Read "The First Christmas Tree" by Henry Van Dyke online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
A swift mountain-flood rolling down its channel; a huge rock / tumbling from the hill-side and falling in mid-stream; the baffled / waters broken and confused, pausing in their flow, dash high / against the rock, foaming and murmuring, with divided impulse, / uncertain whether to turn to the right or the left.
Even so Winfried's bold deed fell into the midst of the thoughts / and passions of the council. They were at a standstill. Anger and / wonder, reverence and joy and confusion surged through the crowd. / They knew not which way to move: to resent the intrusion of the / stranger as an insult to their gods, or to welcome him as the / rescuer of their darling prince.