One afternoon the Chirst-child had laid himself in his cradle-bed and had fallen asleep.Then his mother came to him,looked at him full of gladness,and said,"Hast thou laid thyself down to sleep,my child?" Sleep sweetly,and in the mean timeI will go into the wood,and fetch thee a handful of strawberries,for I know that thou wilt be pleased with them when thou awakest."In the wood outside,she found a spot with the most beautiful strawberries;but as she stopping down to gather one,an adder sprang up out of the grass.She was alarmed,left the strawberries where they were,and hastened away.The adder darted after her;but Our Lady,as you can readily understand,knew that it was best to do.She hid herself behind a hazel-bush,and stood therr until the adder had crept away again.Then gathered the strawberries,and as she set out on her way home she said,"As the hazel-bush had been my protection this time,it shall in future protect others also."Therefore,from the most remote times,a green hazel-branch has been the safest protection against adders,snakes,and everying else which creeps on the earth.
