Christmas Night by Maud Van Buren

Name: Christmas Night
Author: Maud Van Buren

On Christmas Day, a grandmother tells a child about a man who seeks fire at night to warm his wife and infant. He finds a shepherd’s fire guarded by dogs and sheep, but the dogs cannot bite him, the sheep do not resist as he walks over them, the shepherd’s thrown staff turns aside, and glowing coals do not burn his hands or cloak. The harsh shepherd, puzzled by this mercy, allows the man to take the fire and follows him. He discovers that the family lives in a bare cavern and, moved by pity for the child, gives them a soft white sheepskin. Because the shepherd has shown mercy, his eyes are opened: he sees angels with silver wings and harps proclaiming the birth of the Saviour who will redeem the world. He understands that the happiness of this holy night has made all creatures unwilling to harm another. The grandmother concludes that angels still fly over the earth every Christmas Eve, but people need spiritual sight, rather than earthly light, to behold God’s glory.

By Maud Van Buren · First published 1927 · Genre: Christian Religious Fiction, Christmas Fiction, Religious Legend · 1,414 words

First lines

_Selma Lagerlöf_

"Once upon a time," said my Grandmother, as we sat together one / Christmas Day when all the others had gone to church, "there was a man / who went out at night to borrow some fire. ‘Help me, kind people,' he / said. ‘My wife has a little baby, and I must light a fire to warm her / and the child. '[23]

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What this Textopian page supports

Christmas Night is listed on Textopian as a short story by Maud Van Buren, dated 1927 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Maud Van Buren
Date: 1927 CE
Language: English
Genres: Christian Religious Fiction, Christmas Fiction, Religious Legend, Children's Literature, Moral Tale
Length: 1,414 words
Structure: 1 section, 29 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Work identity for Christmas Night by Maud Van Buren
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Similar titles

Genres

Christian Religious Fiction — The story dramatizes the Nativity through the birth of the Saviour, angelic revelation, redemption from sin, mercy, faith, and the glory of God.
Christmas Fiction — Set on Christmas night and centered on the miraculous significance of Christ's birth, the narrative expresses traditional Christmas themes of wonder, charity, joy, and spiritual awakening.
Religious Legend — Written as a traditional sacred tale, it imaginatively expands a biblical-era setting through miraculous animals, unburning coals, angels, and a shepherd's revelation.
Children's Literature — The framing scene of a grandmother telling a child a story, repeated childlike questions, clear moral structure, and accessible prose suit young readers.