The Golden Christmas Tree

  Text copyright © 1988 by Jan Wahl. Illustrations copyright © 1988 by Leonard Weisgard. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Golden Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. This Golden Book was originally published in slightly different form in the United States by Western Publishing Company, Inc., in 1988 and by Golden Books in 2003. Golden Books, A Golden Book, and the G colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

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  Library of Congress Control Number: 2003102124

  eISBN: 978-0-375-98310-8

  v3.1

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  First Page

  All was hushed in the forest for the animals’ Christmas.

  The elephant brought a great fir tree from far away.

  A red cardinal flew through the trees, carrying the news—

  “The fir is here, the fir is here.”

  The llamas and the goats, who were slow of thinking, thought, “We already have our fur.”

  The wolf helped the red deer, whose antlers caught on low-hanging branches.

  Silently they walked together, joined by the badger and a family of foxes—guided by bats who whistled soft carols.

  Squirrels whispered stories of the time the first Christmas came, announced by a ringing like clear crystal bells.

  Now, as it happened before, the lion lay down with the lamb.

  The animals gathered, one by one .…

  There was no growling, howling, meowling, anywhere.

  It was hushed in the forest,

  hushed,

  hushed,

  hushed,

  hushed.

  The kangaroos picked cones and leaves to hang on the branches.

  The tiger strung berries.

  The antelope chewed the grass, making a smooth lawn for the fir.

  The baboons painted pinecones carefully.

  The monkeys put the ornaments on.

  And the giraffe laid, at the top, a star.

  Then the tree was ready.

  The animals gathered in the silvery moonlight.

  The raccoon lit the lights.

  Darkness fell, but no one moved.

  Now, up in the sky, there appeared a great constellation of bright shiny stars.

  The bear said he was sure it was a large and little bear.

  The tiger was sure it was a large and little tiger.

  Then a delicate golden glitter flashed—and each in that moment made his quiet wish.

  The cardinal’s brothers and sisters dropped walnuts and apricots, chestnuts and plums, with a rustle of whirring wings.

  The beautiful fir stood flickering all night.

  And they danced—

  they danced—

  they danced

  until it was light of morning.

 

 

  Jan Wahl, The Golden Christmas Tree

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