Christmas Outside of Eden
by Coningsby Dawson (1883–1959)
- Free to read
- 40 min read
- 10 chapters
- Reading level: 6th grade
"Christmas Outside of Eden" by Coningsby Dawson is a charming Christmas fantasy written in the early 20th century. The narrative captures the moment of the world's first Christmas, exploring the events surrounding the birth of the first baby. The story intertwines elements of Genesis with a whimsical take on the early days of humanity and nature, illustrating the complex emotions of longing, love, and redemption. In this imaginative tale, the Man and Woman, cast out of Eden for their transgressions, struggle to survive in a harsh wilderness filled with judgmental animals. The Woman falls ill and the Man desperately seeks a way to help her. As a fierce snowstorm blankets the earth on Christmas Eve, the Man embarks on a journey to find God, hoping to plead for forgiveness. Upon his return, he finds the Woman has miraculously given birth to their child, prompting a joyous celebration among the animals and a surprising reaction from God, who learns the profound joy of laughter through the birth of this child. The story weaves humor and tenderness, creating a beautiful exploration of innocence, love, and the spirit of Christmas.
Read the opening
Chapter I
This is the story the robins tell as they huddle beneath the holly on the Eve of Christmas. They have told it every Christmas Eve since the world started. They commenced telling it long before Christ was born, for their memory goes further back than men's. The Christmas which they celebrate began just outside of Eden, within sight of its gold-locked doors.
The robins have only two stories: one for Christmas and one for Easter. Their Easter story is quite different. It has to do with how they got the splash of red upon their breasts. It was when God's son was hanging on the cross. They wanted to do something to spare him. They were too weak to pull out the nails from his feet and hands; so they tore their little breasts in plucking the thorns one by one from the crown that had been set upon his forehead. Since then God has allowed their breasts to remain red as a remembrance of His gratitude.
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About this edition
This free edition of Christmas Outside of Eden by Coningsby Dawson comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #15552, released 2005-04-05. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Science-Fiction & Fantasy, Novels, Mythology, Legends & Folklore.
Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).
