The CBB :: View topic - Stille Nacht

#1: Stille Nacht Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 8:49 am

The small, thin body was wracked with coughs again, then lay back quietly on the sofa. The blood-spotted handkerchief was removed from her hand and replaced with a clean one. Now the coughing had ceased, her shallow breaths barely lifted the covers that were tucked back around her.

The room was quiet. Although it held all the gay trappings of Christmas, the tree with its candles and ribbons, the piles of presents, there was little festivity among the family gathered there.

“Tell me the story, Mama,” she whispered, her brown eyes large and luminous in the pale translucence of her face. “Tell me of the first Christmas.”

The woman sitting next to her smoothed her hand over the dark curls and, in a faltering voice, told the well-known, well-loved story. As she had been so many times before, the girl was enthralled by the tale. To the others in the room, it seemed it had never been told with such emotion. As she heard about the angels appearing to the shepherds the little girl smiled. “I would have liked to hear the angels sing.” she said wistfully when the tale had finished

“We shall sing to you instead,” said one of the young men, swallowing a lump in his throat, “would you like that Liebling?”

She nodded and smiled; another fit of coughing convulsed her, and they waited until it was past and she was quiet again before the violin struck up and they sang O Jesulein suss, O Jesulein mild.

She listened raptly as the violin sang the tune and the voices blended together in harmony.

The carol was followed by Adeste Fideles.

“You are tired, you should rest now Herzallerliebst.”

“One more,” she begged, when they would have hung up the violin and, unable to deny her, they softly raised their voices again.

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigten Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Jesus in deiner Geburt!
Jesus in deiner Geburt!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn,
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn,
Jesum in Menschengestalt!
Jesum in Menschengestalt!

A fit of coughing attacked her, but they sang on, their love woven into their voices, as her mother bent over her.

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß,
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt!
Jesus die Völker der Welt!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!

The coughing passed and she lay back again, her eyes, as they passed from one beloved face to the next, glowing with her joy in the music. Her lips moved as she silently sang with them.

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Alleluja,
Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah:
"Jesus der Retter ist da!"
"Jesus der Retter ist da!"

As she smiled at them, the violin played the melody on its own, vibrating with an emotion that the player could not put into words. Her eyes drifted shut as, more tenderly than any angel could have sung the Christ-child to sleep, they repeated the first verse.

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigten Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

When the carol ended she lay quietly, her eyes closed, a smile on her face, all trace of pain and suffering gone. Sleeping in heavenly peace.

A solitary tear overflowed and trickled down her mother’s face. Natalie had gone to hear the Christmas angels sing.

#2: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:07 am

Oh that's making me cry! Poor Frau Mensch, but at least Natalie's last minutes were peaceful. Thanks Liz.

#3: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:46 am

O-o-h-h... somehow I knew it was Natalie.

That was so beautiful, Liz. Thank you.

#4: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:49 am

Oh thank you Liz - that was absolutely beautiful

#5: Author: Bookwormsarah, Location: Cambridge, UK

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:20 am

Oh, that made me cry! Thank you, Liz.

#6: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:29 am

Thank you, Liz, that was absolutely beautiful.

#7: Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:24 am

Thankyou Liz - that was beautiful. Poor little Natalie.

#8: Author: leahbelle, Location: Coventry

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:30 am

That was lovely. Thank you, Liz!

#9: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:34 am

Thanks, Liz. That was beautiful and moving. I hadn't realised it was Natalie. I also didn't know there were so many verses of 'Stille Nacht' - I thought there were only 3.

#10: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:27 pm

Oh, Liz

Thank you so much - that was indeed beautiful.

#11: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:44 pm

beautiful

#12: Author: Róisín, Location: Gaillimh, Eire

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:03 pm

I'd no idea who it was until the end - so sad but so nice - thank you Liz and Merry Christmas.

#13: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:14 pm

How beautiful and sad, thank you Liz and merry christmas Very Happy

#14: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:38 pm

Very sweet Liz, thank you Smile

#15: Author: JustJen, Location: Dorval, Quebec

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:06 pm

Oh goodness, I crying was eyes right now but what a lovely story

#16: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:13 pm

Thanks, Liz.
Merry Christmas.

#17: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:53 pm

Beautiful. Thank you Liz!
*scrubs eyes*

#18: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 8:42 pm

Liz, that has left me stunned. It is beautiful, tender, still, and has left me in tears.

Thank you.

#19: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:01 pm

Absolutely beautiful, thanks Liz! amazingly well written excellent I didnt realie who it was until the last line though!

#20: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:16 pm

Beautiful. Thank you Liz.

#21: Author: Gabrielle, Location: Near Paris, France

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:20 pm

Thanks Liz, that was lovely. *Blinking back tears*

#22: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:54 pm

Oh Liz that was simply beautiful. Thank you so much

#23: Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:56 pm

Lovely. Really lovely.
Thank you, Liz.

#24: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:44 pm

Have only just found this beautiful tale. I am glad because it would have upset me to read it so near Christmas. Thanks Liz, it is really poignant. I too didn't realise who it was until the end.

#25: Author: Nicci, Location: UK

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:34 pm

Liz, I've only just seen this. I wish I'd read it before. It was beautiful, and I had a sad but warm tingle down my back as it came to the end.

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