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The Maiden's Vigil; the Hawthorne Tree; Legend of Einsiedeln · Legends of the Saints

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  Section thirteen of Legends of the Saints by Mary Seymour. This LibriVox recording is
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  in the public domain. Read by Marie Christian. Legend of the Maiden's Vigil.
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  One Christmas Eve, long years ago, a maiden knelt in her little
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  oratory, praying earnestly to him who once came into the world as an infant
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  at Bethlehem. And while she thought of his sufferings in that poor cave,
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  her heart was all on fire with love. As she prayed, A bright
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  light filled the room, and Mary appeared with a divine child, whom she
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  placed in the young girl's arms. Then the Lord, in softest tones,
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  said to her, how much dost thou love me? She answered in the
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  words of Saint Peter. Lord thou knowest that I love THEE? But how
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  much, asked the infant Savior. More than myself, murmured the maiden.
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  And dost thou really love me? Said the gentle voice again. Yes,
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  yes, Lord, cried his little spouse. I love THEE, an thou
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  knowest it more than my heart and my life? How much more than thy
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  heart? Inquired Jesus. Then the maiden drooped her head. I know not
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  how to answer thee my dearest Lord, she said, my heart itself should
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  speak. And such was the force of her love, which could find no
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  expression in words, that her heart broke. Just a few moments. She
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  lay conscious so as to tell those who found her on the floor of her
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  oratory what had happened. Then she was gone to hear the Christmas Song of
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  the Angels in heaven. End of Legend of the Maiden's Vigil of the Hawthorn
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  Tree. It was Noontide, and the burning rays of the eastern sun came
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  down fiercely upon the yellow sand of the desert over which Saint Joseph, with
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  the Virgin Mother and her child traveled on their way to the land of Egypt.
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  Not a tree or bush was there to shelter them, and much did
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  the traveler suffer from thirst and heat. Yet they murmured not but passed the
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  time in whispered prayers. Suddenly the ass stopped and would not go forward.
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  What was to be done? They were about midway in the desert, and
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  no help could be obtained. No wonder that Saint Joseph looked anxiously at the
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  blessed Virgin and her divine son. But as they stood dismayed. The little
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  Jesus stretched out his hand and smiled, and the traveler saw before them,
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  but a few paces distant, a little, stunned, withered bush, which
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  they had not noticed before. The Holy Mary alighted and spread her cloak there
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  so that the Holy Child might rest. But in that moment, instead of
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  a poor withered shrub, it was a blooming tree of hawthorn, full and
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  shapely, covered with white and fragrant flowers, and beneath its shade sprang up
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  green fresh grass, amidst which flowed a spring of water. Reverently and devoutly
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  did the good Saint Joseph and the Holy Mary thank God for his gifts,
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  while white robed angels came towards them, bringing cooling fruits to relieve their thirst.
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  Then the infant Savior said, Mother, as this poor shrub did bloom
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  for thee this day, so shall those souls bloom with virtue and grace who
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  seek a shelter in thy heart. And in remembrance of this promise, it
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  is my will that this bush shall flower always in the month which Christians yet
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  unborn, shall consecrate to thee, and angels shall carry its seeds throughout the
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  earth that men may know its pure white blossoms, and with them adorn Thine
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  image. So the blessed Virgin took up her cloak on which the Little Jesus
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  had rested. And as they continued their way, the angels divided the branches
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  of the tree which had been so blessed, carrying them to different parts of
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  the earth, as the Divine Child had said, while they sang the praises
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  of God and the purity and sweetness of his blessed Mother. End of Legend
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  of the Hawthorn Tree. Legend of Ainsiedeln. Among the rocky mountains of Switzerland,
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  the holy Monk Minrad built himself a little cell and a small chapel,
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  in which he placed an image of the Virgin Mother, before which he had
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  knelt many hours in prayer and received some miraculous favors. It was a quiet,
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  piece full retreat. But the enemy of souls sought to disturb the holy
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  Man by many assaults, as he has always sought to trouble the lovers of
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  God. At times the whole forest seemed in flames around his cell, and
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  terrible storms shook the pine trees of that dense forest. Yet Minrad remained unmoved
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  and unharmed, with prayer for his unfailing weapon. A monk from a neighboring
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  monastery, who was permitted sometimes to visit him, drew near the cell of
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  Minrad one night and saw a brilliant light streaming from the little chapel. Looking
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  in, he observed the pious and holy man kneeling upon the altar step reciting
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  the night Office, while a young and lovely child supported the book, residing
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  with Minrad. The alternate verses, the monk retired full of reverence and awe
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  to tell his brethren that Minrad was visited by angels. For many years,
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  a holy hermit pursued his life of prayer, penance, and labor. The
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  simple peasants sought his instruction, and even the wild animals of the forest and
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  the birds of the air resorted to his humble and lonely cell. At length,
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  two wicked men, who had pondered long over the devotion of Minrad to
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  his image of Mary, decided that it must contain some hidden treasure of great
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  value, and they conceived the idea of killing him, so that the prize
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  might be theirs. They made their way to his cell, and as they
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  passed through the forest, the birds raised their voices as if to warn their
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  friend of his danger. But God had already made known to Minerad what was
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  to happen, and with a look of compassion, he had dressed his would
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  be murderers. I know what brings you here, he said, but you
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  shall receive my pardon and blessing before you slay me. When I am dead,
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  put these two candles, one at the head of my couch, the
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  other at its foot, and then fly quickly, lest you may be discovered.
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  The wretched men were not softened by his words. They dashed out his
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  brains, and then searched for the hidden treasure, which they believed was there.
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  But they saw it in vain, and in their rage and disappointment,
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  were leaving the place so hastily that they forgot the request of Minrad until they
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  beheld the candles lit, but by no earthly hand. Terrified at this strange
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  and wonderful occurrence, they hurried along the narrow pathways of the forest, dreading
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  to let their blood stained hands and clothes be seen. But two crows,
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  who had often been fed by the murdered saint, pursued them, flapping their
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  wings and pecking at them. During that day, a poor carpenter went to
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  the cell of Minrad and there found him dead. When the news spread,
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  some people remembered having seen two men hurrying along towards Zurich, and they pursued
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  them there, believing that it was they who had committed the murder. On
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  reaching the town, they found the two crows pecking at the window of a
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  room in which the men had taken refuge in spite of the efforts of the
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  servant to drive them away. And when these birds were recognized as those who
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  had frequented the cell of Minrad, the murderers confessed their guilt and gave themselves
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  up to justice. They were executed in punishment for their crime, and at
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  the moment of death, the two crows still hovered above the scaffold. After
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  this, the little cell and chapel of Einsingdelm were visited by many devout people
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  who came to pray before the image of the Blessed Virgin, which Minrad had
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  prized so much, And some years afterwards a magnificent abbey rose upon the spot
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  which had been consecrated by the life and death of the Saint end of Lejen,
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  end of ainseed down, end of Section thirteen,