The Virgin Mary's Child, part 3
The story continues...
The queen was given the power to answer, but she remained stubborn and said, "No, I didn't open the forbidden door."
So the Virgin Mary took the newborn baby out of her arms and disappeared with him. The next morning, when the child could not be found, a rumour began circulating among the people that the queen was an ogress and had killed her own child. She heard all this but could do nothing to deny it. However, the king refused to believe it because he loved her so much.
After a year had passed, the queen gave birth to another son. Once more the Virgin Mary came to her and said, "If you confess that you opened the forbidden door, I'll give you back your child and loosen your tongue. But if you persist in your sin and deny it, I'll take this newborn baby away with me too."
Once again the queen said, " No, I didn't open the forbidden door."
So the Virgin Mary took the child out of her arms and went away with him to heaven. The next morning, when this baby had also vanished, the people said quite openly that the queen had devoured it, and the king's councillors demanded that she be executed. However, the king loved her so much that he would not believe it and ordered his councillors to stop talking about it on pain of death.
The following year the queen gave birth to a beautiful little daughter, and at night the Virgin Mary appeared before her for the third time and said, "Follow me."
She took her by the hand and led her to heaven, where she showed her how her two oldest children were laughing and playing with a globe of the earth. When the queen expressed her delight, the Virgin Mary asked, "Hasn't your heart softened yet? If you'll confess that you opened the forbidden door, I'll give you back your two little sons."
But the queen answered for a third time, "No, I didn't open the forbidden door."
Then the Virgin Mary let her sink down to earth again and took away her third child too. The next morning, when it became known, everyone cried out openly, "The queen is an ogress. She must be sentenced to death!"
The king could no longer restrain his councillors, and the queen was brought to trial. Since she could not answer or defend herself, she was condemned to die at the stake. The wood was gathered, and when she was bound to the stake and the fire began to burn all around her, the hard ice of her pride melted, and her heart was moved by repentance. If only I could confess before I die that I opened that door! she thought. Suddenly her voice came back, and she cried aloud, "Yes, Mary, I did it!"
All at once rain poured from the sky and put out the flames. A light erupted above her, and the Virgin Mary descended with the two little sons at either side and the newborn daughter in her arms. She said to the queen kindly, "Those who repent their sins and confess will be forgiven."
Then she handed the queen her three children, loosened her tongue, and bestowed happiness on her for the rest of her life.
The queen was given the power to answer, but she remained stubborn and said, "No, I didn't open the forbidden door."
So the Virgin Mary took the newborn baby out of her arms and disappeared with him. The next morning, when the child could not be found, a rumour began circulating among the people that the queen was an ogress and had killed her own child. She heard all this but could do nothing to deny it. However, the king refused to believe it because he loved her so much.
After a year had passed, the queen gave birth to another son. Once more the Virgin Mary came to her and said, "If you confess that you opened the forbidden door, I'll give you back your child and loosen your tongue. But if you persist in your sin and deny it, I'll take this newborn baby away with me too."
Once again the queen said, " No, I didn't open the forbidden door."
So the Virgin Mary took the child out of her arms and went away with him to heaven. The next morning, when this baby had also vanished, the people said quite openly that the queen had devoured it, and the king's councillors demanded that she be executed. However, the king loved her so much that he would not believe it and ordered his councillors to stop talking about it on pain of death.
The following year the queen gave birth to a beautiful little daughter, and at night the Virgin Mary appeared before her for the third time and said, "Follow me."
She took her by the hand and led her to heaven, where she showed her how her two oldest children were laughing and playing with a globe of the earth. When the queen expressed her delight, the Virgin Mary asked, "Hasn't your heart softened yet? If you'll confess that you opened the forbidden door, I'll give you back your two little sons."
But the queen answered for a third time, "No, I didn't open the forbidden door."
Then the Virgin Mary let her sink down to earth again and took away her third child too. The next morning, when it became known, everyone cried out openly, "The queen is an ogress. She must be sentenced to death!"
The king could no longer restrain his councillors, and the queen was brought to trial. Since she could not answer or defend herself, she was condemned to die at the stake. The wood was gathered, and when she was bound to the stake and the fire began to burn all around her, the hard ice of her pride melted, and her heart was moved by repentance. If only I could confess before I die that I opened that door! she thought. Suddenly her voice came back, and she cried aloud, "Yes, Mary, I did it!"
All at once rain poured from the sky and put out the flames. A light erupted above her, and the Virgin Mary descended with the two little sons at either side and the newborn daughter in her arms. She said to the queen kindly, "Those who repent their sins and confess will be forgiven."
Then she handed the queen her three children, loosened her tongue, and bestowed happiness on her for the rest of her life.
The End
Interesting eh? Its a bit weird in many places but it has some truths in.
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