Hoppy Christmas

Welcome to all you 12.12.12 blog hoppers. I hope you’re enjoying discovering lots of new blogs today.

As my contribution to celebrating both this special day and Christmas, here’s a poem. And if you’d like to get a free copy of my children’s ebook Oh Santa (from which the lovely illustration by Roger Fereday comes on the left comes) please leave a comment with your email and I’ll send you the Smashwords coupon code you’ll need.

 

Baby Jesus and the Fox

The fox stood at the top of the hill

In the freezing snow, so deep and still.

Then he began to travel down,

Something was calling him into town.

 

Normally he stayed well clear

But tonight he overcame his fear.

He knew exactly where to go

So he crept through the shadows, keeping low.

 

He found the stable fairly soon

And hid in a corner, in the gloom.

He watched with glowing amber eyes

And heard a tiny baby’s cries.

 

Soon Mary and Joseph fell asleep.

Now was the fox’s chance to peep!

He cautiously left his hiding place

And gazed at Baby Jesus’s face.

 

A chilly wind began to blow

Bringing another flurry of snow.

The cold made the fox’s whiskers quiver

And Baby Jesus began to shiver.

 

And so without a thought of danger

The fox jumped up into the manger.

He laid his golden, bushy tail

Over the baby, cold and pale.

 

The fox lay there for quite a while

Till Jesus warmed up, and began to smile.

He tickled the fox’s furry head,

Then surprised him when he suddenly said:

 

“Both you and I will be hunted down,

Your fate hounds’ teeth, mine a thorny crown.

Men hate us though we do no wrong,

And hatred is cruel, fierce and strong,

 

But love, like the love you’ve just shown me,

Will save us all eventually.”

Then Baby Jesus began to doze,

Still gently stroking the fox’s nose.

 

The pink of dawn began to glow.

The fox knew that he had to go.

He was puzzled by the baby’s words

But he knew it was goodness that he’d heard.

 

He quietly got up and slunk away,

To struggle through another day.

But when he got back to his wood

He found a pile of tempting food –

 

Bread and cheese, and meat and fish,

Everything a fox could wish!

As he ate he smiled in a foxy way:

Today was a truly magical day.

 

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