Every year the villagers collected gifts for the poor of the countryside at their church on Christmas Eve. Once, when the old woman was a young girl, the Church bells rang out, on their own, as the people were bringing their gifts for the poor to the manger. The story, as the villagers told it ,was that God had been pleased with the gifts they had brought and had sent an angel to ring the bell. Ever since then, the tradition in the village is that the bells of the church tower would ring out when the best gift was given to the Christ Child in the manger on Christmas Eve. Now, each year, everyone for miles around brings gifts to the manger, hoping that God will again send the Angel to ring the bells for their gifts.
Over the years, The very wealthy people have brought the gifts that were the most expensive, those made of the finest silver, precious stones and gold, or of the richest and most beautiful lace. The ranchers had each cut out one of their fattest cattle from their herd or sheep from their flocks and brought them in. Each farmer had brought in a basket of the fruits from their bountiful harvests, bragging that theirs was the finest or the sweetest in all the land. The craftsmen of the village have brought in their beautiful rugs, pottery, candlesticks and other handmade goods, showing off their skills, but, for many years, the old woman didn't remember ever hearing those bells ring out on Christmas Eve.
Everyone in the village planned and worked all year to provide a gift to lay by the manger, and so did the old woman. She was the washer woman, and the gift she gave each year was a couple of the pennies that the other villagers paid her to wash their clothes. This year though it was harder than ever for her to save because she was now taking care of her two small grandsons, who had lost their parents to illness that year. As Christmas approached the old woman began to worry, and to work harder than ever before washing the villagers clothes. She worked so hard that she wore herself out. Her hands were chapped and rough but she could never get enough to save the couple pennies that she usually saved. This year it looked like she would not be able to bring the penny she usually gave … unless, if she made an extra sacrifice, and fasted a little, she might be able to save enough food so that she would not have to spend as much on the next market day.
That market day the sun rose clear and cold. The wind had picked up and was blowing from the North. Happily she had been frugal enough to keep one of her pennies, but on her way home from the market she started coughing, just a little bit. The next morning her cough was worse and by that evening she was truly sick. The boys had been looking forward to going to the church for Christmas Eve mass. They had heard rumors that the king himself was going to be there, presenting a special gift at the manger. They helped their Grandmother as much as they were able until her cough began to fade. On the afternoon before the Christmas Eve Mass, she thought she was well enough to walk to the church on the hill, at the edge of the village. So they all bundled themselves up and started walking. The going was slow because the old woman could not walk fast. She was breathless and began to cough again. The boys watched as the lanterns of all the people began to form rivers of light streaming towards the church. They watched as carriages and wagons filled with people rumbled past decorated with streamers and lanterns. So many cheerful neighbors passed them, as usual, and wished them a happy
Suddenly, a cry rang out. The king's carriage came over the hill and was approaching the entrance of the church. All the people on the hillside began to race the rest of the way. The little old woman, however, could go no further and she sank to the ground. She would not be able to give her penny to the poor, she had never missed Christmas Mass before, She could do nothing about her dilemma . She dissolved in tears. The small boys urged her to keep trying, but she only continued to cry. When the older brother realized she was crying he took her hand in both of his to comfort her. Then he leaned over to hear the raspy words she whispered through her tears,
"Take the penny" she said, "Bring the gift to the Christ Child then bring someone back to help us"
The older boy knew he could not leave them there on the road, it had gotten so dark and was getting colder He decided to send his little brother on this errand, then he could keep her warm and call to any passersby for help. There was no other way. He turned and spoke to the little boy urgently,
"Run as fast as you can! Take the lantern and the penny and go on to the church. Lay Grandmother's penny by the baby Jesus' crib, then bring someone back here to help us."
The littlest boy liked to run, and he knew he could get someone to come back with him to help them, so he took the lantern and the penny and ran as fast as he could up the empty road, to the brightly lit church on the hill. As he disappeared from view his brother pulled in close to his Grandmother and wrapped her in a hug, like she had done so many times for him when he was sick or cold. He spoke encouragingly to her and tried to keep her warm.
As he approached the church the little brother could already hear the music and he knew that the Mass was beginning. Leaving his lantern by the doorstep he crept into the church. He crept quietly up the side aisle and crawled to the massive, brightly decorated, evergreen standing in the front of the church which sheltered the creche beneath it. There he saw, up close, all of the amazing gifts and foods the people has showered upon the Christ Child. He even saw the glittering jewels of the king's noble crown. Sliding the penny in a fold of the Christ Child's swaddling cloth, he froze. Far away, as if in a dream the church bell began to toll. Everyone in the church stopped singing, and the music stopped. All eyes turned toward the tree with the manger under it, and there, lying beside it, was a tiny boy with a penny still pinched in his fingers. The bell was ringing louder and clearer now and all the people cheered.
The little boy's neighbor was near the creche. He picked him up in a big bear hug and the little boy cried out,"We need your help!" over the din of the happy people. He told anyone who would listen that his grandmother needed help and his brother could not do it by himself. Right away a delegation, that included the neighbor, the doctor, the priest and a few good strong men with a stretcher, hastily made from a blanket and chairs, were led by the little boy back to where he had left the old woman and his brother.
As the neared the two on the road, the
