They say on the Festa del Gesu Bambino one gets most beautiful gifts.
I have never got any gifts; but perhaps he might give me one if I
promised to be very good and to take most excellent care of it and
never to lose it."
By this time the whole company of spirits, seeing their sister in
conversation with a little mortal, had crowded eagerly about; and as
Nina finished her sentence they all cried out in the sweetest, most
musical chorus imaginable,--
"She wants a gift,--the earth-child wants a gift; and she promises to
be very good, and to take excellent care of it and never lose it. The
little one shall have a gift."
But most gently they were silenced by a nod from the spirit to whom
Nina had first spoken.
"Dear child," she said, "we are the Christmas spirits,--Peace, Love,
Hope, Good-will, and all the rest. We come from above, and we are
laden with good gifts for mankind. To whomever is willing to receive
we give; but, alas! so few care for what we bring. They misuse it or
lose it; and that makes us very sad, for each gift we carry is most
good and perfect."
"Oh! how can they?" cried Nina. "I would be so careful of mine, dear
spirits. I would lock it away, and--"
But here the spirit interrupted her with a pitying smile and the
words,--
"But you should never do that, dear one. If one shuts away one's gifts
and does not let others profit by them, that is ill too.
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