Holy

Have held the flowerets sweet !Ah ! to have been a blossom then ,To those holy feet !

2 0“

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MARY OF THE MYSTIC EYES

O Mary of the mysti c eyes ,What vis ions d o you see ,The wh i le you hold God

’

s l i tt le Son

Asleep upon your knee !“I see a cruel road , alas !

And angels weep ing as they pass .

O Mary of th e myst ic eyes ,Li f t up your gentle head !

What cruel road is th i s you see ,That weeping angels tread !

“Who walks th is crue l road ,”

sa id she,

Shal l see God’

s Son upon the tree!

O l\I ary o f the myst ic eyes ,Thou S tar across the Sea !

Earth’

s crown o f sorrow has no thorn

That was not borne by thee !“Above al l others I was b l es t ,

hel d God’

s brea‘s t !

THE MADONNA O! THE NAP! IN

Once in a monas tery old

There l i ved a cook wi th a hear t o f go l d .

He mi ! ed the salad and baked th e bread ,And ever a prayer in h is hear t he sai d“B lest , O Lo rd , be ou r dai ly food !Guide my hand that I make i t good !”

And th e abbot said , as he conned h i s book ,“Praised be God for a p rayerfu l cook !”

The chapel was bare ! and the b rothers oldLonged for a saint wi th a crown o f gold .

And an artis t came wi th h is tools and al l ,And he drew a sain t on the chapel wall .

And th e. p ictu re grew t i l l i t almost b reathed

W i th its l i ttle ci rclet o f bay enwreathed .

W i th a merry j est and a warm good day ,Gai l y the ar tistwen t h i s way !

Bu t he l ef t beh i nd h im w i th j est ing look

Jus t a napk in to give the cook .

And the cook un folded ! and there he saw

What fil led th e man w i th a wonder ing awe .

For pa inted clear on i ts sur face wh i te

A v is ion dawned on h i s wonder ing s igh t .

Out from the clo th looked the Ho ly Ch i ld

And the eyes o f the Mother , Mary mi ld .

And th e v is ion grew t i l l the gather i ng gloom

Bles t be th e bread that these bands have made !“Thy bread

blest .

giveth bless ing , bes t

2 3

THE LEGEND or THE PALM

A l i ttle Ch i ld came r id i ng

Across the sun - swep t sands ,And the hearts o f al l o f the wor ld to be

He held ‘ i n H is t iny han ds .

!Mary the Mother , sh e bowed her head

I am weary wi th r id i ng ,”

was al l she said . )

The Palm - tree grew in the deser t !And she l i f ted her lof ty crown

“! ueen am I o f the go lden sands .

Never my head bends down !”

!“Bend ” said the Li ttle One ! “Give us shade !Bend thy crown !” And the palm obeyed . )a a a ale are at at

lVI ary the Mother had l ived her years ,And she sat in her house alone !And ’ twas Oh for a s i gh t o f her Holy Son !

Ever her hear t made moan .

But H is angel came , and he said '“Be calm !

Thy Son has sen t thee th i s holy palm !”

Like stars o f the morn ing

On leaf and on stem

The palm—branch sh oneLike a d i adem !

And when Mary the Mother had closed h er eyes

The palm wen t wi th her to Parad ise .

2 4

7725 Madonna of tl ze Rare Garden , 537 B otticelli

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THE LEGEND O! THE ASPEN TREE

Sweet Mary w i th her l i t tle Son

Set for th from Beth l ehem’

s gate ,And every l i t tl e waysi de flower

Observed thei r p r incely state .

And al l the way from Beth l ehem

The t re es ben t down to worsh ip them .

The aspen only , i t i s sai d ,Refused to bowher stately head .

One look the l i t tle Chri s t - Chi ld gave

Of anger and o f gri e f !And straigh t the aspen ben t her head

And shook in stem and leaf .

S t i l l fo r h er p r i de the aspen gr ieves,

And , ! u iver ing , shakes her sh in ing leaves ,That look she never can forge t ,And so the aspen tremb l es yet .

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THE LEGEND O! THE EDELWEIS S

There came a fr i ar to my cottage doo r ,And a t iny flower i n h is hand he bore !I t was p lucked afar , f rom the snow and the ice ,Men cal l ed i t the beau t i f ul edelwe iss !The pures t blossom in al l the land ,For i t came straigh t down from Our Lady

’

s hand .

! now you the legend ! The words are sweet !Listen , my ch i ld ren , whi l e I repeat .

This i s the story the good fr i ar to ld ,As I d rew h im in f rom the wind and the cold .

Our Lady sp ins in the hear t o f th e Sun

Wh i te , wh i te are the skei ns that h er hands havespun !

For her l am bs are pas tured in Parad ise ,Thei r eyes l ike the stars o f the edelweiss .

Her hands grew weary,her whee l fel l fast

,

And a b i t o f the woo l th rough the e ther passed .

And so I found in the snow and the ice

This da in ty bloom of the ed elwe i ss .

Fresh and fai r f rom Our Lady ’ s hand,

O snow - wh i te bloom from the myst ic land !

AN OLD - T IME LEGEND

Sweet 15 the l egend o f that o ld - t ime day ,When fai r Boy Jesus modeled b i rds in clay !And al l the l ads

,wi th shou ts of boy ish glee

Came fl ocking near,the l i t t le b i rds to see .

Beneath H is fingers wondrously they grew !Sof t breathed He on them , and afar they flew !

O wondrous story ! So I th i nk some day

The dear Lord wi l l give wings us,

2 8

THE HOLY TREE

O NI o th er Nl ary , s trong and true ,What bi tter thoughts are th ineThe whi le thou hold est on thy knee

That l i ttl e Ch i ld d ivin e !

There’

s a wh i te cloud o f blossoms on the thorn

!I can see the d rops o f cr imson on H is brow !)And I k iss the l i tt le d imples in H is feet

!Oh I kiss the cruel nai l - pr in ts even now !)

There’

s a green tree a - growing i n the wood ,And the l i t t le bi rds are s inging far and f ree

!But i t’

s b i t te r f ru i t—i t ’s bear ing in my hear t !I can see my Son a - hanging on the tree !)

The Lord has blessed thy grow ing , O thou t ree !

As thou l i f tes t up thy branches to the sky ,On thy bosom shal l my Son be l i f ted up .

!O my Son , whose endl ess ! i ngdom is on h igh !)

Bend thy branches at H is com ing , holy tree !

At H is blessed feet O bend thy l eafy crest ,For the l i ttle Lord o f Heaven , th i s i s He !

!O l i e st i l l my l i t t l e baby on my breast !)

Thou canst reach th ine arms to Heaven , blessed

t ree,

Thou has t nei ther spot nor blemish , branch or

root !

2 9

!O the b i t ter , b i t te r burden of i ts f ru i t !)

I am th i nking o f the crown upon H is brow ,

!O the thorn i s fu l l o f blossoms snowy—whi te !)k iss the s i lken halo of H is hai r

,

! i ng j ust my for

30

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THE MOSS ROSE

Away in the dep th o f the forest ,All mo ist wi th th e k iss of the dew ,

A carpet of moss , green and tender ,I n sweetest hum i l i ty grew .

Bu t none ever d reamed o f i ts beauty ,No trave l le r paused on h is way ,

But gai ly pushed on to the open ,Where bloomed the fi rs t blossoms o f

are are at

There came through the hear t o f the forest

A Man who was weary and worn !Al l - holy and sad was H is v isage ,H is fee t they were bl istered and torn .

H e fel t the so f t Coo lness beneath them ,

And He said !“L i t tl e fr iend , understand

Wh o giveth her bes t to ano th er ,Shal l hersel f take a gi ft from God

’s hand .

And th e l i ttle M oss blushed in the shadow ,

And ou t o f her heart grewa flower !! or so came th e Moss Rose at even ,And so is sh e cal led from that hou r .

BARTOLOMM EO’

S V I S ION

Bartolommeo in his n arrow ce l l

D reamed heaven ly d reams , and waked to d ream

aga in .

“Bartolommeo wake ! I t is no t wel l

To s leep by day ,” sa id al l h is breth eren .

Go , B ro ther , to thy p lace , the p lace o f prayer ,And pa in t for us thy holy v is ions there .

Barto lommeo pain ted , s i t t i ng on a stone !Above and al l around , h i s heaven ly vis ions shone .

No monk came near h im ! only th rough h is cel l

Th e l ight from one smal l window on his pain t ing

fel l .

But as he labored , though n igh t fol lowed n igh t ,That l i ttle room wi th glory grew al igh t !So the monk ’s v is ion in th i s p lace o f prayer

Could cast a heavenly br i ghtness everywhere .

The B lessed Mother came and s tood for h im !For very love of h er , th e young monk

’

s eyes grew

d im .

For h im th e Holy Ch i ld gave sm i le for sm i le .

Bartolommeo p rayed and fasted , painting al l the

W h i le .

At length he cal led his B ro thers . I have d reamed,

”

sai d he !“Come al l my B ro thers to my narrow cel l and see!

The good mon ks came . Each fel l upon h is face .“The Lord H imsel f ,

”said one , h as glor ified th e

p lace!

34

Praised be Our Lady ,

~wh ose most grac ious waysShal l crown our house fo r al l the com ing days !”

She stood before them in that place of prayer ,A rad iant n imbus in her sh in ing hai r !And in her arms she held the Holy Chi ld

,

Who loo ked upon the kneel ing monks and smi led,

His cheek to hers . !O rad i ant Mother blest ,\Vh o held the Holy Ch i ld upon her breas t !)He stretched H is arms and blessed them , i t is sa id ,Vl h il e each gray B rother bent h is reverent head .

The ce ll i s stand ing . Seek i t i f you wil l

Mother and Child are smi l ing at you st i l l .

Go , dream your d reams ! to one alone is given

To bring to ear th a rad i ant d ream of

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G! ARD IAN ANGELS

An angel smi led th is happy morn

That hour a l i t tl e ch ild was born ,With si lken hai r and s tarry eyes ,A l i t tl e wanderer from the sk ies ,A l ittl e sp i r i t free from gui le !And , oh , she had the angel

’s sm i le !

God sends an angel now and then

To touch the s inful hearts o f men !A child

,perhaps

,in mortal gu ise

,

With winsome face and starry eyes .

!Some t imes , alas ! wi th eyes grown d im ,

He cal ls H is angel back to H im . )

God,give me grace , whate

’er bet i de ,

To know the Angel at my s ide !

To say,wherever I may be

“God ’s angel guard ian walks w i th me .

36

Guardian Angel! , oy Botticelli

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A LEGEND OF ALL SO! LS DAY

O blessed Son upon the cruel Cross ,

!Low hangs H is head on H is breast !)To whom wil t Thou give the last d rop of Thy

blood,

Who hast saved Mank ind with the rest !

And the Savior answered ' To Mary sweet ,That her tears may be dried

,as she s tands at my

feet .

But Our Lady answered ! Not so , my Son !Thou has t suffered the bi tterer partNo less !ah , no less !) can Th ine own Mother bear

The pangs o f al l Motherhood ’s heart !

Tho’

deeper the pain than the depth of the sea

Give not the last drOp o f Thy heart’s blood to me !

O holy Son,may that l ast d rop be given

To souls that su ffer yet for s ins unshriven !

Grant them one day Thy blessed face to see

So shal l Thy last best gi f t be given to me !

And so by l ‘vl ary’

s grace was given

One day o f j oy to the souls unshriven !

38

With thy beauty d iv ine,

! ueen of the Angels ,And Star o f the Sea !Lady of Sorrows

,

The i r comfor ter be !

Thou who hast held the dear Chr ist on thy breast ,Hear our pet i t ion

,O Nl other mo st blest !

I

vVe are the mothers who sorrow l ike thee

Guide thou ch i ldren , O Sea !

39

ST . ! RANCIS AND THE BIRDS

There i s an ancien t s tory

I have read the ! uain t old words ,Of how the blest S t . Franci s came

And preached to the ways id e bi rds .

Around h is feet they gathered ,Down dropped each l i t tl e head !S t . Franc i s made the S ign o f the Cross ,And these were the words he said

Oh , come , my fr iends , draw near me,Come every fl utter ing b ird !

For ye are my l i t tl e s is ters .

Now hearken unto God’

s word .

Praise God for al l H is goodness

He has given you home and nest !Prai se H im for ai r and sunsh ine ,And the plumage over your b reast .

He has given you w i ngs an d freedom .

All p raise to H im doth belong .

But,best o f al l o f H is g iv ing ,

He has given the gi f t o f song.

Then s ing , O sing l i tt le sis ters !

And hearken wel l to my words

Praise God that here in the tree tops

He has made a home for H is b irds .

40

All p ra i se to H im d'ot'

h belong .

And he blessed th em. on. head and on breast !

He has given us

But , best , given us song !”

4 1

Now I lay me down to sleep .

!Closer , Death , to thee I creep !)So I prayed in days gone by !So I pray when Death d raws n igh

Now I l ay me down to sleep ,God , H is l i ttle ch i ld wi l l keep !

Now I lay me—God h as keptWatch above me wh i le I sl ep t !

Earth has been a good l ier ! place

For the sh in ing o f H is face !

Should I d ie be fore I wake ,God His l i t t le ch i ld wil l take !

42