“Ah, dearie, those toys are for people who can pay for them, and we have no money to spend for Christmas toys.”

“Well, Granny,” said Gretchen, “perhaps some of the little children who live in the great house on the hill at the other end of the village, will be willing to share some of their toys with me.  They will be glad to give some to a little girl who has none.”

“Dear child, dear child,” said Granny, leaning forward and stroking the soft, shiny hair of the little girl, “your heart is full of love.  You would be glad to bring a Christmas to every child; but their heads are so full of what they are going to get that they forget all about anybody else but themselves.”  Then she sighed and shook her head.

“Well, Granny,” said Gretchen, her bright, happy tone of voice growing a little less joyous, “perhaps the dear Santa Claus will show some of the village children how to make presents that do not cost money, and some of them may surprise me Christmas morning with a present.  And, Granny, dear,” added she, springing up from her low stool, “can’t I gather some of the pine branches and take them to the old sick man who lives in the house by the mill, so that he can have the sweet smell of our forest in his room all Christmas day?”

“Yes, dearie,” said Granny, “you may do what you can to make the Christmas bright and happy, but you must not expect any present yourself.”

“Oh, but, Granny,” said little Gretchen, her face brightening, “you forgot all about the shining Christmas angels, who came down to earth and sang their wonderful song the night the beautiful Christ-Child was born!  They are so loving and good that they will not forget any little child.  I shall ask my dear stars tonight to tell them of us.  You know,” she added, with a look of relief, “the stars are so very high that they must know the angels quite well as they come and go with their messages from the loving God.”

Granny sighed as she half whispered.  “Poor child, poor child!” but Gretchen threw her arm around Granny’s neck and gave her a hearty kiss, saying as she did so:  “Oh, Granny, Granny, you don’t talk to the stars often enough, else you would not be sad at Christmas time.”  Then she danced all around the room, whirling her little skirts about her to show Granny how the wind had made the snow dance that day.  She looked so droll and funny that Granny forgot her cares and worries and laughed with little Gretchen over her new snow dance.  The days passed on and the morning before Christmas Eve came.  Gretchen having tidied up the little room—­for Granny had taught her to be a careful little housewife—­was off to the forest, singing a birdlike song, almost as happy and free as the birds themselves.  She was very busy that day preparing a surprise for Granny.  First, however, she gathered the most beautiful of the fir branches within her reach to take the next morning to the old sick man who lived by the mill.