[A Survey of Russian Literature, with Selections by Isabel Florence Hapgood]@TWC D-Link book
A Survey of Russian Literature, with Selections

CHAPTER I
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It is allied to the English ballad of "The Flight into Egypt" (which also occurs among the Christmas carols of the Slavonians of the Carpathian Mountains), in which the Virgin Mary works a miracle with the peasant's grain, in order to save Christ from the Jews in pursuit.

The Virgin comes to the "Alleluia Woman," with the infant Christ in her arms, saying: "Cast thy child into the oven, and take Christ the Lord in thy lap.

His enemies, the Jews, are hastening hither; they seek to kill Christ the Lord with sharp spears." The Alleluia Woman obeys, without an instant's hesitation.

When the Jews arrive, immediately afterwards, and inquire if Christ has passed that way, she says she has thrown him into the oven.

The Jews are convinced of the truth of her statement, by the sight of a child's hand amid the flames; whereupon they dance for joy, and depart, after fastening an iron plate over the oven door.


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