In a small house lived a poor man. He had two children Valentine and Mary. One winter evening, Valentine and Mary were staying at home. Then a tap (轻敲) was heard on the window. A child cried, "Please let me in! I am a poor child. I don't have any (亲戚) here. I will (死) of cold and hunger unless you let me in."
Valentine and Mary opened the door, "Come in! We have not much to(招待) you, but we will share whatever we have with you."
The child came in and the (温暖) of the fire made him comfortable. The children gave him the(甜食) they had." You must be tired, too. Lie down on our bed." So Valentine and Mary(放置) him on the bed and covered him with a quilt. (有耐心地).They had not slept many hours before Mary woke. She woke up her brother, "Valentine, listen to the sweet music outside." They went outside to see what happened. To their surprise, a group of children were singing in front of the house. The poor child walked to Valentine and Mary. He broke a branch (树枝) from a tree near the house and planted it in the(花园). "I am the little Christ child," he said. "You took me in and cared for me. You are good children and I (欣赏) you. This branch shall become a tree and bring you fruit year by year." The branch became a (圣诞)tree, and it had fruit every Christmas.