Stories to Tell to Children

PICCOLA[1]

[1] From Celia Thaxter's Stories and Poems for Children (Houghton, Mifflin & Co.).

  Poor, sweet Piccola!  Did you hear
  What happened to Piccola, children dear?
  'T is seldom Fortune such favor grants
  As fell to this little maid of France.

  'Twas Christmas-time, and her parents poor
  Could hardly drive the wolf from the door,
  Striving with poverty's patient pain
  Only to live till summer again.

  No gifts for Piccola!  Sad were they
  When dawned the morning of Christmas-day;
  Their little darling no joy might stir,
  St. Nicholas nothing would bring to her!

  But Piccola never doubted at all
  That something beautiful must befall
  Every child upon Christmas-day,
  And so she slept till the dawn was gray.

  And full of faith, when at last she woke,
  She stole to her shoe as the morning broke;
  Such sounds of gladness filled all the air,
  'T was plain St. Nicholas had been there!

  In rushed Piccola sweet, half wild:
  Never was seen such a joyful child.
  "See what the good saint brought!" she cried,
  And mother and father must peep inside.

  Now such a story who ever heard?
  There was a little shivering bird!
  A sparrow, that in at the window flew,
  Had crept into Piccola's tiny shoe!

  "How good poor Piccola must have been!"
  She cried, as happy as any queen,
  While the starving sparrow she fed and warmed,
  And danced with rapture, she was so charmed.

  Children, this story I tell to you,
  Of Piccola sweet and her bird, is true.
  In the far-off land of France, they say,
  Still do they live to this very day.