Subject(s): christmas tree stories
Title: The Evergreen
Hi, I'm Dave Thurlow. Today on The Weather Notebook, author Sheryl Karas reads a Christmas Eve story from her book, The Solstice Evergreen. Karas' book is about the Christmas tree and its pagan predecessors.
Sheryl: "This is a very traditional very popular story from the Hartz mountains in Germany and it's called when your canary sings. Once upon a time on a Christmas eve a fierce winter storm raged through the Hartz mountains. Heavy with sleet and snow it howled and whirrled violently with such force it splintered even the mightiest trees and sent them crashing to the valley below. The only ones who could withstand the terrible temper of the north wind were the old majestic firs who held on steadfastly with gnarled roots.
In occasional brief lulls the fir trees could hear the frightened cries of tiny golden canaries flung too and fro in the powerful wind. 'Oh we're gonna die. How well we get out of this storm.' The trees called into the wind knowing it would bring the message to the birds. 'Come to us. We will protect you in our branches.'
The exhausted canaries using their last reserves of strength flew into the arms of the giant firs where they stayed safely until he storm was over. When at last the world was quiet and the sun peaked out from the last remaining clouds, the birds burst out into a joyous song. 'We will make our homes with you and make our praises to you forever wherever you go. you shall be the sacred home of birds all over the world.' So now when you hear your canary singing his sweetest, you know he's singing about the wonderful fir tree."
Special thanks to producer Robin White. You can purchase Sheryl Karas' book The Solstice Evergreen at our website, weathernotebook.org. Our show is underwritten by Subaru with major support provided by the National Science Foundation.