an the big tree bent
down of itself to her, and laid its twigs across the wall, and out on
the road, till she could put out her hand and take her fill of the
cherries.

SECOND WOMAN. That was a great miracle, without doubt.

FIRST WOMAN. It was so; and grief came to me after that for
refusing her; for I knew by it that God had a hand in her. And I took
this branch in my hand, and I followed her to the stable to ask pardon
of her.

SECOND WOMAN. Is it not a wonder how we came here together on
the same search?

FIRST WOMAN. I think she will be wanting help, for they said to
me in the inn she was not far from the birth of her child; and I made as
good haste as I could. Maybe we are in time to give her help yet.

SECOND WOMAN. I will knock at the door.

FIRST WOMAN. Do so.

SECOND WOMAN. Wait a while; there are strangers coming up this
road from the west.

FIRST WOMAN. That is so; and look on the other side: there are
great people coming from the east. We must wait till they go past.
(_They sit down on either side of the door. Kings, finely dressed, come
in at the east side; and herds and shepherds on the west side._)

A KING (_pointing upwards with his hand_). Kings and friends,
it is not possible I am mistaken. Is not the wonderful star we followed
as far as this standing now without stirring over this place?

A SHEPHERD. O friends, look up. There is not a bird in the sky
that is not gathered above this house.

A KING. We are come from the east, from the rising of the sun,
a long, long way off from this country, following the star that is
standing still over us now. Where are you come from, shepherds?

A SHEPHERD. We are come from the west, from the setting of the
sun, a long way off from this country.

KING. And what is it brought you here? I dare say it is not
without cause yourselves and ourselves are met at the door of this
house.

SHEPHERD. We were sitting one evening quiet and satisfied on a
grassy hill watching our flocks; and we saw all of a sudden a thing that
put wonder on us. The lambs that were sucking at the ewes left off
sucking, and they looked up in the sky; and the kids that were drinking
at the pool stopped drinking and looked up. It would put wonder on any
person at all to see the little kids looking up as wise as ourselves. We
looked up then, and we saw a beautiful bright angel over our heads; and
fear came on us; but the angel spoke, and he said to us that some great
joy was coming